12.1 Marine Biology Words

My uncle Chris loves the ocean, but it is very far from where he lives. To feel closer to the sea, he built a fantastic _______

in his home. When you walk into his living room, you are greeted by colorful fish and coral behind a wall of glass. Behind the glass is a watery world of coral, rocks, and plants where the sea animals live.

• aquarium

• habitat

• biome

Choose the sentence that BEST helps readers to understand the meaning of extinct.

• This is mostly due to pollution.

• We must act to preserve our coral reefs.

• There may no longer be species like the butterfly fish or the spiny lobster.

Read the paragraph.

Coral reefs are home to more than a third of all fish species. Over time, the health of coral reefs has been endangered by human activities. One issue affecting coral reefs is marine debris. Lost fishing gear and nets can entrap sea animals. Old lobster traps wash against coral and cause serious damage. Pollution in the form of plastics, tires, cans, and hygiene items also harms reefs.

What is the most likely meaning of the word endangered?

• threatened

• assisted

• influenced

Choose the word that most accurately completes the sentence.

Reef sharks and dolphins are at the top of the coral reef food chain. This means they are ______ and hunt other animals for food. Their diet consists of meat, and they are rarely at risk of falling prey to other animals.

• producers

• consumers

• predators

Choose the correct word to fill in the blank.

Animals living on the coral reef have different adaptations for survival. To hide from predators, animals like the leafy seahorse have a body structure that looks like the plants it lives in. Other animals use ___________

for protection. Their bodies change color to blend into the environment around them, so they are nearly invisible.

• venom

• camouflage

• tentacles