Use of English

A Small Decision, Big Impact

It’s easy to assume that meaningful change only happens when governments pass laws or companies invest millions. Yet, in everyday life, progress often begins with a single person deciding to do things (0) DIFFERENTLY. A colleague of mine, for instance, grew tired of complaining about waste in the office kitchen and decided to (1) .......... matters into her own hands. She didn’t lecture anyone; she simply labelled the bins clearly and left a short note explaining what went where. At first, people were sceptical and a few even (2) .......... fun at the idea. But she stuck with it, and within a week the amount of rubbish in the general bin had (3) .......... noticeably. What surprised me most was how quickly others began to (4) .......... in. Someone brought in a box for used batteries; another person offered to organise a monthly clothes swap. Of course, not every initiative runs smoothly. There were moments when the system (5) .......... down—usually when the kitchen got busy and nobody wanted to think. Still, the overall trend was positive, and it made me realise that habits are easier to change when the effort feels (6) .......... rather than imposed. Looking back, the lesson is simple: if you want people to act, you need to make the right choice the (7) .......... of least resistance. Once that happens, good behaviour can (8) .......... on its own.