Writing out all the invitations by hand was more time-consuing than we             .

will except

are  excepting

except

had excepted

考查时态。句意：手工写下所有的邀请函要比我们预料的花去更多的时间。根据句意可知我们预料是在实际上写之前发生的，而本句中实际写花去的时间使用了过去时was，所以expect用过去完成时。故D项正确。

With a lot of difficult problems           ,he feels like a cat on  hot bricks.

to settle

being settled

settling

settled

考查非谓语动词。句意： 因为有一大堆难题要解决，他感觉像像热锅上的蚂蚁。本句with +名词+to do sth,动词不定式表示的动作尚未发生或当时看来尚未发生。本句表示“因为有一大堆难题要解决”。故选A项。

Since this accident has nothing to do with him, he seems no way             .

to be blamed

to blame

blame for

to blame for

考查固定用法。句意：既然这次事故与他无关，他似乎也就无可指责了。短语sb to be blame“某人该受责备，某人应该负责”，为固定搭配，没有被动语态。故选B项。

---It's burning hot today,isn't it?

---Yes,_____yesterday.

So was it

So it was

So it is

So is it

句意：“今天太热了，是不是？”“是呀，昨天也一样”。如果表示前面所说的肯定情况也适合于另一者，要用“so+助动词/情态动词/系动词+主语”。

When it comes to modern communication, network safety is always a major          . 

concern

advantage

opportunity

solution

考查名词辨析。句意：当涉及现代通信，网络安全一直是一个主要令人担忧的问题。A. concern关心，令人担忧的事实或情况；B. advantage 优势；C. opportunity 机会；D.solution解决方案。网络安全一直是现代通信的个主要令人担忧的问题。故选A项。