1 . THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

Near the small town of Grottoes, Virginia, a narrow dirt road goes from the house of Stephen Curry’s grandfather to the woods nearby. A far cry from the bright lights and shiny courts of the National Basketball Association (NBA), it was along this road that Stephen’s grandfather built a simple basket by attaching a piece of plastic to a telephone pole.

Like his father, basketball star Dell Cury, Stephen spent many childhood hours playing on this muddy basketball court. He probably didn’t realise it at the time, but it was where he learnt to be creative and flexible as a player. You see, with every shot, the weak plastic backboard gave way. The bumps and rocks that lined the road under the basket caused the ball to bounce in all directions. Knowing where the ball would go wasn’t easy. He had to adjust his own playing style as a result. Shooting with great accuracy was another thing he learnt. Only shots perfectly aimed at its centre went into the heavy, thick basket. In this way, practising day in and day out helped Stephen sharpen his skills.

Despite his father’s successful career, Stephen was thought by many people, including his high school teammates and coaches, to be too short, too thin and too weak to follow in his father’s footsteps. But Stephen carried on. Playing basketball was his dream. He would not give up. He finally ended up playing college ball at a small, little-known school, Davidson College, not too far from where he lived. His creativity and perseverance made him Davidson’s star player.

Selected for the NBA in 2009, Stephen joined the Golden State Warriors. He performed beyond everyone’s expectations with his accurate shooting and continuous efforts. In 2015, Stephen won his first NBA championship, and he led the Warriors to their first championship since 1975.

After receiving the Most Valuable Player award for two years in row, Stephen explained his philosophy, “I never really set out to change the game... What I wanted to do was just be myself... I know it inspires a lot of the next generation, a lot of people who love the game of basketball to value the skill of it, value the fact that you can work every single day to get better. You’ve got to be able to put in the time and the work. That’s how I got here. That’s how I continue to get better every single day.” Inspiring others to believe in themselves, Stephen Curry is living proof that what other people thing of you does not have to influence what you become. Through self-belief, hard work, perseverance and some help from an old hoop, he has shown that anything is possible.

1. What’s Stephen’s first basket?

A．A second-hand basket bought by his grandfather.

B．A piece of plastic attached to a telephone pole.

C．A new one built in the woods nearby.

D．A wooden one picked up behind the house.

2. How did Stephen Curry settle the problem that it was hard to know where the ball would go?

A．To play in a small court.

B．To adjust his own style.

C．To strengthen the plastic backboard.

D．To bounce the ball in all directions.

3. Why was he thought to be a failure as a basketball player by many people?

A．Because his father was too excellent.

B．Because he ended up playing at a small little-known team.

C．Because he was far from a well-built player.

D．Because he came from a small town far away.

4. How did Stephen Curry win other’s recognition?

A．With his accurate shooting and continuous efforts.

B．By joining the Golden State Warriors.

C．By following in his father’s footsteps.

D．With the help of his grandfather.

5. What’s the author's purpose in writing the passage?

A．To explain why Stephen Curry was doubted by many people.

B．To inform people about Stephen Curry’s basketball skills.

C．To inspire people with Stephen Curry’s determination to succeed.

D．To tell what Stephen Curry has achieved during his career.