what if there were a game - no, not a game, really - an online, free, language-building tool that was fun and well-designed, fast-moving, even - that helped you increase your vocabulary?
and what if, each time you got a word right, someone contributed ten grains of rice to feed the world's hungry...?
wow...if that were true, then we'd be free to obsess over playing it for hours, because we'd be doing good, and learning ... right...?
well, bunky, this amazing idea has been around since 10/07/07, and has contributed 3,664,079,450 grains of rice...and counting.
follow me over the fold for the details.
from the FAQ:
How does the FreeRice vocabulary program work?
FreeRice has a custom database containing thousands of words at varying degrees of difficulty. There are words appropriate for people just learning English and words that will challenge the most scholarly professors. In between are thousands of words for students, business people, homemakers, doctors, truck drivers, retired people... everyone!
FreeRice automatically adjusts to your level of vocabulary. It starts by giving you words at different levels of difficulty and then, based on how you do, assigns you an approximate starting level. You then determine a more exact level for yourself as you play. When you get a word wrong, you go to an easier level. When you get three words in a row right, you go to a harder level. This one-to-three ratio is best for keeping you at the "outer fringe" of your vocabulary, where learning can take place.
There are 50 levels in all, but it is rare for people to get above level 48.
you can choose to have your computer remember your personal settings for your level of achievement, and your total accumulated rice grains.
Who pays for the donated rice?
The rice is paid for by the advertisers whose names you see on the bottom of your vocabulary screen. This is regular advertising for these companies, but it is also something more. Through their advertising at FreeRice, these companies support both learning (free vocabulary for everyone) and reducing hunger (free rice for the hungry). We commend these companies for their participation at FreeRice.
Who distributes the donated rice?
The rice is distributed by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). The World Food Program is the world’s largest food aid agency, working with over 1,000 other organizations in over 75 countries. In addition to providing food, the World Food Program helps hungry people to become self-reliant so that they escape hunger for good. Wherever possible, the World Food Program buys food locally to support local farmers and the local economy. We encourage you to visit the United Nations World Food Program to learn more about their successful approach to ending hunger.
to me, this seems like a great use of well-designed software, the internet, and a helpful, enlightened, tikkun olam worldview.
What else can I do to help end hunger?
Here are two key things you can do to help end hunger. Both are free and easy to do.
1. Add your name to the One Campaign, where several million people have already joined together "as One" to end hunger and extreme poverty. If enough people join, dreams for a better world can be made into reality very quickly.
2. The United Nations estimates that the cost to end world hunger completely, along with diseases related to hunger and poverty, is about $195 billion a year. Twenty-two countries have joined together to raise this money by each contributing 0.7% (less than 1%) of national income. Some of the countries have already met this goal. Others are being a little slow, but this can be fixed. You can see how the countries are doing here. You can print a letter to support your country’s participation here.
Update:
some rice-grain data: (h/t to Marcus Graly)
0.02733 Grams per rice grain
37 Grains of rice per gram
36,590 Grains of rice per kilogram
36,589,830 Grains of rice per metric ton
36,589,830,000,000 Grains of rice per million metric tons
everyone, even sesquipedalians, sleeps better with a full tummy...!!!