Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 2.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
The correct answer is option 4, i.e. growing.
The passage mentions that as cases of foodborne illness increase, there is simultaneously “a growing need for home health care”—emphasizing that this demand is rising. The word “growing” accurately conveys that sense of increase.
Studies show that millions of patients are now receiving care at home—a trend that’s expanding due to healthcare delivery shifts.
The other options don’t fit the context:
“decreasing” and “declining” contradict the intended meaning of increased demand.
“rare” doesn’t match; it denotes something infrequent, not growing.