I. Choose the best options to complete the following sentences.
`1.` Barely _______________ the podium to begin her speech when a heckler interrupted from the back of the hall.
A. she had approached                           B. had she approached
C. has she approached                           D. she was approaching
`2.` Much as _______________ his artistic integrity, he can’t ignore the commercial realities of the industry.
A. he might revere                                   B. might he revere
C. he should revere                                 D. does he revere
`3.` He _______________ the doctor earlier, but he kept postponing the appointment.
A. will have visited                                   B. needn't have visited
C. had visited                                           D. could have visited
`4.` The central bank's interest rates _______________ to an all-time low, foreign investors scrambled to reallocate their portfolios across emerging markets.
A. slashing                                               B. having been slashed
C. were slashed                                       D. to been have slashed
`5.` There was a scene that showed violence in detail, _______________ I turned the television off.
A. of which case                                      B. by which time
C. at which point                                      D. in addition to which
`6.` Artificial Intelligence _______________ the frontier of modern industry, corporations the world over _______________ to secure a competitive advantage of late.
A. is defining / have been strived
B. has defined / have strived
C. defined / will have strived
D. defining / have been striving
`7.` A(n) _______________ consultant, he kept interrupting with unpalatable objections and poured cold water on every suggestion.
A. off-the-cuff
B. buttoned-up
C. tongue-in-cheek
D. hand-wringing
`8.` John talked up revolutionising the workflow, but when asked for a prototype, timeline, or budget, he had nothing to show. It was _______________ .
A. a smart mouth                                      B. all mouth and no trousers
C. a house of cards                                   D. the powers that be
`9.` The negotiations seemed to be progressing well until they _______________ a sudden hitch regarding intellectual property.
A. ran into            B. came across            C. fell through            D. set back
`10.` Her objections were so _______________ that every minor ambiguity in the proposal was treated as if it were a  fatal flaw.  
A. punctilious           B. censorious           C. captious           D. oversimplified