Passage: "Coral reefs cover a tiny fraction of the ocean floor, yet they support about a quarter of all marine species. In the Philippines, reefs provide food and income to millions of people in coastal towns. Rising sea temperatures cause corals to lose the algae that give them colour and food, a process called bleaching. Corals can recover if temperatures return to normal quickly, but repeated bleaching can kill entire reefs." What is "bleaching", as described in the passage?
Correct answer: A. The loss of the algae that give corals their colour and food
The passage defines bleaching as the process in which corals "lose the algae that give them colour and food" because of rising sea temperatures.
medium