I just managed to（）a quick breath before I was pulled under the water by the passing boats.

I tried very hard to persuade him to join our group but I met with a flat（）

She is very nice, but because she has a（）way of speaking, she is slow in making friends

Some say yes and others say no; I don't know （）to follow.

She couldn't（）laughing at him in those clothes.

I could not persuade him to accept it,（）make him see the importance of it.

Mr. Sanders has been asked to（）the next meeting of the committee.

He never（）to read the news but turned at once to the crossword puzzle on the last page.

Mr. Edward was not in, so his brother acted as （）at the party.

The student's first attempt at writing a play was a far（）from the work of Shakespeare.