Former schoolteacher Eileen Lawrence won the event's $250 award for the most creative memory destined for 30 .
答案：(D) the machine
定冠詞 the machine 指前文已提及的那台特定的碎紙機（a huge paper-cutting machine），destined for the machine 表示「注定要被送進（那台特定的）機器」。machine（無冠詞不合單數可數名詞用法）、machines（複數，語境只有一台）、a machine（不定冠詞，語境應指特定那台）皆不符合。
四個選項都是同一個名詞 machine 的變化，只差冠詞與單複數，你會覺得差別不大，隨手挑一個。
答對率剛過五成。這是指標勾環，關鍵在冠詞。machine 是可數名詞，單數不能沒有冠詞就用在句子裡，所以無冠詞的 machine 先出局。剩下三個要看指的是什麼：前文說的是 a huge paper-cutting machine was set up in Times Square（時代廣場架了一台大型碎紙機），全場就那一台。既然是前面已經提過、而且是特定的那一台，就要用定冠詞 the machine。填進去讀成 the most creative memory destined for the machine（最有創意、注定要被送進那台機器的回憶）。冠詞的規則就是這一句：第一次提到用 a，之後再提到那同一個東西改用 the。
machines 是複數，但活動現場只有一台；a machine 是「某一台機器」，隨便哪一台都算，與「前面提過的那一台」不同；machine 無冠詞不合單數可數名詞的用法。
the ＋ 名詞（回指前面提過的那一個）、a ＋ 名詞（第一次提到某一個）、be destined for（注定要去、注定要成為）、win an award（獲獎）、be happy to V（樂於、很高興做某事）、creative（有創意的）。
A new year means a new beginning for most of us. On December 28th last year, the New York City sanitation department offered people a new way 26 farewell to 2007.
For one hour on that day, a huge paper-cutting machine was set up in Times Square so people could 27 their lingering bad memories. Everything from photos of ex-lovers to lousy report cards could be cut into small pieces, as the organizers had announced 28 the event. Recycling cans were also provided for items such as 29 CDs and regrettable fashion mistakes.
Former schoolteacher Eileen Lawrence won the event's $250 award for the most creative memory destined for 30. She had created a painting from a photo of her ex-boyfriend, who Lawrence was happy to say goodbye to.