1.  Fearing the worst, some prominent political and business figures have quietly left the country, while others have approached friends at foreign embassies, seeking guarantees of protection.

2.  He approached some friends, who had also spent their careers in the apparel business, and they poured their savings into the company.

3.  Next, the couple approached friends at Penguin Putnam about doing a kid-friendly book on asthma.

4.  Six months ago, the incoming chairman of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association approached a friend for an introduction to a potential corporate donor.