annoying choices

[jasonlulu_2000]

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand . the professor said:"lf you have noticed, all the nice-looking expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones.While it is natural for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.The professor continued," Believe that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee.ln most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases it even hides what we drink.What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups.Now consider this: life is coffee, the jobs, money,and position in society are the cups which are just tools to hold and 1 life, and the different types of cups we have don't decide, nor change the quality oflife.lf we concentrate only on the cups, we will fail to enjoy the coffee in it.So don't let the cups 2 you...enjoy the coffee instead." At these words, the graduates looked at each other in 3 embarrassment.
1. A. contain B. support
2. A. drive B. control
3. A. speechless B. quiet

All the answers given is A.

But I think all the B's also make sense.

What does a native teacher think of them?

Thanks

Jason

 

[Gillnetter]

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand . the professor said:"lf you have noticed, all the nice-looking expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones.While it is natural for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.The professor continued," Believe that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee.ln most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases it even hides what we drink.What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups.Now consider this: life is coffee, the jobs, money,and position in society are the cups which are just tools to hold and 1 life, and the different types of cups we have don't decide, nor change the quality oflife.lf we concentrate only on the cups, we will fail to enjoy the coffee in it.So don't let the cups 2 you...enjoy the coffee instead." At these words, the graduates looked at each other in 3 embarrassment.
1. A. contain B. support
2. A. drive B. control
3. A. speechless B. quiet
#1 Neither "contain" or "support" are good answers. Jobs, money, and position do not contain (as in hold or act as a place to put something) life. These things may support life but they do not contain life. I would opt for another word, such as "enrich".
#2 The problem with "drive" and "control" is that they mean about the same.
#3 The choices here represent yet another problem. "speechless" and "quiet" mean nearly the same, but "speechless" usually is the result of a shock or trauma. I can't imagine that the little story told by the professor would result in someone being speechless. "quiet" may work here, but the sentence would be better without it.
All the answers given is A.

But I think all the B's also make sense.

What does a native teacher think of them?

Thanks

Jason

Gil