Use of English

Climate Change: The Hidden Costs

Talking about climate change can feel (0) LIKE a never-ending loop: new reports, new records, and the same old arguments. But the perils are no longer something that happens “somewhere else”. In many places, heatwaves are lasting (1) .......... than they used to, and nights stay warm enough to make proper sleep difficult. What catches people out is how quickly one problem turns (2) .......... another. A drought can shrink harvests; then food prices rise; then governments have to decide (3) .......... to subsidise essentials or let households absorb the shock. Meanwhile, heavier rainfall can overwhelm drains, and homes that were never considered at risk end up (4) .......... water. It’s also easy to forget that climate change isn’t only about weather. It affects health, jobs, and even where people can afford to live. Insurance companies, for instance, may refuse to cover properties in high-risk areas, which leaves owners (5) .......... a safety net when the next storm hits. And although individual choices matter, the scale of the issue means we can’t fix it (6) .......... ourselves. The real question is (7) .......... we act early—while changes are still manageable—or wait until adaptation costs become the new normal. Either way, the longer we delay, the harder it is to pretend (8) .......... nothing is happening.