CONTENT
	Environmental Issues: Natural and Human Geography
	Should China Build the Three Gorges Dam?
	Three Gorges Dam Fact Sheet

Environmental Issues: Natural and Human Geography

Should China Build the Three Gorges Dam?

Scenario: PBS Television is planning to produce a documentary film about the building of the Three Gorges Dam. Film makers plan to travel to China to interview individuals who represent several interest groups to examine the question of whether or not the dam should be built. The directors request that each individual they interview read a brief statement concerning their personal opinion about the building of the dam. They guarantee that they " protect the anonymity of anyone who does not wish their identity to be known."

Your task is to write a brief statement for or against the building of the dam. In your statement, state clearly whether or not you want the dam to be built, and provide at leastfive facts from the articles you have read which support your statement.

Your statement will be graded according to the following criteria:

• whether or not you have clearly stated an opinion


• the extent to which vou used specific evidence to support your statement


• the organization and quality of your arguments


• the persuasiveness of your arguments for or against the building of the dam


• the authenticity of the representation of your character


• your thoroughness in representing the issues which affect your character

Presentation Organization Examples

1. Which facts about the dam which you have read do you find the most encouraging? (Focus on the ways could you benefit directly from the dam project, or ways in which the issues with which you are most concerned could be improved by the building of the dam.)
   
   

   Fact and Source

   This fact is encouraging to me because...

   
   
2. Which facts about the dam which you have read do you find most discouraging? (Focus on the ways you could be directly harmed by the dam project or ways in which the issues with which you are concerned could be worsened by the building of the dam.)

   Fact and Source

   This fact is encouraging to me because...

 

Copyright © 2000 The American Forum for Global Education