To the prisoners' surprise, the policemen used talk ______ punishment to educate them.

A) instead             B) rather than      C) without            D) or rather

The ______ of freedom is eternal vigilance (警惕).

A) cost                 B) value             C) expense            D) prize

"The ground is wet." "Yes, didn't you know? ______for the last 20 minutes."

A. It's raining                           B. It was raining

C. It's been raining                      D. It has rained

-How long ______ each other before they ______ married?

--For about a year.

A. have they known; get                  B. have they known; were going to get   

C. do they know; are going to get          D. had they known; got

The finance minister is not very ______ now since he has raised taxes to a such a high level.

   A. famous        B. well-known        C. popular        D. favourable

I’m taller than Mike ___ head.

         A. to a    B. by a     C. for the    D. in the

As I walked_____ the countryyards, I noticed how the peasants devoted hours to cleaning it.

A. across    B. down           C.through      D. along

Caunen Ferreira ______ up hope of finding her pet parrot, Raquel, who ______ from the back garden of her house two years ago.

A. has given; was disappeared  B. has given; had disappeared

C. had given; was disappeared  D. has given; disappeared

―Twenty dollars, please!

   ― How terrible! I ________ to bring my wallet with me.

A. was forgetting     B. forgot

C. had forgotten      D. am forgetting

—Look! Someone has spilt coffee on the carpet.

   —Well, it ________ me.

A. isn’t    B. wasn’t    C. hasn’t been    D. hadn’t been