Question

(2) thousands of years ago, the tiny coquina clam (donax variabilis) lived in the shallow waters of coastal florida, as they still do today. these are the small pink, lavender, yellow, or white shells one sees along the beach at the waterline. as the resident clam died, the shells accumulated in layers, year after year, century after century, for thousands of years, forming submerged deposits several feet thick. during the last ice age, sea levels dropped, exposing these shell layers to air and rain. eventually, the shell became covered with soil, then trees and other vegetation. rainwater percolating through the dead vegetation and soil picked up carbon dioxide and became carbonic acid, the same ingredient that makes soda fizz. 5 select the correct answer. read the sentence from paragraph 2. rainwater percolating through the dead vegetation and soil picked up carbon dioxide and became carbonic acid, the same ingredient that makes soda fizz. what is the meaning of percolating as it is used in the passage? a. spreading quickly b. dripping gradually c. creating a flood d. covering a surface

Explanation:

To determine the meaning of "percolating", we analyze the context. Rainwater moving through dead vegetation and soil to pick up carbon dioxide implies a gradual, downward movement. Option A (spreading quickly) doesn't fit the movement through layers. Option C (creating a flood) is incorrect as it's about gradual movement, not a flood. Option D (covering a surface) is wrong as the water is moving through, not covering. Option B (dropping gradually) aligns with water seeping or moving down through soil/vegetation over time.

Answer:

B. dropping gradually