No one is born a winner. People make themselves into winners by their own efforts.
I learned this lesson from an experience many years ago. I took the head coaching job at a school in Baxley, Georgia. It was a small school with a weak football program.
It was a tradition for the schools old team to play against the new team at the end of spring practice. The old team had no coach, and they didn’t even practice to prepare for the Game. Being the coach of the new team, I was excited because I knew we were going to win, but to my sadness we were beaten. I couldn’t believe I had got into such a situation. Thinking hard about it, I came to realize that my team might not be the number one team in Georgia, but they were depending on me. I had to change my attitude about their ability and confidence.
I stared doing anything I could to help them build a little pride. Most important, I began to treat them like winners. That summer, when the other teams enjoyed their vacations. We met every day and practiced passing and kicking the football.
Six months after suffering our failure on the spring practice field, we won our first game and our second, and continue to improve. Finally, we faced the number one team in the state. I felt that it would be a victory for us even if we lost the game. But that wasn’t what happened. My boys beat the best team in Georgia, giving me one of the greatest thrills of my life!
From the experience I learned a lot about how the attitude of the leader can influence the members of a team. Instead of seeing my boys as losers, I pushed and encouraged them. I helped them to see them-selves differently, and they built themselves into winners. Winners are made, not born.
1. When did the author’s team win their first game?| A．Before their training. | B．During the spring practice. |
| C．At the start of the vacation. | D．Six months after their failure. |
| A．Interests. | B．Fears. | C．Excitements. | D．Concerns. |
| A．By building up their confidence. | B．By giving them a lecture. |
| C．By buying them a book. | D．By changing the leader. |
| A．Time is money. | B．Winners are born. |
| C．Losers are always beaten. | D．Practice makes perfect. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Lessons from Commencement Speeches
As a business owner, you probably don’t look to college commencement speeches as a source of inspiration when you’re feeling frustrated or defeated — but you should. Here are three university commencement speeches delivered by successful individuals from a variety of fields.
.1. Get comfortable with change / Jimmy Iovine, USC, 2014
Music mogul (大亨) Jimmy Iovine’s main advice is to get comfortable with change and the fear that comes with it. In his speech, Iovine explains that he learned his greatest life lesson when he realized the successful record company, he built couldn’t compete with the new industry model of downloading free music. He had a choice: get on board or get left behind.
.2. Build businesses that do good / Bill Gates, Harvard University, 2007
Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, uses this speech to pose a question he asks himself: How can you do the most good for the greatest amount of people with the resources you have?
For years, Gates was unaware of the millions of people around the world living in poverty and battling diseases. Once he realized he could help, he changed his approach to business. Pursuing innovation and advancement is important.
.3. Spend less time dreaming and more time doing / Shonda Rhimes, Dartmouth, 2014
If you feel beaten by the dreams you have for your business, this speech will set you straight.
Author and TV show producer Shonda Rhimes tells the Dartmouth graduates, “While some are busy dreaming, the really happy people, the really successful people, the really interesting, engaged, powerful people, are busy doing.”
| A．Dreaming is only effective if you follow it up with action, whether you’re brainstorming a new business model or imagining how to grow your company. |
| B．Failure can be a driving force: one that frees you from fear and encourages you to pursue what you want most. |
| C．In today’s fast-moving world, one with great technological advancements and cultural shifts still needs to be prepared to learn, adapt, and start over if necessary. |
| D．It’s more important to develop creative business models that turn profits and solve problems. |
| E．The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. |
| F．Their words are guaranteed to motivate you to think critically about your business. |
【推荐2】We are humans, and we all make mistakes. The mistakes that we make are not usually on purpose, whether it is breaking a vase, or not completing a task.
Admit that you make a mistake as soon as you discover it. Delaying it longer will only make you feel worse, or may drive you toward making the wrong decision to try and cover it up.
Offer some compensation(补偿) for loss, damage, or injury caused.
Learn from your mistakes. In the case of a job or a task, write a "to-do" list with the deadline before leaving the meeting. As for forgetting a birthday, put the birthday on an electronic calendar for next year.
Do better next time.
| A．Take responsibility. |
| B．Never repeat your mistakes. |
| C．Apologize and ask for forgiveness. |
| D．People’s faith in us can reduce quickly. |
| E．So sometimes it is necessary to write a letter to say sorry. |
| F．But not everyone knows how to admit making a mistake. |
| G．Offer to immediately complete the late task or pay for the vase. |
【推荐3】A year ago, we bought our son a bike for his birthday. In this way he could stay more active. Plus, we didn't have to push a tricycle around the neighborhood.
