（2011·北京卷）完形填空

I used to hate being called upon in class mainly because I didn’t like attention drawn to myself. And   36    otherwise assigned（指定）a seat by the teacher, I always    37   to sit at the back of the classroom.

All this    38    after I joined a sports team. It began when a teacher suggested I try out for the basketball team. At first I thought it was a crazy   39    because I didn’t have a good sense of balance, nor did I have the   40   to keep pace with the others on the team and they would tease me. But for the teacher who kept insisting on my “   41   for  it”, I wouldn’t have decided to give a try.

Getting up the courage to go to the tryouts was only the    42   of it! When I first started  43    the practice sessions, I didn’t even know the rules of the game, much    44  what I was doing. Sometimes I’d get     45    and take a shot at the wrong direction—which made me feel really stupid.   46    , I wasn’t the only one “new” at the game, so I decided to    47     on learning the game, do my best at each practice session, and not be too hard on myself for the things I didn’t    48   “just yet”.

I practiced and practiced. Soon I knew the   49   and the “moves”. Being part of a team was fun and motivating. Very soon the competitive   50   in me was winning over my lack of confidence. With time, I learned how to play and made friends in the   51     — friends who respected my efforts to work hard and be a team player. I never had so much fun!

With my    52    self-confidence comes more praise from teachers and classmates. I have gone from   “53”   in the back of the classroom and not wanting to call attention to myself,   54   raising my hand— even when I sometimes wasn’t and not 100 percent   55   I had the right answer. Now I have more self-confidence in myself.

36. A. as            B. until             C. unless               D. though

37. A. hoped         B. agreed           C. meant               D. chose

38. A. continued      B. changed          C. settled              D. started

39. A. idea           B. plan             C.belief               D. saying

40. A. right          B. chance           C. ability               D.patience

41. A. going          B. looking          C. cheering             D. applying

42. A. point           B. half             C. rest               D. basis

43. A. enjoying         B. preparing        C. attending            D. watching

44. A. less             B. later           C. worse            D. further

45. A. committed        B. motivated      C. embarrassed       D. confused

46. A. Interestingly       B. Fortunately     C. Obviously         D. hopefully

47. A. focus            B. act            C. rely            D. try

48. A. want             B. do           C. support          D. know

49. A. steps            B. orders          C. rules             D. games

50. A. roles           B. part           C. mind            D. value

51. A. process         B. operation       C. movement        D. situation

52. A. expressed      B. improved       C. preserved       D. recognized

53. A. dreaming       B. playing         C. relaxing         D. hiding

54. A. by            B. for            C. with           D. to

55. A. lucky         B. happy          C. sure           D. satisfied