1. They had been trying to negotiate the sale of their house for what seemed like an eternity. It didn't look like they were going to be able to sell it to the couple after all. After four hours of negotiation, the two couples were in a Mexican .......... . The sellers wouldn't accept anything less than a hundred fifty thousand dollars and the other couple wouldn't go above one hundred twenty thousand dollars.

2. Why are we paying Steve such a high salary? We are paying him that much because he has the Midas .......... . Everything he has done for this company has resulted in more than expected profits. His ideas make us vastly more money than what we have to pay him, Jim told the board of directors.

3. We had a great day on Saturday, Maxie said sarcastically. "We were driving to the river and then we popped a tire. We were in the middle of .......... when it happened and we didn't have our cellphone," she said to Grace.

4. The private had previously failed his running test. He vowed, .......... and main, that he would pass the next one so that he could stay in the army.

5. His son was having trouble seeing how doing well in school would help him succeed in life. He explained to his son that success in life was the sum of many little achievements and that each little step counted. He told him "Mighty oaks, from little .......... grow."

6. This job is becoming a millstone around my .......... . The longer I work here, the less chance I will have to go to school and land a career doing what I truly want to do, Matt told his coworker and friend.

7. Don't mince .......... . Jeff. Tell me exactly what you think of my idea and don't worry about me getting angry, the boss said

8. The army tries to instill will power in its new recruits. When privates get tired and want to quit running, they are encouraged to think "mind over .......... " and keep going, which they often can.

9. The train conductor told the passengers to mind the .......... when exiting the train since there was a space of about six inches between the train and the platform.

10. Gina, quit asking Grace about what she exactly said to her husband when she found out he was cheating on her .......... . Your own beeswax! Rachel told her.