1. I know that you don't like to write essays or speeches but you just have to play the .......... for a while longer and then you will be done with college and will be getting a good-paying job, Greg told his angry roommate.

2. This computer virus has been playing the .......... with my files. Some have disappeared and others have been corrupted so that they are unrecognizable, Kyle told the computer repairman.

3. My brother has decided to play the housing .......... and so now he buys old homes to renovate. Once they are renovated, he sells them for a higher price. He makes really good money but there is always a risk that the market might tank and he will take a big loss on one of his investments, Jane told Tim.

4. Our Accounting professor has been playing .......... the job opportunities available to Accounting majors lately. Apparently, the Accounting Department needs more people to sign up as Accounting majors so they can keep their funding. He is trying to make the jobs sound really cool by talking about the flexible hours and high salaries available. Unfortunately, I am not interested in accounting, Joe said to Beth.

5. My partner keeps trying to .......... up to the Chief of Police by flattering him and volunteering for every assignment that the Chief has. Little does he know that brown-nosing doesn't work on this chief. He only respects results, O'Brian told Wilson.

6. I don't think your plan to cheat all the way through this class is going to play .......... the way you want it to. Even if you manage not to get caught throughout the semester, there will be a time where you either know the information and pass or you don't and you'll fail. If you fail after passing everything else, you are going to raise Questions as to how you passed the earlier assignments, Joe told his roommate.

7. What was wrong with that man? He just ran out the door, .......... into me and knocked my paperwork everywhere and kept running, Bill said to Larry.

8. My roommate has been really depressed lately. Luckily, the end of the semester has caused him to .......... up a bit. I don't know why he is depressed and he won't tell me. He's kind of strange, Jay said to Kylie.

9. I know some of you are afraid of heights but you are going to have to pluck up your .......... and go through the obstacle course. We can't have soldiers who can't control themselves and put fear into proper perspective. You gave up the option to refuse to do something when you joined the army. Let's go! the Drill Sergeant said to the troops.

10. I can't believe how expensive plumbing repairs are. I just had to .......... down $80 for 15 minutes of work and a small rubber gasket, Henry said to David.