Fill in the blanks with the following words in the box. surpass discern crumble shrewd distort radiant ingenious stump proposition conversion flare up be dripping with in exchange for make out of appeal to 1) As the gender barriers _________, the number of women working as lawyers, doctors or bankers began to increase significantly. 2 ) With the data collected each year, the owner of the shop can _______ customer trends and how things like weather and economic indicators affect sales performance. 3 ) His supervisor pushes and motivates him in such a positive manner that he is not only able to reach but to _______ his personal goals. 4) He is a man with a(n) _______ business sense. He has built his initial investment into a substantial and even excessively large fortune. 5) Sixty-two and blessed with his mother ’ s skin, the fisherman had withstood a lifetime of exposure to the sun and looked as ______ as a man in his forties. 6) I was not only shocked but also disgusted that the report tried to _______ the scientific facts in such a manner that even some highly-educated people were fooled. 7) The newly established university supports the __________ that a more diverse higher education system is desirable since it would enhance opportunities for lifelong learning. 8) The senators did not expect us to ask such tough questions and when we finally did, they got _______ and did not know what to say. 9) French educator Louis Braille invented a simple but ________ code which has had an impact on the lives of generations of people who are blind. 10) The __________ of nuclear radiation directly into electricity was an exciting possibility that was being vigorously explored in many labs in the 1950s. 11) The brick walls of the ruined buildings _______________ green mold and moisture, and she shivered involuntarily, looking down to avoid the sight. 12) Knowing just how quickly a wildfire can spread, some residents of the village decided to leave their homes after the flames ________ nearby. 13) He was determined not to sour a perfectly good day with the memory of one jealous classmate trying to _____ a fool ______ him in front of the entire class. 14) The president said that it was the worst earthquake ever to hit the country, and that he _______________ the world for help, asking in particular for heavy-lift helicopters. 15) As urban populations exported finished goods _______________ raw materials from neighboring populations, organized trade grew substantially.