Connecting language

1. The ______ I'd like to make is that learning another language needs a lot of hard work.

2. As far as I’m aware, it’s _______ as the older version. There aren’t any changes at all.

3. I normally have plenty of free time at the weekend, _____ during the week, when I often don't finish work till late. 

4. _____, in my language, there are lots of sounds which are difficult for non-native speakers to pronounce.

5. I think books are too expensive, which perhaps explains why fewer people read. ___ is that the internet means people don't need to by them when they can find them online.

6. I think the increase in pollution is firstly ____ the population is getting larger and larger.