I thought he even wanted to sleep with his bike. He got on, rode, and had a huge smile on his face. When we went out for a walk, he would ask me politely if he could ride his bike. I said yes. Then he would play for a long time and didn’t want to go home. He rode in every season: winter, spring, summer and fall.
This year, we had him join in a program called SprocKids started by our local mountain bike club. As you can imagine, my little mountain biker showed great interest in it. On the first night, he tried riding over the obstacles (障碍物), which made me worried and frightened. One obstacle was even taller than me, but he persisted.
Later, one day, he found an old bike in the storeroom. It was mine. He called me out and said, ''Mommy, will you go biking with me? '' I was surprised because I hadn’t biked since high school, but I decided to cycle with him.
I was highly rewarded for my efforts. On the one hand, I took part in an activity with my child. And I didn't have to do all the work by pushing or carrying him. It was an activity he loved and he told me about every path and every move excitedly. On the other hand, we developed a closer bond (关系).
In my opinion, it's very important for kids to stay active. And parents' encouragement is very important for them to stay active. But words of encouragement are not enough. It's better if parents can do a physical activity together with their kids.
1. Getting a bike for his birthday, the author's son ________.| A．loved it very much |
| B．wanted a better gift |
| C．just rode it for fun at times |
| D．spent much time learning to ride it |
| A．He never gave up. |
| B．He hardly succeeded. |
| C．He changed his mind. |
| D．He became frightened. |
| A．She wasn't active in high school. |
| B．She hasn't ridden her bike for many years. |
| C．She bought a new bike to cycle with her son. |
| D．She once dreamed of becoming a mountain biker. |
| A．It takes her too much time. |
| B．It completely changes her. |
| C．It greatly benefits her. |
| D．It is very tiring. |
| A．Kids love to spend time outdoors. |
| B．Encouragement is very important to kids. |
| C．Children should be encouraged to ride a bike. |
| D．Parents should do physical activities with their kids. |
【推荐1】Skeleton is one of the three sliding sports at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, alongside the luge (单雪橇) and bobsleigh (大雪橇). With only six medals up for grabs, skeleton has the fewest events at the Winter Games—which means competition will be fierce.
The sport of skeleton has its roots in the most popular winter pastime: sleighing. In the mid-19th century, British and American holidaymakers built the first toboggan (平底雪橇) run in Davos in 1882, and thus the sport of sleighing began.
Two years later, in 1884, the famed Cresta Run—a natural ice skeleton racing toboggan track—was built in St. Moritz, Switzerland (the course has hosted the annual Grand National championships since 1885).
In 1892, a new sledge made entirely of steel was introduced, and some claim that its bony appearance gave the sledge and the sport the name ‘skeleton’.
Men’s skeleton was first introduced on the Olympic program in the 1928 Games in St. Moritz. But due to the sport only being available at the Cresta Run at the time, it fell into obscurity (默默无闻) while the luge and bobsleigh grew in popularity. However, in 2002, the skeleton was reintroduced as a men’s and women’s event at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, and has remained a part of the Olympic program ever since.
While Great Britain has the most medals (nine) in skeleton competition at the Olympics, the top spot belongs to the United States (eight medals) by virtue of having four silvers to Great Britain’s one (both nations have three golds, while Britain has five bronze medals, and the United States one).
Great Britain is the only nation to have won a medal every time skeleton has featured at the Olympic Games, and has won at least one medal in each of the five contests of women’s skeleton since its introduction.
1. Why is the sport of skeleton very competitive in the Olympics?| A．It’s the most popular sport in winter. |
| B．It only has 3 medals to compete for. |
| C．It is a new sport at the Winter Games. |
| D．It only has 2 events at the Winter Games. |
| A．In 1882. | B．In 1885. |
| C．In 1892. | D．In 1928. |
| A．Its material steel was rare. |
| B．Only men could take part in it. |
| C．There was only one run for it. |
| D．It was not on the Olympic program. |
| A．The number of medals. |
| B．The composition of medals. |
| C．The performance of the athletes. |
| D．The times of hosting the Olympics. |
【推荐2】FREE Monthly 53-Word Story Competition
Open to all writers around the world who write in English . Be sure to subscribe (订阅) to our email updates for free. You’ll receive an email on the first day of each month with our winning story and the prompt (提示词) for our next competition .
