City in California to Use Goats to Prevent Wildfires

印刷用画面を開く

Posted

Category: Human Interest

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. take over / teɪk ˈoʊvɚ / (phrasal) – to continue to do something that someone else has stopped doing
    Example:

    Once the writer finishes an article, the editor takes over and checks her work.


  2. arrangement / əˈreɪnʤmənt / (n) – something done to prepare for a future action
    Example:

    We will have a conference next week, so I have to make the necessary arrangements, such as finding a venue and ordering food in advance.


  3. enclose / ɪnˈkloʊz / (v) – to surround or encircle with something
    Example:

    Farmers often enclose their land in fences.


  4. fend off / fɛnd ɑːf / (phrasal) – to defend yourself or someone else by keeping away something dangerous
    Example:

    James fended off the mad dog chasing him by throwing a stick.


  5. out of control / aʊt əv kənˈtroʊl / (idiom) – impossible to stop or manage
    Example:

    My grandfather puts all his horses inside stables to keep them from getting out of control.


Article

Read the text below.

Nevada City, California has launched a campaign to rent goats to prevent wildfires.


The campaign will let goats graze on acres of land to clear dry areas prone to catching fire. This serves as the first step to clearing away vegetation from the city’s 450 acres of unused lands.


Once the goats eat up enough vegetation, people will take over to clear away the bigger plants and tree branches that will remain.


Using goats to successfully clear vegetation in unused lands requires certain arrangements. The goats should be confined to an area enclosed by solar-powered electric fences. There should be a dog to fend off predators, as well as a herder to look after the animals. There should also be nearby water sources, or a water wagon if none are close enough.


According to experts, goats are a more environmentally-friendly option than chemical substances that kill plants. Using the animals is also safer than burning bushes and grass since the fire could get out of control and accidentally lead to wildfires.


The city’s vice mayor, Reinette Senum [rey-NET SEEN-uhm], initiated the campaign via crowdfunding. According to her, applying for funding from the local government will take time, and the city needs the money to rent the goats in winter, before vegetation becomes denser and more difficult to control.


The estimated cost of renting a herd of goats to clear one acre is around $1,000. To cover the cost of clearing Nevada City’s 450 acres, the campaign needs to reach $30,000.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• Do you think using goats to graze vegetation is an efficient way to prevent wildfires? Why or why not?
• What are other safe and creative ways to prevent wildfires? Explain your ideas.

Discussion B

• What is a common concern or problem in the area where you live?
• Can you think of some unique solutions to solve that problem? Explain your answer.