1. Preparation measures for a large-scale emergency, in the .......... of Hurricane Katrina, has become a priority for the U.S. government.

2. Why do you keep getting in the .......... of my making friends here? You always tell me that it is good that I am meeting people but when I make plans with them you get mad at me? John asked Melissa.

3. Can you come to my house soon to pick up the bicycle? John asked. Tim responded, "I will be there in two .......... of a lamb's tail. I am leaving for your house right now."

4. Grandma, you were in the .......... to tell my wife that she should always spend Christmas with our family and not with hers. We have to have Christmas with her family an equal amount of times, George said.

5. We have had plans for an expansion in the .......... for some time. I am pleased to tell you that we are opening a new store in two months in Seattle, Washington. This means more business and more money, among other things, the store manager told the staff.

6. I have been .......... along in school to learn how to become a good manager and, while it doesn't seem like I am learning much, I have learned a lot since I started, Jim told his parents.

7. While I see your point of view, Sir, I am .......... to agree with the customer service representative who has been helping you. There is no way, in my mind, that you could have bought the product you are returning last week. The product you have is at least a year old, Miles told the customer.

8. His career took a .......... dive ever since he publically disagreed with his boss and was proven wrong by upper management. Upper management implemented his idea and it backfired. The result: a loss of over a million dollars.

9. When you take into .......... the days you were out of work due to the surgery, you have the best performance out of everyone here. You are getting a raise and the Christmas bonus you missed while having surgery, Beth told Rachel.

10. The police won't tolerate people taking the law into their own .......... . Too many times a major injustice the very thing vigilantes are opposed to — are committed by vigilantes.