Here’s how to enter;
One story per person.
·Email your story directly to 53wordstory@gmail. com by the 15th day of the month, midnight Eastern Time.
·Your story must be 53 words — no more, no less; titles are not included in the word count. If your story is not titled, we will create a title for publication.
· Send only stories. Poetry will not be considered.
· The entry must be original (原创的). Stories not meeting this rule will be turned down .
·No attachments (附件), please . Put your story into the body of your email . Stories sent as attachments or images in the email will not be considered.
Our judges for the 53-Word Story Competition are the editors of Press 53 and Prime Number Magazine. The winner gets published in Prime Number Magazine and receives a free book from Press 53. We will request your photo and 53-word self-introduction if your story is our winner, so be prepared!
Enter our next 53-Word Story Competition!
1. How often does the competition take place?| A．Once a week. | B．Once a month. |
| C．Every three months. | D．Once a year. |
| A．It must have more than 53 words. | B．It must have a good title. |
| C．It must be from published articles. | D．It must be sent by email. |
| A．Some money. | B．A copy of Press 53. |
| C．A job offer. | D．A chance of being introduced. |
【推荐3】They train four hours a day, often waking up at 4:30 or 5 for before-school practices. Their evenings and weekends are eaten up by twice-weekly travel games. Every day is the same; there’s no break. No, these aren’t Olympic athletes; they’re kids.
The benefits of sports are obvious. So, it’s not surprising that, according to CNN, 41 million American children play competitive sports. But when does this become too much of a good thing?
Seven years ago, a survey in SportingKid magazine found 84 percent of athletes’ parents had observed belligerent behavior in other parents at games and that 80 percent had been targets of this behavior. What does this say about sports culture, and our culture as a whole? Some parents have become so crazy about their children’s winning that they don’t stop to think about what example they are setting.
If athletes are constantly surrounded by adults who scream at coaches and attack sports officials, they may think that this is acceptable behavior. They’ll try to win at all costs. In other words, they won’t know how to accept defeat, and learn from it.
The amount of time some athletes spend practicing can be dangerous. According to Sports Illustrated, over 3.5 million athletes younger than 15 suffered from a sports-related injury—that’s nearly one in ten! Many injuries cause permanent (永久的) damage if not treated.
So what can we do about this situation? Some argue that there is no problem, because sports has always been and will always be competitive. But did your grandparents spend hours each day practicing tennis or volleyball? No, they probably played with the neighborhood kids after school, not worrying about winning. All they wanted was to have fun. And that’s what we need to change in youth sports—focus on enjoyment.
1. What does the underlined word “belligerent” refer to?| A．Aggressive. | B．Mild. |
| C．Elegant. | D．Reasonable. |
| A．Young athletes’ scores will be affected. |
| B．Young athletes’ performance will suffer. |
| C．Young athletes won’t know how to succeed. |
| D．Young athletes won’t deal with failure properly. |
| A．Relaxed. | B．Critical. |
| C．Objective. | D．Humorous. |
| A．More practice, less failure |
| B．Fight for victory to the last second |
| C．Enjoyment first, competition second |
| D．Prohibit kids from competitive sports |
【推荐1】I still remember the days my grandmother used to take me on long walks along the summer grass. The sun was always shining on the small roots of the grass on the ground. I remember noticing how, even though the roots were small, they still managed to stick out. Even though there were other things that could attract people to the parts of the grass, somehow the mind always seemed to lead to the roots, or, more precisely, where it all started its origins.
I have learned to realize early on that if you come from a culture that is different from the mainstream culture, eventually you will have to choose. And sometimes, choosing isn’t an easy process. Growing up as a Korean American in the US, I have often felt the need to have to choose between the two cultures that I live by. Even with friends, I would be the outsider that is stuck somewhere in the middle.
On some days, I would choose to be the “white” version of myself, dyeing my hair blond, On other days, I would feel the need to relocate(迁移)to the Asian part of me. The part of me, also known as the “roots” of the grass, has always been kept hidden for whatever reason. Whenever I redye my own hair black, I get the feeling that I am preserving some of the roots that I may have left behind.
