1. Sally felt so nervous over her piano examination that she was worried it would ______ her performance.

2. Mary smiled ______ and blushed in embarrassment when her teacher complimented her on her artwork.

3. I was talking to Peter when Kate suddenly ______ and interrupted our conversation.

4. It was a ______ effort to reason with her as she would not listen to what we said.

5. When Cathy forgot to do her homework, she tried to come up with an excuse that her teacher would believe and let her ______.