英語播客 A Cup of English The value of water.

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The value of water.

I don't know if any of you are into photography or not, but it is becoming a passion of mine. I have a cheapo digital camera, but it serves me well. I find myself feeling lost without it. I try to take it with me wherever I go, because you never know when a fabulous photo opportunity will present itself. One such opportunity did the other day, after a heavy rain shower. Most people I know had been complaining about the unusual amount of rain we have had recently. However, one day, after one of those showers, my husband called to me from outside, "Hey, babe, come and see this." When I went out, he was standing by our honeysuckle which grows up and over the fence. It is covered in sweet smelling flowers this time of year. The leaves are waxy and smooth and form a cup shape around the younger flowers. Tom stood quietly and pointed to something down inside the bush. It was a little pool of water that had gathered in the leaves, forming a shiny mound, that sparkled like a diamond. It took my breath away. I immediately ran into the kitchen and grabbed the camera. You'll see on the blog page the result. Later, Tom and I talked about the value of water, the amazing combination of hydrogen and oxygen that we completely rely on, and yet which we take for granted. Water was all around me in England, and here, in the North West there is also an abundance of it. A water shortage for me seems bizarre because I have never had to work hard to obtain it. And yet I know that for much of the planet, a lack of safe drinking water is normal. I remember when I was little, my father would tell me to turn the tap off while I brushed my teeth. He had worked in Nigeria for many years, and was familiar with water preservation. He understood the need to take care of this resource. And now, in many ways, the weather seems to be upside down, with floods in rainy nations, and droughts where water is always short. How can we bring back a balance of water for all? It is, surely, after air, the most precious resource we have.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: cheapo, resource, to rely on, precious.

1. This cheapo umbrella broke the first day I had it.

2. Electricity is a resource that that village really needs.

3. I hope the bus drivers' strike stops soon; I don't have a car, and I rely on the buses to get around.

4. Look after that watch; it was your grandmothers, and is very precious.