The 100th Running Shoe Keychain
When I was in Grade 6, I joined the cross country running club. I hated running but______ because my friends were in the club. I worked hard but no matter how hard I trained, I ______ came in the last. After yet another meet where I came in last, I told my coach that I was going to ______. I couldn’t run. I hated running and all I was doing was pulling the ______ down. I don’t remember his words, but I do remember he ______to let me quit. I remember feeling that he believed in me even though I didn’t believe in myself. I kept ______and participating in the meets. He never gave up on me. Instead, he always encouraged me to keep going, and told me that I could do it.
Then the final meet came, a huge ______ with less than two hundred students running. We learned that not only the first 20 students ______ the line would win an award, but also the first 100 would be given a running shoe keychain as encouragement. We set off and I quickly______behind. I didn’t stop and kept running. My friends who_____me encouraged me to keep running. When I passed the_____, finally, and received the 100th keychain, there were still students behind me. For the first time, I was not the_____one! I remember how excited I felt and how my friends felt happy for me.
The following week there was a school gathering. We were all called up in front of the school. The coach shared that we were high_____at the meet, and almost everyone on the team came home with_____. I felt ashamed, for I was the one who didn’t win an award. I only came in the 100th place and didn’t______ his praise. Then he came behind me, put his hands on my shoulders and told the school he was _____of me because I never gave up and because of that, I pulled from last ______to the middle of the race--which was an unbelievable personal ______. He spoke on how we all ______one another and how well we worked together, ______we all were racing alone.
I still keep that keychain, which tells me never to give up and always work with others. It doesn’t matter if you are the first; what matters is doing your best.

A．obeyed B．joined C．agreed D．practised

A．constantly B．approximately C．personally D．absolutely

A．fall B．lose C．rest D．quit

A．score B．coach C．team D．record

A．regretted B．forbade C．refused D．hesitated

A．begging B．applying C．failing D．training

A．affair B．success C．amount D．honour

A．to B．beyond C．over D．across

A．followed B．fell C．left D．kept

A．helped B．inspired C．passed D．supported

A．field B．line C．test D．match

A．least B．last C．quickest D．farthest

A．spots B．speeds C．quality D．chance

A．presents B．keychains C．wishes D．awards

A．believe B．value C．deserve D．request

A．aware B．proud C．capable D．sure

A．place B．number C．race D．minute

A．matter B．ambition C．victory D．opinion

A．encouraged B．introduced C．proved D．attracted

A．as if B．in case C．as long as D．even though