We all have a ___ (1) ___ in the infrastructure surrounding us - the roads, buildings, power lines and telephone networks that we __ (2) ____ daily. How well they are built and operated is __ (3) ____ to economic growth and is a key arbiter of an economy's competitiveness - and yet, virtually every economy faces an array of infrastructure challenges. Just a few examples illustrate some of the pressing issues. South Africa's power distribution network has an estimated maintenance backlog of $4 billion - equivalent to half of the country's total investment in electronic power generation and distribution in 2011. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that 15% of the country's roads are in an unacceptable condition and says that road congestion costs the US an estimated $100 billion per year. Just to keep _____ (4) _____ with anticipated global GDP growth, the world needs to spend $57 trillion, or on average $3.2 trillion a year, on infrastructure over the next 18 years. That is more than the entire worldwide stock of infrastructure on the ground today - and nearly 60% more than the world has invested over the past 18 years. Tackling maintenance backlogs, future-proofing infrastructure to cope with climate change and ___ (5) ____ development goals such as access to clean water and all-weather roads to transport goods to markets would cost a great deal. The bill for all of that looks prohibitive at a time when many governments are highly indebted and capital is tight. A focus on both, the huge need for additional investment and potential difficulties in financing it, ___ (6) ____ the debate Pessimism rules, but it needn't be that way. There are ways of cutting the bill down to size and dealing with the challenge. The answer ___ (7) ___ in improving the way we plan, build and operate infrastructure - in other words, we need to boost its productivity.

Q. (3) How well they are built and operated is ____ to economic growth and is a key arbiter of an economy's competitiveness.

Question

We all have a ___ (1) ___ in the infrastructure surrounding us - the roads, buildings, power lines and telephone networks that we __ (2) ____ daily. How well they are built and operated is __ (3) ____ to economic growth and is a key arbiter of an economy's competitiveness - and yet, virtually every economy faces an array of infrastructure challenges. Just a few examples illustrate some of the pressing issues. South Africa's power distribution network has an estimated maintenance backlog of $4 billion - equivalent to half of the country's total investment in electronic power generation and distribution in 2011. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that 15% of the country's roads are in an unacceptable condition and says that road congestion costs the US an estimated $100 billion per year. Just to keep _____ (4) _____ with anticipated global GDP growth, the world needs to spend $57 trillion, or on average $3.2 trillion a year, on infrastructure over the next 18 years. That is more than the entire worldwide stock of infrastructure on the ground today - and nearly 60% more than the world has invested over the past 18 years. Tackling maintenance backlogs, future-proofing infrastructure to cope with climate change and ___ (5) ____ development goals such as access to clean water and all-weather roads to transport goods to markets would cost a great deal. The bill for all of that looks prohibitive at a time when many governments are highly indebted and capital is tight. A focus on both, the huge need for additional investment and potential difficulties in financing it, ___ (6) ____ the debate Pessimism rules, but it needn't be that way. There are ways of cutting the bill down to size and dealing with the challenge. The answer ___ (7) ___ in improving the way we plan, build and operate infrastructure - in other words, we need to boost its productivity.

Q. (3) How well they are built and operated is ____ to economic growth and is a key arbiter of an economy's competitiveness.

Accepted Answer

**Solution:**

1. The sentence states: "How well they are built and operated is __ (3) __ to economic growth and is a key arbiter of an economy's competitiveness."

2. The context implies that the quality of infrastructure is very important for economic growth.

3. Among the options:
   - "Close" does not fit the meaning.
   - "Deciding" is not commonly used in this context.
   - "Trivial" means unimportant, which contradicts the context.
   - "Crucial" means extremely important, which fits perfectly.
   - "Insistent" does not fit the context.

4. Therefore, the correct word is **"Crucial"**.

**Answer:** Crucial

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