In the following passages, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below each passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gap in the passage.
PASSAGE A:
For thousands of years, man lived in a very primitive way. Before the recent -77- in agriculture, medicine and industry, life was difficult. It was hard to -78- a living from the -79- without modern farming -80-, and a single year of crop -81- could mean famine and therefore death. Illnesses as -82- and as -83- as influenza could kill a Stone Age man weakened by hunger; appendicitis was always -84- before the days of modern -85-. Even childbirth was a hazardous process. Under these conditions, the human race needed to -86- at a high -87- just to keep in existence.
However, with a sharp fall in the -88- rate relative to the -89- the world’s population is now increasing very rapidly. This increase needs to be put in -90-to avoid the looming consequence of population -91-.
PASSAGE B:
When my elder brother decided to -92- a current account with United Bank for Africa, he walked into one of its -93- and obtained the necessary -94- which he completed and returned to the -95-. He was then given paying in -96-. Soon, he started issuing -97- to people with whom he transacted business. Whenever his signature was irregular, his cheque was not -98- Once, he wanted to obtain a -99- and the bank insisted on -100-.
In question numbered 89 above, choose the best option from letters A – D that best completes the gap.
-
birth-rate
- living
- healthy
- women
The correct answer is: A
Explanation
Birth-rate is the rate at which the population is increasing due to the high number of births. Comparing the high birth rate relative to the low mortality rate whose the population in bound to increase at a rapid rate. The sentence would read: "However, with a sharp fall in the mortality rate relative to the birth-rate, the world's population is now increasing very rapidly."