Central Idea: Deep-Sea Life Adaptations

Questions

1. MultiChoice

   Passage: In the complete darkness of the deep ocean, over 76 percent of ocean creatures produce bioluminescence. This chemical light is used to attract prey, confuse predators, or signal potential mates in total darkness. What is the central idea?

2. MultiChoice

   Passage: At depths of 10,000 feet, water pressure is hundreds of times greater than at the surface. Deep-sea animals lack air-filled lungs and feature flexible bodies and fluid-filled cells that prevent crushing. What is the central idea?

3. MultiChoice

   Passage: Around deep hydrothermal vents, specialized bacteria convert hydrogen sulfide chemicals into organic food. This chemosynthetic process supports thriving ecosystems of tube worms, crabs, and clams far from sunlight. What is the central idea?

4. MultiChoice

   Passage: Many deep-sea invertebrates, like giant isopods and giant squids, grow far larger than shallow-water relatives. This abyssal gigantism allows animals to store more energy and survive long periods between meals. What is the central idea?

5. MultiChoice

   Passage: Food is scarce thousands of feet below the surface. Deep-sea predators conserve energy by moving slowly and maintaining ultra-low metabolic rates, enabling them to survive months between rare feedings. What is the central idea?

6. MultiChoice

   Passage: In the twilight zone of the ocean, animals like the barreleye fish feature oversized tubular eyes rotated upward. These specialized eyes capture the tiny amounts of ambient light filtering down from above. What is the central idea?

7. MultiChoice

   Passage: A continuous shower of dead organic debris, known as marine snow, drifts down from upper ocean layers. This falling organic material serves as the primary food source for deep-sea filter feeders and bottom dwellers. What is the central idea?

8. MultiChoice

   Passage: Water absorbs red light rays near the ocean surface, making red wavelengths invisible in the deep sea. Consequently, red animals appear completely black in deep water, blending into darkness seamlessly. What is the central idea?

9. MultiChoice

   Passage: When a whale dies and sinks to the seafloor, its carcass delivers decades worth of concentrated nutrients. Scavengers, crabs, and specialized bone-eating worms colonize the skeleton, sustaining life for up to a century. What is the central idea?

10. MultiChoice

    Passage: Fish like the gulper eel feature giant, flexible jaws and stretchy stomachs that inflate like balloons. These physical traits enable them to swallow prey much larger than themselves whenever prey is encountered. What is the central idea?

11. MultiChoice

    Passage: Human-occupied and remotely operated submersibles allow researchers to explore extreme benthic trenches. These specialized vehicles carry cameras and collection tools, uncovering previously unknown biological species. What is the central idea?

12. MultiChoice

    Passage: Deep-sea animals grow and reproduce extremely slowly. As commercial interest in seabed mining and trawling grows, scientists warn that physical disturbances could permanently destroy fragile deep-ocean habitats. What is the central idea?