When I was a girl of 10, I joined the school cross-country team and practiced twice a week, on the 1,8-km course I'd never really run before and I thought the course would be easy. It was a real shock I ran out of breathe(喘氣)within the first few minutes. I never realized how tiring running could be but I didn’t t think about give up.
Over time,I did get a little bit faster. However, I was really slow. In races, I would finish close to last. I'd always have to stop more than once, especially in the longer races, which were 2. 5 to 2. 8 km. After every race, I'd go home and cry. But 1 still didn't stop running, holding onto that picture of crossing the finishingline and finally doing well.  
Then one of my friends joined the team, too. She could run easily and even came in the 18^th in a big race! I felt so slow and my confidence(自信) was lower than ever. I became so nervous when I thought of the races that I wanted to give up badly.
Still. I refund to. Finally. 1 realized that the reason I was to nervous was that I was always worried that I wasn't ready for them. So a few weeks before the next 2. 8-km race. I practiced running almost 3 km every day. which helped me improve my pace(步伐).
When the time came for the big race, all that practicing really paid off. I stopped only once and my pace was so much better.
I realized that I’d finally gotten happiness with running. But the funny thing was. It didn't come from doing better, Instead, it came from the fact that I hid tried harder and never given up.
【小題1】 Before she took the 1.8-km course, the writer________.

1Choose the words or expressions and complete the passage (選擇最恰當的單詞或詞語，完成短文)

1．We have always been warned of the dangers of the forest fires. They cause     1    to a forest. They kill many plants and animals in an eco-system, which is a group of living things and their environment. But have you ever heard of a forest fire that can be     2     for a forest?

2．People start some of the fires with special reasons to actually do well to the eco-system.

3．In fact, fires are a natural part of any eco-system. Without fires, the oldest and largest trees would stop sunlight from reaching the forest floor. Fires can       3       some of these old trees. When the trees die, they provide something good for the earth. New trees can grow strong and healthy in their place.

4．Some trees even need fires to grow. These trees hold their seeds(種子) inside. Heats from a fire allow the coat of the seeds to open up. Then the seeds fall to the ground and have the 4 to grow.

5．Scientists, who know about nature’s needs, start some of these fires, called controlled burns. A fire is started and kept under control. This way, the fire does not spread out of the area or 5    a large space of the forest. Fires can be dangerous for animals. Even when animals continue to live after forest fires, they can go hungry   6     their food has been damaged in the fire. Small, controlled fires mean that animals will not have to move far to find food. After some time, small plants begin to grow. Animals return soon after the plants return. This   7  makes an eco-system.

6．So the next time you hear about a forest fire, think about the good as well as the bad. It may take a new eco-system a while to return, but it will likely come back stronger and healthier than ever.

1.A. illness            B. difficulty       C. damage      D. flood

2.A. helpful            B. powerful         C. harmful     D. awful

3.A. take the place of  B. get ready for    C. be bad for  D. get rid of

4.A. time               B. water            C. chance      D. skill

5.A. discover           B. cover            C. but         D. waste

6.A. because            B. although         C. but         D. so

7.A. almost             B. again            C. never       D. even