Deisha paced(踱步)back and forth as she waited backstage. This would be her most important piano performance yet. At ten years old, she was the youngest performer in the 1. She had practiced playing her song more than 30 times that week. When she closed her eyes at night, the music played 2 in her head.
Now that the day finally arrived, Deisha was not 3 she was ready. She smoothed her hair and picked a piece of lint (绒布)for the new dress that her mother had bought for her. She 4 that her hands were shaking. How could she play the notes of the song if her hands were shaking? She tried to 5 but her hands only shook more.
Dcisha's piano teacher, Ms. Neal, leaned down to speak to her. "I have something for you, " she said, pressing a smooth black stone into Deisha's hand. "It's a 6 stone. There's no other one like in the world. You've practiced so much, you need 7 else. " The stage lights reflected off the polished 8."Thank you, " Deisha said.
9 Deisha's name was called, she rubbed the stone, stepped onto the stage, and played better than the others in the competition. After her performance, she noticed that Ms. Neal had a whole bag of black stones.
"Why did you say this one was so special?" she asked 10.
Her teacher responded, " Because, like your talent, it belongs only to you. "
