<p style="">In this sentence, the correct answer is (B) that.</p><p style="">Here's why:</p><p style="">The sentence discusses the "cost" of two food items: meat and vegetables. "That" is used here to substitute for "the cost" mentioned earlier in the sentence, avoiding repetition when the sentence shifts to talking about vegetables.</p><p style="">(A) "this" is a demonstrative pronoun typically used to refer to a singular noun that is physically close or close in the context of conversation. However, "this" doesn't fit grammatically in the sentence's structure.</p><p style="">(B) "that" is a demonstrative pronoun used for a singular noun, either physically distant or, in a context like this, previously mentioned (i.e., "the cost"). It fits here because it refers back to a singular noun ("cost") that's already been mentioned.</p><p style="">(C) "these" is a demonstrative pronoun used for plural nouns that are close in distance or context. It doesn't fit here because the sentence requires a singular reference back to "cost."</p><p style="">(D) "those" is like "these" but used for plural nouns that are farther away in distance or context. It's also inappropriate here for the same reason as "these."</p><p style="">So, the sentence should read: "Food prices increased by 4 percent last year, with the cost of meat nearly doubling, and that of vegetables increasing by 12 percent." Here, "that" refers back to the previously mentioned "cost," making the sentence concise and avoiding repetition.</p>