1. She is thinking of blocking up the bedroom window because ________ have got into the house through it a couple of times so far.

2. Don't even think of shifting the blame on me, please! It's not my ________ for what happened.

3. My literature teacher speaks so quickly that he often makes ________ of the tongue.

4. Jacqueline is a good secretary but lately she often makes ________ in such simple things as typing and uploading information.

5. I wouldn't call this a bad mistake, it is simply a ________ of the pen.

6. After the speech he shook hands with some of the women. One of them lifted up a baby for him to kiss, but the ________ of Henry's beard must have frightened it because it began to scream its head off.

7. Henry: Ladies and gentlemen, I appreciate the anxiety you must all feel about support for your farms. I too have been a farmer and I know the difficulties you are experiencing, and so...Voice from the crowd: ... and so you've decided to become an M.P. and get rich!Henry: No, my friend. I want to give the farmers a ________ in the House of Commons.

8. At eleven o'clock he ________ a brief visit to a public house on the estate. Henry couldn't offer to buy anyone a drink because he knew very well that his opponents would consider that to be dishonest. So he let one of his supporters buy him a drink instead.

9. Even nowadays ________ are still ranging the oceans and no one can feel safe against them.

10. He was in a coma for more than two weeks after the accident but now he has woken up and the doctors say he has a ________ of memory. He can hardly remember what had happened.