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Water Crisis

Water Crisis

Date: Jun 07 2021

Themes: Health

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

The lives of men have always revolved around water. There’s a reason most cities are located on a river or lake. Potable water has always been necessary and somewhat hard to find.

But with increasing population and pollution, it is becoming more and more difficult to hydrate mankind. Some experts say that the next world war will be over water. We’re certainly not there yet, but there’s no reason we shouldn’t be more careful with our most important resource.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Marni

Kevin

Kevin

Marni:  Statistically, a billion people in the world look for clean water every day.

Kevin:  That is amazing.

Marni:  Yeah, and here we are in the United States and we just turn on our tap and we take it for granted.

Kevin:  And we’re watering our lawns…

Marni:  That makes me crazy!

Kevin:  ...which I find really offensive.

Marni:  I do, too. It’s such a waste and I think in this country, in the US, we just really take water for granted. We use it, we waste it and we’re not responsible with it, and, yes we have it…

Kevin:  And yet, every summer, there’s some sort of crisis. Oh, you can’t water your lawns in Seattle, or in Phoenix…

Marni:  Why do we need to water our lawns? It’s just pure vanity. And people who wash their cars obsessively in the driveway.

Kevin:  I used to have a neighbor when I lived in Southeast Portland, and they would wash their cars every other day.

Marni:  Ridiculous!

Kevin:  White cars to boot. They were white! Like, you couldn’t even see the dirt.

Marni:  I just think we’re very spoiled and we really need to think about water long-term.

 

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Discussion

Marni tells Kevin that there are 1 billion people in the world who don’t have regular access to clean water. It’s something that’s easy to forget in a country like the United States where every building has running water, even though, as Kevin points out, there are often water shortages in certain areas of the country.

In fact, it’s so easy to forget that water is precious, that a lot of Americans waste it on things like watering the grass in their yards. Using water in this way makes Marni and Kevin very upset. They also think that Kevin’s former neighbors, who washed their cars every other day, are ridiculous as well. They agree that people need to think about making sure there’s still water for everyone in the future.

How easy is it to get water where you live? Are people careful with water in your town or do they use it on their cars and lawns?

 

Comments

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shimanaz

shimanaz

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

In my city, Tehran, potable water runs out of taps! Although we have crisis almost at every summer, still no one cares! And they keep on wasting this precious thing! They use it for washing their cars, watering their gardens, even for cleaning their whole yards (I mean without using a broom or something). I think in my country the cause of this problem is that the water costs too much cheap to be cared about!

08:07 PM Aug 28 2007 |

Christoph07

Germany

This crise we must see very sophisticated. We have much problems in the world to get access for clean water. Over 96% is saltwater. And we can use for drinking normally only 3% 48000000 km^3 But we can clean every water (only some medicine and spezial chemical poisen in it is a problem, for example antibabypills). It is only a question how much power (energy) We have to clean the water from salt or pollution so how much money We have to build and use waterplants and watertreatmentplants. We dont have a crise everywhere. But we can't ship the water from Norway or USA to aride zones in Africa. It is ok if the people use a lot of clean water to wash cars and to make the grass or other plants green. This will be the technologies cheaper and inovativer.

The world is not black or white. We have a lot of grew. I'am not a pacifist but if we take some percent from all money who spend for weapons then we can alley this problem for many people.

06:05 PM Aug 28 2007 |

shanie

shanie

China

we here have not realize the shortage of the water .we can use freely ,but we know some other places of our country are very hungry for it .so we ship our south water to the north ,which is a very big project in our country .may that will help .but i think intelligent use is the piont .

06:03 PM Aug 28 2007 |

MaeL

Canada

Dirt should show up clearly on things that are white because dirt is somewhat dark and muddy.  

03:56 PM Aug 28 2007 |

wanami

Taiwan

We take it granted for water suppliment because it's the basic need for humans. Therefore, people would not cherish water unless we lose it.

Everyone can do something to change the situation. For example, you can save water by taking a shower. If we use water in the correct way, our earth will be more beautiful!

03:42 PM Aug 28 2007 |

MaeL

Canada

I don't get it. Dirt should shows up cleearly on things that are white because dirt is dark and muddy.   

Anyone can explain?

  

03:19 PM Aug 28 2007 |

worthfuck

China

water is another life of people! without water we can not live

01:24 PM Aug 28 2007 |

boss4eva

boss4eva

United Arab Emirates

u wont feel how important is it until u lose it its a boon we have to use it wisely

11:25 AM Aug 28 2007 |

tear_drop

tear_drop

Poland

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2943946.stm

10:36 AM Aug 28 2007 |

air34

air34

Spain

Everyone should try not to waste water.

From my point of view farmers should change their method of watering their fields, such as corps, vegetables.

The south of Spain is run out of water. On the other hand, every year there are more and more golf fields, which need a lot of water for the lawns.

10:32 AM Aug 28 2007 |

tuyetvta

Viet Nam

Shortage of water is the global problem in the coming years. I quite agree that we have wasted a lot of water in daily life. So it is important for us to be aware of the matter.

09:29 AM Aug 28 2007 |

rusen

rusen

Turkey

I had saw this sentence in a advertisement.''Water is life.'' Yes,it's true and we have to keep our life.If we want to give clean world to our children,we must do it.Otherwise bad days will come for world soon…

08:12 AM Aug 28 2007 |

Johnny bai

Johnny bai

China

it is a truth we should alway facing

07:12 AM Aug 28 2007 |

Johnny bai

Johnny bai

China

yeah, we should pay attention to using water. Though water is renewable resource, it will be exhausted by our wasting. So be cautious when you turn on tap every time,  and think about next generation

07:11 AM Aug 28 2007 |

explorer143

Pakistan

oh, it's big problem to drink clean water, in our city we get water for drinking from tap, which isn't sure that are pure, but we can use it for live,  here is the same situation people waste water by washing cars or watering their lawns. really it's offensive and not bearable for me.

we can save water for our life, because it's our need, and we can't survive without it.

 

07:08 AM Aug 28 2007 |

salah alden

Jordan

I think we must build a big tankers for water and also we must build dams for collecting water in the winter season.

05:48 AM Aug 28 2007 |

Maricarmen04

Dominican Republic

i just want to take one example. in my country Dominican Republic have a water crisis….... and honestly i have to say that if afortunaly some country havethe oportunity to have it conserve it!!!

03:03 AM Aug 28 2007 |

lola forever

Saudi Arabia

the water is very important in our live&we have to keep it for the future b/c if it’s easy 2 find water today that will be difficult 2 find it tomorrow.so,every body is responsible about the watere.

01:28 AM Aug 28 2007 |

sweetsouh

sweetsouh

Morocco

i think water is Sth necessary in our everyday life!w should use it in a responsible way!000000000000

12:33 AM Aug 28 2007 |

stevenzlt

stevenzlt

China

somethings when they are existing we do not realize how important and precious they are.But once they gone one day we would know how to cherish them.We should do something to saving the water from some little things and from ourselves…..

12:20 AM Aug 28 2007 |

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