第二节：完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36～55各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
No matter how many boos (嘘声) or abuses you get, they shouldn’t stop you from being the champion you are.
When I was in primary school, I was 36 asked by my teachers to sit at the 37 of the class because I was not clever. I was the butt (对象) of class jokes. I was all alone, friendless and 38. I hated school, but my dad would have none of it. He 39 telling me that I was a champion, if I 40 it.
A turnaround 41 one day when I remembered the spelling of the word “cognoscenti”, a word all the other “42” students had forgotten how to spell because they spent their free time 43 me. I raised my hand 44 I wasn’t asked to spell. I stood up and went to the front of the class, with 23 pairs of eyes 45 on me. My teacher grabbed her cane (藤条), ready to beat me if I’d 46. I spelt the word and became a(n) 47 champion. I represented and won for my school, five Spelling Bee championships.
Secondary school had its own share of 48. I was tall but wasn’t good at any 49. I loved basketball and lawn tennis. The first day I held a racket, I was disgraced (使丢脸) by my opponent (对手). He 50 six straight sets without sweat and there I was sweating 51 as if I’d run a marathon, while I hadn’t even made a single point.
My dad’s 52 kept playing in my ears, “Stanley, you’re a champion if you believe it.” I did. Finally, I was not only 53 at lawn tennis and basketball. I was an all-round athlete and 54 won both athletic and academic scholarships to college.
Now, staring at this old racket of defeat that once brought me 55, I can’t help but say to it, “You made me a champion when I believed.”
36. A. seldom B. never C. once D. always
37. A. back B. front C. outside D. middle
38. A. shocked B. satisfied C. depressed D. surprised
39. A. avoided B. preferred C. forgot D. kept
40. A. started B. imagined C. liked D. believed
41. A. came B. followed C. worked D. paid
42. A. poor B. bright C. dull D. active
43. A. picking out B. getting along with C. looking after D. making fun of
44. A. only if B. just as C. as if D. even though
45. A. fixed B. closed C. held D. called
46. A. delay B. fail C. fight D. offend
47. A. permanent B. frequent C. instant D. temporary
48. A. aims B. targets C. reasons D. challenges
49. A. sport B. subject C. action D. field
50. A. moved B. won C. missed D. found
51. A. slightly B. weakly C. heavily D. openly
52. A. songs B. voices C. whispers D. words
53. A. good B. angry C. strict D. serious
54. A. still B. even C. yet D. thus
55. A. pride B. joy C. shame D. happiness