16. The firemen managed to _____ the fire in time.

A. extinguish B. prevent

C. suppress D. ruin

[答案] A. extinguish.

[注释] extinguish (=put out) vt. 扑灭 (火焰等) 。Stop the fire虽然也可以搭配,   但按本句题意用extinguish为最佳。

17. What is most obvious in this book are all those details of daily living   which make Mrs. Richard _____ common.

A. nothing but B. anything but

C. above all D. rather than

[答案] B. anything but.

[注释] anything but (=far from being) 根本不; The boys knew they bad broken the   rules, and they were anything but happy when they were called to the office.   (=They were unhappy and afraid.) nothing but 只不过; Don't have him for a friend;   he's nothing but a criminal. (不要把他当朋友, 他只不过是个罪犯。) I have nothing but two   dollars. (我只有2美元。) above all最重要的。rather than 而不是.

18. The car was completely _____ and the driver seriously injured.

A. broken off B. taken off

C. written off D. picked up

[答案] C. written off. [注释] write off报废, 参看III, 200.注释; break off参看III.13.注释;   take off参看III.170.注释; pick up参看III.130,129.注释。

19. On this happy occasion, I'd like to say that we are _____ much obliged to   you for your kind cooperation.

A. even so B. ever so

C. as yet D. so far

[答案] B. ever so.

[注释]ever so (=very) 非常; It's ever so cold.与名词搭配时则用ever such, 如：She's ever   such a nice girl. (她是一位非常好的姑娘。) even so (=although that is true, nevertheless;   still) 即使如此：The fire was out, but even so, the smell of smoke was strong. (=The   fire was out, but the smell was still there.)

20. His new appointment takes _____ from the beginning of next month.

A. place B. effect

C. post D. office

[答案] B. effect. [注释]take effect 生效。