Sport. PLEASURE OR PAIN

Every ambitious athlete hopes to ………………. their dream of winning a gold medal at the Olympics.

• complete

• finish

• fulfil

• succeed

However, not everyone can win, and often talented athletes must accept second place. A team of psychologists recently ………………. some research on the emotional responses of those finishing second.

• controlled

• conducted

• directed

• guided

For certain individuals, a silver medal may ………………. Their expectations and so naturally they will be delighted.

• exceed

• overtake

• pass

• overcome

They may also enjoy surprising experts and journalists who believed they had absolutely no ………………. of achieving anything. 

• outlook

• view

• estimate

• prospect

In ………………., the athlete who everyone assumed would win with ease, but then suffers a slight defeat, may not celebrate their silver medal.

• opposition

• contrast

• distinction

• contradiction

This reaction differs sharply from the athlete who comes second but finished a long way behind the winner. There is a ………………. in the research that shows such a person will feel significantly happier.

• habit

• trend

• custom

• tendency

To a certain ………………., these findings are not surprising.

• extent

• amount

• range

• . level

Silver medalists who were close to victory will almost certainly ………………. on what might have happened if they had trained harder, or done things differently.

• review

• wonder

• consider

• reflect