Question

read these sentences from the passage. then underline the subject and circle the verb. 1. here, at the bottom of the ocean, the water above exerts enormous pressure. 2. instead, life depends on hydrogen sulfide, a poisonous chemical that releases energy when it reacts with the oxygen in the water. 3. many species have developed their own sources of light. 4. in the space where the plates move apart, melted rock erupts, cools, and hardens to form a new lithosphere. 5. vent crabs are at the top of the hierarchy in the ecosystem that has colonized around the vents.

Explanation:

To solve this, we identify the subject (the main noun/ noun phrase doing the action or being described) and the verb (the action word or linking verb) in each sentence:

1. In "the water above exerts...", "the water above" is the subject (what exerts pressure), and "exerts" is the verb (action of exerting).
2. In "life depends on...", "life" is the subject (what depends), and "depends" is the verb (action of depending).
3. In "Many species have developed...", "Many species" is the subject (what developed), and "have developed" is the verb (action of developing).
4. In "melted rock erupts, cools, and hardens...", "melted rock" is the subject (what erupts, cools, hardens), and "erupts", "cools", "hardens" are the verbs (actions of erupting, cooling, hardening).
5. In "Vent crabs are...", "Vent crabs" is the subject (what is at the top), and "are" is the linking verb (describing the subject’s state).

Answer:

1. Subject: the water above; Verb: exerts
2. Subject: life; Verb: depends
3. Subject: Many species; Verb: have developed
4. Subject: melted rock; Verbs: erupts, cools, hardens
5. Subject: Vent crabs; Verb: are