He punished the children          their carelessness         making them pay for the damage.

by; for

with; by

for; by

about; with

考查介词。句意：他因为孩子们的粗心惩罚他们赔偿损失。根据句意可知：“their carelessness"表示他们被惩罚的原因，需用介词for表原因。"making them pay for the damage"表示他们被惩罚的方式，需用介词by表方式。故选C项。

          is a pity           you didn't attend the lecture last night. It was wonderful.

What; that

It; that

What; why

It; why

考查固定句型。句意：很遗憾，你昨晚没去听讲座。那太美妙了。此处为句型“It is a pity that.....”，表示“遗憾的是....", It 作形式主语，that 引导主语从句是真正的主语，从句句意完整，成分齐全，that不做成分，仅起引导作用。故选B项。

______about wild plants that they decided to make a trip to Madagascar for further research.

So curious the couple was

So curious were the couple

How curious the couple were

The couple was such curious

 Is _______ three hours _______ the poor boy to come to school on foot?

it; that it takes

there; that it takes

there; when

it; that

考查强调句。强调句的结构为It’s + 强调部分 + that从句。本题强调时间状语three hours。句意：可怜的男孩步行到学校花了3个小时吗？故A正确。

Her         for writing was a desire for women to get  the right to higher education.

motivation

qualification

talent

technique

考查名词词义辨析。句意：她写作的动力源自为女性获得更高教育的权利。motivation动力；动机；qualification资格；talent才能，天赋；technique技巧。故a desire for women to get  the right to higher educatio是她写作的动力。故选A项。