Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

     According to some scientists, high-risk sports can be valuable for certain types of people. Such activities help them learn that being frightened doesn't mean that they have to (23) _______control. The recent fashion for jumping from bridges attached to a length of elastic rope, known as “bungee jumping”, has now been tried by millions of people over the world, and (24) _______in it is continuing to grow.

     Before the special elastic rope is tightened around them, jumpers reach speeds of nearly 160 kph. First-timers are usually too (25) _______ to open their mouths, and when they are finally lowered safely to the ground, they walk around with broad smiles on their faces, saying (26) _______how amazing it was. However, for some people, it is only the embarrassment of refusing to jump at the last (27) _______that finally persuades them to conquer the fear of heights and push them off into space.

 

Such activities help them learn that being frightened doesn't mean that they have to (23) _______control