Directions: In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Each question will present three words (I, II, and III) that can fill the blanks. Choose the option containing the word(s) that correctly fills the blanks to complete the passage.

It was Friedrich Nietzsche who wrote: ‘What does not kill me makes me stronger.’ The aphorism offers good guidance during triathlon training and, often, through the tough times in your ______ (A) life. Does it also apply to the ecosystems of Earth? We think it could. While plant and animal life would be better off without humanity’s climate-altering activities, our planet nonetheless shows ______ (B) and the ability to adapt. That’s hardly an excuse for inaction in the face of the climate crisis, but it is certainly fascinating to predict how the major ecosystems of our home Earth will look in the intermediate and distant future, should atmospheric chemistry and climate change continue along the trajectories seen today. Our main interests are coral reefs, and we want to share some of our thoughts about their future based on our knowledge of unusually stressed ocean ecosystems and ______ (C). Corals will live on, though in very different form than the ones that thrive now; we also think that the food web will become ______ (D) and dominated by different, much smaller fish.

How will the oceans transition to this new normal? It’s useful to think about coral reefs on a gradient, from the least to the most disturbed. On one end are the pristine, sun-flooded coral reefs well known and loved by scuba divers. This is where impressive towers of hard and soft corals cover almost every square metre of the ______ (E), and countless species of colourful reef fish frolic among the intricate three-dimensional structures created by the corals. Because the multiple cracks and crevices between the coral fingers help hide smaller fish from the hungry mouths of predators such as groupers and sharks, the small fish never venture too far from their coral homes. Witnessing such a reef is an enthralling experience for the novice diver and expert marine biologist alike.