Though it is a          job, he  still devotes much time and energy to it.

poor-paying

poorly-paying

poorly-paid

poor-paid

考查构词法。本题中考查了复合形容词的构词法，“使用副词+过去分词” 构成新的形容词，如“newly-discovered”最新发现的；本句中“poorly-paid报酬极少的”。句意：尽管这是一份报酬极少的工作，但他仍然花了很多时间和精力做它。故选C项。

While we may not be born with a nature talent, we can          for it with hard work.

break up

take up

bring up

make up

考查动词短语辨析。句意：虽然我们可能没有与生俱来的天赋，但我们可以通过努力工作来弥补。A. break up打碎；B.take up 拿起，开始从事；C.bring up提出；D. make up 弥补。根据上文we may not be born with a nature talent可知没有与生俱来的天赋，所以要通过努力工作来弥补。故选D项。

The old rules have to be          because they only applied to the circumstances that existed when they were made a hundred years ago.

developed

established

observed

revised

考查动词的辨析。句意：老的规则需要被修改因为它们只适合一百年制定时的状况。A.develop发展；培养；B.establish建立；C.observe观察；D.revise修改，由because they only applied to 可知它只适用于以前，需要修改。故选D项。