A serious defeat I suffered when I was only 10 years old helped me win the 1968 Olympic ice skating championship. It also gave me a deadly 16 ---- the other Peggy Fleming. Just before that, I had been roller-skating, playing basketball, and could climb 17 a tree as well as any boy. So Dad 18 me to take skating lessons. And soon I 19 several local figure-skating (花样滑冰) awards. Then came the Pacific Coast Championship in Los Angeles.
I, a very confident young girl, proud of the 20 of friends and newspapers, walked into the stadium 21 to add another laurel (桂冠) to my recent success. Out on the ice, I 22 enjoyed myself, flying through all kinds of figures I knew so well. But when the 23 were posted, I was 24 ---- out of the 12 competitors I had finished last! The 25 burned as bright as my skate knives: “You didn’t skate your best!” I knew that only one person had 26 me that day ---- myself, my own 27 .
When I trained for Olympics, I would 28 the same 69 figures over and over, eight hours a day. A skater must do five figures for the Olympics, but you aren’t told 29 the last minute which figures these will be. So you must be very 30 with the 69 figures. Often in the middle of practicing a figure, the other Peggy Fleming would whisper, “Good enough ---- why 31 yourself so hard?” And then I would 32 my lesson in Los Angeles.
Now I skate professionally. 33 I still face this competitor, myself. I firmly believe that each of us has been given a special 34 . And if we bury our talent in our own self-satisfaction, simply do not want to make the effort or fear trying, we will 35 completely.
16. A. follower B. leader C. injury D. competitor
17. A. up B. over C. off D. down
18. A. promised B. ordered C. encouraged D. chose
19. A. lost B. won C. issued D. donated
20. A. help B. praise C. instruction D. explanation
21. A. expecting B. agreeing C. hating D. pretending
22. A. exactly B. gradually C. frequently D. totally
23. A. results B. letters C. bags D. advertisements
24. A. annoyed B. embarrassed C. shocked D. excited
25. A. comment B. lesson C. visit D. example
26. A. surprised B. honored C. blamed D. beaten
27. A. self-defense B. self-destruction C. self-satisfaction D. self-care
28. A. learn B. research C. practice D. photograph
29. A. in B. after C. at D. until
30. A. familiar B. angry C. careful D. disappointed
31. A. criticize B. force C. hit D. ignore
32. A. remember B. start C. miss D. plan
33. A. So B. But C. Since D. Or
34. A. requirement B. knowledge C. talent D. education
35. A. lie B. survive C. recover D. fail