Imagine that you are preparing a project with your friend. You have found some interesting material for the presentation and you want to read this text to your friend. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, then be ready to read it out aloud. You will not have more than 1.5 minutes to read it.

Wetlands are areas of land that lie between dry land and water, such as swamps and bogs. When people think of wetlands, they may picture mud, annoying mosquitoes, and unpleasant odors. Many wetlands have been destroyed  — drained, filled in, or used as garbage dumps  — because people did not understand their value. However, wetlands are a vital natural resource. Like rainforests and coral reefs, wetlands are home to a wide variety of animals, plants, and fish. Some species, such as the wood stork, are endangered due to wetland destruction. Without wetlands, these animals will lose their habitat and may disappear. Wetlands also act like sponges, absorbing floodwaters, rain, and melting snow, which helps protect both people and land from flooding. Because wetlands are at risk, animals, plants, and even human communities face danger as well.