1. Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the following words from the text.

1) She took the gun and ______ away with calm and deadly accuracy.

2) I was glad of company for the last, long hours of this ______ flight.

3) I ______ away from investment opportunities I don’t understand.

4) Sounds of voices and ______ could be heard downstairs now.

5) Several other newspapers have ______ the idea.

6) He feared she would ______ him for his forgetfulness.

7) The TV programme Friends is influencing not only the way Irish people speak but also how they ______.

8) A slight mistake could ______ a disaster.

9) The news sent shock waves through the community that have continued to ______ to this day.

10) The army has not ______ yet an explanation of how and why the accident happened.

2. Complete the following sentences with the proper forms of the words in the brackets.

1) The professor was noted for his ______ (stupefy) of the students.

2) A ______ (tumult) welcome from a 2,000 strong crowd greeted the champion.

3) Her irritation found a permissible outlet in this ______ (exasperate) native.

4) He was almost ______ (maniac) in his pursuit of sporting records.

5) This place was ______ (grime) and low, the girls were careless and hardened.

6) In ancient India, adultery was punished by ______ (amputate) of the nose.

7) Animals are able to hear high-pitched sounds that are ______ (audible) to humans.

8) He is highly ______ (disdain) of anything to do with the literary establishment.

9) Mike clenched his hand with a ______ (wrath) spark in his eyes.

10) She told us nothing and maintained her ______ (scrutable) smile.

3. Find the appropriate prepositions or adverbs that collocate with the neighboring words.

1) The lieutenant’s rubber blanket lay ______ the ground, and _______ it he had poured the company’s supply of coffee.

2) His lips pursed as he drew with his sword various crevices ______ the heap until brown squares of coffee, astoundingly equal ______ size, appeared on the blanket.

3) The others cried ______ also when they saw blood ______ the lieutenant’s sleeve.

4) But at this instant the men, the spectators, awoke ______ their stone-like poses and crowded forward sympathetically.

5) An aide galloped furiously, dragged his horse suddenly ______ a halt, saluted, and presented a paper.

6) ______ the roadside a brigade was making coffee and buzzing ______ talk like a girls’ boarding-school.

7) He cut the sleeve and laid bare the arm, every nerve ______ which softly fluttered______ his touch.

8) The drivers were tossing the blame of it back and forth, gesticulating and berating, while ______ the ambulances, both crammed ______ wounded, there came an occasional groan.

9) “Let go ______ me,” said the lieutenant, holding back wrathfully, his glance fixed______ the door of the old school-house, as sinister to him as the portals of death.

10) He seemed possessed suddenly ______ a great contempt ______ the lieutenant. This wound evidently placed the latter ______ a very low social plane.