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Help from Neighbors Is Not Enough
Petra Hoyos
We Bring Him Food
I want to tell you about a single man. He lives near me. He lives by himself. He doesn’t have family to care for him. He can’t walk well. He uses a walker. He can’t make his own food. The neighbors take turns bringing him food.
He Needs More Help
We help him a lot, but he needs more. I try to look after him, but I can’t do enough. I can’t do it by myself. Does the government have a way to help people who are poor and disabled? We are looking for someone to help this person.
Where Does Our Tax Money Go?
We pay taxes to the government. The government should use that money to help people. There are too many taxes on people, but there is not enough help. Where does our tax money go? Does it go to make more weapons? Or does it go to help people who are hurt?
AFTER YOU READ:
1. What is the author’s main point?
2. Look at the charts below. What do you think about military spending in the U.S.?

Petra Hoyos is a student at Ysleta Community Learning Center in El Paso, Texas. She has three grandsons. They live with her and she takes care of them because their mom died five years ago. She recently turned 60. She tries hard every day to do what is right for them, and she will continue to study to improve her English.