I am drawn to the peace and pure beauty of primary nature. Being in it heightens my perceptions and narrows my focus. As I concentrate on the surroundings, an inner stillness fill me and helps mega in a sense of place. This was the case when I packed my camera equipment and explored some of Europe’s old-growth forests to highlight these unique environments that have remained untouched for centuries, despite threats of human disturbance.

The visits were often challenging because of unfavorable weather conditions and the distances I had to cover while going multiple times to the locations for a good picture. But the joy of the experience always prevailed. Hiking off trail through the foggy laurel forests of Madeira, I was enveloped by trees that may have been up to 800 years old and whose trunks provided me with shelter when clouds released a sudden down-pour. It felt like entering a holy space.

Wandering in the Scots pine forests of northern Sweden and the mountain tree lines of southern Norway rewarded me with the sense of freedom I always get in the Scandinavian wilderness. The beech (山毛榉) stands rising from the steep slopes of Italy kept me in awe of the power that forests protected from development can possess. I feel honoured that I was allowed access to explore and photograph these wonderlands.

Except Russia, only about 2 percent of the forest areas in Europe are primary, or have never been cleared, reflecting a dazzling richness of life that once filled vast wooded ecosystems. Most of the areas are now protected, but as the human population continues to grow—with disastrous impacts on the planet and its living creatures—the future of these forests is far from certain. I hope that they will still be standing for many centuries more.

【小题1】Why does the author like to explore the forests in Europe?

A．To help protect the vast ecosystems.	B．To experience the beauty and peace.
C．To improve his skill of taking photos.	D．To enjoy the feeling of being challenged.

【小题2】What does the underlined word “prevailed” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Won out.

B．Piled up.

C．Ran out.

D．Faded away.

【小题3】What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?

A．Most forests in Europe are kept as what they were.

B．People have free access to these primary forests.

C．The increasing population causes the destruction of forests.

D．The author prefers the trees of Norway to the beech stands in Italy.

【小题4】How does the author feel about the future of those primary forests?

A．Hopeful.

B．Concerned.

C．Uninterested.

D．Not clear.