It can take a long time to become successful in your chosen field, however talented you are. One thing you have
to be (26) _______ of is that you will face criticism along the way. The world is full (27) _______ people who would rather say something negative than positive. If you’ve made up your mind to achieve a certain goal, such as writing a novel, don’t let the negative criticism of others prevent you from reaching your target, and let the constructive criticism have a positive effect on your work. If someone says you’re totally in the lack of talent, ignore them. That’s negative criticism. If (28), _______, someone advises you to revise your work and gives you a good reason for doing so, you should consider their suggestions carefully. There are many film stars who were once out of work. There are many famous novelists who made a complete mess of their first novel – or who didn’t, but had to keep on approaching hundreds of publishers before they could get it published. Being successful does depend on luck, to a (29) _______ extent. But things are more likely to (30) _______ well if you persevere and stay positive.

26. A. aware B. clever C. intelligent D. alert