105 學年度學測英文 第 33 題

Are forests always created by nature? A man from rural India proves that this is not necessarily 31.

Abdul Kareem, who used to be an airline ticketing agent, has a great love for the woods. Though he never went to college, he can talk about plants and trees like an expert. In 1977, he bought a piece of rocky wasteland with the 32 of growing trees on it. In the beginning, people thought he was 33 to waste his time and money on the land. But he simply 34 them and kept working on the soil and planting trees there. The land was so 35 that it had to be watered several times a day. Kareem had to fetch the water from a source that was a kilometer away. In the first two years, none of the trees he planted 36. However, in the third year, several young trees started growing. Greatly 37 by the result, Kareem planted more trees and his man-made forest began to take shape.

Kareem let his forest grow naturally, without using fertilizers or insecticides. He believed in the ability of nature to renew itself without the 38 of humans. That’s why he did not allow fallen leaves or twigs from the forest to be removed.

After years of hard work, Kareem has not only realized his dream but also transformed a piece of 39 property into a beautiful forest. Today, his forest is home to 1,500 medicinal plants, 2,000 varieties of trees, rare birds, animals, and insects. Now, scientists from all over the world come to visit his 40. They hope to find the secret of his success.