My life as a little person is filled with stories. I enjoy talking to children and explaining why I look different from their parents．It has taken many years of   36   my confidence to be able to do that．
I didn’t   37   how short I was until I started school．As time went on，I just tried to smile and accept the fact that I was going to be   38   my whole life．I was determined to make my   39   an advantage rather than a disadvantage．My friends became increasingly   40   . They’d help me up the bus steps．If people were cruel，they would take them aside and   41   them．
  42   I lacked in height，I   43  in personality my ability to laugh，even at myself．For example，one time I was   44   the washing machine at my parents’ house to grab the wet clothes．I fell 45    in and yelled for Mother，who was sitting nearby reading the paper．Watching feet   46   everywhere，she laughed and said，“I should leave you in there.” I   47   her．
I’m 47 now，and the   48   have not reduced as I’ve grown older．People ask my friends if I live in a dollhouse．They look   49   when they see me get out of my car on the driver’s side．During those times，I try to keep a good   50   . When people are rude，I   51   myself，“Look what else I have --a great family，nice friends.”
And it’s the children’s questions that make my life   52   ．“Why are you so short? How old are you? Are you a mommy?” When I talk with children，they are left  53   that their questions have been answered．My hope is that in taking time with them，I will  54    them to accept their peers，whatever size and shape they come in，  55  treat them with respect．

A．developing B．recognizing C．regaining D．fulfilling

A．think B．realize C．mind D．feel

A．looked B．laughed C．noticed D．remembered

A．appearance B．character C．age D．uniqueness

A．protective B．angry C．bored D．friendly

A．correct B．punish C．beat D．push

A．When B．As C．What D．Though

A．made up for B．made up of C．made a mistake D．made my way

A．reaching into B．reaching for C．reaching out D．reaching at

A．down and over B．all the way C．completely apart D．almost alone

A．flying B．floating C．shaking D．dancing

A．laughed with B．got angry with C．made fun of D．looked down upon

A．height B．words C．children D．stares

A．in dishonesty B．in disbelief C．in satisfaction D．in horror

A．relationship B．impression C．attitude D．image

A．ask B．recall C．remind D．teach

A．special B．miserable C．uncertain D．changeable

A．content B．happy C．surprised D．curious

A．force B．encourage C．keep D．make

A．then B．so C．yet D．and