About their problems. They try to find answers for their problems together. For example
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124 FOOD One of the saddest features of the modern world is that millions of people do not have enough to eat and many more do not have the right kinds of food required for good health. In order to be healthy, man needs a balanced diet, i.e. a diet that contains the right amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals. The carbohydrate in bread, rice, potatoes and sugary foods provides energy for the body. Too much carbohydrate, however, can make people obese and obesity can endanger health. These people usually have serious health problems since they are extremely fat. The oils and fats in milk, cream, butter, cheese and meat provide the body’s main stored food and contain much more energy than carbohydrates. The protein in cheese, eggs, meat, fish and milk quickens growth and repair damage to the body's tissues. The body also needs small amounts of vitamins and minerals. When a person's diet consists of a variety of foods, the required amounts of vitamins and minerals are taken in. Historically, the diets of different societies depend on such factors as climate, soil and the ease or difficulty of transporting foods from one place to another. The sjmple diet of the Bedoum Arabs consists of dates, grains and sometimes meat and vegetables. This is because the land is very dry and, as a result, very few foods can be grown there. On the other hand, a country such as France, with a good climate and rich soil, has always had plentiful and a great variety of foods. When people move to another country and culture, they usually take their eating habits with them. They feel psychologically comfortable when they eat the foods they have known all their lives. When discussing food and diet, it is possible to divide the world's population into two sections: those who have lots of food and those who suffer shortages of even the most basic foods. Developed countries have the financial means and the technology to provide all kinds of foods for their people. Refrigeration, food preservation and modern transport systems allow these people to enjoy foods from all parts of the world. For instance, the British are not able to grow sufficient food for their needs, but they import a wide variety of foods, from potatoes to exotic troplcal fruits. Food processing has meant that the seasons are no longer important: vegetables such as peas and beans are canned or frozen and are available the whole year round; soft fruits such as strawberries, which are only produced locally for a short season, can be imported from other parts of the world. Although some developed nations have been experiencing financial difficulties recently, the result has not been damaging. The effects of economic problems on developing countries, however, have been very serious. One disastrous result is famine. Millions of people in Africa, particularly babies and small children, have lost their lives because there is no food. Droughts, or long periods of dry weather, are a major cause of this famine. There is also the economic pressure to produce industrial crops, such as cotton, for export. Thus, these countries are unable to produce sufficient amounts of food crops for their own people. Many developing countries do not have the money to buy the food they need from abroad. Fortunately, the developed countries have reacted to the famine crisis and are providing food from their high food surpluses. Meanwhile, over large parts of the world, hungry people are worried about not what to eat, but if they will eat.
125 RURAL MIGRATION For most of its history, the United States has measured its progress according to the growth of its cities. In the last 200 years, cities have expanded very fast and many have become centres of commercial and industrial activity, and of political, artistic and social life. There has also been an increasing number of foreign immigrants, people from different countries, moving to America to settle down and internal migrants, people within the country, moving from farms and rural areas to cities. In recent years, however, something unexpected has happened and this pattern has changed. For the first time in two centuries, the countryside is growing faster than the cities. The change from a pattern of migration into the urban areas to one of migration to rural areas happened quite suddenly. For example, from March 1970 to March 1974, almost six million people moved out of the cities, while only a bit more than four million moved in. The changing migration pattern can best be seen in the largest cities of America. Five of the eight largest cities - New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Detroit - have actually lost population since 1970. The change seems to show that Americans do not enjoy living in urban areas anymore. Small rural towns have suddenly become more attractive. Many reasons are offered in explanation of the decrease in movement to the cities. Some of the most recent explanations are those that mention the disadvantages of living in the cities because of food, energy and job shortages. Other urban problems often mentioned are crime, drugs, pollution and transportation. Another reason why people choose to live in rural areas is probably the growth of colleges and universities in areas outside the cities. Other reasons are the environmental movement, which has been started by people who are in search of cleaner air and water, and the improvement in the living standards of rural communities. Many people today have bought farmland which belonged to people who migrated to the city, and most have started to provide the major part of their needs by growing crops and raising farm animals. The setting up of small and medium-sized manufacturing plants (factories) in rural areas has also attracted people from cities. Although such factories pay lower wages than those in large cities, they provide employment for both men and women and help to increase rural income. With the increasing possibility of finding jobs, rural areas have become more attractive places to live in. Recent Improvements in highway Systems and transportation facilities help to keep people in the countryside. Many of the people living in rural areas still work in the city but can easily drive to and from work using the interstate highway system. The return to rural areas, however, does not mean that the United States is going to become a rural society. About 75% of the US population still lives in cities and hundreds of thousands will continue to move to cities each year.
