I grew up poor－living with my wonderful mother. We had little money, but plenty of love and attention. I was 　1 and energetic. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, he could still 　2 a dream.

　 My dream was 　3 . By the time I was sixteen, I started playing baseball. I could throw a ninety-mile-per-hour fastball and 　4 anything that moved on the football field. I was also 　5 : My high school coach was John, who not only believed in me, but also taught me 　6 to believe in myself. He 　7 me the difference between having a dream and remaining true to that dream. One particular 　8 with Coach John changed my life forever.

　 A friend recommended me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my pocket－money for a new bike, new clothes and the 　9 of savings for a house for my mother. Then I realized I would have to 　10 up summer baseball to handle the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell John I wouldn’t be playing.

　 When I told John, he was 　11 as I expected him to be. “You have your whole life to work, ”He said. “Your 12 days are limited. You can’t afford to waste them. ”I stood before him with my head 　13 , trying to think of the 　14 that would explain to him why my dream of buying my mom a house and having money in my pocket was worth facing his 　15 in me.

　 “How much are you going to make at this job, son? ”He asked. “3.5 dollars an hour, ”I replied.

　 “Well, ”he asked, “is $3.5 an hour the price of a dream? ”

　 That simple question made 　16 for me the difference between 　17 something right now and having a 　18 . I decided myself to play sports that summer and the next year I was 　19 by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play baseball, and was 　20 a $20,000 contract（agreement）. In 1999, I bought my mother the house of my dream!

1. A. happy　　　　　 　　　 B. polite　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. shy　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. honest

2. A. live　　　　　　　 　 B. afford　　　　　　　　 　 C. make　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. need

3. A. athletics　　　　 　 B. music　　　　　　　　 　 C. business　　　　　　　　　　 D. money

4. A. kick　　　　　　　　　　 　 B. play　　　　　　　　　 　 C. pass　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. hit

5. A. right　　　　　　　　　　 　 B. popular　　　 　 C. lucky　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. confident

6. A. how　　　　　　　　　　 　 B. why　　　　　　　　　 　 C. when　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. whether

7. A. gave　　　　　　　　　　 　 B. taught　　　　　　　　 　 C. brought　　　　　　　 D. asked

8. A. accident　　　　 B. matter　　　　　 　 C. problem　　　　　　　　　　 D. experience

9. A. aim　　　　　　　 　 B. idea　　　　　　　　　 　 C. start　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. purpose

10. A. keep　　　　　　　　　 　 B. end　　　　　　　　　　 　 C. give　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. pick

11. A. mad　　　　　　　　　 　 B. mournful　　　　　　 　 C. frightened　　　　　 D. shameful

12. A. living　　　　　　　　 　 B. playing　　　　 　 C. working　　　　　　 D. learning

13. A. moving　　　 　 B. nodding　　　 　 C. shaking　　　　　　　 D. hanging

14. A. answers　　　　　　 　 B. excuses　　　 　 C. words　　　　　　　　　　　 D. ways

15. A. sadness　　　 　 B. regret　　　　　 C. hopelessness　　 D. disappointment

16. A. direct　　　　　　　　 　 B. clear　　　　　　　　　 　 C. straight　　　　　　　 D. bare

17. A. wanting　　　　　　 　 B. changing　　　　　　 　 C. dreaming　　　　　　　　　 D. enjoying

18. A. wish　　　　　　　　　 　 B. goal　　　　　　　　　 　 C. score　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. desire

19. A. fired　　　　　　　　　 　 B. accompanied　　　 　 C. avoided　　　　　　　 D. hired

20. A. paid　　　　　　　　　 　 B. got　　　　　　　　　　 　 C. offered　　　　　　　 D. presented

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The Brick

　　About ten years ago, a young and very successful manager named Josh was travelling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit fast in his 1 car.

　　He was watching for kids rushing out from between parked cars. 2 his car passed, no child rushed out, but a brick did and WHUMP! It 3 his shiny black side door! Josh 4 out of his car, grabbed the kid and pushed him up 5 a parked car. He shouted at the kid,“ 6 was that all about and who are you? Just what are you doing?”He went on with 7 “That's my new Jaguar, that brick you threw is going to cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?”

　　“Please, mister, please…I'm 8 ! I didn't know what else to do!” 9 the youngster.“I threw the brick 10 no one else would stop!”Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he 11 around the parked car.“It's my brother, mister,”he said.“He rolled 12 the sidewalk and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't 13 him up.”Sobbing, the boy asked the manager,“Would you please help me get him 14 into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.”

15　　 beyond words, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief 16 wiped the cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then 17 the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home.

　　It was a long and slow walk back to his expensive car. Josh 18 did fix the side door of his Jaguar. He kept the damage to 19 him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention. Pay 20 to the bricks of life coming at to you.