Don’t Take the Fun Out of Youth Sports

　　 When I joined a private football league a few years ago, the sport meant everything to me. My coach (教练)said that I had lots of potential (潜力), and I became captain of my __36__. That was before all the fun was taken out of __37__.

　　 At first, everyone on the team got __38__ playing time. Then the team moved up to the top division after winning all its games, and the __39__ started. Some parents, who had paid the coach extra so their daughters could have __40__ one-on-one training, got angry when she didn’t give them more playing time in our __41__. The coach was replaced.

　　 The new coach, however, took all the fun out of the game: All we did during practice was __42__. I always wished to God that it would rain so we would not have the __43__. Of course, all teams run drills; they are __44__. But we ran so much that, afterwards, we had trouble __45__. Younger people shouldn’t be doing exercises __46__ for 18-year-olds.

　　 I was very thin __47__ I started football, but as a member of this team I wouldn’t eat much, because I was afraid of being too __48__ to run. I feared making mistakes, and the added pressure caused me to make more than my usual __49__.

　　 Is all this pressure necessary? I __50__ up leaving the football team. Four other girls did the same, and two of them stopped playing football completely. That’s __51__, because they had so much potential. They were just burned-out with all the pressure they __52__ from the coach or their parents.

I continued playing football at school and __53__ my love for it. I joined a private team coached by my school coach. When I started playing __54__ him, he told me I needed to relax because I looked nervous. After I __55__ down, I played better. When you enjoy something, it’s a lot easier to do it well.

35. The writer was _________ his writing that he didn’t hear the ring at the door.

　 A. attracted in　　　 B. absorbed in　　　　 C. attracted to　　　 D. absorbed to

34. There ________ low and dirty houses by the lake.

　 A. used to be　　　 B. would be　　　　 C. had been　　　　 D. are being

33. Later, I wanted to return home but couldn’t find a company ________ I could use _______ I had learnt.

A. that; what　　　 B. when; what　　　 C. where; what　　　　 D. where; that

32. –Where was it ______ the road accident happened yesterday?

A. when　　　 B. that　　　　 C. which　　　　 D. how

31. The English play ______ my students acted at the New Year’s party was a great success.

A. for which　　　 B. at which　　　　 C. in which　　　　 D. on which

30. The president is now on a visit to Russia, _______ at expanding relations between the two countries.

A. aims　　　　 B. to aiming　　　　 C. being aimed　　　　 D. aimed

29. We didn’t plan the concert that way, but it _______ to be a great success.

A. worked out　　　 B. carried out　 　　　C. turned out　　　　 D. made out

28. _______ will it take to finish this job?

A. What time　 　　　B. How long　　　　 C. When 　　　　D. Whatever