Without ever declaring war, the world has been engaged in a pitched

1. The author most likely creates an extended analogy to war in order to

(A) illustrate the degree of destruction and the gravity of the problem facing coral reefs.
Looks correct. Hold on.
(B) make the topic more accessible through the use of a literary device.
The analogy does not help the details to be more accessible.
(C) exploit a comparison between guerrilla warfare and ecosystem loss.
No such comparison.
(D) couch the opening statistics within more comprehensible language.
The purpose is not to couch the statistics.
(E) suggest the division of the audience into warring camps on the to pic of global warming.
No such division suggested.

IMO A

2. In the passage’s first paragraph, the author asserts that

(A) certain sediments and fishing techniques are mainly responsible for the loss of Earth’s coral reefs.
No such emphasis.
(B) approximately one third of Earth’s coral reefs remain in pristine condition.
No such info.
(C) approximately one quarter of Earth’s coral reefs are irretrievably lost.
From the passage - Approximately one-quarter of them(reefs) have fallen a permanent casualty to modern assault weapons.
(D) two thirds of Earth’s coral reefs lack the necessary defenses against pollution and other assaults.
"two- thirds of these crucial ecosystems are under siege around the world." --> This does not imply that they lack the defenses.
(E) the undeclared war against coral reefs has been more destructive than many declared wars have been
No such emphasis.

IMO C

3. According to the passage, the zooxanthellae are necessary because

(A) the loss of zooxanthellae upsets the delicate balance of reef ecosystems.
(B) zooxanthellae exist only to ensure the existence of coral.
(C) coral and zooxanthellae are interdependent organisms.
"corals eject the mutualistic and photosynthesizing algae called zooxanthellae, with which they exchange benefits and upon which their very existence relies."
(D) zooxanthellae are the only source of defenses against external assault.
(E) zooxanthellae provide protection against certain types of harmful sediment.

IMO C