Hi Tanit,
1. Could you help me tackle this problem?
[deal] I’d be grateful …………… this problem.
I’d be grateful if you could help me deal with this problem. -- You can also say "if you would" instead of "if you could"
I’d be grateful if you could help me to deal with this problem.
2. I regret that my education has left me so ill-equipped for real life.
[prepared] If …………… for real life.
If only I were better prepared for real life. -- This one doesn't mention your education
If only my education had better prepared me for real life. -- This is good. Or If only my education had left me better prepared...
(I reckon the latter is very unnatural ... but does the former maintain closely the meaning of the given sentence?)
3. She never passed any exams, as far as I know.
[knowledge] To …………… no paper qualifications.
To the best of my knowledge, she has no paper qualifications. -- Your "to the best of my knowledge" is just fine - the part you were given "paper qualifications" sounds odd to me.
4. He’d better abandon all hope of promotion.
[thoughts] He should …………… promoted out of his mind.
He should push any thoughts of him being promoted out of his mind. of HIS being promoted (gerund being takes the possessive) or He should put all thoughts...
5. What is the point of all this research?
[aid] What is …………… of?
What is all this research in aid of? You've done as well as I could. I woulud never use "aid" for this one.
6. The scriptwriter said that she’d invented the whole plot herself.
[thought] The scriptwriter said that she’d …………… help.
The scriptwriter said that she’d thought up the whole plot without any help. Okay, or thought of.
The scriptwriter said that she’d thought up the whole plot herself without any help. Either is okay. It's a little redundant with the "herself."
(If this were the actual exam, I'd use the first one, but wanted to ask your opinion about the use of "herself")
7. None of use expected to have a test today.
[blue] Yesterday’s test …………… for us all.
Yesterday’s test came out of the blue for us all. -- Looks good.
8. It’s difficult for some people to express their feelings.
[words] Putting …………… is difficult for some people.
Putting their feelings into words is difficult for some people. -- Looks good.
You're going to ace the exam!