Paddling（劃槳） a dragon boat is no piece of cake.Besides the key time required to be part of a team，it's a full-body exercise.When I joined a team，they told me it took at least three years to become a good paddler.There's so much to remember：correct posture and movement as well as team synchronization（同步，同時性）are necessary for a team's success.
   Dragon boat racing is a well-honored tradition in China and the highlight of the Dragon Boat Festival.However，because of the pandemic（疫情），last year's races were put off from June to October.For the first time，Taipci's dragon boat championships were held during the October holiday.
   Our team knew racing conditions on the river would be different in October，but we had no idea how different they would be.A nearby typhoon brought in the fierce winds and big waves on the river.With about 40 teams participating，I didn't expect our team to go very far.This was the first competition for most of us.And only the top two finishers in each group would advance to the next round.
   Simply getting to the race's starting point for our first group was a challenge.The big waves threatened to flip（翻轉(zhuǎn)）us over.Paddling against wave was tough，but we crossed the finish line and surprisingly，advanced to the second round.
   The next day，there was no shortage of accidents.Boats flipped over and others lost control and weren't able to finish their races.In our final race that day，we narrowly advanced to the following day's semifinals.
   We faced strong competitors in the semifinals，including a semiprofessional team.Being held back by their boat's waves was highly frustrating.However，in dragon boat racing，no one ever stops paddling，no matter what!So I kept paddling working my hardest to keep pace with the team.We trailed the other boats，but we didn't lose hope.In the final push，filled with both excitement and exhaustion，we persisted and advanced to the finals!
   Although we had expectations，never did we imagine we'd make it into the top three.How come？Let me tell you!To win a dragon boat race，you need three things：________，_______and__________ .

（1）Paddling a dragon boat is easy，isn't it？

No，it isn't

No，it isn't

（2）According to the team mates，how long did it take to become a good paddler？

At least three years.

At least three years.

（3）Why were the races put off last year？

Because of the pandemic.

Because of the pandemic.

（4）How did the writer feel when they advanced to the second round？

He felt surprised

He felt surprised

（5）What do you think of the writer's semifinal race？

It was exciting.

It was exciting.

（6）What can be filled in the blanks in the last paragraph？
To win a dragon boat race，you need three things：

practice

practice

effort

effort

，and

never giving up

never giving up

.