Michael Jordan, known as “Air Jordan”, changed basketball with his graceful moves and jumps. Apart from his skills, it was his mental strength     1     he showed that made him unique. In the final seconds of a game, Jordan always seemed to find a way to win. He said, “I can accept failure; everyone     2    (fail) at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”     3    (lose) games taught him to practise harder and never give up.

“Living Legends of Sports” are athletes     1     are masters in their sports and also set a good example for others, like Lang Ping and Michael Jordan.

Lang Ping, a former Chinese volleyball player, is now the coach of the Chinese national women’s volleyball team. She brought honour and glory to her country both as a player and as a coach,     2    (win) the love from fans at home and abroad. At the 2015 World Cup, Chinese women’s team met with many difficulties. The team that Lang Ping built was falling apart because of     3    (lose) two important players.     4    (face) with such a big problem, she didn’t lose heart. She believed that her players had the     5    (determine) and talent to win by working together as a team.

As a player, Lang Ping brought honour and glory     1     her country. As a coach, she     2     (lead) the China women’s volleyball team to medals at world championships and the Olympics. As a person, Lang Ping is loved by fans at home and abroad. When the Chinese team was preparing for the 2015 World Cup, her     3     (determinate) was tested. The team that Lang Ping had built was falling apart, but she did not lose heart. Two weeks later, they were world     4     (champion).

Basketball fans around the world are mourning the     1    (die) of American superstar Kobe Bryant. Bryant, along     2     his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people,     3    (kill) in a helicopter crash Sunday in California. 41-year-old Bryant was an 18-time All-Star player and     4    (win) five NBA championships and two Olympic gold medals. He is considered one of the     5    (great) basketball players of his generation. The helicopter     6    (carry) Bryant and the others crashed into a hilly area in foggy conditions outside Los Angeles.    7    caused the crash is under investigation (调查).It took place about thirty-two kilometers from Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy, a basketball training center in Newbury Park, California. Bryant was on his way     8    (attend) a youth basketball competition with his daughter. When he retired from the NBA in 2016, Bryant was     9     third-leading scorer in NBA history with 33, 643 points. He is     10    (wide) expected to be elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this year.