Original text#

The Circle of the Forest#

Theme: A descriptive tour of nature’s materials and the cycle of life and death.

Imagine walking through a deep, green rainforest. It feels different from the organized forestry of a man-made plantation or a neat terrace farm on a hill. Here in the jungle, life is wild.

You walk past a thick pine tree. Its massive trunk rises high into the air, splitting into a sturdy bough and smaller branches. Below your feet, the roots grip the earth tightly. You see a twisting vine climbing up the tree, and you must be careful not to touch the sharp thorn on a bush. The ground is carpeted with soft grass and wild flowers like a purple violet or a bright tulip. Near the river, tall reeds sway in the wind, and you can smell the fresh scent of wild mint.

But nature is not just about growth; it is also about decay. When an old tree falls, it becomes a log. It does not stay fresh; it begins to rot. If the wood is wet and stale, mould and fungus will appear. These small organisms help the wood decompose and decay. This process turns the dead timber back into soil, which feeds the next generation of life.

Outside the forest, humans use these materials. We cut grass on the lawn or in the meadow to make hay for animals. We use dry straw for bedding. We burn wood as charcoal for heat. Whether it is a tiny weed in a field, an olive tree in a garden, or green alga on a coral reef, every living thing will eventually wither and return to the earth. It is the perfect circle of nature.

中文#

森林的轮回#

主题： 描述大自然的材料以及生死循环。

想象一下漫步在一片深邃、绿色的雨林中。这种感觉不同于有组织的人工林业、种植园或山丘上整齐的梯田农场。在这片丛林里，生命是狂野的。

你走过一棵粗壮的松树。巨大的树干高耸入云，分叉成结实的大树枝和细小的树枝。在脚下，根紧紧抓着泥土。你看到缠绕的葡萄藤爬上树，必须小心不要碰到灌木上尖锐的刺。地面像地毯一样铺满了柔软的草和野花，比如紫色的紫罗兰或鲜艳的郁金香。河边，高高的芦苇在风中摇曳，你能闻到野生薄荷清新的气味。

但大自然不仅仅关于生长；也关于衰败。当老树倒下时，它变成了原木。它不会保持新鲜，而是开始腐烂（rot）。如果木头潮湿且陈腐，霉菌和真菌就会出现。这些微小的生物帮助木头分解和腐烂（decay）。这个过程将死去的木材变回土壤，滋养下一代生命。

在森林之外，人类利用这些材料。我们在草坪或草地上割草制成动物吃的干草。我们用干稻草做铺垫。我们将木头烧成木炭取暖。无论是一株田野里的微小杂草，花园里的一棵橄榄树，还是珊瑚礁上的绿色海藻，每一个生物最终都会枯萎并回归尘土。这就是大自然的完美循环。