If We Plant One Tree, We’ll Change the City
Adapted from Reader’s Digest (Educational Edition)
In the busy city of Greenvale, something special is happening. A group of volunteers has started a new
environmental project called “One Tree, One Hope.” The idea is simple but powerful: if every family in
Greenvale plants one tree this year, the city will become cleaner, greener, and cooler.
The project began after a long, hot summer when local residents realized that the city was getting hotter each
year. Streets had fewer trees, and the heat stayed longer. According to the local newspaper, if Greenvale
continues to lose trees, the temperature will rise even more over the next ten years.
So, a teacher named Maya Lopez decided to take action. She started a small club at her school and
encouraged students to plant trees in their neighborhoods. “If we start with the young generation, they will
care about the environment for life,” Maya said. “If children see their own tree grow, they will understand the
value of nature.”
Soon, her idea spread across the city. Local shops promised to donate small plants. The city council
announced that if the community plants 10,000 trees by the end of the year, it will fund a public park for
children. That news motivated everyone—families, schools, and even local businesses.
Every Saturday, groups of people come together in different parts of the city. They bring soil, water, and
tools. “If it rains, we will still plant,” laughed one volunteer. “If we wait for perfect weather, we will never
start!”
The city’s mayor has also joined the campaign. “If this project succeeds, Greenvale will become a model city
for sustainability,” she said in an interview. “If other towns follow, we will see real change in our country.”
Experts say the benefits will be huge. Trees will clean the air, provide shade, and protect homes from floods.
Environmentalists believe that if every city does the same, our planet will recover faster from the effects of
climate change.
Next month, the volunteers will celebrate their first anniversary. If they reach their goal of 10,000 trees, the
city will hold a “Green Day” festival with music, food, and storytelling under the new trees.
As Maya looked at the growing saplings, she smiled. “If one small idea can grow like this,” she said, “our
hope will grow too.”
True / False / Not Given
1. Greenvale has become cooler in the last ten years. _____
2. Maya Lopez works as a science teacher. _____
3. The local shops agreed to provide free plants for the project. _____
4. Volunteers will stop planting if it rains heavily. _____
5. The city will build a park when the community plants 10,000 trees. _____
6. The mayor started the project herself. _____
7. Experts think the project will only help Greenvale. _____
8. There will be a “Green Day” celebration when the target is achieved. _____
Vocabulary Match
1. Volunteer a) someone who gives time to help without pay
2. Sustainability b) being able to continue without harming nature
3. Sapling c) a young tree
4. Motivation d) reason or energy to act
Complete the sentences using the correct words from the box.
plant – succeed – motivation – sustainability – volunteer – sapling – shade – recover
1. The students became __________ after hearing Maya’s speech.
2. The project will only __________ if everyone helps.
3. A young __________ needs regular water and sunlight.
4. If we plant more trees, our city will have more __________ in summer.
5. Many people __________ their time on weekends to join the project.
6. Greenvale will be a model of __________ for other cities.
7. If every neighborhood does the same, the planet will __________ faster.
Grmmar in Context – First Conditional
Complete the sentences using the First Conditional (If + present, will + base verb).
1. If the community __________ (plant) enough trees, the city __________ (become) greener.
2. If the volunteers __________ (wait) for perfect weather, they __________ (never/start).
3. If other towns __________ (follow) Greenvale’s example, we __________ (see) big changes.
4. If the project __________ (succeed), the mayor __________ (create) more green spaces.
5. If families __________ (join) the campaign, children __________ (learn) to care for nature.
Critical Thinking – Short Answers
1. Why do you think community projects like this are important for young people?
2. What challenges might the volunteers face if they continue planting trees for many years?
3. How can planting trees change people’s behavior toward the environment?
4. Do you think your city could start a similar project? Why or why not?
5. What other actions can people take if they want to protect the environment?