Read the text below and select the correct word or phrase for each gap from the drop-down list.
The River Crossing
The roar of the river drowned out every other sound. Megan and Justin stood on the bank, staring at the torrent that before them. The bridge they’d hoped to find was gone — washed away by the storm that had raged through the night. Behind them, the forest crackled with danger; they had no choice but to cross.
Justin tested the water with a stick, watching it away in seconds. “We’ll never make it,” he muttered. Megan shook her head, eyes sharp with determination. “We don’t have time to think — we just have to .” Gripping each other’s hands, they stepped into the freezing current.
The water rose fast, dragging at their legs. Stones shifted beneath their feet, and Megan felt her footing . Justin pulled her upright, shouting something she couldn’t hear over the rush. Her arms burned, her heart hammered — they were fighting the river as much as their own fear.
Halfway across, a fallen branch swept toward them. Megan ducked, but it struck Justin’s shoulder, nearly knocking him off balance. “Don’t let go!” she screamed, refusing to . Inch by inch, they moved forward until the opposite bank came into view — a muddy, blessed patch of safety.
When they finally stumbled onto solid ground, both collapsed, gasping. For a long moment, they just lay there, the sound of the river roaring behind them like a . Megan turned to her brother and laughed weakly. “Well,” she said, “that was one for the .” Justin grinned, soaked and shivering. “Next time,” he said, “let’s take the long way around.”
As they disappeared into the trees, the storm eased, the light softening across the water —as though the world itself was offering a quiet of relief.