Meaning: 'Grim' means stern, forbidding, or lacking in cheer, often used to describe a situation that is bleak or serious.

Wrong options:

• ruthless: 'Ruthless' implies a lack of compassion or mercy, which does not fit the context of describing a reality; it suggests a more aggressive tone than intended.
• severe: 'Severe' indicates something harsh or intense, but it lacks the emotional weight that 'grim' conveys in this context.
• cruel: 'Cruel' suggests a deliberate infliction of pain or suffering, which is not the intended meaning when discussing a reality.

Correct answer: bring about

Explanation: The phrase 'bring about' is used to indicate causing something to happen, which fits perfectly in the context of global warming leading to flooding. It aligns grammatically as a verb phrase that indicates an action.

Meaning: 'Bring about' means to cause something to happen or to result in a particular outcome.

Wrong options:

• put forward: 'Put forward' typically means to suggest or propose an idea, which does not fit the context of causing flooding.
• turn out: 'Turn out' implies a result or outcome but does not convey the causative sense needed here.
• finish off: 'Finish off' means to complete or end something, which is not relevant to the context of causing flooding.

Correct answer: scarce

Explanation: The word 'scarce' indicates a shortage or lack of something, which fits the context of fresh water becoming increasingly limited. It is an adjective that describes a situation where something is in short supply.

Meaning: 'Scarce' means insufficient to satisfy the need or demand; rare or hard to find.

Wrong options:

• singular: 'Singular' refers to being one or unique, which does not relate to the availability of fresh water.
• occational: 'Occasional' means happening from time to time, which does not accurately describe a consistent shortage.
• infrequent: 'Infrequent' suggests something that does not happen often, but it does not convey the severity of a shortage as 'scarce' does.

Correct answer: warns

Explanation: The verb 'warns' is appropriate here as it indicates a cautionary message about future consequences, fitting the context of the document's intent to alert readers about potential issues.

Meaning: 'Warns' means to inform someone about a possible danger or problem, urging them to take heed.

Wrong options:

• informs: 'Informs' is neutral and does not carry the same cautionary tone as 'warns', which is necessary in this context.
• notifies: 'Notifies' implies simply making someone aware, lacking the urgency that 'warns' conveys.
• alerts: 'Alerts' is similar but does not fit as well as 'warns' in terms of the gravity of the situation being discussed.

Correct answer: end up

Explanation: The phrase 'end up' indicates a final outcome or result, which fits the context of the population's future living conditions. It is a phrasal verb that suggests a conclusion reached after a process.

Meaning: 'End up' means to eventually reach a particular state or condition, often unexpectedly.

Wrong options:

• break out: 'Break out' implies a sudden occurrence, typically of something negative, which does not fit the context of living conditions.
• come round: 'Come round' suggests a change of opinion or recovery, which is not relevant to the context of population living conditions.
• set down: 'Set down' means to place something down or establish, which does not convey the idea of a future outcome.

Correct answer: combined

Explanation: The word 'combined' indicates the joining of two elements, which fits the context of flooding and water shortage working together to worsen the situation. It is an adjective that describes a situation where two factors are considered together.

Meaning: 'Combined' means joined or merged together, indicating that both flooding and water scarcity are factors that contribute to worsening conditions.

Wrong options:

• added: 'Added' implies something extra or supplementary, which does not accurately describe the relationship between flooding and water shortage.
• connected: 'Connected' suggests a relationship but lacks the implication of joint impact that 'combined' conveys.
• united: 'United' implies a stronger sense of togetherness, which is not as precise as 'combined' in this context.