从方框中选择一个适当的词填空。Choose words from the bracket to fill in the blanks.
left   practiced   newspaper   before   hit   think
thin   fail   there   successfully

Some time ago, an old businessman had a large store in Boston. He wanted a boy to work for him, and he put an advertisement in the 【小题1】. The next morning, many boys came to the old man’s office, asking for the job.

There was a post（柱子）by his desk, and 【小题2】 was a nail（钉子）in it. He took a walking-stick and said, “Everyone has three chances. If anyone can【小题3】 the nail on the head with this stick more than once, I will give him the job.”

The boy【小题4】 it was very easy. They all tried, but nobody could make it. So the old man said, “I’m sorry I can’t take any of you.” And they 【小题5】.

He kept the advertisement in the papers, and the next morning many more boys came, and among them he saw a 【小题6】 boy who had been there the day before. The boy hit the nail【小题7】 for three times. The old man felt surprised and asked how he did that. “Yes,” said the boy, “I 【小题8】 yesterday, but I thought that if I kept on trying a while, I could do it. So I went home and【小题9】 hitting a nail with a stick till I could do it, and I got up very early this morning, and tried again.”

The old man said, “You are the boy for me,” and gave him the job. Whatever the boy had to do, he tried to do his best. It was not very long 【小题10】 he became the best clerk in the store.