If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people,with all the existing human ratios remaining the same,it would look something like the following:
There would be:
57 Asians
21 Europeans
14 from the Western Hemisphere ,both north and south
8 Africans
52 would be female
48 would be male
70 would be non-white
30 would be white
6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth
and all 6 would be from the United States
80 would live in substandard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition
1 would be near death;1 would be near birth
1(yes,only 1)would have a college education
1 would own a computer
When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective,the need for acceptance,understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent.
The following is also something to ponder …
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness,you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle,the loneliness of imprisonment,the agony of torture,or the pangs of starvation…you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator,clothes on your back,a roof overhead and a place to sleep,you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank,in your wallet,and spare change in a dish someplace,you are among the top 8% of the world's wealth.
If your parents are still alive and still married,you are very rare,even in the United States and Canada.
Someone once said:What goes around comes around.
So…
Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.
Words and Expressions
- hemisphere n.半球
- substandard adj.不够标准的,在标准之下的
- malnutrition n.营养不良,营养缺乏
- glaringly adv.显而易见地
- ponder v.考虑,琢磨;沉思
Read and recite the following sentences:
(1)If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people,with all the existing human ratios remaining the same,it would look something like the following.
(2)Someone once said:What goes around comes around.
(3)Work like you don't need the money.Love like you've never been hurt.Dance like nobody's watching.Sing like nobody's listening.Live like it's Heaven on Earth.
Now try and write out the sentences here:
(1)If we could shrink the earth's population to __________,with all the existing human ratios __________,it would look something like __________.
(2)Someone once said:What goes around __________.
(3)Work like __________.Love like __________.Dance like __________.Sing like __________.Live like it's Heaven on Earth.
如果世界是个一百人的村落
如果我们把全世界的人口按照现有比例压缩为一个100人的村子,情况就会如同以下:
这个村子里有:
57人是亚洲人
21人是欧洲人
14人来自西半球的南、北美洲
8人是非洲人
52人是女性
48人是男性
70人是有色人种
30人是白人
6人拥有全世界59%的财富,而且这6人全是美国人
80人的居住环境不达标准
70人是文盲
50人苦于营养不良
1人濒临死亡
1人正要出生
1人(是的,只有1人)会接受大学教育
1人拥有电脑
透过这个压缩图来放眼我们的世界,你就会明晓接纳他人、谅解以及教育是何等重要。
再从以下角度来想想看:
如果你早上醒来的时候健康无恙,那么,比起活不过这一周的百万人来说,你真是幸运多了。
如果你未曾经历过战争的危险、入狱的孤独、严刑的苦楚、饥饿的痛苦,那么,比起世界上5亿人来,你真是幸运多了。
如果你冰箱里有食物,身上有衣服可穿,有屋篷遮蔽,有地方睡觉,那么,比起世界上75%的人来,你真是富足多了。
如果你银行中有存款,钱包中也有钱,还能到某处消费吃菜,你便跻身在世界上最富有的8%人口当中了。
如果你的父母依然健在,而且还在一起生活的话,这可是非常难得的事,即使是在美国与加拿大。
有人说过:我所付出的终将会回归。
所以,
去工作吧,犹如你不执迷于金钱。
去爱他人,犹如你从未曾被伤害。
去跳舞吧,犹如无人在一旁观看。
去歌唱吧,犹如无人在一边谛听。
好好地生活,犹如这里是人间乐土。