I used to hate being called upon in class mainly because I didn't like attention drawn to myself.And unless assigned （指定） a seat by the teacher，I always chose to sit at the back of the classroom.
   All this changed 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 idea because I didn't have a good sense of balance，nor did I have the ability to keep pace with the others on the team and they would laugh at me.But for the teacher who kept insisting on my "going for it"，I wouldn't have decided to give a try.
   Getting up the courage to go to the tryouts （選拔賽） was only the half of it!Luckily，I passed them.When I first started attending the practice sessions，I didn't even know the rules of the game，much less what I was doing.Sometimes I'd get confused and take a shot at the wrong direction—which made me feel really stupid.Thank God，I wasn't the only one "new" at the game，so I decided to focus on learning the game，do my best at each practice session，and not be too hard on myself for the things I didn't know "just yet".
   I practiced and practiced.Soon I knew the rules and the "moves".Being part of a team was fun and encouraging.Very soon the competitive part in me was winning over my lack of confidence.With time，I learned how to play and made friends in the progress—friends who respected my efforts to work hard and be a team player.I never had so much fun!
   With my improved self-confidence comes more praise from teachers and classmates.I have gone from "hiding" in the back of the classroom and not wanting to call attention to myself，to raising my hand—even when I sometimes wasn't and not 100 percent sure I had the right answer.Now，I have more self-confidence in myself.Every time I come across a challenge，my teacher's "going for it" rings in my ears.

（1）What made the author decide to join a basketball team？

A

A

A．His teacher's encouragement.
B．His determination to change.
C．His desire to show himself off.
D．His love for team cooperation.
（2）Before attending the practice sessions，players must

A

A

.
A．pass the tryouts
B．know what they will do
C．have enough courage
D．learn the rules in advance
（3）From the last paragraph，what has happened to the boy？

C

C

A．He has got more praise and become overconfident.
B．He has continued to sit in the back of the classroom.
C．He is willing to answer questions in class now.
D．He focuses more on study rather than basketball.
（4）What does the author want to tell us in the passage？

C

C

A．Team spirit can teach us a lot.
B．Practice makes perfect.
C．Go for it，and we will make it.
D．Desire to compete does matter.