30．Sheep on a remote Scottish island are gradually shrinking _______ global warming, according to a study published in the journal Science.

A. on account of　　 　　 B. by means of　　 　　　　　 C. in case of　　 　　　　　　　 D. in spite of

29．The long absence of rain _______ leads to a serious drought in the southwest of China, which draws the concerns of the whole country.　 　

　A. immediately　　　 　 B. accidentally　　 　　　　 C. gradually　　 　　　 　　D. undoubtedly

28．Over 800 pages of the earliest surviving Christian Bible have been recovered and made _______ on the Internet.

A. flexible　　 　　　　　　　　 B. brilliant　　 　　　　　　　　 C. conventional　　 　　　 D. available

27．She was _______whether to follow her husband to go abroad or to stay at home to look after her parents.　

　 A. taken between　　 　　　 B. taken up　　　　 　　 C. taken off　　　　　 　 D. taken away

26．A British mother wrote a cookbook, _______ healthy versions of traditional meals that helped her survive a life-threatening heart condition.

A. made up of　　 　　　　　 B. kept up with　　 　　　　 C. put up with　　 　　　　　 D. thought of as

25．Scientists conclude that female cats tend to favor their right paws when _______ complex tasks.

A. knocking about　 　　　 B. bringing in　　 　 C. holding up　　 　　　　　　 D. taking on

24．There are hundreds of people desperate to _______ an orphan whose parents were killed in the Haiti earthquake.

　　　　 A. receive　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. educate　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. adopt　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. abuse

23．The European Central Bank yesterday _______ the document was genuine but refused to make any further comment.

　 A. expected 　　　 　　　　　 B. suggested　 　　　 　　 C. concluded 　 　　　　　　　　 D. confirmed