23．- Why weren’t you at the meeting?　　- I ________ for a long distance call from my sister in America.

The discovery of the oil field, to the delight of the whole nation, will largely _______ the country’s dependence on imports of energy.

It was snowing hard and Mother told me to put on a thick coat to ______myself from the cold.

The ticket       two people to the palace ball．

We are glad to ________ you on the progress you have made.