1.___ for the timely investment from the general public, our company would not be so thrivingas it is.
A.Had it not been
B.Were it not
C.Be it not
D.Should it not be
2.Andrew, my father's younger brother, will not be at the picnic, ___ to the family's disappointment.
A.much
B.more
C.too much
D.much more
3.The chief reason for the population growth isn't so much a rise in birth rates ___ a fall in death ratesas a result of improvements in medical care.
A.and
B.as
C.but
D.over
4.It is strictly ___ that access to confidential documents is denied to all but a few.
A.secured
B.forbidden
C.regulated
D.determined
5.When traveling, you are advised to take travelers' checks, which provide a secure ___ to carrying your money in cash.
A.substitute
B.selection
C.preference
D.alternative