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How good is your knowledge of linking words?
6 anni faAre you a confident user of linking devices? Can you use them naturally and where appropriate? You can check by completing the paragraph below with the linkers in bold. Sometimes more than one answer may be possible.
although also above all as well as at least
despite in some respects in spite of instead of
on the contrary on the other hand to some extent
(1)____________ health services in western countries have greatly improved the health of populations over the past century, the problem of obesity seems to be getting worse. (2) ___________ this problem is an integral part of modern life. (3) ___________ making it possible for people to eat more, a prosperous mechanized society means that most people take less exercise. (4) __________ health campaigns encouraging people to eat fruit and vegetables, there seems little chance of a change in attitude. (5) _________, the situation may even be getting worse. (6) __________ walking to work or to do our shopping, we spend our time sitting in cars, and (7) ___________ government health warnings, we eat more and more so called ‘junk’ food and drink more and more high-calorie drinks. (8) _________, we can blame obesity problems on pressurized marketing which glamorizes certain foods and drinks, but, (9) __________, individuals themselves must learn to be responsible for their own health. It is that word ‘learn’ which is important, (10) _________. For if we were better informed about the risks involved in excessive consumption of food and fizzy drinks and alcohol, we might (11) ________ be able to help ourselves. This is why the problem of obesity is (12) ___________ a problem of education.
