stain and mark; let alone; exist;

[jiang]

Dear teachers,
I have four questions to ask:

No.1
George has a big coffee________ on the front of his jacket.
a. spot b. mark c. stain d. patch

The key is "B". My question is: why isn't "c" correct? I even think "b" is the incorrect answer.

No.2

Countless divorced pokiticians would have been elected out of office years ago had they even thought of a divorce, let alone_________one.
a. getting b. to get c. gotn d. get

The key is "d". But I don't know the grammatical rule. Could you please give me more exaples to explain the rule?

No.3

There ought to be less anxiety over the perceived risk of getting cancer than _________ in the public mind today.

a. exists b. exist c. existing d. existed

The key is "a". I don't know the grammatical rule. Could you please give me more exaples to explain the rule?

No.4

I don't think the following sentence makes sense. Is that right?

Through the centuries the world would have made little progress, had creative thinkers heeded such counsel.

Should it be " Through the centuries the world would have made little progress had creative thinkers not heeded such counsel."

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

[Tdol]

1- I'd use C
It is 'exists' because the subject is singular - what exists is the perceived risk of getting cancer
I'd use 'over the centuries'. Whether it's positive or negative depends entirely on the advice- if bad, then the sentence is correct.

[jiang]

Dear tdol,

Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see. But what about No.2? Could you please explain it?

I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.
Jiang

1- I'd use C
It is 'exists' because the subject is singular - what exists is the perceived risk of getting cancer
I'd use 'over the centuries'. Whether it's positive or negative depends entirely on the advice- if bad, then the sentence is correct.

[Naughty Beef]

for number 2, I'd use 'gotten'. Past participle.

[jiang]

Thank you very much for your reply. Now I see.

Best wishes,

Jiang

for number 2, I'd use 'gotten'. Past participle.

[raymon0902]

patch:a piece of material or metal etc. used to menda hole or as reinforcement.
Ex:
to patch a tyre

to mark a passage in pencil

in your sentence 1: Mark is correct.

[jiang]

This is too bad. tdol thinks "stain" is correct while you think "mark" is correct. Is there any one who'd like to give his/her opinion?

Looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you in advance.

Jiang

patch:a piece of material or metal etc. used to menda hole or as reinforcement.
Ex:
to patch a tyre

to mark a passage in pencil

in your sentence 1: Mark is correct.