I was a fool at school, and regarded as a special- needs student. I was not interested in school and did not care for my ________ .
As time went by, I started to lose faith in myself. Did I have to ________ the fact that I was in a special- needs class and I was not as clever as others? But one thing changed me: Chess.
I started to play chess with my father after school ________ because I wanted to win. My father was ________, and he was fond of physics, writing, sports ..., almost every field. So, winning in chess ________ my father would be a sign that I might be intelligent.
Game after game, I wanted to ________ my father even more. I started to study chess book and play on the computer to sharpen my ________. One weekend, I finally checkmated（将杀）my father, which made me feel excited.
Two years later, I became the second board on my school chess team. I could almost compete with our top board who was the best high school player in the state. But before the competition, our top player ________ to come. There came my ________ to play as a top board against the best players in other states.
I was determined to show who I had become: a smart person who was able to win. My opponent（对手）was playing well while I had to keep my king ________. He spent long trying to ________ my defenses（防御）, but he could not find the final push. I returned with more defensive moves, trying to make it as ________ for him as possible. With little time left, he had to make rapid moves. ________ he could make the final decision, he ran out of time. As his clock flag fell, I jumped up out of my seat and kissed the floor out of excitement. It was not very graceful（优雅的）, but I could not ________ myself.
While holding my winner’s cup, I was so proud. The feeling of stupidity began to melt away, and I realized that ________ can be a genius（天才）in fact.
1.A.habits B.grades C.plans D.actions
2.A.notice B.explain C.accept D.achieve
3.A.easily B.simply C.quickly D.exactly
4.A.interested B.excited C.talented D.bored
5.A.against B.with C.to D.for
6.A.win B.beat C.knock D.shut
7.A.dreams B.lessons C.thoughts D.skills
8.A.promised B.managed C.happened D.failed
9.A.chance B.change C.cheat D.training
10.A.safe B.alone C.proud D.weak
11.A.cut down B.fall down C.break down D.lie down
12.A.convenient B.difficult C.quick D.easy
13.A.Once B.Until C.Before D.Unless
14.A.stand B.admire C.spread D.control
15.A.nobody B.everyone C.someone D.none
— It was so surprising to meet him again! We haven’t seen each other for a long time.
— Have you exchanged your phone numbers to ______ with each other?
A.get on well with B.catch up C.keep in touch D.come up
My dear team members, please be careful and we can’t ______ to make any mistakes again.
A.stand B.afford C.stop D.refuse
— Erica, have you found the oldest cinema in your town at last?
— Not yet, our town has ______ changed over these years.
A.hardly B.partly C.completely D.never
— Why hasn’t Diana come?
— The invitation letter ______ to Dorothy by mistake.
A.e-mailed B.has e-mailed C.is e-mailed D.was e-mailed
Prevent noise pollution, ______ we can live in a quiet environment.
A.and B.or C.but D.nor
