I grew up poor-living with six brothers, three sisters and my mother. We had little money, but plenty of love and attention. I was and energetic. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, he could still a dream. My dream was . By the time I was sixteen, I could throw a ninety-mile-per- hour baseball and anything that moved on the field. I was also : my high school coach was John, who not only me, but also taught me how to believe in myself. He me the difference between having a dream and showing conviction(信念). One particular incident with coach John changed my life forever. A friend me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my pocket — money for a new bike, new clothes and the of savings for a house for my mother. Then I realized I would have to up summer baseball to handle the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell John I wouldn’t be playing. When I told John, he was as as I expected him to be. “You have your whole life to work,”he said,“Your days are limited. You can’t afford to waste them.”I stood before him with my head , trying to think of the that would explain to him why my dream of buying my mom a house and having money in my pocket was worth facing his in me. “Well,”he asked,“is $ 3.5 an hour the price of a dream?” That simple question made to me the difference between something right now and having a goal. I myself in sports that summer and the year I was drafted(选拔) by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play baseball, and a $ 20,000 contract. Later, I bought my mother the house of my dream! 小题1: A．happy B．polite C．shy D．honest 小题2: A．bring B．afford C．make D．occupy 小题3: A．athletics B．music C．business D．money 小题4: A．kick B．play C．pass D．hit 小题5: A．right B．popular C．lucky D．confident 小题6: A．believed in B．relied on C．called on D．dealt with 小题7: A．gave B．taught C．brought D．asked 小题8: A．called B．advised C．applied D．recommended 小题9: A．aim B．idea C．start D．purpose 小题10: A．keep B．end C．give D．pick 小题11: A．mad B．excited C．frightened D．shameful 小题12: A．living B．playing C．working D．dreaming 小题13: A．moving B．nodding C．shaking D．hanging 小题14: A．questions B．excuses C．words D．ways 小题15: A．belief B．pride C．helplessness D．disappointment 小题16: A．direct B．clear C．straight D．bare 小题17: A．wanting B．changing C．dreaming D．enjoying 小题18: A．devoted B．engaged C．applied D．contributed 小题19: A．by B．for C．beyond D．within 小题20: A．paid B．found C．offered D．presented