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 worth? Many people would say it has no price. But governments have to decide how much money to spend on clean air. New rules cost money. Factories must buy new machines. 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 saves lives. To choose the right rules, we must compare two things. On one side is the money we spend. On the other side is the value of the lives we save. This way of thinking is called .
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 pass. The cost will always look too high. So someone has to pick a number, even if the number feels strange.
So how do experts pick a number? They look at small choices. For example, a safer car costs more money. People pay extra to lower their risk of death. From these choices, experts work out a number. In America, one common number is about 12 million dollars per 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 rough number is better than no number. Asking the hard question is better than not asking at all.
How much is fresh air worth? Many people would say it has no price. But governments have to decide how much money to spend on clean air. New rules cost money. Factories must buy new machines. 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 saves lives. To choose the right rules, we must compare two things. On one side is the money we spend. On the other side is the value of the lives we save. This way of thinking is called .
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 pass. The cost will always look too high. So someone has to pick a number, even if the number feels strange.
So how do experts pick a number? They look at small choices. For example, a safer car costs more money. People pay extra to lower their risk of death. From these choices, experts work out a number. In America, one common number is about 12 million dollars per 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 rough 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