Forests cover about 31% of the land on Earth, but, sadly, that number is decreasing at a rapid rate. Deforestation, human-driven and natural loss of trees, is one of the main causes of this depletion. A natural loss of trees might come from a fire, for example, but deforestation done by humans is more common and involves removing trees to make room for something else. This can include clearing the land for farming or using the wood from trees for fuel, construction, or manufacturing. Despite these potential economic benefits, deforestation should be stopped because forests are too important for people, animals, and the environment.
Write three sentences explaining how the author develops the key concept in this paragraph.
1. The author provides a statistic at the beginning of the paragraph to establish the extent of the problem - forests cover 31% of the land on Earth. This helps readers understand the significance of deforestation and why it is a cause for concern.
2. The author then explains the different causes of deforestation, distinguishing between natural loss of trees and the human-driven loss. By providing examples such as fires and clearing land for farming, the author emphasizes that deforestation is primarily a result of human activities.
3. The author goes on to discuss the economic benefits associated with deforestation, such as using wood for fuel, construction, or manufacturing. However, the author makes it clear that despite these potential benefits, deforestation should be stopped because of its importance to people, animals, and the environment. This highlights the author's argument that the negative impacts of deforestation outweigh any short-term economic gains.