- Dad, what does it mean - alternative?
- It is difficult to explain in a few words, well, that's an example:
Imagine that you work at a factory, from one year to anothher, work, work and gradually saving money.
At some point, you have enough money to move to the country and start farming business. You buy dozen chikens. Feeding them, taking care of them, they grow up and start laying eggs. And you put them in the incubator and now you have thousands chickens. You take care of them and now you have thousands of adult hens.  These thousands of chickens begin laying eggs, you now became a big time farmer!
And suddenly -  the flood! And your whole farm gone, all chickens are died, all washed away ...
- Dad, well, what is the alternative?
- Ducks!