English was always my favorite subject. In my freshman
year of high school, I could write a killer composition. In my junior year, my 1 allowed
me to give spelling tests to the class. I had wonderful 2 of
this year. Mrs. Alexander 3 me to sit at her desk
and take over the class when she had to leave the room. Only my senior English
class was 4 , as we had a teacher right out of college
who expected college-level work. Every student received a “C” or “D” grade the
first quarter. 5 English was still my subject.
I graduated from high school, 6 early
and had children. 7 about my English, I often
helped my kids with their English homework. And I 8 long
articles and beautiful poetry for a newspaper. Fifteen years later, I went to
college, and because I had been an “A” student, I 9 an
“A” student. I lived up to my own expectations.
Yesterday, I 10 my high
school report cards when I was reading old papers. That bundle (捆) of report cards 11 back
the old days. I remembered sitting in my advisor’s office, explaining that I
had always been excellent at English and complaining that I did not 12 a
“D” from that inexperienced teacher of my senior year. The advisor was 13 but
unable to change a grade.
My old 14 cards showed
something else too. I wanted to tear them up or 15 them.
I was not an “A” student in high school English! Somehow, I had convinced
myself of this, when the grades clearly reflected an 16 student
with an occasional “A” or “B”, but mostly “C”s.
Had I lived up to those 17 and
define (定义) myself according to those letters, I
would have never confidently 18 my writing
career. Had I believed in my early grades instead of myself, I would have
allowed my fear of 19 to defeat my enthusiasm and
damage my creativity. 20 , I regarded my younger self
as an “A” English student, except for that undeserved “D”.
1. A.teacher B.headmaster C.classmate D.monitor
2. A.memories B.thoughts C.expectations D. impressions
3. A.forced B.appointed C.permitted D.begged
4. A.active B.creative C.interesting D. disappointing
5. A.So B.But C.And D.Or
6. A.worked B.married C.succeeded D. progressed
7. A.Confident B.Happy C.Sorry D. Anxious
8. A.wrote B.edited C.read D. copied
9. A.met B.lost C.admired D.remained
10. A. counted B.remembered C.discovered D.approached
11. A. turned B.brought C.held D. put
12. A. deserve B. make C.receive D. learn
13. A. sympathetic B. energetic C.angry D. sad
14. A. birthday B. post C.invitation D. report
15. A. keep B. correct C.hide D. send
16. A. silent B. bright C.average D. outstanding
17. A. figures B. grades C.papers D. words
18. A. changed B. ended C.damaged D.sought
19. A. change B. risk C. stress D. failure
20. A. Otherwise B. Besides C.Instead D. Still