America is built on the idea of freedom, and there is no exception for Muslim women. I        the freedom of religion and speech. But mostly, I believe it’s OK to be        , and to stand up for who and what you are. So I believe in wearing the hijab.
The hijab is a religious head covering, like a scarf. I am Muslim, and keeping my head covered is a        of maturity and respect toward my         and to Allah’s will.        , I also like to wear it to be different. I don’t usually like to do what everyone else is doing. I want to be a(n)          , not just part of the crowd. But when I first wore it, I was also afraid of the           that I’d get at school.
I        on my own that sixth grade was the        I should start wearing the hijab. I was        about what the kids would say or even do to me. I thought they might make fun of me, or        be scared of me and        my head-scarf. Kids at that age usually like to be all the same, and there’s little or no        of differences.
On the first day of school, I put all those      thoughts behind my back and walked in with my head held high. I was holding my breath a little, but        I was also proud to be a Muslim, proud to be wearing the hijab, proud to be different.
I was        about everything I thought the kids would say or even do to me. I actually met a lot of people because of wearing my head covering. Most of the kids would come and ask me questions —       — about the hijab and why I wore it.
I did hear some kids were making fun of me,       there was one girl — she wasn’t even in my class, we never really talked much — and she spoke        me, and I wasn’t even there! I made a lot of new friends that year, friends that I still have until this very day, five years later.
Yes, I’m different, but everyone is different here, in one way or another. This is the beauty of America, which lies in its         .

A．believe in B．stick to C．believe D．insist

A．independent B．free C．sensitive D．different

A．signal B．sign C．reminder D．symbol

A．religion B．country C．parents D．status

A．In a word B．In general C．To be exact D．To be honest

A．princess B．heroine C．individual D．adult

A．praise B．punishment C．reaction D．reflection

A．hoped B．expected C．realized D．decided

A．time B．chance C．case D．occasion

A．disappointed B．scared C．enthusiastic D．angry

A．still B．already C．even D．ever

A．show off B．pull off C．pick up D．put up

A．rejection B．ignorance C．awareness D．acceptance

A．negative B．optimistic C．serious D．strange

A．often B．inside C．only D．outside

A．concerned B．particular C．wrong D．convinced

A．respectfully B．cautiously C．suspiciously D．critically

A．and B．so C．but D．or

A．in terms of B．in front of C．in charge of D．in favor of

A．significance B．diversity C．value D．power