A
As an adult, I realized that I had no skills. I wanted to develop one, so I went to trade school. I entered a cabinetmaking（家具制造）program. I didn’t think I would be good at building furniture. I’m not handy. Nobody in my family is.
I had great teachers, but making furniture is hard. There are so many steps and something can go wrong at each one. I couldn’t even get organized. My toolbox always looked like a hurricane had gone through it.
I didn’t fully know what I was devoting myself to at the beginning, but I kept going to class. I tried to wrap my brain around the math. The projects forced me to solve new kinds of problems. My brain started to build new connections. Working in this new physical manner and giving it 100 percent of my effort had huge benefits for my mental health. I get over my fear of embarrassment and asked for help at every opportunity.
I spent that year truly learning. True learning is a humbling（令人谦卑的）experience, especially for those of us who are learning a new set of skills. I could understand exactly what was wrong with the furniture I made, but I couldn’t fix my mistakes. And yet, I kept trying. And failing again，until I learned to fail better.
You’re going to be bad at anything when you start out, but I was pretty bad right to the end. Even so, I finished the program—with honors, no less! My grades were helped by my good written work. Having to constantly push beyond my comfort zone has made me a more well-rounded person. Maybe most importantly, trade school gave me a more realistic idea of my strengths and limitations. I’m stronger than I thought!
21. Which words can best describe the author during the one-year learning?
A. single-minded and confident. B. intelligent and creative.
C. hard-working and determined. D. modest and flexible.
22. What can we know about the author?
A. The author got a poor grade on hand work.
B. The author feared to socialize with strangers.
C. The author was skilled in solving math problems.
D. The author once got tired of difficult lessons.
23. What does the author want to convey?
A. Practice makes perfect. B. Learning is more than a skill.
C. Failure teaches success D. Skills will never be a burden.
