She is like (a, an) (a)   around which everyone else circles.

That ancestor is said to be the (a)   from whom the rest of the tribe descends.

The villain was a (a)   figure who brought misery to many other characters.

Time marches on (a)   , no matter how we try to stop it.

Instead of using (a)   and tact, she approached the subject like a steam roller.

She used an umbrella to (a)   the hail so that it did not hit the flowers.

The seeds lay (a)   in the ground for years before they finally sprouted.

Some card players use math to calculate the (a)   of getting a certain card.

The water will rise and finally (a)   just before noon.