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. The school took part in the league matches every year. However, it never ended well. We were more of the audience, watching and cheering instead of sweating out in the fields.
Fortunately, the school held the tradition that the school’s old team was to play against the new team at the end of spring practice. For lack of resources, the old team bad no coach, and they didn’t even practice to prepare for the game.
I was assigned (指派) as the coach of the new team, which was why I was excited. I believed that we were going to win, but to my disappointment, we were defeated. I couldn’t believe I had got into such a situation. Thinking hard about it, I tried to figure out the reason and what I should do next.
It didn’t take long before I came to realize that my team was depending on me. Without proper guidance or previous experience, my team was at a loss what to do. I had to change my attitude so that I could bring out the best in them about their ability and potential.
I would let my action do the talking. First, I started doing anything I could to help them build a little pride. I could see their spirits lifted, with their head held high in great confidence. Most importantly, I began to treat them like winners. Only when they regarded themselves as winners could they willingly invest time and energy.
This summer, the other teams enjoyed their vacations.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Six months later, football season started.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . I was born without hands and feet. It is a rare condition. Living with that misfortune has made me who I am today.
My parents helped me develop tools to overcome my challenges. When I was two, my dad decided that my family would stop helping me eat. He knew that one day I’d live on my own, so I’d have to look after myself. I learned to eat with a spoon, and then with a knife and fork. It gave me a huge sense of achievement.
My darkest moment came when I was 10. My family had moved from Indiana to Georgia. In Indiana, friends treated me as normal. But in Georgia, it was different. I felt very aware of my disability. I worried I’d have to live at home forever. I felt hopeless about the future.
My world changed when I got into sports. I started playing football. Everything came together when I made my first tackle (抢断球) at age 11. It was my first real achievement.
Everyone I played against was able-bodied. At first, I struggled. But I threw everything I had into learning to be the best player. I turned my lack of height into a weapon.
Then I decided to start wrestling (摔跤). I lost 35 games, but then I had a breakthrough. I had an amazing coach who helped me invent moves that took advantage of my strength. My different body type was a psychological advantage-opponents (对手) didn’t know how to handle it. I eventually finished 12th in the103-pound weight class in the championships.
I keep going in the face of difficulties. Instead of thinking about the final goal, I focus on the near future. When I’m climbing a mountain, I’m down on all fours looking at the ground. It’s not going to do me any good to look up at the top.
I just figure out how to do the best I can with the next few feet in front of me.
1. Why did the parents stop helping the writer eat?| A．To give him a sense of achievement. | B．To let him get used to the new tools. |
| C．To push him to be more independent. | D．To prepare him for his new life in Georgia. |
| A．Excited. | B．Relaxed. |
| C．Anxious. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．By training himself independently. |
| B．By learning from different opponents. |
| C．By developing a psychological advantage. |
| D．By learning how to better use his strength. |
| A．He concentrates on what’s directly ahead. | B．He highly values the final goal. |
| C．He complains a lot about his misfortune. | D．He dreams big despite his disability. |
3 . After leaving the publishing industry in my fifties, I chose a university to follow my love for animal biology. I regard the experience as a change for my self-confidence, both inside and outside the classroom.
My background is in the arts, so I wanted to see if I could keep up with a science degree. I was a carer for my parent when I was 18, so I didn’t have the opportunity to go to university then. I was a little nervous, and worried, but I was actually treated the same as all the other students.
I’m definitely a bit of a mum figure to some of my classmates, but that’s fine. Friendship grows in different ways. I’ve done lots of volunteering, so there have been plenty of opportunities to extend my knowledge and experience.
My family have been so supportive. My husband is retired(退休) now and has taken on lots of the housework so that I can study. My daughter has already g other degree and she’s been great helping me get new views. I’ve hunted for a few jobs at the university, and I’m also considering other qualifications. I have learned so much about critical thinking.
I would recommend adult study to anyone, even if it’s just college, so they can feel that connection and support. That’s what I missed-going in regularly and having a group of people to talk to, especially if you have gradually lost your confidence over the years You need the support from people who see you as a person and not just a mum or a wife. It’s really given me the confidence to speak up again, to join in and be part of the society.
1. Why did the author choose a university?| A．To teach arts. | B．To get a degree. |
| C．To follow her passion. | D．To find a better job. |
| A．Keeping a science degree. | B．Taking care of her parents. |
| C．Being nervous about study. | D．Showing no interest in university. |
| A．She got on better with her old friends. |
| B．She learned to be stricter with herself. |
| C．She was more responsible for her housework. |
| D．She became more confident to express herself. |
| A．It Is Never Too Old to Learn. |
| B．Hard Work Is the Key to Success. |
| C．Family Support Is of Great Importance. |
| D．Volunteering Is Helpful in Developing Friendship. |
4 . It’s often the simple things in life that make the most significant impact on us. It was late one afternoon in mid-September. My three-month-old son was napping in his
Down below
Not more than ten feet away stood his mother. She didn’t scold him.
The little boy probably will
Maybe we can all learn from the innocence of
| A．desk | B．bed | C．toy | D．chair |
| A．jump at | B．turn around | C．look out of | D．stare at |
| A．formed | B．left | C．saved | D．collected |
| A．waved | B．trembled | C．stood | D．slid |
| A．birds | B．cars | C．ash | D．water |
| A．by and by | B．up and down | C．now and then | D．over and over |
| A．Instead | B．However | C．Therefore | D．Also |
| A．still | B．hesitantly | C．anxiously | D．close |
| A．embarrassing | B．confusing | C．touching | D．exhausting |
| A．experience | B．remember | C．forget | D．recall |
| A．grows up | B．loses heart | C．turns in | D．cries out |
| A．visit | B．explore | C．find | D．understand |
| A．loves | B．helps | C．scolds | D．kisses |
| A．youth | B．childhood | C．adolescence | D．adulthood |
| A．enjoy | B．share | C．stop | D．await |
5 . When I was young, I loved and really did well in drawing and art. I won awards, got constant attention, and even saw my face in the
Most people who happen to come across something that they are good at are
All the while, my true desire was
Though well intended, eighteen years later I'm
I'm sure there are things in your life that are
| A．street | B．school | C．newspaper | D．book |
| A．draw | B．act | C．learn | D．show |
| A．encouraged | B．invited | C．developed | D．permitted |
| A．perfect | B．different | C．similar | D．lucky |
| A．art | B．fixing | C．writing | D．music |
| A．won | B．ignored | C．missed | D．lost |
| A．interest | B．competition | C．career | D．talent |
| A．had | B．made | C．found | D．met |
| A．Give up | B．Take in | C．Stick to | D．Put away |
| A．glad | B．sorry | C．sad | D．sure |
| A．training | B．contests | C．articles | D．trouble |
| A．appearance | B．change | C．mention | D．name |
| A．forgot | B．regretted | C．expected | D．grown |
| A．challenging | B．beautiful | C．appealing | D．hopeful |
| A．young | B．bad | C．usual | D．easy |
