In lichens(A)___prepare food for (B)____ and fungi provide shelter and absorb (C)____ for its partner.

Answer

To solve the question, we need to fill in the blanks in the statement about lichens, which are a symbiotic association between algae and fungi. Let's break it down step by step:

1. **Identify the Components of Lichens**:
- Lichens consist of two main partners: algae and fungi. The algae are autotrophic, meaning they can produce their own food through photosynthesis, while the fungi are heterotrophic, meaning they cannot produce their own food and rely on other sources.

2. **Fill in the First Blank (A)**:
- Since algae are the ones that prepare food through photosynthesis, we can conclude that:
- (A) = algae

3. **Fill in the Second Blank (B)**:
- The food that the algae produce is primarily for the fungi, which rely on the algae for their nutritional needs. Therefore:
- (B) = fungi

4. **Fill in the Third Blank (C)**:
- The fungi provide shelter for the algae and also absorb water and nutrients from the environment to support the algae. Thus, for the third blank, we can conclude:
- (C) = water and nutrients (or simply nutrients)

5. **Final Answer**:
- Putting it all together, we have:
- In lichens, (A) algae prepare food for (B) fungi, and fungi provide shelter and absorb (C) water and nutrients for its partner.

### Final Answer:
In lichens (A) algae prepare food for (B) fungi, and fungi provide shelter and absorb (C) water and nutrients for its partner.