1. Did you hear the news? Ben and Paula are an .......... now. Ben told Mark that they have been dating for about two weeks but haven't told anyone in the office yet, Rick told Gladice.

2. Do you want to go to the river with us? Jill and Alice asked Kim. "I'm .........., " she replied.

3. How can we solve the expired inventory issue, Jack? the boss asked. He replied, "I am not sure yet. Let me .......... on it for a while and I will give you an answer by tomorrow."

4. You want to look in my shed for infected mice? Be my .........., Janice told the animal control officer.

5. Please don't invite Gina. We have been fighting and are currently on the .......... I won't have fun if she comes, Chris told his friends when they started talking about who they would invite to the river with them.

6. Look out the window. Isn't that Carrie's boy looking in that car across the street. It's 10 o'clock at night! You know he is up to no .........., Lisa told Tom.

7. I caught Terry's son poking around our neighbor's shed. I think he is up to .......... . I think that he is looking around for something to steal, Grace told Ellis.

8. I know that he failed to show up a month ago. I am not going to bear a .......... . against him for not showing upone time. If it happens again, then I will talk to him, Matt told his wife.

9. I haven't been studying for my final exams during these last couple weeks. I need to really .......... down and get the necessary studying done. I am sorry I am going to study instead of go to the park with you all, Larry told Kurt and Steve.

10. I started to argue with my boss and he got this look like he was going to fire me on the spot. I quickly .......... a retreat and started agreeing with him and apologizing for my behavior. Luckily, he didn't fire me. I am going to have to be more respectful in the future, Tom told Rachel.