In the following passage, each blank is marked by a letter. Choose the most suitable word from the options to correctly fill the blank (C).
Over the past decade, the global market for superfoods _______(A) rapidly, driven by increasing health awareness. It has gone from 7 value in 2009 to 70 value now. Many of these superfoods are also known for their low glycemic index, making them beneficial for blood sugar control.
While superfoods ___________(B) as niche products, they are now widely available. This shift _________(C) how consumer preferences have evolved, favoring natural and organic options.
Companies are making these ingredients more __________(D), though some argue the term "superfood" is often ____________(E) as a marketing strategy rather than a scientific classification. Foods like quinoa, chia seeds, and acai berries have gained immense popularity, while staples such as turmeric, olive oil, cinnamon, and garlic are already found in household kitchens.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank (C).

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**Solution:**

1. The sentence containing blank (C) is: "This shift _________(C) how consumer preferences have evolved, favoring natural and organic options."

2. The phrase "have evolved" indicates present perfect tense, which suggests the action in blank (C) should also be in present perfect to maintain tense consistency.

3. Option (b) "has highlighted" is the present perfect tense and fits well with the context, showing that the shift has recently and continuously emphasized the change in consumer preferences.

4. Other options do not fit the tense or context:
   - (a) "highlights" is simple present, which is less suitable here.
   - (c) "was highlighting" is past continuous, which does not match the present perfect context.
   - (d) "had highlighted" is past perfect, which refers to an action completed before another past action, not suitable here.
   - (e) "will highlight" is future tense, which does not fit the past and present context.

**Answer:** (b) has highlighted

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