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For questions 1-8, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap.
Swimming outdoors in winter was, 1. recently, the preserve of a handful of eccentrics who gathered on beaches each New Year's Day. Now it seems that every lake and river has its devoted band of year-round swimmers, many of 2. insist that cold water has transformed their health. The claims made on its behalf are wide-ranging: it is said to boost the immune system, improve circulation and lift the mood. The scientific evidence, it 3. be said, is rather thinner than the enthusiasm. Small studies have produced encouraging results, but researchers caution that people who take 4. the habit may already be healthier and more active than average. Nor is the activity without its dangers. Sudden immersion in very cold water triggers a gasp reflex, and inexperienced swimmers can get into difficulties 5. a matter of seconds. Regulars are quick to stress that newcomers should never swim alone and should build 6. their tolerance gradually. 7. the risks, few of those who have tried it show any sign of giving up. As one swimmer put it, 'However grim the weather, I have never once come out of the water wishing I 8. stayed at home.'