The superior portion of the ventral cavity and is surrounded by ribs to protect the vital organs. It contains 3 additional cavities.

• A. Mediastinum cavity
• B. Pleural cavity
• C. Abdominopelvic cavity
• D. Thoracic Cavity

Answer: (D)

The essential idea is identifying the thoracic cavity as the upper part of the ventral body cavity that is protected by the rib cage. This chest region houses the heart and lungs and is divided into three smaller spaces: two pleural cavities, each surrounding one lung, and the pericardial cavity that surrounds the heart. The pericardial cavity is located within the mediastinum, which is a central subdivision of the thoracic cavity, but the overall space described by the statement is the thoracic cavity itself. The other options describe specific parts within or below this region (for example, the pleural cavities are two of the three spaces, the mediastinum is a central subdivision, and the abdominopelvic cavity lies below the diaphragm), so they don’t match the described overarching cavity.