19 to adopt good manners sets people apart.
答案：(A) Failing
【句型】Failing to adopt...為動名詞片語當主詞，fail to V 表示「未能做到……」，指未能養成良好禮儀習慣的人會顯得與眾不同；Missing／Passing／Waiting 均不符合此處 fail to V 的固定搭配語意。
本題大考中心未公布逐題答對率，以下不談數據，只談觀念。
四個都是 V-ing 擺在句首當主詞，文法上都放得進去，很容易只憑中文語感挑；Missing 看起來也像「錯過了學禮節的機會」。
判準在空格後面那個 to。四個字裡只有 fail 後面固定接不定詞——fail to V（沒能做到、未能……）。miss 後面接動名詞或名詞（miss doing something、miss the chance），pass 後面接受詞或介系詞，wait 雖然也能接 to V，但意思是「等著要做」。所以先用搭配定案，答案是 Failing；再確認語意：沒能做到有禮貌，會讓人被看出來、被區隔開來，與前一句「尊重禮節顯示願意融入」正好相反。這一題示範的是：選項都是動詞的同一種形態時，往往不是在考形態，而是在考「哪個動詞跟後面那個介系詞或不定詞是一組的」，先看空格後面比先看選項有效。
Missing to adopt 不成立，miss 後面要接動名詞（missing the chance to adopt 才對）。Passing to adopt 沒有這個用法。Waiting to adopt（等著要養成禮節）文法上通，但語意接不上 sets people apart，而且與前後文的批評語氣不合。
fail to V（沒能做到、未能……）、miss V-ing（錯過做某事）、wait to V（等著要做某事）、set somebody apart（使某人與眾不同、把某人區隔開）、adopt good manners（養成良好的禮節）、V-ing 當主詞（動名詞開頭的一整串當主詞，動詞用單數）
Having good manners is more than just being nice. Good manners make the social world easier to navigate. They provide guidelines to 16 in times of uncertainty and reduce the chance of awkward exchanges. For example, knowing who is supposed to go first or have a seat keeps us from having to negotiate every time. A world 17 good manners would be confusing and potentially confrontational.
Good manners certainly connect people to their 18 environment. Respecting good manners shows a desire to actively engage with a community and the people in it. 19 to adopt good manners sets people apart.
We might forgive people who let their manners slip, but we'll feel more positive about and strongly connected to those who 20. Good manners are very important because they teach us the proper way to behave in society.