11．The Price of a Dream
I grew up poor．We had little money，but plenty of love and attention．I understood that no matter how poor a person was，they could still afford a dream．My dream was athletics．
By the time I was sixteen，I was good at baseball and football．My high-school coach was Ollie Jarvis．He not only believed in me，but taught me the difference between having a dream and showing conviction（信念）．
One summer a friend recommended me for a summer job．This meant a chance for money in my pocket-cash for dates with girls，certainly，money for a new bike and new clothes，and the start of savings for a house for my mother．
Then I realized I would have to give up summer baseball to handle the work schedule，and that meant I would have to tell Coach Jarvis I wouldn't be playing．I was dreading（害怕）this，but my mother said："If you make your bed，you have to lie in it．"
When I told Coach Jarvis，he was as mad as I expected him to be．"Your playing days are limited．You can't afford to waste them，"he said．
I stood before him with my head hanging，trying to think of the words that would explain to him why my dream of buying my mom a house．
"How much are you going to make at this job，son？"he demanded．
"Three twenty-five an hour，"I replied．
"Well，"he asked，"is 3.25 an hour the price of a dream？"
That question laid bare for me the difference between wanting something right now and having a goal．I devoted myself to sports that summer，and within the year I was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play rookie-league ball，and offered a 20，000 contract．I signed with the Denver Broncos in 1984 for 1.7 million，and bought my mother the house of my dream．
25．The writer was grateful to Coach Jarvis，because JarvisD．
A．made him set a goal
B．supplied him with new clothes
C．gave him financial support
D．helped him show conviction
26．When the boy was offered a job，he wanted toC．
A．balance summer baseball and the work schedule
B．refuse the job offer for summer baseball
C．give up summer baseball for the job
D．ask his coach Jarvis for advice
27．Which of the following can replace"If you make your bed，you have to lie in it．"？A
A．You must eat the bitter fruit of your own making．
B．Believe in yourself，but above all be patient．
C．You must rely on yourself first，then others．
D．A good beginning makes a good ending．
28．The end of the story was that the writerB．
A．failed to buy his mother a house
B．succeeded as a sportsman
C．became a successful businessman
D．made some money in the summer job．
分析 本文讲述一位棒球运动员的故事，他当初为了挣钱差点放弃自己的体育梦想，在教练的指导下，他最终分清了梦想与信念，也告诉我们追求梦想和面对现实之间的区别．
解答 25．D．细节理解题．根据文章第二段"He not only believed in me，but taught me the difference between having a dream and showing conviction"可知，教练不仅相信作者，而且教作者区别梦想和信念．故选D．
26．C．细节理解题．根据文章第四段"Then I realized I would have to give up summer baseball to handle the work schedule，"可知，作者为了工作打算放弃夏季棒球．故选C．
27．A．推理预测题．原句"If you make your bed，you have to lie in it"意为，如果你制作了床，你就不得不躺在床上．而A项"You must eat the bitter fruit of your own making"你必须吃你自己制作的苦涩的果实，可见意义相近，都是表示你要为你做过的事"买单"，故选A．
28．B．细节理解题．根据文章最后一段"I devoted myself to sports that summer，and within the year I was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play rookie-league ball，and offered a 20，000 contract"可知，最后作者把自己奉献给体育事业，还签订了合同，可见作者最后在棒球事业上很成功．故选B．
点评 本文考察了故事类阅读水平．文章一般描述的是某一件具体事情的发生发展或结局，有人物、时间、地点和事件．命题往往从故事的情节、人物或事件的之间的关系、作者的态度及意图、故事前因和后果的推测等方面着手，考查学生对细节的辨认能力以及推理判断能力．阅读这类材料时，同学们一定要根据主要情节掌握文章主旨大意，同时抓住每一个细节，设身处地根据文章内容揣摩作者的态度和意图，根据情节展开想象，即使是碰到深层理解题也可迎刃而解．
