Why read this: This short article asks a hard question in simple words: how much is a life worth? Students at A2 can read it without help. The article shows them that big choices in real life often need numbers, even when numbers feel strange. It also helps them think about clean air, a topic many of them already care about.
What to notice: Notice the way the article puts two sides next to each other. On one side: the cost of new rules. On the other side: the lives saved. This is the main idea. Also notice the word 'but' at the start of some sentences. It shows a change in the idea. The last paragraph is short and clear. It tells the reader what the writer thinks.
Skills practised: Students practise reading short sentences and joining them into one big idea. They learn one new term: cost-benefit analysis. They also practise saying their own view, using simple words. The open questions ask them to list and describe, not to argue. This is the right skill at A2.
How much is a human life worth?
It sounds cold to ask. But not asking is worse.
Tap any green word in the article to see its meaning.
How much is fresh air worthworth: Having a value of; proper to be exchanged for — 值…的? Many people would say it has no price. But governmentsgovernment: The group of people who run a country. — 政府 have to decide how much money to spend on clean air. New rules cost money. Factoriesfactory: A building where goods are made by machines. — 工厂 must buy new machinesmachine: A device that directs and controls energy, often in the form of movement or electricity, to produce a certain effect — 机器. Some old jobs may end. So we need to ask: how much is clean air worth to us?
This is part of a bigger problem. When the air is dirty, more people get sick. Some children get sick. Some old people die early. So clean air savessave: To keep something safe, or to store money for later. — 保存；救；储蓄 lives. To choose the right rules, we must compare two things. On one sideside: One of the flat surfaces of something, or a position. — 侧面；边；一侧 is the money we spend. On the other side is the valuevalue: how much something is worth in money or importance — 价值；重要性 of the lives we savesave: To keep something safe, or to store money for later. — 保存；救；储蓄. This way of thinkingthinking: The activity or process of using your mind to consider something. — 思考；思维 is called cost-benefit analysis: a way of choosing what to do by comparing the money it costs with the good things it brings — 成本效益分析.
But here is the hard part. How much is one life worth? Most people say a life cannot have a price. A life is too important. But if we say a life is worth nothing, then no rule will ever passpass: To go past something, or to succeed in a test. — 经过；通过. The cost will always look too high. So someone has to pick a number, eveneven: Exactly, just, fully — 正好 if the number feels strangestrange: Unusual or surprising in a way that is difficult to understand. — 奇怪的；陌生的.
So how do expertsexpert: A person who knows a lot about a subject — 专家 pick a number? They look at small choiceschoice: The act of choosing between two or more things, or the range of things available. — 选择；抉择. For example, a safersafe: Not in danger; out of harm's reach — 安全的 car costs more money. People pay extra to lowerlower: To move something to a less high position; to reduce in amount or degree. — 降低；减少 their riskrisk: A possible adverse event or outcome — 风险 of deathdeath: The end of life for a person, animal, or plant. — 死亡；去世. From these choices, experts work out a number. In America, one common number is about 12 million dollars perper: For each; used to show a rate. — 每；按……计算 life. This number is not what one person is worth. It only helps make rules.
Some people say this is cold. They think it is wrong to put a number on a life. But if we never try, we cannot make good rules. A roughrough: Having an uneven surface; not smooth, or not gentle. — 粗糙的；崎岖的 number is better than no number. Asking the hard question is better than not asking at all.
How much is fresh air worthworth: Having a value of; proper to be exchanged for — 值…的? Many people would say it has no price. But governmentsgovernment: The group of people who run a country. — 政府 have to decide how much money to spend on clean air. New rules cost money. Factoriesfactory: A building where goods are made by machines. — 工厂 must buy new machinesmachine: A device that directs and controls energy, often in the form of movement or electricity, to produce a certain effect — 机器. Some old jobs may end. So we need to ask: how much is clean air worth to us?
This is part of a bigger problem. When the air is dirty, more people get sick. Some children get sick. Some old people die early. So clean air savessave: To keep something safe, or to store money for later. — 保存；救；储蓄 lives. To choose the right rules, we must compare two things. On one sideside: One of the flat surfaces of something, or a position. — 侧面；边；一侧 is the money we spend. On the other side is the valuevalue: how much something is worth in money or importance — 价值；重要性 of the lives we savesave: To keep something safe, or to store money for later. — 保存；救；储蓄. This way of thinkingthinking: The activity or process of using your mind to consider something. — 思考；思维 is called cost-benefit analysis: a way of choosing what to do by comparing the money it costs with the good things it brings — 成本效益分析.
But here is the hard part. How much is one life worth? Most people say a life cannot have a price. A life is too important. But if we say a life is worth nothing, then no rule will ever passpass: To go past something, or to succeed in a test. — 经过；通过. The cost will always look too high. So someone has to pick a number, eveneven: Exactly, just, fully — 正好 if the number feels strangestrange: Unusual or surprising in a way that is difficult to understand. — 奇怪的；陌生的.
So how do expertsexpert: A person who knows a lot about a subject — 专家 pick a number? They look at small choiceschoice: The act of choosing between two or more things, or the range of things available. — 选择；抉择. For example, a safersafe: Not in danger; out of harm's reach — 安全的 car costs more money. People pay extra to lowerlower: To move something to a less high position; to reduce in amount or degree. — 降低；减少 their riskrisk: A possible adverse event or outcome — 风险 of deathdeath: The end of life for a person, animal, or plant. — 死亡；去世. From these choices, experts work out a number. In America, one common number is about 12 million dollars perper: For each; used to show a rate. — 每；按……计算 life. This number is not what one person is worth. It only helps make rules.
Some people say this is cold. They think it is wrong to put a number on a life. But if we never try, we cannot make good rules. A roughrough: Having an uneven surface; not smooth, or not gentle. — 粗糙的；崎岖的 number is better than no number. Asking the hard question is better than not asking at all.
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What does the article say about clean air rules?
- 02
How do experts pick a number for a life?
- 03
What number does America often use for one life?
- 04
Describe two costs of making clean air rules.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
List two reasons why the article says it is better to pick a number for a life than to pick no number.
Suggested length: ~50 words
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What does the article say about clean air rules?
- 02
How do experts pick a number for a life?
- 03
What number does America often use for one life?
- 04
Describe two costs of making clean air rules.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
List two reasons why the article says it is better to pick a number for a life than to pick no number.
Suggested length: ~50 words