Question

Changing Makes You More Confident

I used to hate being called upon in class mainly because I didn't like attention drawn to myself. And unless otherwise assigned (指定) a seat by the teacher, I always ______ to sit at the back of the classroom.

All this changed after I joined a sports team. It began when a teacher suggested I try out for the basketball team. At first I thought it was a ______ idea because I didn't have a good sense of balance, nor did I have the ______ to keep pace with the others on the team and they would laugh at me. But for the teacher who kept insisting on my "going for it", I wouldn't have decided to give it a try.

When I first started ______ the practice sessions, I didn't even know the rules of the game, much less what I was doing. Sometimes I'd get confused and take a shot at the wrong ______ —which made me feel really stupid. Fortunately, I wasn't the   only one "new" at the game, so I decided to focus on learning the game, do my best at each practice session, and not be too hard on myself for the things I didn't know "just yet".

I practiced and practiced. Soon I knew the ______ and the "moves". Being part of a team was fun and motivating (激励, 动力). With time, I learned how to play and made friends in the process — friends who respected my efforts to work hard and be a team player. I never had so much fun!

With my improved self-confidence comes more ______ from teachers and classmates. I have gone from " ______ " in the back of the classroom and not wanting to call attention to myself, to raising my hand— even when I sometimes wasn't 100 percent sure I had the right answer. Now I have more self-confidence in myself.

1.A.hoped B.chose C.meant D.agreed

2.A.good B.crazy C.common D.bright

3.A.patience B.right C.chance D.ability

4.A.attending B.preparing C.enjoying D.watching

5.A.discussion B.decision C.competition D.direction

6.A.steps B.orders C.rules D.games

7.A.praise B.advice C.comfort D.courage

8.A.dreaming B.talking C.fighting D.hiding

Answer

1.B

2.B

3.D

4.A

5.D

6.C

7.A

8.D

【解析】

本文是一篇记叙文。文章讲述我从一个不愿意表现自己的人，自从参加篮球训练以后满满的回了自信，变得信心满满的故事。

1.

句意：除非被老师指定位置，我总是选择坐在教室的后面。

hoped希望；chose选择；meant打算，意思是，agreed同意。根据前句“I used to hate being called upon in class mainly because I didn't like attention drawn to myself.”可知作者以前讨厌在课堂上被点名，主要是因为作者不喜欢别人把注意力集中在自己身上。所以作者选择坐在教室的后面。故选B。

2.

句意：一开始我认为这个是疯狂的想法，因为我没有很好的平衡感。

good好的；crazy疯狂的；common常见的；bright明亮的。根据后句“…because I didn't have a good sense of balance, nor did I have the ability to keep pace with the others on the team…”可知作者没有良好的平衡感，也没有能力跟上队里其他人的步伐。所以作者认为这个是疯狂的想法。故选B。

3.

句意：我没有良好的平衡感，也没有能力跟上队里其他人的步伐，他们会嘲笑我的。

patience耐心；right权利；chance机会，机遇；ability能力。根据固定搭配“have ability to do sth.”有能力做某事，结合语境，应是表达我没有能力跟上队里其他人的步伐之意。故选D。

4.

句意：当我第一次参加训练时，我甚至不知道比赛规则，更不知道我在做什么。

attending参加；preparing准备；enjoying享受，喜欢；watching观看。根据后句“ I didn't even know the rules of the game, much less what I was doing.”可知作者甚至不知道比赛规则，更不知道自己在做什么。可见作者是第一次参加训练。故选A。

5.

句意：有时我会感到困惑，朝错误的方向投篮——这让我觉得自己很蠢。

discussion讨论；decision决定；competition竞争；direction方向。根据前文可知作者加入的是篮球队，根据后文“…which made me feel really stupid.”这让我觉得自己很蠢。可见前句应是表达作者投到了自己队伍的篮筐里，也就是方向错了，所以作者才有这样的感受。故选D。

6.

句意：很快我就知道规则和“招式”。

steps步骤；orders命令；rules规则；games游戏，比赛。根据第三段“ I didn't even know the rules of the game…”可知作者当时不知道篮球比赛的规则。经过作者不断的练习，他现在知道了。故选C。

7.

句意：随着我自信的提高，老师和同学们对我的赞扬也越来越多。

praise表扬；advice建议；comfort安慰，舒适；courage勇气。根据前句“With time, I learned how to play and made friends in the process—friends who respected my efforts to work hard and be a team player…”可知作者了如何打球，并在这个过程中交到了朋友——那些尊重我努力工作和团队合作精神的朋友。所以作者自信心提高，自然也就获得了同学和老师的表扬。故选A。

8.

句意：我从“躲”在教室后面，不想引起别人注意我自己到举手——即使有时我不能百分之百地肯定我的答案是正确的。

dreaming梦想；talking交谈；fighting战斗；hiding隐藏。根据文中第一段“I used to hate being called upon in class mainly because I didn't like attention drawn to myself…I always chose to sit at the back of the classroom.”可知作者过去讨厌在班上被点名，不喜欢别人把注意力放在自己身上，所以总是选择坐在教室的后面。可见作者当初是躲在教室后面，不想引人注意。故选D。