Fill in the Blanks (Reading & Writing)

Choose the word that best fits each blank.

Coastal wetlands are among the most —productivebarrenartificial ecosystems on the planet, providing nurseries for fish, filtering pollutants from water, and buffering shorelines against storms. Yet despite these benefits, they continue to be drained and developed at an alarming —ratesilencediscount. Conservationists warn that once a wetland is destroyed, restoring its full ecological function can take decades, if it proves —possibleexpensivepopular at all.