The opposing team was fast and I had to admit I was a little  14  .  But my mom’s words   15  out in my head like a church bell. Instead of being afraid, I was “pumped” and I very quickly found that all my  16  work was paying off.  I was as fast a skater as anyone else on the ice, and I seemed to get the   17   to score. The crowd went quiet.  All the time I spent on the ice when everyone had gone home had 18  me for this moment.

Won! I won!

 The lesson I learned from my mom’s  19  has stayed with me over the years. I hear them whenever I am faced with a challenge, or whenever I  20  myself.  

1. A. once                     B. seldom                     C. usually                     D. even

2. A. meetings               B. shows                       C. matches                   D. practices  

3. A. cloudy                  B. wet                          C. cold                         D. windy

4. A. suffered                B. explained                  C. planned                    D. escaped

5. A. write                   B. break                        C. read                         D. report