Decline, decrease, drop, improvement

[avidsuper]

Here is an exercise from a textbook on academic writing:

Choose a noun to complete the second sentence of each set of
sentences. More than one answer may be possible.

1. According to a recent survey, 26% of all American adults, down
from 38% 30 years ago, now smoke. This _____________ can
be partly attributed to the mounting evidence linking smoking
and fatal diseases, such as cancer.
a. decline b. decrease c. drop d. improvement e. reduction

Can you think of any other nouns that could complete the
sentence?

All the choices are possible here right? my understanding is that a,b,c,e are objective descriptions of what happened, but "improvement" shows that the writer's attutide toward smoking is negative, so a decrease means an improvement. Can someone advise?

 

[Uncle Jack]

The sentences are written in neutral terms, without expressing a viewpoint, so "improvement" seems a little out of place without a wider context. Similarly, "decline" has a rather negative tone, as if the reduction is to be deplored. Both "decrease" and "reduction" are good, but "drop" is a more casual word that does not fit so well in a sentence that also includes a term like "partly attributed".

However, these are relatively minor concerns. Without knowing the wider context surrounding these two sentences, any of the five options might be possible.

 

[Nataaaan]

<Threads have been merged at this point by moderator (Florentia52)>

Hello everyone, I would like to know if it's correct to use the words decrease, drop and decline in these examples:

"There was a decrease/drop/decline in sales last year"

"There was a decrease/drop/decline in the unemployment rate"

Are they all correct to say or would there be some difference between those word in those examples?

 

[avidsuper]

Very clear, thank you！