第一节：完形填空（共 20 小题；每小题 1.5 分，满分 30 分） 阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C 和 D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

　　I used to hate being called upon in class mainly because I didn't like attention drawn to myself. And__1__otherwise assigned(指定)a seat by the teacher, I always___2___to sit at the back of the classroom.

　　All this__3__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 crazy__4__because I didn't have a good sense of balance, nor did I have the__5__to keep pace(节奏) with the others on the team and they would tease me. But for the teacher who kept insisting on my"__6__for it"， I wouldn't have decided to give a try.

　　Getting up the courage to go to the tryouts was only the__7__of it! When I first started__8__the practice sessions, I didn't even know the rules of the game, much__9__what I was doing. Sometimes I'd get__10__and take a shot at the wrong direction － which made me feel really stupid.__11__， I wasn't the only one "new" at the game, so I decided to__12_on learning the game, do my best at each practice session, and not be too hard on myself for the things I didn't__13__"just yet"（恰好现在）．

　　I practiced and practiced. Soon I knew the__14__and the "moves". Being part of a team was fun and motivating. Very soon the competitive__15__in me was winning over my lack of confidence. With time, I learned how to play and made friends in the__16__ － friends who respected my efforts to work hard and be a team player. I never had so much fun!

With my__17__self­confidence comes more praise from teachers and classmates. I have gone from"__18__"in the back of the classroom and not wanting to call attention to myself ， __19__raise my hand－even when I sometimes wasn't and not 100 percent__20__I had the right answer. Now I have more self­confidence in myself.