Use the passage below from “Great Pacific Garbage Patch weighs more than 43,000 cars and is much larger than we thought” to answer the question.

Question

Which line from the passage demonstrates a cause/effect text structure?

(1 point)

“The Netherlands-based organization hired 18 ships to trawl at different spots across the whole patch.”
“The Netherlands-based organization hired 18 ships to trawl at different spots across the whole patch.”

“Plastics tend to break down, due to heat and sunlight exposure, into small particles known as microplastics.”
“Plastics tend to break down, due to heat and sunlight exposure, into small particles known as microplastics.”

“In the past, scientists estimated the size of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch by hopping on a boat and trawling the trash with fine nets — nets originally designed for catching plankton.”
“In the past, scientists estimated the size of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch by hopping on a boat and trawling the trash with fine nets — nets originally designed for catching plankton.”

“Running these nets through the patch, which extends from California to Hawaii, was not only laborious, it failed to catch big things like bottles and buoys.”
“Running these nets through the patch, which extends from California to Hawaii, was not only laborious, it failed to catch big things like bottles and buoys.”
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Answer 1

The line from the passage that demonstrates a cause/effect text structure is:

“Plastics tend to break down, due to heat and sunlight exposure, into small particles known as microplastics.”

This line indicates the cause (heat and sunlight exposure) and its effect (the breakdown of plastics into microplastics).