Question

read the excerpt from \save the coral reefs.\ a study completed in 2004 found that seventy percent of our coral reefs are already destroyed or currently under threat of destruction. it also concluded that much of the wreckage to reefs has been caused by humans. the resiliency of the reefs is on our side, though. more can be done now to help the coral reefs bounce back—even flourish. what is meaning of the word
esiliency\ in this context? ∘ the way an ecosystem supports plant and animal life ∘ the manner in which an ecosystem decomposes ∘ the ability of an ecosystem to recover from damage ∘ the capability of one ecosystem to ruin another ecosystem

Explanation:

To determine the meaning of "resiliency" in the context, we analyze the surrounding text. The excerpt states "More can be done now to help the coral reefs bounce back—even flourish" after mentioning the reefs' resiliency is on our side. "Bounce back" implies recovery from damage. Let's analyze each option:

• The first option refers to an ecosystem supporting life, which is not related to recovery.
• The second option is about decomposition, which is irrelevant.
• The third option, "the ability of an ecosystem to recover from damage", matches the idea of bouncing back from destruction.
• The fourth option is about one ecosystem ruining another, which is not supported by the context.

Answer:

C. the ability of an ecosystem to recover from damage