There are a lot of unforgettable thing in our life. The most unforgettable one for me is the speech competition holding last year. When my English teacher told me that I had chosen to take part in the speech competition, I devoted me to the preparation. I was determined to win the first prize. I was such nervous when I stood on the stage that I forgot everything. Not until I caught a sight of my teacher did I calm down. Finally, I do a good job. When I heard I got the first prize, my heart was filled in joy and tears rolled down. Through this speech competition, I understand that it is confidence which makes people successfully.

Tony and I were in our school basketball team, the Lions. We loved basketball and were both huge fans of the NBA. When we weren’t playing on the court, we were watching a game on TV. My favourite player was LeBron James while Tony’s was Tyrone Bogues.

Bogues was only 1.6 metrest all, which made him the shortest player ever in the NBA. Guess what? Tony was only 1.6metrest all, too! Tony knew that being shorter than other players meant that he had to practise more. During all those hours of doing jump shots on his own, he used Bogues as his inspiration. Tony once said, “If Bogues could make it, why not me?”

But our coach was not so sure. Tony had to tryout many times just for making the team. He was still usually on the bench(场边休息区), being just a replacement. Everyone knew Tony had real skills, and was someone who worked really hard and had a strong desire to play for the team. However, Tony didn’t get a chance.

This week, the Lions were playing our main competitors, the Bears, a team whose record this season had been perfect. They hadn’t lost a single game.

The last quarter began, and my team was behind by 10 points. Suddenly, a player and I crashed into each other. Pain raced through my body. My knee hurt badly. “I don’t think I can play anymore, coach,” I said quietly as the doctor put an icepack on my knee.

“No way,” the coach replied sharply. “We’ve got no more players!”

4 . The annual marathon in my town occurred as scheduled. My job was to follow behind the runners in an ambulance in case any of them needed medical attention. As the athletes began to pace themselves, the front runners started to disappear. It was then that my eyes were drawn to the woman in blue running shorts and a baggy white T-shirt.

I knew we were already watching our “last runner”. Her feet turned in, yet her left knee was turned out. Her legs were so crippled and bent that it seemed impossible for her to walk, let alone run a marathon.

The driver and I watched in silence as she slowly moved forward. We would move forward a little bit, then stop and wait for her to gain some distance. Then we’ d slowly move forward a little bit more. As I watched her struggle to put one foot in front of the other, I found myself expecting her and urging her forward. I wanted her to stop, and at the same time, I hoped that she wouldn’t.

Finally she was the only runner left in sight. I sat on the edge of my seat and watched with respect and amazement as she pushed forward with strong determination through the last miles. When the finish line came into sight, the cheering crowds had long gone home. Yet she didn’t give up and crossed the line.

I don’t know this woman’s name, but that day she became a part of my life — a part I often depend on. For her, it wasn’t about beating the other runners or winning a prize. It was about finishing what she had set out to do. When I think things are too difficult or I get those “I-just-can’t-do-it,” I think of the last runner. Then I realize how easy the task before me really is.

Be Sporty, Be Healthy

Yours

Li Hua

9 . No one is born a winner. People make themselves into winners by their own_________.

I learned this lesson from a(n)_________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 school’s old team to play against the_________team at the end of spring practice. The old team had no coach, and they didn’t even practice to_________the game. Being the coach of the new team, I was excited because I knew we were going to win, but to my disappointment we were defeated. I couldn’t_________ I had got into such a situation. Thinking hard about it, I came to   _________that my team might not be the number one team in Georgia, but they were _________me. I had to change my_________about their ability and potential.   

I started doing anything I could to help them build a little_________. Most important, I began to treat them like winners. That summer, when the other teams enjoyed their__________, we met every day and__________passing and kicking the football.

Six months after suffering our defeat on the spring practice field, we won our first game and our second, and continued to__________. 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__________the members of a team. Instead of seeing my boys as losers, I pushed and__________them. I helped them to see themselves__________, and they built themselves into winners.

Winners are made, not born.