Why Are Cows Special in India?
About one billion people live in India. Many People live on small farms. They live a quiet and simple life. The family takes care of the farm and the animals. The most important animal on the farm is the cow. The cow helps on the farm in two ways. It give milk to the family, and it works on the farm.
The farmers do not make a lot of money. They can’t buy machines to help them do their work. Also, the weather is a problem in India. In June, July, August, and September, there’s a lot of rain. The ground gets very wet. Then the ground gets soft. A machine cannot work on soft ground, but a cow can work. Cows also do not cost a lot of money. They don’t need gasoline or repairs like machines.
Farmers care about their cows very much. They want their cows to be happy. The farms aren't busy at certain times of the year. At these times, people wash and decorate their cows. Americans like to wash their cars, and Indians like to wash their cows! Two times a year, there are special celebrations for the cows. These celebrations are like Thanksgiving in the United States. [205 words]
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Old cows cannot work on farms. In India, it is against the law to kill a cow. so farmers send their old cows away from the farm. The cows walk around free in the streets. Sometimes men sell grass in the street. People buy the grass and give it to the cows. People also give their own food to the cows, and cars are careful not to hit the cows. There are special animal hospitals for old or sick cows. The government and some rich people pay for these hospitals.
People in other countries do not understand why the Indian government spends money on cows. There ar many poor people in India who need money. Indians say that Americans spend more money on cats and dogs. People in India care for over 200 million cows every year. They have cared for cows for a long time. It is a tradition that os thousands of years old.
Vocabulary
MEANING
Write the correct words in the blanks.
farms/ cost/ problem/ decorate/ soft/ repairs/ ground/ simple/ hit
1. The farmers do not do special things. They have a _______ life.
2. Cows live on land where people grow food and keep animals. They live on _______.
3. The land we walk on is called the _______.
4. The ground is _______. It is not hard.
5. cows do not _______ a lot of money. They have a low price.
6. The car doesn’t work. It needs _______.
7. In July, it rains a lot. It is bad for the land. The rain is a _______.
8. Drivers do not want to _______ cows. They do not want to hurt the cows.
9. People put things on their cows. They want the cows to look nice. They _______ the cows.
WORDS THAT GO TOGETHER
Write the correct words in the blanks.
for a long time/ spends money on/ against the law
People are not allowed to kill cows in India. It is _______.
2. In India, the government _______ its cows. The government pays for many things for the cows.
Indians have loved cows for many years. They have cared about them _______.