Question

3 read the following selection. some biofilms are harmful and may grow on medical equipment and cause infection. they also form on industrial materials, such as oil and gas pipelines. biofilm - associated corrosion of these materials accounts for 20 percent of total corrosion damages, costing billions of dollars to prevent and fix. this type of corrosion may even result in environmental damages from pipeline leaks. which phrase from the selection helps explain what “corrosion” means? (a) cause infection (b) costing billions of dollars (c) to prevent and fix (d) damages from pipeline leaks

Explanation:

The text mentions that bio - film associated corrosion of materials causes damages that cost billions of dollars to prevent and fix. This implies that corrosion leads to damages that need prevention and fixing, which helps explain what corrosion is. Options A is about biofilms causing infection, not related to the meaning of corrosion. Option B just mentions the cost, not the nature of corrosion. Option D is about the result of corrosion (pipeline leaks), not an explanation of what corrosion means.

Answer:

C. to prevent and fix