Meaning: 'Deadly' means capable of causing death or very harmful, emphasizing the serious view on animal fats.

Wrong options:

• lethal: 'Lethal' also means deadly but is less commonly used in this context, making 'deadly' a more fitting choice.
• killer: 'Killer' is informal and typically refers to a person or thing that kills, which does not fit the formal tone of the sentence.
• fatal: 'Fatal' implies causing death but is more specific to situations rather than describing a 'sin,' making it less appropriate here.

Correct answer: stern

Explanation: 'Stern' is an adjective that conveys seriousness and strictness, which is appropriate for the type of warning given by the medical establishment.

Meaning: 'Stern' means strict or serious, indicating that the warnings were meant to be taken seriously.

Wrong options:

• rigid: 'Rigid' implies inflexibility, which does not accurately describe the nature of warnings that can be serious yet adaptable.
• hard: 'Hard' can imply difficulty rather than seriousness, making it less suitable for describing warnings.
• rough: 'Rough' suggests a lack of smoothness or gentleness, which does not align with the serious tone of medical warnings.

Correct answer: extending

Explanation: 'Extending' fits grammatically as a gerund that indicates the action of providing or offering advice, aligning well with the context of guidelines.

Meaning: 'Extending' means to offer or provide, in this case, referring to the guidelines that offer advice.

Wrong options:

• increasing: 'Increasing' suggests a rise in quantity, which does not fit the context of providing advice.
• stretching: 'Stretching' implies physical elongation or expansion, which is not relevant to the context of guidelines.
• prolonging: 'Prolonging' means to extend in time, which does not accurately describe the act of giving advice.

Correct answer: blown

Explanation: 'Blown' is the correct past participle that fits the idiomatic expression 'blown out of the water,' indicating that the previous advice has been completely disproven.

Meaning: 'Blown' in this context means to be rendered ineffective or invalid, emphasizing the impact of new findings.

Wrong options:

• shattered: 'Shattered' implies breaking into pieces, which is more physical and does not fit the idiomatic expression used here.
• tomb: 'Tomb' is a noun referring to a burial place and does not fit grammatically or contextually in this sentence.
• exploded: 'Exploded' suggests a sudden burst, which does not convey the same meaning as 'blown out of the water.'

Correct answer: stream

Explanation: 'Stream' fits grammatically as a noun that describes the flow of blood, aligning with the context of discussing cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Meaning: 'Stream' refers to a continuous flow, in this case, of blood, which is relevant to the discussion of cholesterol production.

Wrong options:

• canal: 'Canal' refers to a man-made waterway and does not fit the biological context of blood flow.
• flow: 'Flow' is a noun but is too general and does not specifically refer to the movement of blood as 'stream' does.
• course: 'Course' can refer to a path but is less specific than 'stream' in describing the movement of blood.

Correct answer: cumulative

Explanation: 'Cumulative' is an adjective that describes the total effect of multiple factors, fitting well with the context of lifestyle choices impacting health.

Meaning: 'Cumulative' means increasing or growing by accumulation, indicating that the effects of lifestyle choices add up over time.

Wrong options:

• unified: 'Unified' suggests being brought together, which does not accurately describe the nature of effects from various lifestyle choices.
• assembled: 'Assembled' implies putting together, which does not fit the context of effects accumulating over time.
• motley: 'Motley' refers to a varied mixture, which does not convey the idea of accumulating effects in a coherent manner.