Tiger Woods is a hero in Thailand. It does not matter that he ___1___
born in the United States and cannot speak a word ___2___
Thai. For most people in Thailand, it is enough that his mother,
Kultida, is Thai. When he visited Bangkok ___3___
1997, they gave him a ___4___
welcome at the airport, greeting him with awe. Girls were
holding banners proclaiming, "We love you." His golf-mad
father, Earl, may have encouraged his golf skills but he
believes much comes from his Thai side. He said that he owed it
to his mother for ___5___
him to Buddhism. It has given him much inner peace and calm. At
a special function in Thailand, he ___6___
a royal decoration from the Prime Minister and an honorary
Bangkok citizenship.
Woods is also gracious, combining a great athletic ability
with decency, politeness and respectfulness. He respects his
parents, his elder and his competitors. He also has a deep
respect ___7___ the
difficulty of his craft. For all of his greatness, he is a
humble man. |