Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered...

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 12 to 16.

        Urbanization has transformed societies worldwide since the Industrial Revolution began. Cities expanded as factories required laborers, and rural workers sought better wages and opportunities. Early urban centers grew around ports, railways, and industrial zones. (12) ____. Local governments built infrastructure like sewage systems, electricity grids, and public schools to support rising populations. (13) ____, inadequate planning left many neighborhoods vulnerable to flooding, disease, and overcrowding. Across Latin America and Southeast Asia, informal settlements appeared on hillsides and riverbanks. (14) ____. Urban planners struggled to provide clean water, sanitation, and affordable housing fast enough. Existing infrastructure could not keep pace with demand, (15) ____. Despite these challenges, cities remained magnets for migration because they offered education, healthcare, and jobs. Gradually, investments in metro systems, social housing, and parks improved living conditions, (16) ____.

(Adapted from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/urbanization/)

Question 12. A. These emerging metropolitan centers consequently attracting successive waves of migrants seeking employment and establishing close-knit communities nearby

B. The resulting infrastructure development provided a blueprint for subsequent urban expansion strategies across industrializing regions

C. Although initially concentrated in Europe, these phenomenons rapidly spread to other continents undergoing industrial transformation

D. These population shifts fundamentally altered traditional settlement patterns, creating unprecedented demographic concentrations in industrial zones

Question 13. A. Nevertheless, comprehensive zoning regulations and strict building codes protected most residential districts from environmental hazards

B. However, inadequate planning left many neighborhoods vulnerable to flooding, disease outbreaks, and severe overcrowding

C. Consequently, urban authorities implemented rigorous sanitation measures that gradually improved living conditions across affected areas

D. Moreover, municipal governments prioritized infrastructure investment to prevent the emergence of unsanitary conditions

Question 14. A. Governments struggled to extend electricity networks and road infrastructure rapidly enough, leaving numerous settlements underserved

B. International investment in manufacturing sectors had created employment opportunities that attracted skilled workers from neighboring regions

C. Educational institutions established vocational training programs to address the shortage of qualified construction workers

D. Agricultural productivity has declined in surrounding rural areas as labor forces migrated toward urban employment centers

Question 15. A. a development that marginally affected local transportation while significantly straining emergency response capabilities

B. a circumstance that caused both transport networks and essential municipal services to become critically overburdened

C. thereby enabling transport systems to function efficiently despite mounting pressure on public service provision

D. consequently allowing infrastructure networks to expand proportionally with population growth throughout the region

Question 16. A. thereby enabling residents across different socioeconomic levels to access essential opportunities and public amenities more equitably

B. although subsequent analyses have revealed that rural development initiatives had generated comparable improvements in living standards

C. which confirmed that initial investment priorities should emphasize cultural preservation over infrastructure modernization

D. thereby validating concerns that rapid urbanization would inevitably compromise environmental sustainability and community cohesion