No one is born a winner. People make themselves into winners by their own __16__ .

I learned this lesson from a(n) __17__ many years ago. I took the head __18__ job at a school in Baxley, Georgia. It was a small school with a weak football program.

It was a tradition for the school’s old team to play against the __19__ team at the end of spring practice. The old team had no coach, and they don’t even practice to __20__ the game. Being the coach of the new team, I was excited because I knew we were going to win, but to my disappointment we were defeated. I couldn’t __21__ I had got into such a situation. Thinking hard about it, I came to __22__ that my team might not be the number one team in Georgia, but they were __23__me. I had to change my __24__about their ability and potential.

I started doing anything I could to help them build a little __25__. Most important, I began to treat them like __26__. That summer, when the other teams enjoyed their __27__, we met every day and __28__ passing and kicking the balls.

Six months after suffering our __29__ on the spring practice field, we won our first game and our second, and continued to __30__. Finally, we faced the number one team in the state. I felt that it would be a __31__ for us even if we lost the game. But that wasn’t what happened. My boys beat the best team in Georgia, giving me one of the greatest __32__ of my life.

From the experience I learned a lot about how the attitude of the leader can __33__ the members of a team. Instead of seeing my boys as losers, I pushed and __34__ them. I helped them to see themselves __35__, and they built themselves into winners.

Winners are made, not born.

16. A. luck                   B. tests                  C. efforts               D. nature

17. A. experiment          B. experience         C. visit                  D. show

18. A. operating            B. editing                     C. consulting         D. coaching

19. A. successful           B. excellent           C. strong               D. new

20. A. cheer for             B. prepare for        C. help with           D. finish with

21. A. believe               B. agree                C. describe            D. regret

22. A. realize                B. claim                C. permit               D. demand

23. A. reacting to          B. looking for        C. depending on     D. caring about

24. A. decision             B. attitude             C. conclusion         D. intention

25. A. pride                  B. culture                     C. fortune              D. relationship

26. A. leaders                B. partners             C. winners             D. learners

27. A. rewards              B. vacation            C. health               D. honor

28. A. risked                 B. missed                     C. considered         D. practiced

29. A. defeat                 B. decline              C. accident            D. mistake

30. A. relax                  B. improve            C. expand              D. defend

31. A. shame                 B. burden                     C. victory                     D. favor

32. A. chances               B. thrills                C. concerns            D. offers

33. A. surprise               B. serve                 C. interest              D. affect

34. A. encouraged         B. observed           C. protected           D. impressed

35. A. honestly              B. individually       C. calmly                     D. differently

 16. CBDDB  21. AACBA  26. CBDAB  31. CBDAD