Plastic Pollution Reading Comprehension with Answers

If you’re looking for an engaging reading comprehension with answers about real-world issues, this passage on plastic pollution is a great choice. It helps students learn how everyday plastic waste affects oceans, animals, and people around the world. Through this text, learners can practice reading skills while also understanding an important environmental topic.

This plastic pollution reading comprehension includes vocabulary practice, true/false questions, pronoun reference, and critical thinking tasks—all designed to build strong reading skills. It also comes with a complete answer key, making it perfect for classroom use, homework, or independent study.

If you’re looking for an engaging reading comprehension with answers about real-world issues, this passage on plastic pollution is a great choice. It helps students learn how everyday plastic waste affects oceans, animals, and people around the world. Through this text, learners can practice reading skills while also understanding an important environmental topic.

This plastic pollution reading comprehension includes vocabulary practice, true/false questions, pronoun reference, and critical thinking tasks—all designed to build strong reading skills. It also comes with a complete answer key, making it perfect for classroom use, homework, or independent study.

Plastic Pollution Reading Comprehension with Answers

Here is a reading comprehension passage about palstic pollution along with answers:

Title: Plastic Pollution: A Global Problem

Plastic pollution has become one of the most serious environmental challenges of our time. Every day, people use plastic items such as bottles, straws, and snack wrappers. Many of these items are thrown away after a single use. Because plastic does not break down easily, it piles up in landfills and spreads into rivers and oceans. Scientists have found floating “garbage islands” made almost entirely of plastic waste.

When plastic reaches the ocean, it causes great harm to sea life. Marine animals like turtles, dolphins, and seabirds often mistake floating plastic for food. Once swallowed, plastic can block their stomachs or poison their bodies. Even when plastic breaks into tiny pieces called microplastics, it remains dangerous. These small fragments are often eaten by fish and shellfish — and may later end up on people’s dinner plates.

The problem doesn’t stop in the ocean. Burning or burying plastic also damages the environment. When burned, plastic releases toxic gases that pollute the air. When buried, it leaks harmful chemicals into the soil and water. These chemicals can harm plants, animals, and even human health. That’s why scientists and environmental groups are urging people to change how they use and throw away plastic.

Everyone can help reduce plastic pollution. Using reusable bottles and cloth bags, avoiding plastic straws, and recycling properly are simple but powerful actions. Schools can run awareness campaigns, and communities can organize cleanup events. If each person makes small changes, together we can protect our planet from drowning in plastic.

Comprehension Exercises

Exercise 1: Match the words with their meanings

Exercise 2: Are the following sentences true or false?

1. Plastic breaks down quickly after it is used. ………
2. Some animals mistake plastic for food. …………
3. Burning plastic can release dangerous gases. ………….
4. Scientists have already cleaned up all the garbage islands. ………….
5. Using cloth bags can help reduce plastic waste. …………..

Exercise 3: Find a sentence or phrase from the text that shows:

1. Plastic waste can travel from land to the ocean.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Plastic can harm both animals and humans. 3. Everyone can help protect the planet.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

3. Everyone can help protect the planet.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Exercise 4: Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

1.Why do scientists call plastic pollution a global problem?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. What do you think schools can do to raise awareness about this issue?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Exercise 5: What do the underlined pronouns refer to in the passage?

1. It (paragraph 1): ……………………………………………………..
2. Their (paragraph 2): ………………………………………………….
3. They (paragraph 3): ………………………………………………..

Answer key

Exercise 1: Vocabulary in Context

1. d
2. c
3. a
4. e
5. b

Exercise 2: True / False

1–False , 2–True, 3–True, 4–False, 5–True

Exercise 3: Find Evidence
1. “Because plastic does not break down easily, it piles up in landfills and spreads into rivers and oceans.”

2. “These chemicals can harm plants, animals, and even human health.”

3. “If each person makes small changes, together we can protect our planet from drowning in plastic.”

Exercise 4: Critical Thinking

1. Because plastic pollution affects oceans, animals, and people all over the world.
2. Schools can organize cleanups, recycling programs, and lessons about protecting the environment.

Exercise 5: Pronoun Reference

1. It —– Plastic
2. Their —– Marine animals
3. They —– People