Meaning: 'Linked' means to be connected or associated with something, suggesting that a plant-based diet is related to various health benefits.

Wrong options:

• attributed: 'Attributed' implies assigning a cause or source, which doesn't fit here as it suggests a more indirect relationship than 'linked.'
• concluded: 'Concluded' suggests a final decision or judgment, which is not the intended meaning in this context of establishing a connection.
• assumed: 'Assumed' indicates a belief without proof, which weakens the assertion of a direct relationship between the diet and health benefits.

Correct answer: fewer

Explanation: The word 'fewer' is correctly used here as it refers to countable resources, aligning with the grammatical requirement for plural nouns like 'resources.' It fits contextually as it emphasizes a reduction in the number of resources needed for a plant-based diet compared to a meat-centric one.

Meaning: 'Fewer' means a smaller number of countable items, indicating that a plant-based diet requires a reduced quantity of resources such as water and land.

Wrong options:

• less: 'Less' is used for uncountable nouns, making it grammatically incorrect in this context where 'resources' is plural.
• smaller: 'Smaller' refers to size rather than quantity, which does not apply to the countable nature of resources in this context.
• lesser: 'Lesser' is typically used in comparative contexts but does not fit grammatically or contextually with the plural noun 'resources.'

Correct answer: mitigating

Explanation: The word 'mitigating' effectively conveys the action of reducing or alleviating environmental degradation, fitting grammatically as a gerund that serves as the object of the preposition 'in.' It aligns contextually with the positive impact of a plant-based diet on the environment.

Meaning: 'Mitigating' means to make something less severe, serious, or painful, indicating that adopting a plant-based diet helps lessen environmental harm.

Wrong options:

• exacerbating: 'Exacerbating' means to make a problem worse, which contradicts the intended positive impact of a plant-based diet on the environment.
• neglecting: 'Neglecting' implies ignoring or failing to care for something, which does not align with the proactive approach of reducing environmental degradation.
• overlooking: 'Overlooking' suggests failing to notice or consider something, which is not relevant to the context of actively addressing environmental issues.

Correct answer: make

Explanation: The word 'make' is appropriately used here as it indicates the action of creating or causing a difference, fitting grammatically as a base verb that complements the subject 'changes.' It aligns contextually with the idea of effecting positive outcomes through consistent actions.

Meaning: 'Make' means to cause something to happen or to create, suggesting that small changes can lead to significant results over time.

Wrong options:

• give: 'Give' implies providing something rather than causing a change, making it less suitable in this context.
• set: 'Set' typically refers to placing something in a specific position, which does not convey the intended meaning of creating a difference.
• turn: 'Turn' suggests a change in direction or state, which does not fit the context of making a difference in the way intended.