TPO 55 Writing 1Because of climate change more and more land that was once used to grow crops or provide food for animals is turning to dry unusable desert land There are many proposals about how to stop this process known as desertification A number

Both the passage and the lecture discuss the application of a box-shaped device surrounding young trees in harsh climates in order to stop desertification. The reading proposes several problems for this idea. On the other hand, the professor argues that those problems are unconvincing and opposes each one.

First, the passage states that those devices are costly per tree, and if they want to plant several millions of trees in some regions, the total cost will be much more than some countries can afford. Nevertheless, the professor denies this view and claims that those devices can be reused for about twenty trees. She says that if we consider the times we can use those devices, the average cost for every device will not be so high.

Second, the article suggests that this method needs local people for work. Since those trees do not benefit people who take care of them, people will not be inclined to participate in the process. Nonetheless, the lecturer rejects this idea and illustrates that maybe people cannot use those trees as food sources, but there are other possible advantages. She explains that when the trees become larger, people can use those devices to provide water for their vegetations. Also, they can use the branches of big trees as firewood.

Finally, the author claims that those devices cannot provide enough water for big trees. If they remove the devices from large trees, trees will not survive the severe conditions. However, the speaker refutes it, saying that those trees, which have outgrown, will survive. She mentions that those trees have long roots and reach the moist surfaces underground. So, they can obtain their water. Moreover, In Sahar Desert, ninety percent of trees were thriving two years after the devices were removed.