I wanted to be just like those big kids I saw wearing their medals and carrying their ribbons(绶带). So I____the crosscountry team at my school.
However, I was very slow in the team. In races, I would finish almost____. I'd always have to____in the longer races.The__  __races and at least 100 people competing in it made me really____. Every time I stopped, 10 people would__  __me. But I still couldn't push myself to keep going, even though I____watching them go by me. After every race, I'd go home and burst into tears.
Then one of my friends joined the crosscountry team, too. She never got tired and didn't get cramp(抽筋) in her legs. I just didn't understand how that was____! I'd been running much longer than she had, but she could run__  __while I had to suffer. She even came 8th in a big race with over 200 people in it! My____was lower than ever and I wanted to quit badly.
I didn't, ____. Even a whole month before a race, I'd get so nervous that I felt like I might give up. Still, I____to quit. I still had that____appearing in my mind and I hung on to it.
Finally, I realized the reason why the bigger races made me so nervous was that I was always worried that I wasn't____for them. I started to practice at home almost every day. I____a plan that had me running almost three kilometers every day, which helped me build up a steady____.
When the time came for the big race, all the practice really____. I stopped only once and my pace was much better.
I was____of myself for sticking with it even though it was really hard and I'd even wanted to quit. I showed myself that I was____enough to keep going. That was what made me feel good about myself and gave me confidence.
The next time I'm faced with a tough____, I will know that I can take it up. None of this would ever have happened if I had quitted!

A．liked B．admired C．supported D．joined

A．best B．first C．last D．least

A．stop B．rest C．breathe D．suffer

A．exciting B．tiring C．interesting D．disturbing

A．nervous B．frightened C．sad D．angry

A．help B．encourage C．leave D．pass

A．missed B．hated C．avoided D．escaped

A．equal B．reasonable C．fair D．tolerable

A．quickly B．easily C．happily D．hopefully

A．strength B．demand C．goal D．confidence

A．yet B．either C．though D．still

A．refused B．decided C．failed D．wanted

A．lesson B．faith C．future D．picture

A．suitable B．active C．ready D．well

A．took out B．mapped out C．figured out D．let out

A．pace B．race C．will D．level

A．set off B．paid off C．got off D．took off

A．sure B．aware C．proud D．afraid

A．strong B．patient C．steady D．devoted

A．job B．sport C．competition D．challenge