It was a cold winter. The wind blew all night and the snow was blinding. When morning came, my three children and I got up and made our way to the windows. As we looked out the window, we saw that the henhouse was gone. Our three hens had been blown away.

    I looked at the emptiness outside. Then I saw all three chickens sat around the edge of a white bucket. How was this violent wind not blowing them into the field beyond? I quickly pulled on long snow pants and heavy winter coat, wrapped a scarf and stuck my feet into very large boots .

    I shouted at the wind as it blew. I was alone, save for my children. They stared out the window into the vast white sea of snow, their eyes peeled for any sign of movement. Outside I heard the sound of my boots as I walked against the wind.

    The snow circling around me, I steadily made my way to the soft cluck-cluck-cluck sound my hens always made. When I reached them, I saw that their little feet were holding on to the edge of the bucket, heads bent forward and away from the wind. I gently lifted each hen and put it carefully into the warm inside. Then I began the freezing walk back to the small shed directly behind our house. One by one I laid my chickens on the cold floor, and they began to cluck softly.

    As I shut the shed doors, my eyes went directly to the window where my children were watching. They jumped up and down cheering, and so did I! I wasn't some dragon slayer (屠龙者) from a fairy tale. I was simply a mom, but the look on my children's faces told me that they thought I was a hero mom.

    Success seems to find Maya Moore everywhere she goes. But life hasn't been a bed of roses for Maya and her biggest supporter, her mother.____

    Maya discovered her love of basketball in 1997 at the age of 8. That was the year the WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) began holding games. The young girl watched WNBA star Cynthia Cooper play in Olympics.____

    Three years later her mother, Kathryn, was offered a better job in North Carolina. Kathryn decided to make the move from Missouri because North Carolina provided greater basketball opportunities. Sadly, in under two months the company downsized, and Kathryn lost her job. She remembers, “____” Maya says the difficulties brought them closer, and she praises her mom. “She's more than a teammate. I know she's going to be on my side.”

    About a year later, mother and daughter moved to Georgia, where Maya continued to play basketball. In high school she had the opportunity to play basketball against some of the nation's best players.____ Maya led her team to 125 victories and three state championships. During this time, she was named the national player of the year twice.

    ____ Maya and her mother approached the college decision like they did everything. With careful consideration, Maya chose the University of Connecticut.

A. It was a bad time.

B. It really a competitive skill.

C. The competition improved her skills.

D. You can't succeed without too much payment.

E. The path to success required a lot of hard work.

F. Maya dreamed to compete in the Olympics one day.

G. Universities compared to invite her to join their teams.