Roger grew up in a poor community. His family had little money. As a child, he often got into difficulties at school. One day, the school principal told him something special. "I see great things in you," she said. "You could become a governor in the future!" These words changed Roger's life.

Young Roger started thinking differently. Every morning, he looked in the mirror and said, "I am a governor." This helped him stay focused on his goal.
Roger studied very hard. In high school, he joined student clubs. He practised speaking in front of others to build his confidence. Teachers all praised him for his hard work. Roger studied law at university. He did part-time jobs to pay for his books.
At age 35, Roger began to work for people. They liked his ideas. He remembered his old community's problems and tried his best to help poor families. After 10 years of hard work, he became a governor successfully.
Roger's story teaches us two important lessons. First, kind words can give people hope. Second, preparing early helps achieve your goals. Roger showed that where you start doesn't decide where you end up. With a strong spirit and good preparation, anyone can change their lives. Everything is possible if we want it enough.
——Adapted from Readers
Words & Expressions
1. community /kə'mju:nəti/ n. 社区;社团
2. principal /'prɪnsəpl/ n. 校长
3. governor /'gʌvənə(r)/ n. 州长
4. confidence /'kɒnfɪdəns/ n. 信心;信任
5. law /lɔ:/ n. 法律;法规
6. university /,ju:nɪ'v3:səti/ n. (综合性)大学;高等学府
7. pay /peɪ/ v. 付费;交纳;偿还 n. 工资;薪水
8. try one's best 尽最大努力
9. achieve /ə'tʃi:v/ v. (经过努力)达到;完成
10. possible /'pɒsəbl/ adj. 可能的;合理的
Practice
一、选用方框中单词或词块的适当形式完成句子。
achieve law pay possible try one's best
1. She found it difficult to talk with her son, ______ because of the difference in their ages.
2. I ______ good results because I worked hard, and so could you.
3. You need ______, and then you can be anything you want!
4. She ______ 100 yuan for her new jacket yesterday.
5. The government(政府) made some ______ about food safety.
二、将下列英文句子翻译成中文。
1. This helped him stay focused on his goal.
______
2. He practised speaking in front of others to build his confidence.
______
3. Roger's story teaches us two important lessons.
______
4. Roger showed that where you start doesn't decide where you end up.
______
5. With a strong spirit and good preparation, anyone can change their lives.
______
What do you think of Roger from the passage?
______
______
______

一、
1. possibly
2. achieved
3. to try your best
4. paid
5. laws
二、
1. 这帮助他专注于自己的目标。
2. 他练习在别人面前讲话以建立自信。
3. 罗杰的故事给了我们两个重要的教训。
4. 罗杰表明你从哪里开始并不决定你最终在哪里结束。
5. 凭借坚强的精神和充分的准备，任何人都可以改变自己的生活。
三、
I think Roger is hard - working, confident and has a strong spirit. He didn't let his poor background limit him. He set a goal and worked hard to achieve it. He also remembered his old community and tried to help others.