Emily appeared on the stage. She took a deep breath and began to speak. Now she was Portia, a strong–willed1in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. The theater was filled2people. She was speaking with a power she had never experienced before, the words flowing3from her.
In fact, Emily had never acted as such an important part in her life before the audition (试镜). She hated being in front of other people. She was very4at school. She had never thought she was good enough at anything to5much attention. She stayed mostly to herself, making few friends. She had excellent grades,6she always thought that something was missing.
Two weeks before the audition, Emily's mother had heard about it and encouraged7to join in.
"I can't think of anyone else better suited to8the part. Remember all the plays you used to act out for us?"
Her mother wouldn't let the9drop. "You're just a little scared. Everyone gets scared. You know you10do it. The trick is to look past the11to find the love of what you're doing."
So Emily had made an appointment with the head of the Drama Club. She had read the play and found herself excited by the idea of speaking such12words. In secret she practiced Portia's part,13the lines by repeating them over and over. It wasn't hard; she loved every minute of it. Every time she spoke the words, she had a new14of the lines, as if Shakespeare had written Portia on many levels.
On the day of the audition, she performed two of Portia's famous speeches for the auditors. When she had finished, the head of the Drama Club announced the15was hers.
