The most important lesson I learned in high school had nothing to do with maths or American history．It came at graduation, several minutes before I left Miramonte High School．
I was rather shy back then, content to        around with my few friends and to concentrate on my         I was doing so well that by the end of senior year I had perfect scores and enough       to go to college．
But my good record soon became a       to my well-being．In early June of senior year, the headmaster called me into his office．He asked me to give a leave-taking speech at graduation．I looked at him, my heart         fast．This was the      for my hard work? I said something, but not very clearly, and hurried away from the office．
I was          about the decision, finally agreeing to compromise．I wasn't the only speaker—I would                 the honor with five other students．Still, it was doubtful whether the task was      me．How in the world would I give a speech to hundreds of people?
Graduation day soon arrived and, as     ．I was nervous．I'd been practicing my speech  for days, and I had it       ．But I had never been so      in my life．The first half hour of  the ceremony passed, and then my           came．My name was announced．I managed to reach  the platform without falling down．But within minutes, I was      , heading back to my seat．
Now I still have the       of that speech．My voice trembled a little, but          it was  clear and strong．I'm proud of that tape．I achieved something I'd never        I spoke in  front of hundreds of people．     I didn't realize it at the time, the successful completion of  that speech gave me the       to participate in class at college, to give oral reports, and to  eventually break free of my       .
I never would have chosen to give a speech at graduation．But I'm glad I did．I know it may  well turn out to be one of my shining moments．

A．hang B．look C．walk D．run

A．characters B．interests C．games D．subjects

A．money B．credits C．time D．standards

A．luck B．benefit C．fear D．solution

A．burning B．breaking C．aching D．beating

A．punishment B．reward C．arrangement D．sympathy

A．doubtful B．optimistic C．generous D．hesitant

A．share B．bring C．spare D．give

A．about B．for C．upon D．beyond

A．known B．hoped C．expected D．planned

A．thrown B．printed C．memorized D．completed

A．interested B．terrified C．excited D．disappointed

A．moment B．clay C．chance D．decision

A．defeated B．stopped C．clone D．stuck

A．picture B．tape C．paper D．word

A．partially B．immediately C．frankly D．mostly

A．dreamed B．made C．decided D．requested

A．Because B．When C．Although D．Unless

A．respect B．confidence C．freedom D．excuse

A．shyness B．pride C．stupidity D．Courage