Notes:
Niger – ニジェール（アフリカ西部に位置する国）;
barren – 不毛の、荒れ果てた;
tragedy struck – 悲劇が起こった（tragedy＝悲劇、strike＝襲う・発生する の組み合わせ）;
drunk – 酔っ払った;
perish 消える，朽ちる;
topple – 倒す、崩れさせる;
remains – 残骸、遺跡、遺体;
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In the vast Ténéré Desert of Niger, an African country, there once stood a tree like no other. It was the only tree for 400 kilometers in every direction—completely alone in the barren landscape.
Why was this tree so isolated? Long ago, it was part of a forest, but as the land became dry, all the other trees perished. This lone tree survived by drawing water from deep underground.
The Tuareg people revered the tree, considering it a symbol of hope. Even European maps from the 1930s marked it as a landmark for travelers.
However, in 1973, tragedy struck. A drunk driver crashed into the tree, toppling it. People around the world were shocked by its loss.
Today, the tree’s remains are preserved in the Niger National Museum, and a metal sculpture now stands in its place.
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