—Mom，dad is smoking again!—Well，let him cut it ________ gradually since old habits die hard.

He sold his farm, _________ gaining enough money for his journey. 

 _______ eager to get access to the president, the boy in northern America wrote a letter to him.

The rain was heavy and _____ the land was flooded.

The kite flew ______ in the sky and my father thought _____ of me.