Dangers to the Environment

1Read: Our environment, our responsibility!

In this story the hill is like a person. Its grass is its beard, and the springs flow from its dimples. When you read, ask yourself what each of those means in real life.

Words to know: plains (wide, flat land), springs (places where water comes out of the ground), dwelt (lived), headman (the leader of a village), migrated (moved away to live somewhere else), overthrew (removed a leader from power), revived (brought back to life).

Our environment, our responsibility!
by Rebecca Njuguna

For ages, Wango Hill stood smiling at the middle of Kwere Plains. From its side, came springs which joined downhill to form River Temu.

Its waters were a gift to the sheep and goats of the area as well as the deer that dwelt in the plains.

Things were all well until Matata became headman. He ordered a path to be cleared from the top of the hill to its foot.

He wanted it so that he could climb uphill easily and roll gently down to the bottom.

Wango Hill was angry with the damage to his beard, but he was patient.

During the weekend, Matata's children and their friends would climb uphill to play.

They would run all over the place, breaking twigs and branches. They lit fires for their games, which they would later leave burning.

Over time, Wango Hill lost patience. The dimples became smaller and smaller as his face turned into ugly wrinkles.

At last the springs were no more. The deer in the plains migrated because there was no more tall green grass to play in.

The sheep and goats grew thinner and thinner. Everyone felt the sadness of Wango Hill.

The people of Kwere realised that something needed to be done. They joined hands and overthrew Matata, the headman.

In Matata's place, they appointed Baraka. Baraka immediately ordered everyone to plant a flower to honour Wango.

Baraka and his people held ceremonies and brought gifts of pine, cedar, and cypress for Wango.

No one walked on the hill any longer, and the grass had a chance to grow tall once again. Gradually, the smile on the face of Wango Hill grew broader and the dimples deeper.

Out of the dimples the springs ran again. River Temu was revived. The plains became greener than ever before.

The deer galloped happily once more across the grass.

"Long live Baraka, long live Baraka," the people of Kwere sang.

"Long live Wango," said Baraka and his people. "May our children and the children's children forever respect you."

2What went wrong on Wango Hill?

One harm led to the next, like falling dominoes.

1. People cut the plants to clear a path, broke branches and left fires burning.
2. Nothing held the soil in place any more.
3. Rain washed the soil down the slopes, and the water ran off instead of soaking in.
4. The springs dried up and the river disappeared.
5. The animals had no grass or water: the deer left, and the sheep and goats grew thin.

The story also shows the cure. When people planted trees and let the grass grow, the springs came back.

3Dangers to the environment in real life

• Deforestation: cutting down forests without planting new trees.
• Soil erosion: rain or wind carrying away the top soil, especially from bare hillsides.
• Bush fires: fires that burn grass and trees, often started carelessly.
• Pollution: making the air, water or land dirty and harmful, with smoke, rubbish, chemicals or plastic.
• Overgrazing: keeping too many animals on a piece of land, so the grass never has a chance to grow back.
• Draining wetlands: taking the water out of swamps to farm or build, which destroys the homes of birds and fish.
• Poaching: hunting wild animals against the law.

4Rules and advice: modal verbs

A modal is always followed by the plain verb, with no to and no -s: He must plant, never He must to plant or He musts plant.

Careful! Mustn't and don't have to are not the same. You mustn't burn rubbish means it is not allowed. You don't have to buy a new bag means it is not necessary.

Try it yourself

Answer each one, then check.