So, if you need money now, you should try either finding a job or cutting down on your 20 .
答案：(B) expenses
【句型】cut down on expenses 字詞搭配「減少開銷」；spirit（精神）、savings（儲蓄，語意方向相反，該削減的是花費不是存款）、estimate（估計）都不合。
expense 你可能只記得「費用」這個中譯，於是覺得「減少費用」怪怪的。它的複數 expenses 是很常用的字，指一個人或一個家庭的「開銷、支出」總和，living expenses（生活費）、travel expenses（差旅費）都是這個用法。
答對率 49%。看空格前面那個動詞片語要的是什麼東西：整句是 you should try either finding a job or cutting down on your ___，either...or... 把兩個做法並列——一邊是開源（去找份工作），另一邊就必須是節流。能被砍的只有支出。再往前看，媽媽整封信的結論是 never spend more than you earn，spend 對 earn，講的是同一組概念。
savings 方向剛好相反，儲蓄是要增加不是要減少，砍存款反而離獨立更遠。spirit 是「精神」，砍精神不成話。estimate 是「估計、估價」，它是一個判斷不是一筆錢，也砍不了。這題三個誘答選項全靠語意方向刷掉，不必動用文法。
living expenses（生活費）、travel expenses（差旅費）、at the expense of（以……為代價）、a savings account（儲蓄帳戶）、live within a budget（量入為出）、make an estimate of（對……做出估計）。
Dear Son,
I am very happy to hear that you are doing well in school. However, I am very concerned with the way you 16 money. I understand that college students like to 17 parties, movies, and lots of activities, but you also have to learn how to do without certain things. After all, you must live within a limited budget.
18 the extra money you want for this month, I am sorry that I have decided not to send it to you because I think it is time for you to learn how to live without my help. If I give you a hand every time you have problems with money now, what will you do when you no longer have me to support you? Besides, I remember telling you I used to have two part-time jobs when I was in college just to 19 . So, if you need money now, you should try either finding a job or cutting down on your 20 .
I understand it is not easy to live on your own. But learning to budget your money is the first lesson you must learn to be independent. Good luck, son. And remember: never spend more than you earn.
Love, Mom