Another person’s enthusiasm was what set me moving toward the success I have achieved．That person was my stepmother．
I was nine years old when she entered our home in rural Virginia．My father__1__me to her with these words: “I would like you to meet the fellow who is___2 for being the worst boy in this county and will probably start throwing rocks at you no ___3 than tomorrow morning．”
My stepmother walked over to me, ___4 my head slightly upward, and looked me right in the eye．Then she looked at my father and replied, “You are ___5 ．This is not the worst boy at all, ___6 the smartest one who hasn’t yet found an outlet（释放的途径）for his enthusiasm．”
That statement began a（n） ___7 between us．No one had ever called me smart. My family and neighbors had built me up in my ___8 as a bad boy．My stepmother changed all that．
She changed many things．She ___9 my father to go to a dental school, from which he graduated with honors．She moved our family into the county seat, where my father’s career could be more ___10 and my brother and I could be better___11 ．
When I turned fourteen, she bought me a secondhand___12 and told me that she believed that I could become a writer．I knew her enthusiasm, I___13 it had already improved our lives．I accepted her ___14 and began to write for local newspapers．I was doing the same kind of___15 that great day I went to interview Andrew Carnegie and received the task which became my life’s work later．I wasn’t the ___16 beneficiary （受益者）．My father became the ___17 man in town．My brother and stepbrothers became a physician, a dentist, a lawyer, and a college president．
What power __18 has! When that power is released to support the certainty of one’s purpose and is ___19 strengthened by faith, it becomes an irresistible（不可抗拒的）force which poverty and temporary defeat can never ___20 ．
You can communicate that power to anyone who needs it．This is probably the greatest work you can do with your enthusiasm．
1．A．rushed B．sent C．carried D．introduced
2．A．distinguished B．favored C．mistaken D．rewarded
3．A．sooner B．later C．longer D．earlier
4．A．dragged B．shook C．raised D．bent
5．A．perfect B．right C．wrong D．impolite
6．A．but B．so C．and D．or
7．A．agreement B．friendship C．gap D．relationship
8．A．opinion B．image C．expectation D．mind
9．A．begged B．persuaded C．ordered D．invited
10．A．successful B．meaningful C．helpful D．useful
11．A．treated B．entertained C．educated D．respected
12．A．camera B．radio C．bicycle D．typewriter
13．A．considered B．suspected C．ignored D．appreciated
14．A．belief B．request C．criticism D．description
15．A．teaching B．writing C．studying D．reading
16．A．next B．same C．only D．real
17．A．cleverest B．wealthiest C．strongest D．healthiest
18．A．enthusiasm B．sympathy C．fortune D．confidence
19．A．deliberately B．happily C．traditionally D．constantly
20．A．win B．match C．reach D．doubt