Improve the bracketed part of the sentence by choosing the correct degree of comparison: Life in (more) thriving towns is intimately connected with the local trades and industries.

Introduction / Context:
This question examines your understanding of degrees of comparison with adjectives, especially when referring to a group of towns that are at the top in terms of prosperity. The sentence describes how life in certain towns is closely linked to local trade and industry. The bracketed word "more" must be evaluated to see whether a comparative or superlative degree is required.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The phrase is "Life in (more) thriving towns."
• The intended meaning is likely to refer to the towns that are highly or most thriving, not just more thriving than others in an unspecified comparison.
• There is no explicit comparison with another set of towns in the sentence.
• The sentence speaks generally about life in those towns where trade and industry are strongly developed.

Concept / Approach:
Adjectives can appear in three degrees: positive ("thriving"), comparative ("more thriving"), and superlative ("most thriving"). The comparative degree "more thriving" is used when comparing two sets or entities, such as "Town A is more thriving than Town B." The superlative "most thriving" is used when something is at the highest level within a group, as in "the most thriving towns in the region." In this sentence, we are not comparing two specific sets of towns; instead, we are describing those towns that are at the higher extreme, so "most thriving towns" is more natural than "more thriving towns."

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the adjective "thriving" and see that it is modifying "towns." Step 2: Consider whether the sentence is making a comparison or just talking about a category of towns that are highly prosperous. Step 3: Observe that there is no phrase like "than other towns" in the sentence, so a direct comparison is not being made. Step 4: Conclude that a superlative structure is more appropriate: "the most thriving towns." Step 5: Replace "more" with "most" and read the full sentence: "Life in most thriving towns is intimately connected with the local trades and industries." Many exam versions also prefer "in the most thriving towns," but as an improvement of the bracketed word, choosing "most" is the key step.

Verification / Alternative check:
Compare with similar sentences: "Life in the most industrialised cities is fast paced" or "In the most prosperous regions, agriculture and trade are well developed." These do not explicitly compare one group with another; instead, they refer to the group at the top in terms of a particular quality. Following this pattern, "most thriving towns" matches better than "more thriving towns."

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A: "much" does not work directly before "thriving towns," because it normally modifies the comparative degree, as in "much more thriving," not the positive adjective alone. Option B: "much more" yields "much more thriving towns," which suggests a comparison, but the sentence does not clearly set up a comparison between two sets of towns. Option D: "No improvement" is incorrect because "more thriving towns" without a clear comparative structure is less idiomatic and does not accurately reflect a general statement about the top category of towns.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse when to use comparative or superlative degrees. A useful guideline is that the comparative usually appears with "than" and compares two things, while the superlative often appears with "the" and refers to the highest degree within a group. When there is no explicit comparison but a reference to the highest or extreme group, the superlative is usually preferred.

Final Answer:
The correct improvement is "most," so the phrase should be: Life in most thriving towns is intimately connected with the local trades and industries.