Meaning: 'Among' means 'in the midst of' or 'surrounded by,' indicating that young adults are included in the group experiencing the increase in online time.

Wrong options:

• after: 'After' indicates a sequence in time and does not fit the context of categorizing a group within a larger population.
• following: 'Following' suggests a sequence or result, which does not apply here as we are discussing a demographic group rather than a chronological order.
• remarkable: 'Remarkable' is an adjective that describes something worthy of attention, but it does not fit grammatically as a preposition or conjunction in this context.

Correct answer: average person

Explanation: The phrase 'average person' is appropriate as it refers to a typical individual, fitting grammatically and contextually within the sentence discussing online habits.

Meaning: 'Average person' refers to a typical individual in society, suggesting that this is the standard behavior observed in the general population regarding online time.

Wrong options:

• geniuses: 'Geniuses' refers to exceptionally intelligent individuals, which does not fit the context of discussing general online habits of the population.
• passionate artists: 'Passionate artists' implies a specific group with a particular interest, which is too narrow and does not represent the general online behavior being described.
• tech wizards: 'Tech wizards' suggests individuals with exceptional technical skills, which again does not represent the average behavior of the general population.

Correct answer: increase

Explanation: The word 'increase' is a noun that accurately describes the growth in online time, fitting grammatically and contextually as it aligns with the data presented in the sentence.

Meaning: 'Increase' refers to a rise in quantity or amount, indicating that the time spent online has grown significantly since 2005.

Wrong options:

• augmentation: 'Augmentation' is a more formal term for increase but is less commonly used in everyday language, making it less suitable in this context.
• reduction: 'Reduction' implies a decrease, which is the opposite of what is being described in the context of growing online time.
• decrease: 'Decrease' also indicates a reduction in quantity, which contradicts the information provided about the rise in online time.

Correct answer: according to

Explanation: The phrase 'according to' is used to attribute information to a source, fitting grammatically and contextually as it introduces the report being referenced.

Meaning: 'According to' means 'as stated by' or 'in the opinion of,' indicating that the following information is sourced from Ofcom’s report.

Wrong options:

• in terms of: 'In terms of' is used to specify a particular aspect but does not fit the context of attributing information to a source.
• regarding: 'Regarding' indicates a topic of discussion but lacks the attribution aspect that 'according to' provides.
• as well as: 'As well as' is a conjunction used to add information, which does not fit the context of citing a source.