B2 Use of English Test 15 – Writing the missing word in gaps

For questions 1-9, read the text below and think of the word which best fits the gap. Use only one word in each gap.

Marathon in the mountains

The Ultra-Trail of Mont Blanc is an extreme marathon held annually (1)…………… 2003 in the mountains of France, Italy and Switzerland. Widely regarded (2)…………… one of the toughest races in the world, the Ultra-Trail takes place in August, (3)…………… temperatures frequently range from over 30ºC at the lowest points of the course, to well (4)…………… freezing at the highest.

An Olympic marathon is 42.5 kilometres long, but (5)…………… one is over 160 kilometres in length and includes nine mountain peaks. That involves climbing a total of approximately 9,500 metres, (6)…………… is considerably higher than Everest. In (7)…………… of, or perhaps because of this, the annual event has become increasingly popular with runners, to (8)…………… an extent that the numbers have had to be limited to 2300. Only about half of these, (9)…………… average, are likely to finish the course, in times that typically vary from 20 hours to over 45.