A3型题   For a long time, a boy wondered why his next-desk-pal was always the first in the class, whereas he could only rank the 21st.
    At home, he asked his morn: "Am I more stupid than other kids? How can I always fall behind? I just can't come up with an answer." Mom was aware that her son's self-respect had been damaged by the ranking system, but she didn't know what to say to help.
    She intended to say that intelligence differs and that yes, her son's friend really was the smarter boy. But that would so upset her son. Thank goodness she kept herself from saying it.
    Her son and his friend went on to high school that year, but although he tried as hard as he could, her son's friend still outdid him. But she was proud of her boy for his hard work, sincerely proud. It was around this time that she decided to take him on a trip to the seaside. On the trip, she at last found an answer for him.
    Today her son no longer cares about rankings. He doesn't have to, for he himself is now the top of the class at the top national university he attends. After university his teachers and peers fully expect him to have a bright future.
    Invited to speak to his old high school, he mentioned a valuable childhood experience. It concerned that holiday his mother had prepared for them: "Once, on a trip to the sea, my mother and I were lying on the beach. She pointed to the sea and said to me: Do you see the seabirds fighting for food out there? When a wave comes near, the little birds rise quickly. The clumsy (笨拙的) seagulls are far slower and have to struggle to get away from the wave. But these clumsy birds prove to have the biggest, strongest wings, which allow the bird to travel the furthest. When the season changes, they leave for foreign shores, leaving the little birds behind. Son, I have a feeling that you are one of those seagulls."  Which of the following has the similar meaning with the underlined word "outdid"? ______