Answer:
This statement means that it takes a lot of time and resources to educate children and make them useful members of society. This education will result in lasting benefits.
Step-by-step explanation:
1. This statement by Confucius shows that there are tasks that do not require a lot of time and effort to get benefits from them. He compared such tasks to the planting of rice and trees which do not take a long time to mature. However, some other tasks take considerable time and effort to realize. Educating children is one of those.
2. An example is the effort put in by parents to train their children from infancy till they become teenagers and adults. It takes time and effort to do this. The results of such training would last a long time as the children, now adults will impart the same knowledge to younger members of society.