Marine Food Chain # Practice Reading

QUESTION TIME

Some of the words given above have been highlighted. Reading the passage, try to figure out the meaning of the words and answer them. If there are issues and you are not able to ind out the answer, below.

Meanwhile, warming of the oceans is causing water to thermally expand fueling  sea level rises caused by melting land ice. Research released in the US on Monday found that Antarctic ice is melting so fast that the whole continent could be at risk by 2100, with severe consequences for coastal communities.

Problems in the ocean’s food chains will be a direct concern for hundreds of millions of people who rely upon seafood for sustenance , medicines and income. The loss of coral reefs could also worsen coastal erosion (the process by which the surface of the earth is worn away by the action of water, glaciers, winds, waves, etc)due to their role in protecting shorelines from storms and cyclones.

“These effects are happening now and will only be exacerbated in the next 50 to 100 years,” Nagelkerken said. “We are already seeing strange things such as the invasion of tropical species into temperate waters off south-eastern Australia. But if we reduce additional stressors such as overfishing and pollution, we can give species a better chance to adapt to climate change.”

ANSWERS

warming – of or at a moderately high temperature; characterized by comparatively high temperature

thermally –caused by heat or temperature

expand to increase in extent, size, volume, scope, etc

fueling combustible matter used to maintain fire, as coal, wood, oil, or gas, in order to create heat or power

coastal –of, relating to, bordering on, or located near a coast

sustenance –means of sustaining life

coral reefs – a reef composed mainly of coral and other organic matter of which parts have solidified into limestone.

erosion – the process by which the surface of the earth is worn away by theaction of water, glaciers, winds, waves, etc

shorelines – the line where shore and water meet

exacerbated – to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of (disease, ill ,etc.)

invasion – an act or instance of invading or entering as an enemy, especially byan army

stressors – an activity, event, or other stimulus that causes stress.

Now, mark yourself and calculate how much you scored.

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