stare

"My friend told me there was something in the box, but I didn't know what it was yet. "

"He was conspicuous by his absence."

"The student's submission of the homework assignment was late. "

"She has had a persistent cough for weeks."

"The teenager's defiance was clear when she refused to follow her parents' curfew. "

"The brilliancy of the freshly polished silverware caught the sunlight streaming through the window. "

"The singer's prominence grew after her performance at the school talent show. "

"The world must construe according to its wits; this court must construe according to the law."

"The unexpected announcement of a school holiday astonished everyone. "

"I have absolutely no influence over him."

"A large flock of starlings landed in the park, their dark feathers gleaming in the sun. "

"The complicated instructions on the new software difficult me from completing the project on time. "