TEXT C
In “The Cancer Chronicles”, George Johnson, a science writer, (…) explains the point, rarely made clear, that cancer is an inevitable side-effect of being multicellular. Most of the cells in such (multicellular) organisms are capable of reproducing; the greater good of the organism requires that they be constantly and assiduously stopped from doing so. But the finely crafted locks intended to keep cell division in check wear down over time, and eventually give way. The result is a cell line whose proliferation gets out of control and, worse, dispatches colonists to other parts of the body. (…)
Some tissues, too, are more susceptible than others. The epithelial cells of lung, gut, liver, breast and the endometrial lining of the womb constantly proliferate, multiplying the opportunities for mutation. Cancer of the heart, whose muscle cells last undivided for their owner’s lifetime, is all but unknown. (…)
If you really want to avoid cancer, don’t smoke (30% of cancers are caused by smoking), and don’t be fat and lazy (obesity and inactivity account for a further 20%). A mixed and balanced diet helps (10-25% of cancers can be attributed to poor diet), but faddily eating lots of this or none of that will not. Alcohol accounts for a further 4% of cancers, so not drinking helps a bit as well.
The Economist, September 14th 2013
Which of the following groups of words from TEXT C only refers to quantity?