The Price of a Dream
I grew up poor, living with my wonderful mother. We had little money but plenty of love and attention. I was 36 and energetic. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, he could still 37 a dream.
My dream was to be a sportsman. 38 I was sixteen, I had started playing baseball. I could throw a ninety-mile-per-hour fastball and hit anything that moved on the football field. I was also 39 . My high-school coach was Ollie Jarvis, who not only believed in me, but taught me 40 to believe in myself. He 41 me the difference between having a dream and realizing the dream. One particular 42 with Coach Jarvis changed my life forever.
It was the summer between my junior and senior years, and a friend remended (推荐) me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my pocket—money for a new bike and new clothes, and the 43 of savings for a house for my mother. Then I realized I would have to 44 summer baseball to deal with the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell Coach Jarvis I wouldn’t be playing.
When I told Coach Jarvis, he was as 45 as I expected him to be. “You have your whole life to work,” he said. “Your playing days are limited. You can’t 46 to waste them.” I stood before him with my head hanging, trying to think of the 47 that would explain 48 him why my dream of buying my mom a house and having money in my pocket was worth facing his 49 in me.
“How much are you going to make at this job, son?” he asked. “Three twenty-five an hour,” I replied.
“Well,” he asked, “is $3.25 an hour the 50 of a dream?”
That simple question made it 51 to me the difference between 52 something right now and following a dream. I 53 myself to sports that summer, and within the year I was 54 by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play baseball, and was 55 a $20,000 contract. In 2000, I bought my mother the house of my dream!
【小题1】A．happyB．politeC．shyD．honest【小题2】A．loseB．haveC．makeD．need【小题3】A．By the timeB．The timeC．At one timeD．At a time【小题4】A．rightB．popularC．luckyD．confident【小题5】A．how B．whyC．whenD．whether【小题6】A．gaveB．taughtC．broughtD．asked【小题7】A．accidentB．matterC．problemD．experience【小题8】A．aimB．ideaC．startD．purpose【小题9】A．keep upB．put upC．give upD．pick up【小题10】A．madB．happy C．frightenedD．shameful【小题11】A．adoptB．affordC．affectD．effect【小题12】A．answersB．excusesC．wordsD．ways【小题13】A．forB．toC．onD．in【小题14】A．sadnessB．regretC．hopelessnessD．disappointment【小题15】A．sourceB．prizeC．priceD．allowance【小题16】A．directB．clearC．cleanD．straight【小题17】A．wantingB．changing C．dreamingD．choosing【小题18】A．providedB．devotedC．headedD．imagined【小题19】A．workedB．mentionedC．firedD．hired【小题20】A．paidB．gotC．offeredD．signedA
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(答案→)A
解析：文章讲述一位棒球运动员的故事，告诉我们追求梦想和面对现实之间的区别。
【小题1】A 形容词辨析。根据上文love and attention和energetic说明虽然我穷，但是很开心。
【小题2】B 动词辨析。指无论人多穷，仍然可以有梦想。
【小题3】A 词义辨析。A到…时；B那时；CD不能引导句子，根据后句的时态可知A正确。
【小题4】C 形容词辨析。根据下文可知做有这样的一个教练我真是很幸运。
【小题5】A 词义辨析。指他不仅相信我，还教会我相信自己。
【小题6】B 动词辨析。他教会我拥有梦想和实现梦想的区别。
【小题7】D 名词辨析。A事故；B麻烦事；C问题；D经历；指与这位教练的一次特殊的经历。
【小题8】C 名词辨析。A目的；B观点；C开始；D目的。指为妈妈买房子开始存钱。
【小题9】C 词义辨析。A保持；B张贴；搭建；C放弃；D捡起；指我不得不放弃夏季训练。
【小题10】A 形容词辨析。指当教练听说我要放弃夏季训练时几乎都疯掉，和我预料的一样。
【小题11】B 动词辨析。指我承担不起浪费这样的时间。
【小题12】C 名词辨析。A回答；B借口；C话；D方法；指我要想一些话来向他解释。
【小题13】B 固定搭配。Explain to sb向某人解释。解析同上。
【小题14】D 名词辨析。A悲伤；B遗憾；C绝望；D失望；指教练对我的失望。
【小题15】C 名词辨析。A来源；B奖品；C价格；D津贴；教练问：3.25一小时就是梦想的价格吗？
【小题16】B 形容词辨析。A直接的；B清楚的；C干净的；D直的；mike it clear表达清楚…
【小题17】A 动词辨析。指现在想要得到的东西和追求梦想的区别。
【小题18】B 固定词组。Devote oneself to致力于…努力做…；
【小题19】D 动词辨析。A工作；B提及；C解雇；D雇佣。这里指我被Pittsburgh Pirates选中，为这支球队打球。
【小题20】C 动词辨析。A付；B得到；C提供；D签名；指Pittsburgh Pirates提供给我2万美元的合同。