I want to test the ability of students to read a passage and answer questions about it. Could you please come up with a good question for the passage "Heartwood (or duramen) is wood that as a result of a naturally occurring chemical transformation has become more resistant to decay. Heartwood formation occurs spontaneously (it is a genetically programmed process). Once heartwood formation is complete, the heartwood is dead. Some uncertainty still exists as to whether heartwood is truly dead, as it can still chemically react to decay organisms, but only once."? 

What is the status of the duramen when the chemical transformation is done?