用方框中所给词语的适当形式填空，使短文正确、通顺、连贯（每词限用一次）。

afraid   start   hardly    progress   with    speak   either   understand   help    laugh

Last year, I had a difficult time in my English class. To begin   小题1: , it wasn’t easy for me   小题2:  what the teacher said-she  小题3:  too fast, and I could   小题4: follow. I was also   小题5:  of speaking in class because I thought I would   小题6: at.. I couldn’t make complete sentences,   小题7:. Then I   小题8: to watch English programs on TV. It  小题9: a lot. Now, I have made great   小题10: and I even got an A in the last exam!