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Lesson 3 Your Money When less is more What can you do with 5 yuan? Not a lot, you may think. Well, if buying a bag of candies or cookies doesn't appeal to you, how about buying a tree instead? Yes, a tree along the banks of the Yellow River to be exact. Every year, approximately 1.6 billion tons of soil flows into the Yellow River, China's second longest river. The soil contains materials to keep the natural balance of the area. Over time, a lot of soil has been removed, which has caused serious erosion of the land along the River. In some areas in Shanxi Province, this has destroyed almost all the land, and has forced many local farmers to move to other areas. It is a huge job to control Yellow River erosion. Many people believe this kind of work is best done by government or international organisations. You may agree with this point of view. If so, it is time for you to think again. In fact, it is you who have the most important role to play in stopping Yellow River erosion.Did you know the importance of your 5 yuan? For a start, it can buy you a tree, which will help make soil stay on the land. On land with rich soil, local farmers can grow crops to make a living. With the money they earn from their crops, farmers buy goods or services. This helps to develop local economies. Still puzzled how your 5 yuan can have so much effect? Well, just take a look at the fact below. Since 1997, a tree-planting progamme has changed the Jiuchengong Valley in Inner Mongolia into a green homeland. Visitors from all over the world now come to admire this great achievement. What is more, the success of the programme has greatly improved the lives of the local people. Just think: all this started with 5 yuan! So when you have 5 yuan in your pocket next time, think twice about how to use the money. Remember you can use it to buy a tree and create a green future for our motherland, our people and yourself. 第3课 你的钱 积少成多 五元钱能做什么？或许你觉得做不了什么。 当然，要是你对买一袋糖或甜点不感兴趣，买棵树怎么样？ 没错，确切地说，是一棵种在黄河岸边的树。 每年，大约有16亿吨泥土流入黄河—中国第二大河流。 这些泥土中含有保持该地区大自然平衡的物质。 经年累月，大量的泥土被冲走，导致黄河两岸严重的水土流失。 在山西省某些地区，这种水土流失几乎毁掉了所有的土地，还迫使许多当地农民迁移到其他地区。 控制黄河水土流失是一项巨大工程。很多人认为这项工作最好由政府和国际组织承担。 你或许会赞同这种观点。如果确实如此，你该重新考虑一下了。事实上，你才是阻止黄河水土流失最重要的人物。 你知道你的五元钱的重要性吗？ 首先，你可以买一棵树，而这棵树可以使水土不流失。 在肥沃的土地上，当地农民可以种庄稼谋生。用种庄稼赚的钱，农民可以购买所需物品或服务。这有助于发展地方经济。 还是不理解为什么你的五元钱会有如此大的作用吧？ 那么，看看下面的事实吧。 自1997年起，一项植树计划已使内蒙古九成功流域变成了绿色家园。 世界各地的人前来这里观赏这一伟大成就。另外，这项计划的成功大大改善了当地人民的生活。试想一下：这一切就始于五元钱！所以，下次当你口袋里再有五元钱时，仔细想想该怎么花。 请记住，你可以用它买树，为我们的祖国、人民以及你自己创造绿色的未来。 |
