通读下面的短文，掌握其大意，然后从各小题所给的四个选项中，选出一个最佳答案。

I used to watch a little girl playing basketball every day. One day I asked her why she practiced so

　 16　 　. She said, “I like basketball and I want to be the 　　17　 　player. My dad told me, ‘If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.’”

She never changed her mind. She practiced basketball every day. 　　18　 　one day before she graduated from high school, I saw her sitting on the grass 　　19　 . I asked her what was wrong. She told me that her coach said she was 　　20　 　short to be a good basketball player. She was heartbroken. Then her father said to her, “If you 　　21　 　want to be a good basketball player, nothing but you 　　22　 　can stop your dream.” He told her 　　23　 　, “If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.”

The next year, she and her team went to a big match. She was 　　24　 　by a coach of a famous team and was given a chance to the　　 25　 　basketball team.

15.(　 ) - Your friend Daming plays table tennis very well.

　　　 - ______

A. I agree.　　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　 B. What do you reckon?　　

C. Good luck.　　　 　　　　　　　　 D. You’re welcome.　

14.(　 ) We should encourage the children affected by the earthquake ______ happy to face the life in future.

A. being　　　 　　 　　B. are　　　 　　　　 C. to be 　　　　 　　　 D. were

13.(　 ) - I usually go to school by bike.

　　　 - ______.

A. So did I　　　　　　 　　 B. I did so　　　　 C. So do I　　　　　　　　　 　 D. So I do

12.(　 ) ______ everyone has arrived, let’s start our class meeting.

A. Although　　　　　 　　　　　 B. Before

C. So that 　　　　　　　　　 　　　D. Now that　　　　　　　

11.(　 ) Next Monday is Jane’s birthday. She hopes that many good presents ______ to her then.

A. will give　　　　　 　　　　　 B. will be given

C. are given　　　　　 　　　　　 D. are giving

10.(　 ) You are not ______ to smoke here. If you want to smoke, you can go outside.

A. let　　　　　　　　　　 　 B. allowed　　　　　　 C. agreed　　　　　　　　 D. made

9. Look! The tree is growing well. When______?

A. was it planted　　 　　　　　 B. did it plant　

C. will it be planted　　　　　　　 　　　 D. is it planted