Fill in the blank

I’ve realized that speaking a second language (not very well) is often like playing a fill-in-the-blank game.  I was talking to my husband last week when he tried to tell me something but couldn’t find an English translation for one word.  The conversation was about a court case that had a crazy ruling.  It was crazy because the victim was ______ at the time.  He never found the word.

Was she possesed?  In Toledo?  Eating a zebra?

I’ll never know.

Many news stories I read are like this.  I’m always missing a word because I don’t understand.  “City says all roads in this neighborhood will be closed because of ______.”

Even in converstaions with people.  “And then he said we would all have to ______ and Jill of course _______ so you can see why we’re all laughing.”

(For the record, I fill in these blanks with “squirrels,” “eat snails,” and “moved to Toledo.”)