Microplastics are pieces of plastic that are smaller than a grain of rice. These small plastics can be found in large quantities in ocean waters. Ecologist Jessica Reichert and her team are studying the role reef-building corals have in capturing microplastics from ocean waters. Through research, her team has found that these corals may be storing up to 20 million kilograms of microplastics each year in their skeletons and tissues.

Question

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
Choose 1 answer:
Choose 1 answer:
(Choice A) Ecologists are interested in learning more about how certain corals build large reefs.
A
Ecologists are interested in learning more about how certain corals build large reefs.
(Choice B) Microplastics are small pieces of plastic that can be found in ocean waters.
B
Microplastics are small pieces of plastic that can be found in ocean waters.
(Choice C) Questions remain around the impact certain corals have on ocean ecosystems.
C
Questions remain around the impact certain corals have on ocean ecosystems.
(Choice D) Ecologists predict that corals store large amounts of microplastics from ocean waters.
D
Ecologists predict that corals store large amounts of microplastics from ocean waters.

Answer 1

The best choice that states the main idea of the text is:

(Choice D) Ecologists predict that corals store large amounts of microplastics from ocean waters.

This option directly reflects the focus of the text, which is about ecologist Jessica Reichert’s research on the role of reef-building corals in capturing and storing microplastics.