Life Inside a Lichen
Written by Studio AM.
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A pale patch on a stone may look like one simple plant, but it can be a lichen: a close partnership between different organisms. Most lichens contain a fungus and a photosynthetic partner, usually an alga or a cyanobacterium. The partner uses light to make sugars. The fungus forms most of the lichen's body, holds moisture, and offers shelter.
Together, the partners can live in places where either might struggle alone. Some lichens grow on bare rock, dry branches, or exposed soil. Photosynthesis supplies food, while rain, dust, and the surrounding air provide water and nutrients. Lichens on rock can also help weather its surface and obtain minerals from it. Their growth is often slow, yet a stable lichen can persist through repeated drying and wetting.
Researchers also study additional fungi, bacteria, and other microbes living within lichens. The visible body can contain a wider community than the two main partners first suggest. Understanding that community means asking what each member contributes and how the relationships change across different conditions.
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Questions
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Question 1 of 4
What is the main idea of the passage?
The answer is C: A lichen is a durable living partnership whose familiar two-part description hides a more complex community.
The passage explains the main partners, their survival together, and other organisms within the community.
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Question 2 of 4
What can be inferred about the pale patch mentioned at the start?
The answer is D: Its simple appearance may conceal several organisms with different roles.
The passage contrasts the patch's single-looking surface with fungi, photosynthetic partners, and other microbes inside.
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Question 3 of 4
In this context, what does “persist” mean?
The answer is A: continue to live over time
The lichen survives repeated drying and wetting, so “persist” means endure or continue.
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Question 4 of 4
What does the photosynthetic partner provide?
The answer is B: sugars made using light
The opening paragraph says the alga or cyanobacterium uses light to make sugars.
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