（英语题）完形填空。

I used to hate being called upon in class mainly because I didn't like attention drawn to myself. And unless otherwise assigned a seat by the teacher, I always chose to sit at the __1__ of the classroom.

All this __2__ 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 __3__ because I didn't have a good sense of balance, nor did I have the __4__ in keeping pace with the others on the team and they would tease me. But for the teacher who kept insisting on my "__5__ for it", I wouldn't have decided to give it a try.

Getting up the courage to go to the tryouts was only the __6__ of it! When I first started attending the practice sessions, I didn't even know the rules of the game, much __7__ what I was doing. Sometimes I'd get __8__ and take a shot at the wrong direction—which made me feel really stupid __9__, I wasn't the only one "new" at the game, so I decided to __10__ 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 __11__. Very soon the competitive part in me was winning over my lack of __12__. With time, I learned how to play and made friends in the process. I never had so much fun!

With my __13__ self-confidence comes more praise from teachers and classmates. I have gone from "__14__" in the back of the classroom and not wanting to call attention to myself, to raising my hand — even when I sometimes wasn't 100 percent __15__ I had the right answer. Now I have more self-confidence in myself.