Page 73 - Stories for Thinking Children 1

"That would be a little difficult,
Kareem," replied his grandfather,
"because car exhaust, the smoke
from chimneys, especially in win-
ter, and the scarcity of trees and
plants prevent the air in the city

from being clean."

Kareem pondered a little: "I
understand the smoke, but I
don't quite understand what plants
have to do with it. Trees are meant to bear
fruit and make the city beautiful, aren't they?"

"Yes," answered Grandpa Hassan, "trees do all
that; but probably more importantly, they also clean the

air. Plants breathe in just the opposite way to other living things.
Human beings and animals take oxygen from the air, and after
using it in their bodies, they breathe out the used air as carbon
dioxide. But plants do the opposite: they take in carbon dioxide
and give off oxygen, which is how they clean the air. There are
other wondrous qualities that plants have, Kareem, and it is Allah,

the All-Wise, Who has created all of them. If you would like,
I will tell you what I know about plants."

"Yes, please, Grandpa; I'm all ears!" shouted
Kareem excitedly.

Grandpa Hassan took a deep breath and
began, "Plants breathe in a process called pho-
tosynthesis."

"What is photosynthesis?" Kareem inter-
rupted.

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