Question 26 to 30 : Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C, D or E) best fits each gap.

Geological deposits of salt were formed millions of years ago, when what is now land, lay under the sea. It is hard to believe that salt is now such a cheap ____27____, because centuries ago, it was the commercial ____28____ of today's oil. The men who mined salt bacame wealthy and despite the risks, a job in the salt mine was highly ____29____. Nowadays, the specific microclimates in disused mines have been ____30____ for the treatment of patients with respiratory illnesses. The silent, dark surroundings in a mine are considered ____26____ in encouraging patients to relax.

27.