Read the passage and answer the following questions.

There is a lovely story of a tree and a little boy who used to play in its shade. They had become friends. One day, the boy sat leaning against the trunk of the tree, crying. He was hungry. "Eat my fruit" said the kind tree bending down one of its branches. The boy ate the fruit and was happy. The boy grew up. One day, he sat under the tree with an anxious look on his face. "What is the matter?" asked the tree. "I am going to marry and I want a house to live in," said the young man. "Cut down my branches and build your house." said the tree. The young man built a house with the branches of the tree. The young man became a sailor. One day, he sat under the tree with a worried look. "What is the matter?" asked the tree. "My captain is a cruel fellow. I want a ship of my own." said the sailor. "Cut down my trunk and build a ship." The sailor lost his ship and returned home as a helpless old man. On a cold winter's day, he stood where the tree once was, leaning on his stick and trembling with cold. "Make a fire of me, and warm yourself' said the stump of the tree. The stump of the unselfish tree burnt in the fire, softly humming a tune.

The story highlights a typical selfish human nature we are all familiar with. Identify it from the options given below:

Heartless and foolish exploitation of nature

The story highlights: Heartless and foolish exploitation of nature.(Option 4)

Explanation: The young man in the story consistently takes from the tree without showing gratitude or considering the consequences. His requests lead to the tree sacrificing its branches, trunk, and finally, its entire existence. The story serves as an allegory for the exploitation of nature, symbolizing how humans can be selfish and exploit natural resources without considering the long-term impact.