2025 · Q9
Which one of the following options most appropriately describes the phrase "exacerbating labour shortages"?
General EnglishReading comprehension
- AIncreasing labour shortages
- BWorsening the problem of labour shortages
- CMitigating the issue of labour shortages
- DIntractably unburdening labour shortages
Explanation
'Exacerbate' means to make a problem or bad situation worse, i.e. to aggravate it. Option B, 'worsening the problem of labour shortages', captures this exactly. 'Increasing' (A) is close but misses the sense of aggravating an already bad situation, while 'mitigating' (C) means the opposite.