1. We can call John in for an interview. I did a background check on him and he has a .......... sheet-- not even a parking ticket.

2. Your orders are as .......... as a bell, the private responded when asked if he understood what he was supposed to do.

3. She thought her boss was bad at communicating tasks. All of his instructions were about as clear as .......... and he always added twice as much information as was needed.

4. The state election was a .......... and no one would know who had won until the last little town's votes were in.

5. I've been waiting for you to climb on the .......... and come to that show. Now we can all watch it together! His girlfriend told him in front of her group of friends.

6. He had been clinging for months to the .......... that he would find his lost dog, but he now thought that he wouldn't see the dog again.

7. With graduation .......... at hand, she knew that she had better start looking for a job and new living arrangements.

8. He had had another close .......... with the boss. He knew he would get fired eventually, but he hoped that he would be able to work there for a few more weeks.

9. He knew he was lucky he hadn't hit that bicyclist with his car; it had been an extremely close .......... .

10. Counseling is not going to help now. That's like shutting the .......... after the horse has bolted. It might have helped a couple of months ago, but the feeling is now gone.