Sometimes, we just want to preserve those roots that we have kept hidden. We try extra hard to become “a part of”something we might have left behind. However, it is more meaningful if we allow that thing (culture in thin case) to become part of our daily lives. This way, we will become learn likely to forget “this” part of ourselves.
1. What did the author think of the roots of the grass on the ground?| A．They were too small to be seen. |
| B．They grew well in the summer daylight. |
| C．They looked less attractive than the leaves. |
| D．They were more likely to grab people’s attention. |
| A．She would feel stuck between two cultures. |
| B．She would feel desperate to share similarities with them. |
| C．She would feel unconcerned with any culture. |
| D．She would feel annoyed about their mainstream culture. |
| A．To create a new self-image. |
| B．To hide the Asian part of her. |
| C．To preserve her cultural roots. |
| D．To make her hair look natural. |
| A．The way to preserve our cultural roots. |
| B．The attitude we should hold to different cultures. |
| C．When in Rome do as the Romans do. |
| D．The longest journey begins with the first step. |
I once majored in architecture — something I had been crazy about for as long as I could remember — and then I suddenly had a change of heart. I made an appointment with my adviser, and told him I was no longer certain I wanted to pursue a career in architecture.
“Don’t give up on your childhood dream!” “He’s right,” I thought. “I should just stick it out and I shouldn’t disappoint the little girl who once loved architecture.”
It was awful. I was agonized, holding on to a childhood dream that had long since faded. When I talked with a friend about it a year later, he asked: “Right now, what do you want to do with your life?” That’s when I came to the realization that dreams change over time and that you should give up the childhood dream if it’s not what you want as an adult. Luckily, it wasn’t too late. After some serious thought, I changed my major to journalism. It wasn’t something I had always imagined myself pursuing — but at that moment, it was what I wanted.
We grow up, and sometimes our dreams change — and that’s perfectly OK. You just need to ask yourself every once in a while, “Is this still what I want?” If the answer is no, move on and start chasing a new one.
1. What does the author suggest in Paragraph 1?
| A．Past actions should be treasured. |
| B．It’s unwise to regret all the time. |
| C．Life would be dull without “What if?” |
| D．We make better decisions by looking back. |
| A．Proud | B．Determined | C．Unregretful | D．Painful |
| A．Changing a major was uncommon |
| B．Her advisor forced her not to do that |
| C．She thought it a betrayal(背叛) of her younger self |
| D．She didn’t want her childhood dream to fade. |
| A．Don’t follow others’ career advice |
| B．It’s OK to switch to our real love. |
| C．Improve us before realizing our dream |
| D．Childhood dreams are hard to insist on |
【推荐3】I have a special place in my heart for libraries. I have for as long as I can remember. I was always an enthusiastic reader, sometimes reading up to three books a day as a child. Stories were like air to me and while other kids played ball or went to parties, I lived out adventures through the books I checked out from the library.
My first job was working at the Ukiah Library when I was 16 years old. It was a dream job and I did everything from shelving books to reading to the children for story time.
As I grew older and became a mother, the library took on a new place and an added meaning in my life. I had several children and books were our main source (来源) of entertainment. It was a big deal for us to load up and go to the local library, where my kids could pick out books to read or books they wanted me to read to them.
I always read, using different voices, as though I were acting out the stories with my voice and they loved it! It was a special time to bond with my children and it filled them with the wonderment of books.
Now, I see my children taking their children to the library and I love that the excitement of going to the library lives on form generation to generation.
As a novelist, I’ve found a new relationship with libraries. I encourage readers to go to their local library when they can’t afford to purchase a book. I see libraries as a safe haven (避风港) for readers and writers, a bridge that helps put together a reader with a book. Libraries, in their own way, help fight book piracy (盗版行为) and 1 think all writers should support libraries in a significant way when they can. Encourage readers to use the library. Share library announcements on your social media. Frequent them and talk about them when you can.
1. Which word best describes the author’s relationship with books as a child?| A．Inseparable. | B．Uneasy. | C．Awful. | D．Casual. |
| A．Pleasure from working in the library. | B．A closer bond developed with the readers. |
| C．Fun from acting out the stories. | D．Joy of reading passed on in the family. |
| A．Give money to book fairs. | B．Write for social media. |
| C．Buy her novels. | D．Support libraries. |
| A．Reading: A Source of Knowledge | B．My Idea about writing |
| C．My Love of the Library | D．Library: A Haven for the Young |
