Meaning: 'Nurtures' means to care for and encourage the growth or development of something, in this case, personal growth and understanding.

Wrong options:

• dismisses: Dismisses means to reject or disregard, which contradicts the idea of promoting growth.
• avoids: Avoids implies evasion, which does not align with the concept of fostering growth.
• neglects: Neglects suggests a lack of care or attention, which is opposite to nurturing.

Correct answer: encourages

Explanation: The word 'encourages' is a verb that fits well in the context, as it suggests promoting or supporting critical thinking about beliefs and values. It aligns with the overall theme of personal development through travel, making it grammatically and contextually suitable.

Meaning: 'Encourages' means to give support, confidence, or hope to someone, in this case, individuals thinking critically about their beliefs.

Wrong options:

• demands: Demands implies a requirement or insistence, which does not fit the supportive tone of the sentence.
• forbids: Forbids means to prohibit, which is contrary to the idea of promoting critical thinking.
• prevents: Prevents suggests stopping something from happening, which does not align with the encouragement of critical thought.

Correct answer: get by

Explanation: The phrase 'get by' is an idiomatic expression that means to manage or cope in difficult situations. It fits grammatically and contextually, as it describes the ability to adapt in unfamiliar environments, which is a key benefit of travel.

Meaning: 'Get by' means to manage to survive or deal with a situation, especially when it is challenging.

Wrong options:

• fall behind: Fall behind means to lag or not keep up, which does not convey adaptability.
• give up: Give up implies surrendering or quitting, which is opposite to the idea of learning to cope.
• turn down: Turn down means to reject or refuse, which does not relate to managing in unfamiliar situations.

Correct answer: break down

Explanation: The phrase 'break down' fits well as it means to dismantle or overcome barriers, particularly in communication. It is grammatically correct and contextually appropriate, as it relates to the need to connect with others despite language differences.

Meaning: 'Break down' means to remove obstacles or barriers, allowing for better communication and connection.

Wrong options:

• put off: Put off means to delay or postpone, which does not relate to overcoming barriers.
• look up: Look up means to search for information, which does not fit the context of breaking barriers in communication.
• set apart: Set apart means to distinguish or separate, which contradicts the idea of connecting with others.

Correct answer: broadens

Explanation: The word 'broadens' is a verb that indicates expansion or increase in scope, fitting grammatically and contextually as it describes the effect of travel on one's perspective. It aligns with the overall theme of growth and understanding through diverse experiences.

Meaning: 'Broadens' means to make wider or more inclusive, in this case, expanding one's perspective.

Wrong options:

• shrinks: Shrinks means to become smaller, which is the opposite of broadening one's perspective.
• pauses: Pauses implies a temporary stop, which does not convey the idea of expanding understanding.
• complicates: Complicates suggests making something more difficult, which contradicts the positive impact of travel on perspective.