a development or an increase in knowledge and ability (paragraph 2)
advances
important or significant (paragraph 8)
substantial
the situation when you are making a lot of money (paragraph 1)
prosperity
in the same order as the things mentioned before (paragraph 4)
respectively
a problem that delays progress being made (paragraph 8)
setback
to allow something to continue to exist or to happen (paragraph 9)
sustain
put into a particular group (paragraph 7)
classified
something which causes a change to happen (paragraph 9)
catalyst