15. The first half of the eighteenth century _____ the rise of quite a number of new writers, although most of them _____ hardly _____ to the general public today.

A. sees; ×; know　　　　　 　B. saw; are; known

B. has seen; have; known　　　 D. had seen; have; been known

14. I was lost in the strange city; ________, it began to rain heavily.

A. make matters worse　　　　　 B. to make matters worse

C. having made matters worse　　 D. made matters worse

13. - The concert was wonderful yesterday. Didn’t you go to it?

- _______. I _______, but I had to look after my sick baby at home.

A. No; would love to have　 　B. No; would love to

C. Yes; would love to 　 　　D. Yes; would love to have

12. The discovery of these tombs is _______ for scholars’ studying the history of the Tang Dynasty.

A. of very important　　　　 　B. great importance

C. of great significance　　 　D. great significant

11. Life ____ be much happier if we ____ only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18.

A. will, can　　 　B. will, could　 　　C. would, can　　 D. would, could

10. After floods had destroyed crops and houses, the farmers in the village were _____ food and shelter.

A. for lack of　　 　B. for short of　 　C. in want of　　 D. in the need of

9. Never lose _____ heart. There is always a chance of _____ weak defeating _____ strong.

A. ×; the; the　　 B. the; the; the　　 C. ×; ×; ×　　 　D. a ; the; the

8. Everyone can borrow from this public library only two books _____ and they must be returned within a month.

A. at one time　　　 B. at times　　　 C. at the time　　　 D. at a time

7. - I’m sorry that I can’t go to your party tonight.

- ________? Haven’t we agreed on it?

A. What is it　　　　　　 　 B. Why don’t you

C. What do you think　　　 D. How is it