Let's learn to use the problem we are facing         a stepping-stone to future success.

to

for

as

by

考查介词词义辨析。句意：让我们学会把我们所面对的问题作为通向未来成功的手段来利用。A.to朝，对 ；B.for 为了，对于；C.as 作为；D.by通过，凭借。根据句意可知，此处“作为”符合语境。故选C项。

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。

--- So you missed the meeting.

---           .I got there five minutes before it finished.

Not at all

Not exactly

Not especially

Not really

考查情景交际用语。句意：---你错过了开会。---我在会议结束前五分钟到达会场。可以看出答话者认为对方讲话不够确切。A. Not at all一点也不；不客气；B. Not exactly不确切   C.Not especially不是特别 D.Not really不是真的。故选B项。

A study shows the students who are engaged in after-school  activities are happier than        who are not.

ones

those

these

them

考查代词。句意：一项研究表明，参加课外活动的学生比不参加课外活动的学生更开心。空格处代词与the students是对应关系，可以用the ones 或者those替代。“them”指代前面提到的复数名词，不能与the students形成对应关系，“these”一般不用定语从句修饰。故选B项。