03 “Spaceship Earth”
/03 “Spaceship Earth”
*Fotis was a calm boy with black-rimmed glasses who lived in a small village on the Mediterranean coast.
/*Fotis was a calm boy with black-rimmed glasses who lived in a small village on the Mediterranean coast.
Surrounded by blue seas and white houses, the village had long thrived on fishing and tourism.
/Surrounded by blue seas and white houses, the village had long thrived on fishing and tourism.
One day, *Fotis was walking along the shore with his grandfather.
/One day, *Fotis was walking along the shore with his grandfather.
His grandfather used to be a sailor.
/His grandfather used to be a sailor.
“This sea used to be quieter and clearer,” said Grandpa.
/“This sea used to be quieter and clearer,” said Grandpa.
“It still looks beautiful…” said *Fotis, but Grandpa shook his head.
/“It still looks beautiful…” said *Fotis, but Grandpa shook his head.
“It used to be more transparent. The temperature of the seawater has risen. And the sea level is gradually rising. Haven’t the low areas of the village started flooding every time it rains?”
/“It used to be more transparent. The temperature of the seawater has risen. And the sea level is gradually rising. Haven’t the low areas of the village started flooding every time it rains?”
*Fotis nodded.
/*Fotis nodded.
Indeed, last winter, the road in front of his house was flooded.
/Indeed, last winter, the road in front of his house was flooded.
“Earth is like a ship floating in space. Everyone is aboard the same ship. So if someone makes a hole in it, everyone sinks.”
/“Earth is like a ship floating in space. Everyone is aboard the same ship. So if someone makes a hole in it, everyone sinks.”
Those words stayed in *Fotis’s heart.
/Those words stayed in *Fotis’s heart.
The next day, *Fotis talked with *Sara at school.
/The next day, *Fotis talked with *Sara at school.
“Hey *Sara, Earth is like a ship floating in space. If we don’t cooperate, it will sink.”
/“Hey *Sara, Earth is like a ship floating in space. If we don’t cooperate, it will sink.”
*Sara widened her eyes. “That’s a really important idea, isn’t it?”
/*Sara widened her eyes. “That’s a really important idea, isn’t it?”
*Fotis nodded. “But the news says countries are fighting. They seem to care more about their own nations than the sea.”
/*Fotis nodded. “But the news says countries are fighting. They seem to care more about their own nations than the sea.”
*Sara looked sad. “War is the most foolish thing. Even though Earth is in trouble…”
/*Sara looked sad. “War is the most foolish thing. Even though Earth is in trouble…”
That weekend, the village held an event called “Protect the Sea Day.”
/That weekend, the village held an event called “Protect the Sea Day.”
*Fotis and *Sara joined the beach cleanup.
/*Fotis and *Sara joined the beach cleanup.
“Who threw this away?” asked *Sara.
/“Who threw this away?” asked *Sara.
“If someone throws trash, everyone suffers. It’s like scattering garbage inside Spaceship Earth,” replied *Fotis.
/“If someone throws trash, everyone suffers. It’s like scattering garbage inside Spaceship Earth,” replied *Fotis.
After the event, *Fotis watched the news at home.
/After the event, *Fotis watched the news at home.
The screen showed oil spilling from a sunken tanker due to war, turning the sea black.
/The screen showed oil spilling from a sunken tanker due to war, turning the sea black.
Another scene showed explosions polluting the air, making the sky gray.
/Another scene showed explosions polluting the air, making the sky gray.
“Is this… the result of war?” murmured *Fotis, and Grandpa nodded.
/“Is this… the result of war?” murmured *Fotis, and Grandpa nodded.
“War hurts not only lives but also the Earth. When a tanker sinks, the sea gets polluted, and the air too. Earth can’t endure war.”
/“War hurts not only lives but also the Earth. When a tanker sinks, the sea gets polluted, and the air too. Earth can’t endure war.”
*Fotis felt a pain in his chest.
/*Fotis felt a pain in his chest.
“Why don’t people cooperate? Even though Earth is in trouble…”
/“Why don’t people cooperate? Even though Earth is in trouble…”
Grandpa quietly said,
/Grandpa quietly said,
“To end war, each person must grow as a human being. Develop compassion and the ability to talk things through. The power to value both yourself and others. That kind of growth is very important.”
/“To end war, each person must grow as a human being. Develop compassion and the ability to talk things through. The power to value both yourself and others. That kind of growth is very important.”
That night, *Fotis talked with *Sara.
/That night, *Fotis talked with *Sara.
“Is there something we can do?”
/“Is there something we can do?”
*Sara thought and said,
/*Sara thought and said,
“Ways to stop global warming and war… Maybe we can’t do it right away, but it’s important for everyone on Earth to learn about the current situation and talk about what we can do. And keep learning.”
/“Ways to stop global warming and war… Maybe we can’t do it right away, but it’s important for everyone on Earth to learn about the current situation and talk about what we can do. And keep learning.”
*Fotis nodded.
/*Fotis nodded.
“As a crew member of Spaceship Earth, I’ll try to summarize what I want the world to know!”
/“As a crew member of Spaceship Earth, I’ll try to summarize what I want the world to know!”
“I want to do it with you!”
/“I want to do it with you!”
After school, *Fotis and *Sara went to the library and used the internet to research the problems Earth is facing.
/After school, *Fotis and *Sara went to the library and used the internet to research the problems Earth is facing.
Review Questions (Multiple Choice)
/Review Questions (Multiple Choice)
Q1. What effect of war did *Fotis see on the news?
/Q1. What effect of war did *Fotis see on the news?
A. A tanker sank and polluted the sea
/A. A tanker sank and polluted the sea
B. A mountain collapsed
/B. A mountain collapsed
C. Animals increased too much
/C. Animals increased too much
Q2. What did Grandpa say is important to end war?
/Q2. What did Grandpa say is important to end war?
A. To spend a lot of money
/A. To spend a lot of money
B. For each person to grow as a human being
/B. For each person to grow as a human being
C. To become a strong country
/C. To become a strong country
Let’s Think!
/Let’s Think!
What do you think you can do to prevent global warming? Think about what you can start doing today.
/What do you think you can do to prevent global warming? Think about what you can start doing today.
What do you think “growing as a human being,” as Grandpa said, means? What values do you want to cherish?
/What do you think “growing as a human being,” as Grandpa said, means? What values do you want to cherish?
