Fill in the Blanks (Reading & Writing)

Choose the word that best fits each blank.

Mangrove forests grow along tropical coastlines where land meets the sea, with their tangled roots standing partly above the water. These roots act as a natural barrier, slowing incoming waves and holding the soil in place so that storms strip away far less of the shore. The dense root systems also shelter young fish and crabs, making mangroves some of the most productive nurseries in the ocean.

By slowing waves and binding the soil, mangrove roots help protect the coast from —erosiondroughtpollution, and at the same time they provide —shelterfoodoxygen for many young marine animals.