John was one of the top students in our class, but believe it or not, he_______ passed the English exam last term.(西安市)

The town official broke ________ for working over time in the search for the trapped people after the earthquake.

Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, devoted himself        to making the black and white equal.

You can get off the bus one or two stops ________ and walk the rest of the way to work every day so as to take some exercise.

You can’t get___________with being late every morning.