单选题 Chess must be one of the oldest games in the world. An Arab traveler in the year 900 wrote that it was played "long, long ago". Chess was probably invented (发明) in India, and it has been played everywhere from Japan to Europe since 1400. The name "chess" is interesting. When one player is attacking the other's king, he says, in English, "check". When the king has been caught and cannot move anywhere, he says "checkmate". These words come from Persian words "Shah mat", which means "the king is dead". That is when the game is over, and one player has won.
Such an old game changes very slowly. The rules have not always been the same as they are now. For example, at one time the queen could only move one square at a time. Now she is the strongest piece on the board. It would be interesting to know why this has happened Chess takes time and thought, but it is a game for all kinds of people. You don't have to be winner in order to enjoy it. It is not always played by two people sitting at the same table. The first time the Americans beat the Russians was in a match played by radio. Some chess masters are able to play many people at the same time. One man played 400 games! It is said that some people play chess by post. This must make chess the slowest game in the world.

单选题 Chess ______.

A. is an old Indian game for travel
B. is the oldest game in the world
C. was played in India long before 900
D. was played in Japan and Europe before 1400

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 推断题。题干意为“象棋是______。”从文章第一段第二句和第三句话“An Arab traveler... since 1400.”可知，一位阿拉伯游客在公元900年写到：人们在很久很久以前就开始玩象棋了，而象棋很可能是在印度发明的。由此可以推断出：公元900年以前，印度就有人开始玩象棋了。所以本题的正确答案为C。

单选题 Which of the following will you hear when one player has won the game?

A. "Checkmate".
B. "Check".
C. "The king is dead".
D. "Shah mat".

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。题干意为“当棋手赢了的时候，你会听到下面哪种说法?”从文章第一段倒数第三句和最后一句话“When the king has been caught and cannot move anywhere, he says 'checkmate'... That is when the game is over, and one player has won.”可知，当棋手赢了的时候他会说“checkmate”。所以本题的正确答案为A。

单选题 Which of the following is NOT correct?

A. Only two people can play chess sitting at the same table.
B. Some people write to each other playing chess.
C. The Russians lost the game played by radio.
D. All kinds of people can play chess.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。题干意为“下面哪一种说法不正确?”从文章第二段中间一句话“It is not always played by two people sitting at the same table.”可知，象棋不一定总是由坐在同一张桌子上的两个人来下的。所以本题的正确答案为A。

单选题 According to the old rules of the game, ______.

A. the queen was the strongest piece on the board
B. the queen could move no more than one square at a time
C. the king had to be attacked all the time
D. the king could not move anywhere

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。题干意为“根据象棋以前的规则，______。”从文章中第二段第三句话“For example, at one time the queen could only move one square at a time.”可知，queen以前一次只能走一个格。由此可见，本题的正确答案为B。