126 OUTWARD BOUND 'Outward Bound' is an educational concept, i.e. idea, that has developed over the last 35 years. Thousands of people in many countries around the world know about it. Outward Bound consists of many educational organisations in different parts of the world. These organisations use nature as classrooms. Outward Bound courses consist of a series of carefully planned but difficult physical activities. The purpose of the activities is to create confident students who are prepared to deal with danger, uncomfortable situations, stress, frustration, and challenge. Increasing a student’s confidence helps him to obtain the feeling of independence and gain the ability to deal with complex everyday life situations more easily. The standard Outward Bound course lasts three to four weeks. During that time, the students live in the wilderness-- an area of wild, rough land where no people live - and perform physical activities whose difficulty increases every day. The first few days are spent on physical exercises. In addition, the students are taught basic skills such as first aid (how to help people when an accident occurs), map reading (how to find the right way), compass reading (how to find the correct direction) and other similar activities. During the second part of the course, students learn how to climb rocks and mountains, how to use boats and canoes in rough rivers, and in some schools how to sail, ski and hike long-distances. The first two parts of the course are done in groups. Members work together and help each other. In the third part of the course, students are sent out alone for three days to test their ability to live in the wilderness with only a few necessities like a box of matches, some pots and pans, a knife, a sleeping bag, a little water and very little to eat. Who are the students of Outward Bound? They are both young people and adults, both men and women. The minimum age is 16 years. There is no maximum age. About 2000 of the 6000 people who complete the course each year are women. Housewives, university students, professors, doctors, and lawyers are also among those who have taken part in the course. In recent years, special courses for the busy businessmen have become increasingly popular. These courses last from five to ten days rather than the usual three to four weeks of the normal course. Not all students complete the Outward Bound course. Sometimes the physical challenges cause a lot of stress. Organisers of an Outward Bound course tell their students before they start that they shouldn't make a mistake because Outward Bound is not for everybody and that the courses aren't easy at all. Most students who finish the Course share a common experience They are surprised that they have finished the course and experience a~ great feeling of Success because they have been able to do the impossible! The Outward Bound experience makes them feel that they are better than they thought!
127 WHERE TO INVEST YOUR MONEY: A PLAIN MAN'S GUIDE TO INVESTMENT A financial expert helps people with their investments. I am often asked for advice on investments. People want their money to make a profit and to increase in amount. The average investor wants to make a quick profit in a short time. However, it's a fact that he cannot expect a maximum profit with a minimum risk. He doesn't want to lose his money when he is investing it, as most of the investors also want to save money for their retirement. Below are some guidelines on how they can invest their money. An investor may put his money in a bank. He can open two kinds of accounts. If he puts the money in a deposit account, he is paid interest. However, his money will remain there for a period of time and he will not be free to draw it out at any moment. If he does, the bank will not pay him any interest on his money. If he opens a current account, on the other hand, the customer can obtain his money whenever he likes, but will not be paid any interest and therefore, will not pay any taxes. So it is advisable to have enough money in a current account to spend on immediate expenses and to take advantage of the interest rates by keeping the rest in a deposit account. If you can put aside - save - money regularly, try this. Deposit accounts are taxed, however, and they are not very good investment if the cost of living rises fast; that is, if the inflation rate is high. An investor could join the government's 'Save As You Earn' scheme, which is the safest method of investment. If he saves money regularly and be doesn’t want his savings to lose value as the cost of living rises, he should join this scheme. This offers him a tax-free interest. However, he must promise to save a certain amount every month for at least five years. He could invest in the stock market. The stock market offers investors the opportunity of making quite good profits within a short time. But that kind of investment is very risky as there can also be heavy losses in a very short time. Since the 19601s, profits made in the stock market have been taxed, too. Unit trusts are a way of reducing the risk of losing one's money. The investor entrusts - gives - his money to experts and they invest it for him in a number of different ways by buying shares. If the experts choose carefully and Wisely, unit trusts are more likely to guarantee him a profit. He could buy property as it usually increases in value more quickly than the cost of living. But if you still have to sell your house, remember that you will have to pay taxes for the money you receive for it. If you sell someone a house, you can only escape taxation if you are living in it at the time you are selling it. You may conclude that investment is so complicated that it is simpler to keep your money under the bed. But this is the most certain way to lose it. The pound (£) has been falling in real value since the 1930's and this situation is not likely to change in the near future.
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