When I tried out for the football team during the summer before 9th grade, I never imagined how important this sport would become in my life. Football is a _____ sport, at times almost painful, and practices really _____ a team’s physical and mental limits. Without trust in my own ability and a strong sense of commitment, I would never have managed to continue after years of hard work as a player, and with countless _____.

In the first year, I played on the defensive line. This was an amazing _____ that gave me a great sense of achievement. But in the last game of the season, I was seriously injured. I was prohibited from any physical activities for six months. After going _____ a series of physical treatments, I returned to the field as a team captain. I practiced harder than ever to make up for my _____ time.

In September, during my junior year, my name was mentioned in the local newspaper as the key defensive lineman on the team. After playing a fantastic season, I was given the _____ of the Most Valuable Player.

_____, my skills in football do not magically extend to other sports. During the winter break, I went on a snowboarding trip and seriously injured my right shoulder. I had to have four _____. Since I could not use my right arm for two months, I had to learn how to write and eat using my left hand.

______ life must go on. I knew that my own present efforts would decide my future, so I ______ the strict training program to build up strength and improve flexibility in my ______. After an eight-month recovery, I was back to the field playing football, the sport I ______.

In this sense, the world of football has taught me an important life lesson: ______ and commitment make what seems impossible ______. This lesson from football is the one that can be applied to every part of life.

I'm not as smart as I think I am, since I'm a bit more humble these days, I was that kid in class with my hand _________ in the air, correcting people's grammar and pronunciation. I got mostly straight A's, and I _________ myself if I didn't. I didn't attach value to _________ skills, sports, and so forth. I was definitely arrogant when it _________ to TV, movies, and music. And I pretty much thought I was _________ than just about everyone else.

The _________ really began when I went to a top-ranked law school, and it was the first time I had been absolutely surrounded by those who were smarter than, or _________ as smart as me. It was a bit of jolt (震惊) as I tried to find my _________ in that community. I did fine in law school, but there was no particularly special about my _________there. Since I could no longer identify myself as “the smart one”, I had to look for other ways to __________ myself.

Ultimately, I found I could __________ that obsessive (痴迷者) need to always be the best at everything. I __________ myself up to new experiences: art and physical activities that got me out of my head. I watched all the high school movies I had __________ to watch and found that I actually really liked them. I also began to truly appreciate other types of intelligence __________ book smarts. I now see my type of intelligence as only one among many types of intelligence. The world actually became a much more colorful place __________ I learned this lesson.

_________ from a famous university, Tom wished to find a good job. One day he got the _________ in a newspaper that there was a post in a company. So he did some research on the company first and then went to _________ it. While _________, he answered the questions _________. Tom was _________ with his performance, feeling confident that he could get the job. But at that moment, the manager’s phone rang. He picked it _________, listened and nodded. And then he turned around and said to Tom, “Sorry, I want to get some important information now. Please give me the book with the red cover on that desk.” Tom _________ around and found 3 books on the desk, so he went to the desk, took one and handed it to him politely. Holding the book, the manager _________ the phone and said, “Sorry, you are not the right person.” Tom was __________ and __________ why. Then the manager gave the __________, “There’re three reasons. First, the moment you entered, I found the third button on your shirt had been missing .Second, the three books with covers of the same color are different, __________ you took one without asking me which I needed. Third, I was __________ the call. You should run to the desk to __________ time. These details showed you are not __________ person.” Therefore, Tom __________ the job.

Tom’s story __________ some people don’t __________ the details in our life. But it is the details __________ count. Not only should we value what we learn but also we should pay attention to the details, which sometimes can even determine our success or failure.