So difficult __________ it to work out the problem that I decided to ask Tom for advice.

 I did find 

did I find

 I have found  

have I found

句子使用的基本句式为so…that…结构。按英语语法，当该结构的so…置于句首时，其后的句子(主句)要用倒装语序，如：So loudly did he speak that even people in the next room could hear him. 他讲话声音那么大，隔壁屋里的人都听得见。

Mary and her friend          a plan and gathered forty people from my company to help the homeless people at the Christmas party.

came up with

put up with

caught up with

kept up with

考查动词短语辨析。句意：玛丽和她的朋友想出了一个计划，在圣诞节聚会上，从我的公司聚集了四十几个人来帮助无家可归的人。A. came up with 提出；B. put up with 忍耐；C. caught up with追上，赶上；D.kept up with 跟上。下文“聚集人帮助无家可归的人”是想出的计划。故选A项。

The sunlight is white and blinding,           hard-edged shadows on the ground.

throwing

being thrown

to throw

to be thrown

考查非谓语动词。句意：阳光炽白炫目，在地上投下浓重的阴影。主语The sunlight和throw是主动关系，因此要用现在分词表主动，此处是现在分词短语作状语。故选A项。