Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 8 to 12.

Write the Perfect Crime Novel
Most people are born with the natural ability to tell stories, ___(1)___ only a rare few have the determination to become professional authors, and even fewer have the joy of seeing their novels top the list of bestselling books. Some of the world's famous crime writers have ___(2)___ the greatest success of all.
Who can deny the appeal of famous detectives like Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot? Even if you haven't read the ___(3)___ books you will have seen them in films or on the TV. If you have an ambition to become the next Agatha Christie what should you do? The best starting point is to read ___(4)___ of examples of crime fiction written by good authors. You will need a notebook to carry around with you or, even better, some loose sheets of paper ___(5)___ you can make notes on and then file into a folder. After all, the most everyday situation -for example, watching a woman get off a train - may be the inspiration for your first bestseller.