根据句意和汉语注释，写出单词的正确形式。
He became the manager of his company ____ (凭借) years of hard work.
I’ve grown up but my parents are ____（严格的）with me now, to my surprise, than before.
We humans continue to make ____  (进步) in the fight against illness.
He much ____ (更喜欢)soft drinks to water because of its nice taste before he read this Article.