Question 19 of 25intermediate🔧 ApplyEssay3 marks
Ask an elder in your family: (a) What was the condition of rivers when you were a child? (b) What has changed since then?
(a)
Answer
Elders typically recall that rivers in their childhood were cleaner, had more water, supported more fish and wildlife, and were used for swimming, bathing, and drinking.
(b)
Answer
Rivers have become more polluted with waste, plastic, and chemicals; water levels have decreased; aquatic life has reduced; and riverbanks have been encroached upon.
Explanation
(a) Students should interview elders to gather firsthand accounts of how rivers have changed over time. (b) The chapter describes how pollution from factories and households has harmed rivers and the life they support.