WAEC - English Language (1995 - No. 2)

In each of the following sentences, there is one word underlined and one gap. From the list of words lettered A - E, choose the word that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined word and that will, at the same time, correctly fill the gap in the sentences.
The economist argued that the apparently inconsequential rise in the price of petrol had a .......effect on the cost of living