Final answer:
The statement is true; while wood is an insulator, the water and sap inside a tree can conduct a lightning strike to the Earth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that wood is an insulator but lightning can travel through a tree to reach Earth is true. Wood is generally a poor conductor of electricity; however, the intense power of a lightning strike can cause an electric current to travel through a tree. The water and sap within a tree can provide a path of lower resistance than the surrounding air, allowing lightning to pass through the tree and into the ground. This is why taking shelter under a tree during a thunderstorm is extremely dangerous.