Wheneverwehearabout“thehomeless,”,mostofusthinkoftheDevelopingWorld.Butthe1isthathomelessnessiseverywhere.Forexample,howmanyofuswouldexpecttoseepeoplelivingonthestreetsofa2countrylikeGermany?KurtMullerandhiswifeRitahavespentelevenyearsmaking3forthehomelessofBerlin,Germany’scapital.Theyfirst4onelonghotsummerwhenmostGermanswere5onholiday.Kurtandhiswifestayedathome,madesandwiches,6atableinthestreetandgavefoodtothehomeless.TheMullerssoonrealizedthatfoodandclothingweren’t7.“Whatthesepeoplealsoneediswarmthand8,”saysRita.TheMullersdidn’t9togivetheirphonenumbertothestreetpeopleandtoldthemtophoneanytime.Rita10therewassomebodyathometoanswerthephoneandtheirhomewasalways11toanyonewhocouldn’tfaceanothernightonthestreet.Thecoupleweresoon12alltheirtimeandmoney,soKurtvisitedfoodandclothingcompaniesto13donations.Today,overthirtycompanies14donatefoodandothergoodstothecauseandvolunteershelpto15themtothehomeless.Thepublicalsogiveclothesandmoneyandashoeproducer16newshoes.KurtandRitareceiveno17fortheirhardwork.“Wefeellikeparents,”saysRita,“andparentsshouldn’t18moneyforhelpingtheirchildren.Thelovewegetonthestreetsisoursalary.”ThoughRitaadmitssheoftengets19.shesaysshewillcontinuewithherworkbecauseshelikesthefeelingofhavingmadea20intheworld.1.A.resultB.truthC.reasonD.idea2.A.traditionalB.developingC.typicalD.wealthy3.A.preparationsB.housesC.mealsD.suggestions4.A.beganB.metC.calledD.left5.A.asleepB.aloneC.acrossD.away6.A.broughtupB.setupC.putasideD.gaveaway7.A.enoughB.necessaryC.helpfulD.expensive8.A.fameB.freedomC.courageD.caring9.A.hesitateB.agreeC.pretendD.intend10.A.makesenseB.foundoutC.makesureD.workedout11.A.openB.crowdedC.noisyD.near12.A.costingB.wastingC.takingD.spending13.A.payforB.askforC.lookintoD.carryout14.A.completelyB.calmlyC.regularlyD.roughly15.A.advertiseB.sellC.deliverD.lend16.A.donatesB.producesC.designsD.collects17.A.permissionB.paymentC.directionD.support18.A.borrowB.raiseC.saveD.expect19.A.surprisedB.excitedC.tiredD.amused20.A.profitB.differenceC.decisionD.ruleThePacificislandnationofNauruusedtobeabeautifulplace.Nowitisanecologicaldisasterarea.Nauru’sheartbreakingstorycouldhaveonegoodconsequence—othercountriesmightlearnfromitsmistakes.Forthousandsofyears,PolynesianpeoplelivedtheremoteislandofNauru,farfromwesterncivilization.ThefirstEuropeantoarrivewasJohnFearnin1798.HewastheBritishcaptainoftheHunter,awhalingship.HecalledtheislandPleasantIsland.However,becauseitwasveryremote,NauruhadlittlecommunicationwithEuropeansatfirst.Thewhalingshipsandothertradersbegantovisit,bringinggunsandalcohol.Theseelementsdestroyedthesocialbalanceofthetwelvefamilygroupsontheisland.Aten-yearcivilwarstarted,whichreducedthepopulationfrom1,400to900.Naurusrealtroublesbeganin1899whenaBritishminingcompanydiscoveredphosphateontheisland.Infact,itfoundthattheislandofNauruwasnearlyallphosphate,whichaveryimportantfertilizerforfarming.Thecompanybeganminingthephosphate.Aphosphatemineisnotaholeintheground;itisastripmine.Whenacompanystrip-mines,itremovesthetoplayerofsoil.Thenittakesawaythematerialitwants.Stripminingtotallydestroystheland.Gradually,thelovelyislandofNaurustartedtolooklikethemoon.In1968,Naurubecameoneoftherichestcountriesintheworld.Everyyearthegovernmentreceivedmillionsandmillionsofdollarsforitsphosphate.Unfortunately,theleadersinvestedthemoneyunwiselyandlostmillionsofdollars.Inaddit...
