APPLYING WRITING STRATEGIES Talk About It What does the expression if the world were a village mean to you? Reading Like a Writer t Developing Ideas Nonfiction Article by David J. Smith, adapted from If the World Were a Village The following selection appeared originally in a book created to help students understand some pretty mind-boggling numbers and startling statistics. In early 2007, there were over 6 600 000 000 (6 billion 600 million) people on Earth! Numbers this big are hard to understand, but what if we imagined the whole population of the world as a village of just 100 people? Come and meet the people of the global village. 25
There is no shortage of food in the global village. If all the food were divided equally, everyone would have enough to eat. But the food isn t divided equally. So although there is enough to feed the villagers, not everyone is well fed: 50 people do not have a reliable source of food and are hungry some or all of the time. 20 other people are severely undernourished. Only 30 people always have enough to eat. Food Distribution in the Global Village 30 people always have enough to eat 50 people do not have a reliable source of food and are hungry some or all of the time 20 other people are severely undernourished 26 Unit 1: Step Up
In one part of the village, someone buys a new car. In another, a man repairs a bicycle, his family s most valued possession. If all the money in the village were divided equally, each person would have about $6200 per year. But in the global village, money isn t divided equally. The richest 20 people each have more than $9000 a year. The poorest 20 people each have less than $1 a day. The other 60 people have something in between. The average cost of food, shelter, and other necessities in the village is $4000 to $5000 per year. Many people don t have enough money to meet these basic needs. Distribution of Money in the Global Village Yearly Income $9000 $8000 $7000 $6000 $5000 $4000 $3000 $2000 $1000 $0 cost of living in village poorest 20 people (less than $365/year) 60 people in the middle (about $4500/year) People in the Village richest 20 people (more than $9000/year) 27
In most of the village, the air is healthy and the water is clean. But for some villagers, the air and water are soured by pollution, putting them at risk for diseases. And in places, water is in short supply. Instead of turning on a tap, some villagers must walk long distances to find clean water. How many people in the village of 100 have clean air, a nearby source of clean water, and access to adequate sanitation? Clean Air 68 breathe clean air. 32 breathe air that is unhealthy because of pollution. 28 Unit 1: Step Up
Clean Water 75 have access to a source of safe water either in their homes or within a short distance. 25 do not and must spend a large part of each day simply getting safe water (most of the work collecting water is done by women and girls). Sanitation and Sewage 60 have access to adequate sanitation they have public or household sewage disposal. 40 do not. Clean Water Distribution in the Global Village 25 people do not have safe water in their homes or close by 75 people have safe water In this village, how many people work to help others? Is it as few as one? Volunteers, government agencies and aid are desperately needed in this village to help with providing adequate food, energy, shelter, and literacy for all. Understanding the other people who live in our village our world is an important first step in becoming a global citizen. Reflecting Reading Like a Writer: This author decided to represent the world population as a village of 100 people. How did that decision help you to understand the problems we face? Metacognition: How did the charts help you to understand the concepts in each section? Text-to-Self Connection: What group do you connect with in this selection? How does where you live in the world influence that connection? 29