Directions (For the next five items): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow, keeping in mind the contents of the passage alone :
Passage:-
Africa is on the move. At least 20 million (i) __________ live outside the continent, a three-fold increase since 1990. Europe accounts for about half of African (ii) __________ outside Africa, but its share has steadily declined since 1990. America, China, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have all seen surges in their African-born populations. It may seem otherworldly to predict that this will continue, given the fierce backlash against (iii) __________ across the West. Notwithstanding pushback, African (iv) __________ is an unstoppable force that will long outlast today's populists and help define the 21st century. Demography is one cause. It is well-known that in the developed world the number of people of working age will decline, exacerbating labour shortages. What is less widely appreciated is that emerging countries that are associated with exporting people, such as Mexico and the Philippines, are also getting older and the richer — meaning smaller shares of their populations will, in future, wish to emigrate in search of work. I
Africa, by contrast, the working-age population is forecast to increase by around 700 million people by 2050. Another cause is economics. Many African countries are entering a phase in their development in which people are still poor enough to wish to leave but, for the first time, rich enough to be able to travel long distances. African countries create only around a fifth of the number of formal jobs required to absorb their expanding workforce.
The question is about understanding the meaning of the phrase "exacerbating labour shortages" in a given passage. Let's break down the options to find the most appropriate one.
- The term "exacerbating" means to make a problem, a bad situation, or a negative feeling worse. It indicates an increase in the severity of an existing problem.
- Now, let's analyze each option:
- Option A: Increasing labour shortages - While this option seems similar, it doesn't directly convey the worsening aspect of the situation. Increasing can sometimes mean adding more without the negative connotation of problems getting worse.
- Option B: Worsening the problem of labour shortages - This option aligns well with "exacerbating" since it directly indicates that the problem of labour shortages is getting worse over time.
- Option C: Mitigating the issue of labour shortages - "Mitigating" means to make something less severe, serious, or painful, which is the opposite of "exacerbating."
- Option D: Intractably unburdening labour shortages - "Unburdening" means to relieve or lessen the load of a burden, which again is contrary to making a problem worse.
- Therefore, the most appropriate option that describes "exacerbating labour shortages" is Option B: Worsening the problem of labour shortages.
In conclusion, the correct interpretation of "exacerbating" in the context of the passage is that it implies the labour shortage problem is becoming more severe.
Important Questions from Phrase or Idiom Meaning
Directions: Choose the most appropriate answer from among the options (a), (b), (c) or (d).
The lion's share
Directions: Choose the most appropriate answer from among the options (a), (b), (c) or (d).
Spill the beans
Directions: Given below are some idioms/phrases followed by four alternative meanings for each. Choose the most appropriate answer from among the options (a), (b), (c) or (d).
Disappear into thin air
Directions: Given below are some idioms/phrases followed by four alternative meanings for each. Choose the most appropriate answer from among the options (a), (b), (c) or (d).
Put the screws on
Directions: Given below are some idioms/phrases followed by four alternative meanings for each. Choose the most appropriate answer from among the options (a), (b), (c) or (d).
Sit on the fence
