学进去

I looked out at the smiling faces packed into the school gym. The applause filled my ears. I had done it. I had really done it! I found a new person inside me,   a much more daring,   outgoing person who had been hidden all along, just waiting for the ______ to emerge（出现）.

Just a few months earlier, it was impossible to ______ myself acting in a play in front of two hundred people. But without my teacher, Mrs. Sather, I couldn't get that opportunity.

In the first and second grade, I was extremely shy. But Mrs. Sather always ______ me.

One day, she announced, "Our class was going to ______ a play. Anybody, want to try?"

A few excited hands shot up-mine, of course, was not one of them.

After school she stopped me and invited me for a talk. Puzzled, I followed her to her desk. She said,   "I think you are ______ for the lead character. But I was surprised you didn't raise your hand."

Me, the lead? Was she crazy?

Mrs. Sather gazed into my eyes as if seeing my inner _______ locked away inside. "But I'd like you to give this a try for me, " she continued. "If you reach for the stars,   you might at least grab a piece of the moon.

I realized it was time to throw off ______ and show the world who I really was. I looked Mrs. Sather right in her sparkling（闪亮的）blue eyes and said, "OK. I'll try."

In the following months, in spite of fears, I did everything I could to ______ I could do it in practice.

At the end of the play, when the audience applauded,   I knew they were not just cheering for my performance that night,   but for the performances they knew would come in later years because of my newfound confidence.