• After years of sitting with poor posture, he developed (a)   back pain that never seemed to go away.

• Her (a)   toward the election results showed she didn’t really care who won.

• The old monastery was (a)   decorated, with plain walls and only wooden benches.

As the clock ticked down, the students knew the end of the exam was (a)   , and they hurried to finish their answers.

• He believed his plan was (a)   , but it quickly fell apart when problems arose.

• The coach had to (a)   his instructions because the team wasn’t listening the first time.

The referee’s call was highly (a)   , with both teams arguing about whether the player was actually out of bounds.

• Villages along the border were often attacked by a lone (a)   who stole livestock at night.

• She sighed in (a)   when her little brother spilled juice on her homework again.

• After months of fighting, the two friends finally managed to (a)   and start talking again.

12. The coach’s fiery speech helped (a)   the team’s energy and determination before the final game.

13. The scientist reminded the class that making mistakes is a (a)   trait—we all have limits, no matter how intelligent we are.

14. Frustrated with the conversation, he (a)   his sarcasm like a weapon, cutting down everyone who disagreed with him.

Only (a)   students who have signed the lab safety agreement are allowed to use the computer lab after school hours.

2. The city is (a)   overcrowded, with public transportation always full and streets constantly congested.

She answered the teacher’s questions (a)   , barely making eye contact and speaking in a monotone, as if she didn’t care about the lesson at all.

• The teacher’s (a)   rules left no room for excuses or second chances.

Whispers spread through the office that layoffs were (a)   , and employees nervously waited to hear if their jobs were at risk.

6. Even the most experienced chess master is not (a)   ; one small mistake can cost them the game.

7. The teacher’s (a)   of the assignment rules helped students understand exactly what was expected on their essays.

8. Several experts (a)   the report’s claims, arguing that the data had been misinterpreted.

Hackers continued to (a)   corporate networks, stealing sensitive information from multiple companies.

• In (a)   , he rolled his eyes and muttered that no one ever listens to his suggestions.

• It took time to (a)   her love for adventure with her parents’ desire for safety.

• The shocking news story helped (a)   public interest in protecting local wildlife.

The actor joked that his stage fright reminded him he was still (a)   , no matter how famous he became.

During the argument, he (a)   his contract, slamming it on the table to intimidate everyone into agreeing with his terms.

• Her (a)   personality made everyone in the room feel cheerful and energized.

2. The crowd’s (a)   after the team won the championship spilled out into the streets, with fans cheering, waving flags, and honking horns late into the night.

• After sharing her secret, she felt (a)   , hoping her friends would treat it with care.

• He sat in the empty room, staring (a)   at the floor, unable to stop thinking about the loss.

• The actor was uncomfortable with the constant (a)   of fans and journalists, wishing they would treat him more normally.

She was (a)   when she opened the letter and discovered that someone had stolen her artwork from the gallery; she couldn’t believe anyone could do something so shocking and cruel.

• The hotel charged an (a)   fee for an extra night, far more than we expected to pay.

He tried to (a)   the criticism by pointing out someone else’s mistakes.

The lawyer handled the sensitive case with great (a)   , sharing details only with those who needed to know.

Despite knowing very little about him, her sudden (a)   was obvious—she spent hours daydreaming about their brief conversations and replaying every word he had said.

Thanks to the security team’s careful (a)   , the museum’s rare artifacts were protected from theft, and no suspicious activity went unnoticed.

• She was filled with (a)   after hearing her novel had been accepted for publication, jumping up and down and calling her family with the news.

10. After a long, stressful week at work, he found (a)   in taking quiet evening walks along the river, listening to the water and letting his mind relax.