During my second year at the city college, I was told that the education department was offering a "free" course, called Thinking Chess, for three credits. I 21 the idea of taking the class because, after all, who doesn't want to 22 a few dollars? More than that, I'd always wanted to learn chess. And, even if I weren't 23 enough about free credits, news about our 24 was appealing enough to me. He was an international grandmaster, which 25 I would be learning from one of the game's 26 .I could hardly wait to 27 him.
Maurice Ashley was kind and smart, a former graduate returning to teach, and this 28 was no game for him: he meant business. In his introduction, he made it 29 that our credits would be hard-earned. In order to 30 the class, among other criteria, we had to write a paper on how we plan to 31 what we would learn in class to our future professions and, 32 , to our lives. I managed to get an A in that 33 and learned life lessons that have served me well beyond the 34 .
Ten years after my chess class with Ashley, I'm still putting to use what he 35 me:"The absolute most important 36 that you learn when you play chess is how to make good 37 .On every single move you have to 38 a situation, process what your opponent(对手）is doing and 39 the best move from among all your options." These words still ring true today in my 40 as a journalist.
21. A. put forward B. jumped at C. tried out D. turned down
22. A. waste B. earn C. save D. pay
23. A. excited B. worried C. moved D. tired
24. A. title B. competitor C. textbook D. instructor
25. A. urged B. demanded C. held D. meant
26. A. fastest B. easiest C. best D. rarest
27. A. interview B. meet C. challenge D. beat
28. A. chance B. qualification C. honor D. job
29. A. real B. perfect C. clear D. possible
30. A. attend B. pass C. skip D. observe
31. A. add B. expose C. apply D. compare
32. A. eventually B. naturally C. directly D. normally
33. A. game B. presentation C. course D. experiment
34. A. criterion B. classroom C. department D. situation
35. A. taught B. wrote C. questioned D. promised
36. A. fact B. step C. manner D. skill
37. A. grades B. decisions C. impressions D. comments
38. A. analyze B. describe C. rebuild D. control
39. A. announce B. signal C. block D. evaluate
40. A. role B. desire C. concern D. behavior
