Meaning: 'Plateaued' means to reach a state of little or no change after a period of progress.

Wrong options:

• broad: 'Broad' is an adjective that describes width or extent, which does not fit the context of progress in urban development.
• recovered: 'Recovered' implies a return to a previous state of improvement, which contradicts the idea of stagnation presented in the text.
• retarded: 'Retarded' is an adjective that means delayed or slowed down, but it does not fit grammatically as a verb in this context.

Correct answer: equitable

Explanation: The term 'equitable' refers to fairness and justice in distribution, which is essential in discussing urban environments. It fits grammatically as an adjective that describes cities, aligning with the context of improving urban conditions.

Meaning: 'Equitable' means fair and impartial, especially in terms of resources and opportunities.

Wrong options:

• broad: 'Broad' does not convey the necessary meaning of fairness and is more about extent rather than justice in urban design.
• plateaued: 'Plateaued' is a verb that does not fit as an adjective to describe cities, making it grammatically incorrect in this context.
• recovered: 'Recovered' suggests improvement, which contradicts the negative sentiment expressed about urban conditions.
• bleak: 'Bleak' is an adjective that describes something as grim or lacking hope, which does not fit the context of describing cities positively.

Correct answer: bleak

Explanation: The word 'bleak' describes a future that is grim or without hope, which aligns with the negative statistics mentioned about urban environments. It fits grammatically as an adjective that describes the future, matching the context of the sentence.

Meaning: 'Bleak' means lacking in hope or encouragement; depressing.

Wrong options:

• broad: 'Broad' does not convey the necessary negative sentiment and is unrelated to the context of a grim future.
• equitable: 'Equitable' refers to fairness, which does not fit the context of describing a negative outlook on the future.
• plateaued: 'Plateaued' is a verb that does not fit as an adjective to describe the future, making it grammatically incorrect in this context.
• recovered: 'Recovered' implies improvement, which contradicts the bleak outlook suggested by the statistics.