Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
There are gifts of nature without which human survival on Earth is impossible. Some of these gifts include water, oxygen and the forest. The last is of particular interest. Forests occupy a vast landmass and are found in many parts of the World. They are uncultivated lands thickly covered with trees. Forests have played a significant role in the Survival of humans, Unfortunately, thousands of hectares are destroyed each year due to human activities. It is, however, becoming increasingly obvious that if appropriate steps are not taken to curb the wave of forest destruction, the future Survival of humans iΕ hanging in the balance. This realization is fueling the campaign to preserve this wonderful gift of nature.
Forests are more important to humans than humans are to them. Forest trees serve as a protection against erosion Without the canopy provided by trees, the land will be exposed to all the elements such as strong winds and heavy rainfall The strong winds blow the soil while running water washes away the top soil with its nutrients, Thus, the most fertile land becomes barren. Wood from trees also serves as an important material in building construction. It is cut and .processed for use in building houses and shelters which provide protection against the inclement weather. With this, the forest shields both humans and the Earth. It is therefore important to ensure the continued availability of this important natural resource. To this end, there is the need for the relevant authorities to enact laws that will mandate tree planting to replace felled ones. Where such laws already exist, efforts must be made to enforce compliance.
The inventiveness of humans has led to the discovery of another use for forest trees. Logs can be cut, chopped into pieces, ground by machines and turned into wood pulp which then goes through some other processes and paper is the end product. We can imagine the great things timber does when we look at the tons of books that are produced and read Worldwide. Thanks to technology, it is now possible to operate a paperless society to some extent. Everyone must therefore continue to make a conscious effort to protect the forest by going paperless. Soft copies of books should be preferred to hard copies. More newspaper publishers now have online outlets where news items are published. Hence, Subscription to these outlets will ensure, a reduction in the demand for paper.
Forests feed the earth, humans, and animals that live in them. Through the addition of humus and vegetable matter from dead leaves and droppings of animals, the soil is replenished with mulch, minerals, and manure, which are much better than fertilizers. Humans also get food from the nutrient-packed plants and animals of the forest and even use them for medicinal purposes. Thus. governments must discourage the cultivation of forest as farmlands by creating forest reserves. Such reserves should be protected by law to prevent encroachment. This will ensure unfettered growth of trees, and ultimately, the survival of humans.
(a) In three sentences, one for each, state three benefits derived from forests.
(b) In three sentences, one for each, state three measures to control deforestation.
Explanation
(a)(i) Forests protect lands against erosion. (ii) Forests provide wood used for building shelters. (iii) Wood got from forests is used in the production of paper. (iv) Forests provide food for man and animals.
(b)(i) Laws mandating tree planting must be enacted and enforced. (ii) Everyone must endeavor to go paperless. (iii) Government must create forest reserves and protect them.