Really? You        twice the price to buy the book!

paid

took

spent

cost

考查动词词义辨析。句意：真的吗？你付了2倍的价格买这本书！四个动词都有“花费”的意思，但用法不同。pay的主语通常是人，常用结构是 sb pay (money) for sth;take作“花费”时讲常用于固定句型 It takes/took sb (money/time)to do sth做某事花费某人（金钱/时间）；spend的主语通常是人 sb spend...on sth 或sb spend ...(in) doing sth;cost的主语通常是物，sth cost sb (money)意为“某物花了某人多少钱。本题主语是人，结合句意和后文to buy the book，空格处应填pay。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。

Like other animals, we are          until we know it is safe to relax.

on purpose

on fire

on guard

on duty

考查介词短语辨析。句意：像其他动物一样，我们在知道安全的时候才放松警惕。A.on purpose 故意；B. on fire着火；C.on guard 警惕；D.on duty值班。结合后文we know it is safe to relax，可知我们在知道安全的时候才放松警惕。故选C项。

Though ____ the dangers of smoking to their health, smokers still find it hard to give up smoking.

aware of

are aware of

be aware of

考查状语从句的省略：句意：虽然很多经常吸烟的人已经意识到抽烟对他们健康造成了很严重的后果，但是他们仍然发现很难戒烟。Though引导的让步状语从句是省略句，完整的句子是：though smokers are aware of the dangers of smoking to their health。当主从句的主语一致的时候，可以省略从句的主语和be动词，选B

He          and wept when he heard the news.

took down

put down

turned down

broke down

考查动词短语辨析。句意：当他听到这个消息时，整个人都崩溃了并哭起来。A. took down  记下；B.put down记下；C.turned down调小，拒绝；D.broke down崩溃，坏掉。根据wept 可知此处应填"broke down"符合语境。故选D项。

According to Professor Johnson, we don't have to read the book if we don't want to, as it is              .

worthwhile

necessary

optional

serious

考查形容词词义辨析。句意：根据约翰逊教授的说法，如果我们不想读这本书，就不必读，因为它是可选择的。A. worthwhile值得的； B. necessary 必要的；C. optional 可选择的；D. serious 严肃的，认真的。根据“  we don't have to read the book if we don't want to”可知，这本书读不读都可以，由此可知它是“可选择的”。故选C项。