Jet-Set for Success: Certified Travel Associate Practice Exam 2025 – Adventure Awaits!

The correct term for a ridge of rocks or sand that is typically formed from coral debris and is found at or near the water's surface is indeed a reef. Reefs play a crucial ecological role as they provide habitat for a diverse range of marine life, serve as barriers that protect coastlines from erosion, and are important for fishing and tourism industries.

In contrast, rivers are freshwater bodies that flow towards oceans, lakes, or other rivers, and do not refer to formations at the water's surface. The Prime Meridian is an imaginary line that represents 0 degrees longitude and is not related to marine geography or physical formations. Time zones are divisions of the Earth used to account for the rotation of the Earth in relation to the sun and have no connection to natural formations like reefs. Thus, "reefs" is the appropriate term to describe the specific geological feature in the question.