In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.Public transport is the backbone of any large city. A single bus can carry as many people as forty cars, (…

In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.

Public transport is the backbone of any large city. A single bus can carry as many people as forty cars, (1)____ taking up only a fraction of the road space. Yet in many Indian cities, buses are (2)____ and unreliable, so people who can afford it prefer private vehicles. This (3)____ to traffic jams and polluted air. Improving bus services is therefore not a luxury (4)____ a necessity. Dedicated bus lanes, frequent services and clean vehicles can (5)____ commuters back from their cars.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 1.

A. unless

B. because

C. despite

D. while