162. The noise was so _____ that only those with excellent hearing were aware of it.

　A. dim B. soft C. faint D. gentle

161. In my opinion, you can widen the _____ of these improvements through your active participation.

　A. dimension B. volume C. magnitude D. scope

160. While typing, Helen has a habit of stopping _____ to give her long and flowing hair a smooth.

　A. occasionally B. simultaneously C. eventually D. directly

159. The lawyer was expected to _____ some proposals after reading all those documents.

　A. come up with B. put up with C. look up to D. keep up with

158. _____ his knowledge of the mountainous country, John Smith was appointed as our guide.

　A. In spite of B. On account of C. Regardless of D. Instead of

157. Political parties often differ in their views on various _____ concerning their own countries.

　A. ways B. measures C. issues D. patterns

156. Evidence obtained from observation and experiment is often used to _____ a scientific theory.

　A. confirm B. confine C. conform D. conceive

155. Jack is good, kind, hard-working and intelligent. _____, I can't speak too highly of him.

　A. As a result B. By the way C. On the whole D. In a word

154. Because of the strong sun Mrs. William's new dining room curtains _____ from dark blue to gray within a year.

　A. faded B. fainted C. paled D. diminished

153. I asked the tailor to make a small _____ to my trousers because they were too long.

　A. change B. variation C. revision D. alteration