To determine the appropriate term to replace the question mark in the table comparing continental and oceanic landforms, we need to consider the characteristics of each type of landform.
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Cavern - This typically refers to a cave system primarily found within continental contexts, not a main comparison point for oceanic landforms.
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Trench - This term is specific to oceanic landforms, such as ocean trenches that are found at the bottoms of oceans and do not have a direct counterpart on continental landforms.
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Plateau - Plateaus can be found in both continental and oceanic contexts, so it could potentially fit in the comparison, but it is less common in oceanic landforms.
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Mountain - This term describes a significant landform found predominantly on continental surfaces, but can also be formed on the oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges.
Given that the question requests a term that would serve as a direct comparative term for both continental and oceanic landforms, D. mountain is the most fitting response since both continents and oceanic ridges can contain mountainous features.
So, the correct answer is: D. mountain.