Analyze Text Structure - Worksheet 1

Every year, approximately eight million tons of plastic waste end up in our oceans. That is roughly equivalent to dumping a garbage truck full of plastic into the ocean every single minute. This creates serious and growing problems for marine life. Because plastic does not break down easily the way natural materials do, a single plastic bottle can remain in the ocean for more than four hundred years. During that time, it breaks into smaller and smaller pieces but never truly disappears. As a result of all this plastic in the water, many sea animals are harmed. Sea turtles, for example, mistake floating plastic bags for jellyfish, which are one of their favorite foods. When turtles eat these bags, the plastic fills their stomachs and blocks their digestive systems. Consequently, the turtles cannot eat real food and often starve. Because plastic bags look so similar to jellyfish when floating in the water, even experienced adult turtles make this dangerous mistake. Scientists estimate that more than half of all sea turtles have eaten plastic at some point in their lives. Fish also suffer greatly due to plastic pollution. Over time, larger pieces of plastic break down into tiny fragments called microplastics, some smaller than a grain of rice. These tiny pieces look just like the plankton and small organisms that fish normally eat. Since fish cannot tell the difference, they swallow these microplastics along with their food. The harmful chemicals in the plastic then build up inside their bodies. Therefore, when larger fish, seabirds, or marine mammals eat these contaminated fish, the dangerous chemicals spread further up the food chain. This process, called bioaccumulation, means that animals at the top of the food chain end up with the highest levels of harmful chemicals. Because of these widespread effects on ocean life, scientists, governments, and communities around the world are working urgently to reduce plastic pollution. Many cities have banned single-use plastic bags and straws. Beach cleanup events remove tons of trash from shorelines every year. If we all use less plastic and recycle more, then fewer animals will be harmed and our oceans will become healthier. By understanding exactly how plastic pollution causes harm through the food chain, we can make better choices every day to protect the incredible creatures that depend on clean oceans for survival.