Late in the morning on February 20, 2021, Jasmine Harrison, a British swimming teacher, approached English Harbor on the southern coast of Antigua, an island in the Caribbean, aboard her tiny rowboat. She had last seen land on December 12, 2020, when she had set sail from La Gomera in the Canary Islands. Just 21 years old, Harrison set a new world record __1__ completion of her journey, becoming the youngest woman ever to row across an ocean solo.
Surprisingly, Harrison did not have extensive rowing experience when she decided to enter the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, an annual boat race across the Atlantic Ocean. She had, __2__, been to Antigua before, in 2018. One evening when she was there, she was told about the challenge by a relative of one of the competitors in that year’s event. She quickly became __3__ the idea of attempting it.
Her epic journey was not a bed of roses. She was twice thrown overboard by the Atlantic’s __4__ waves, injuring her elbow during the second of these incidents. Moreover, she was forced to spend more than two months alone at sea, far from friends and family.
Nevertheless, Harrison finished the race. Her success marks her as a pioneer for women in rowing, a sport traditionally __5__ by men. Stories like Harrison’s not only provide examples of perseverance in what is a trying time for humanity but also inspire the rest of us to dream of what we might achieve with enough hard work and determination.
1. (A) once (B) upon (C) not until (D) as soon as
2. (A) additionally (B) otherwise (C) though (D) hence
3. (A) hooked on (B) limited to (C) wanting in (D) keeping with
4. (A) forgetful (B) forgettable (C) unforgiving (D) unforgivable
5. (A) transformed (B) surrounded (C) fostered (D) dominated
