Fill in the Blanks

The sentence Human beings blank of a different appearance requires the plural verb are to agree with the plural subject Human beings. The sentence describes a general truth in present tense. B and C are singular, D is wrong auxiliary.

Everything blank short of the glorious images requires the past tense verb fell because the narration is in past tense confessed the other day. The sentence describes what happened after he regained sight. A is present tense, C is a noun, D is a participle.

The phrase his imagination had blank them uses past perfect had endowed, meaning had provided or given qualities to. Past perfect is needed because it describes what the imagination had done before the disillusionment. Other options are wrong tense or form.

'Living on the breadline' means living in extreme poverty, barely able to afford basic necessities like food. The brothers have been ruined financially and can only afford the most minimal expenses. 'Bread and butter' refers to income source, not poverty level.

None of the provided options form a standard English idiom or phrase that fits the sentence contextually. Therefore, option E is correct.

'Scream blue murder' is a British idiom meaning to protest loudly, complain vociferously, or make an enormous fuss about something. Carol is reacting strongly and angrily to being assigned extra work. This isn't about actual murder or the color red.

Bum rap is an idiom meaning blame or punishment that is not fair.

'Drunk as a skunk' is a playful rhyming idiom describing extreme intoxication. The rhyme between 'drunk' and 'skunk' makes it memorable. After several drinks, he would be heavily intoxicated, not sober.

"Shake a leg" is an idiomatic expression that means to hurry up or move quickly. This phrase is commonly used when someone needs to act fast to avoid being late or missing something important. The urgency of missing a train makes this the perfect context for this expression.

"Beat the band" means doing something to an extreme degree or with great intensity and enthusiasm. This idiom suggests performing an action with remarkable energy or vigor, often exceeding normal expectations. It emphasizes the intensity of the effort being made.

"Down to the wire" is the correct idiom as it implies that it is near the end as in a race.

"A fine line" refers to a very narrow distinction or difference between two things. This idiom emphasizes how two seemingly different concepts or situations can be very close to each other. In the context of friendship, it might suggest subtle differences or boundaries in their relationship.

"Asleep at the switch" is an idiom meaning to be inattentive, negligent, or missing an important opportunity. This expression originates from railway operations where falling asleep at the switches could cause accidents. In this context, it perfectly describes someone who missed the chance to apply for a government job.

A miscreant is a villain, scoundrel, or criminal. The sentence infers that Catcher In the Rye might provoke (incite) potential miscreants to engage in violent antisocial behavior. Hence, (3) is the answer.

Choose a phrase to fit in the blank that will match the description of how both Truman and Ford attained prominence. You don't need to know history, just realize that Ford's case must have resembled Truman's, in which pure accident (or “outside circumstances”) made him president. Hence, (2) is the answer.