A number of major industries and more than twenty leading colleges 40 .
答案：(D) have become very concerned about our bad listening habits
主詞 A number of...and more than twenty colleges 是複數主詞，動詞要用複數 have；且承接下文「他們設立了聆聽診所」，語意應該是「開始關注不良聆聽習慣」才會催生後面的診所，have become very concerned 符合這個因果承接；其他三個選項語意都跟後文「設立診所找出問題」接不起來。
本題大考中心未公布逐題答對率，以下不談數據，只談觀念。
四個選項都是一整串，讀起來都像那麼一回事，而且這一次形態刷不掉——四個的動詞都是複數形。這一格只能靠下一句。
先確認主詞與動詞的一致：A number of major industries and more than twenty leading colleges ___。主詞是複數，四個選項的動詞（are、have）也都是複數形，所以形態上分不出高下。（順便把這一組經典的主詞單複數記起來：a number of ＋ 複數名詞，動詞用複數，重點在「許多」；the number of ＋ 複數名詞，動詞用單數，重點在「數量」這個單一概念。本題與第 39 題正好是一組對照——那一題的 Much 當單數，這一題的 A number of 當複數。）既然形態刷不掉，就往後讀一句：They have set up "listening clinics" and courses to find out what is wrong—and what to do about it.（他們設立了「聆聽診所」與課程，要找出問題出在哪、又該怎麼辦。）會去設立診所與課程，代表他們已經開始正視這個問題了，所以空格填 have become very concerned about our bad listening habits（已經非常關切我們不良的聆聽習慣）。
are also interested in the rejected proposal（也對那個被否決的提案感興趣）：那個提案只是文章開頭的例子，產業與大學不會去關心它。have resolved the mystery of listening comprehension（已經解開了聽力理解之謎）：如果已經解開了，就不需要再設立診所去「找出問題出在哪」，前後矛盾。are doing extensive research on the young engineer（正在對那位年輕工程師做大規模研究）：下一句講的是診所與課程，不是研究某一個人。
a number of ＋ 複數動詞（許多……）、the number of ＋ 單數動詞（……的數量）、be concerned about（關切、擔心）、set up（設立）、find out（查明）、leading colleges（頂尖大學）。
The people in the room were tense. Five young engineers were sitting with their 31 . They were trying to settle details of an important new plant site for a major client. Suddenly one of the young engineers gave what he thought was a good solution 32 the problem. What he had to say was 33 by an uncomfortable silence. The boss then laughingly pointed out that the same proposal had been made and 34 some minutes before. The incident seemed funny 35 the time, but several months later it did not.
After the project had been successfully finished, most of the engineers who had worked on it were 36 . But the young man who had made a fool of himself at the meeting was not on the list. 37 The young engineer swore that he had never heard the proposal made and rejected. 38 He was a victim of a bad listening habit that he didn't know he had.
Bad listening habits can hurt you a lot in your daily living. Much of your success, both in your work and social life, 39 how you listen. A number of major industries and more than twenty leading colleges 40 . They have set up "listening clinics" and courses to find out what is wrong—and what to do about it.