The Japanese people keep up cheerful spirits ________ the world that they can get over the crisis caused by the terrible tsunami（海啸）.

Tom raised his hands as if ______ something． 

He made up an excuse for his mistake in order to avoid_________.

 ________ copies of Mo Yan's works will be on sale after his talk at the Press Conference.

It rained heavily in the south, __________ serious flooding in several provinces.