In the following passage some of the words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the correct answer for the given blank out of the four alternatives.

In a new study (1)______in Nature Human Behaviour, we have now shown that, in 2021, (2)______ expectancy rebounded somewhat in most western European countries (3)______ eastern Europe and the US witnessed additional losses. However, only Norway (4) ______ its pre-pandemic life expectancy in 2021, and everywhere is worse off than it would (5) ______ have been without the pandemic.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 4.