Geography and History of the World © 2010 Indiana Edition

Chapter 28: The Region Today: East Asia

Student Web Activities


"China’s Three Gorges Dam"

Introduction
China faces the challenge of flooding from the Huang He and Chang Jiang. Further, with an ever growing population the nation needs to find a way to supply enough energy for its people. A controversial decision was made to build the Three Gorges Dam. The dam helps to control flooding in the region and generates millions of kilowatts of electricity. However, the dam is not without controversy.

Objective
Students will compare the advantages and disadvantages of the Three Gorges Dam.

Directions
Research credible websites and complete the questions and activity that follows:

Where to begin
www.irn.org/programs/threeg/
www.threegorgesprobe.org/
www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/asian.superpower/three.gorges/

Take notes as well as record the websites you visit and answer the following questions:

1
When is the dam scheduled for completion? What will be the estimated cost to complete this large public works project?
2
What problems have been linked to the building of The Three Gorges Dam?
3
In your opinion, why would a project like the Three Gorges Dam need to be a public work project instead of a private enterprise? Why is China ideal for such a project?
4
How does the government hope the building of the Three Gorges Dam will improve the economy of the area?
5
In your opinion, how does a nation balance the needs of its people, while still trying to protect the environment and promote the interests of businesses?

Activity
Analyzing Information
There is much controversy surrounding the building of the Three Gorges Dam. Take the position of a displaced citizen of the region and write a letter to a local resident expressing your displeasure with the construction. Next, pretend you a business that will benefit from the power generated by the dam. How might you respond in a letter to the editor?

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