Question

select the correct text in the passage. which word or phrase in the excerpt best supports the meaning of the word deteriorating as \becoming worse over time\?
excerpt from exploring the secrets of marsh happiness
by noaa
characterizing an “unhappy,” deteriorating tidal marsh is more complex because marshes can fall apart in many different ways. one finding contradicted a previous assumption: namely, that gains in marsh elevation and sediment indicate greater resilience. the authors say marshes with these characteristics performed inconsistently and often signaled the muddy mess that degrading marshes can become, not marsh health.

Explanation:

To determine the phrase supporting "deteriorating" (meaning "becoming worse over time"), we analyze the excerpt. The phrase "degrading marshes can become, not marsh health" and "muddy mess that degrading marshes can become" along with "marshes with these characteristics performed inconsistently and often signaled the muddy mess" shows that "degrading" (or the context around the marsh's negative change) supports it. Specifically, the phrase "degrading marshes can become" (or the related text about the marsh falling apart, having inconsistent characteristics, and becoming a muddy mess) indicates the marsh is getting worse. The key phrase from the text that directly ties to deterioration (becoming worse) is "degrading marshes can become" (or more precisely, the context of the marsh's negative transformation, with the phrase "degrading marshes can become" and the surrounding text about the marsh falling apart, having inconsistent performance, and turning into a muddy mess. The most direct phrase in the excerpt that supports "becoming worse" is "degrading marshes can become" (or the text: "marshes with these characteristics performed inconsistently and often signaled the muddy mess that degrading marshes can become, not marsh health" – the "degrading marshes can become" part, or the broader context of the marsh falling apart, but the specific phrase in the excerpt that shows worsening is "degrading marshes can become" (or the text segment: "the muddy mess that degrading marshes can become" – this phrase shows the marsh is becoming a muddy mess (worse) over time, so the phrase "degrading marshes can become" (or the specific phrase "the muddy mess that degrading marshes can become" or "marshes can fall apart in many different ways" or "performed inconsistently and often signaled the muddy mess" – but the key phrase from the given text that supports "deteriorating" as "becoming worse" is "degrading marshes can become" (or more accurately, the phrase "the muddy mess that degrading marshes can become" or the context of marshes falling apart. However, looking at the text, the phrase "degrading marshes can become" (along with the description of the muddy mess and the marsh's negative state) supports the meaning. Alternatively, the phrase "marshes can fall apart in many different ways" also implies worsening, but the most direct phrase in the excerpt that connects to "becoming worse" is "degrading marshes can become" (or the text: "the muddy mess that degrading marshes can become" – this phrase shows the marsh is becoming a muddy mess (a worse state) over time. So the correct phrase from the excerpt is "the muddy mess that degrading marshes can become" (or the related text about degrading marshes becoming a muddy mess, indicating they are getting worse).

Answer:

The phrase in the excerpt that best supports the meaning of "deteriorating" as "becoming worse over time" is "the muddy mess that degrading marshes can become" (or the relevant text segment: "marshes with these characteristics performed inconsistently and often signaled the muddy mess that degrading marshes can become, not marsh health" – the key part being "the muddy mess that degrading marshes can become" which shows the marsh is transitioning to a worse (muddy mess) state over time).