Meaning: 'Heralded' means to announce or signal the arrival of something important.

Wrong options:

• dissemination: 'Dissemination' is a noun referring to the act of spreading information, which does not fit grammatically as a verb in this context.
• settling: 'Settling' is a gerund that implies establishing oneself, which does not relate to announcing or proclaiming the growth of the Internet.
• democratising: 'Democratising' is a gerund that refers to making something accessible to all, which does not fit as an action describing the growth of the Internet.
• concerned: 'Concerned' is an adjective that describes a state of worry, which does not fit as a verb in this context.
• standby: 'Standby' is a noun or adjective referring to a state of readiness, which does not relate to the action of heralding.
• proves: 'Proves' is a verb that indicates demonstrating the truth of something, which does not fit the context of announcing the growth.

Correct answer: dissemination

Explanation: The term 'dissemination' is a noun that refers to the act of spreading information widely. It fits grammatically as it follows 'production' and maintains the context of discussing how information is shared.

Meaning: 'Dissemination' means the act of spreading or distributing information.

Wrong options:

• settling: 'Settling' is a gerund that refers to establishing a residence or position, which does not fit the context of information sharing.
• heralded: 'Heralded' is a verb that does not fit as a noun in this context, as it describes an action rather than a process of sharing information.
• democratising: 'Democratising' is a gerund that refers to making something accessible to all, which does not fit as a noun describing the act of spreading information.
• concerned: 'Concerned' is an adjective that does not fit as it does not describe an action or process related to information.
• standby: 'Standby' is a noun or adjective that does not relate to the act of spreading information.
• proves: 'Proves' is a verb that does not fit as it does not describe the act of dissemination.

Correct answer: democratising

Explanation: The word 'democratising' is a gerund that refers to making access to knowledge available to everyone. It fits grammatically as it describes the action of making knowledge accessible and aligns with the context of the Internet's role in society.

Meaning: 'Democratising' means making something accessible to all, particularly in terms of knowledge.

Wrong options:

• dissemination: 'Dissemination' is a noun that refers to the act of spreading information, which does not fit as a gerund describing the action of making knowledge accessible.
• settling: 'Settling' is a gerund that implies establishing oneself, which does not relate to the action of making knowledge accessible.
• heralded: 'Heralded' is a verb that does not fit as it does not describe the action of making knowledge accessible.
• concerned: 'Concerned' is an adjective that describes a state of worry, which does not fit as a gerund in this context.
• standby: 'Standby' is a noun or adjective that does not relate to the action of democratising access to knowledge.
• proves: 'Proves' is a verb that indicates demonstrating the truth of something, which does not fit the context of making knowledge accessible.

Correct answer: concerned

Explanation: The word 'concerned' is an adjective that describes individuals who are worried or interested in a particular issue, in this case, African development. It fits grammatically as it describes the people in question and aligns with the context of their interest in development.

Meaning: 'Concerned' means being worried or having an interest in something.

Wrong options:

• dissemination: 'Dissemination' is a noun that does not fit as it does not describe a state of being or interest in development.
• settling: 'Settling' is a gerund that implies establishing oneself, which does not relate to the state of being interested or worried about development.
• heralded: 'Heralded' is a verb that does not fit as it does not describe a state of being or concern.
• democratising: 'Democratising' is a gerund that refers to making something accessible to all, which does not fit as a descriptor for people.
• standby: 'Standby' is a noun or adjective that does not relate to the state of being concerned about development.
• proves: 'Proves' is a verb that does not fit as it does not describe a state of being or concern.

Correct answer: separates

Explanation: The word 'separates' is a verb that indicates the action of dividing or distinguishing between two entities. It fits grammatically as it describes the action that creates a gap and aligns with the context of discussing the technology gap between Africa and advanced countries.

Meaning: 'Separates' means to divide or distinguish between two or more things.

Wrong options:

• dissemination: 'Dissemination' is a noun that does not fit as it does not describe an action of dividing or distinguishing.
• settling: 'Settling' is a gerund that implies establishing oneself, which does not relate to the action of separating or dividing.
• heralded: 'Heralded' is a verb that does not fit as it does not describe an action of dividing or distinguishing.
• democratising: 'Democratising' is a gerund that refers to making something accessible to all, which does not fit as it does not describe an action of separation.
• standby: 'Standby' is a noun or adjective that does not relate to the action of separating.
• proves: 'Proves' is a verb that indicates demonstrating the truth of something, which does not fit the context of dividing or distinguishing.