“With the passing of Chinese scientist Yuan Longping, China and the world have lost one greatest agricultural scientists,” Kenneth Quinn, president of the World Food Prize Foundation, said. Quinn, also vice chairman of the Yuan Longping International Rice Development Forum, shared his memory of the “father of hybrid rice” in an interview with Xinhua on Sunday.
Quinn first met Yuan in October 2004, when Yuan traveled to Des Moines in the U.S. state of Iowa to receive the World Food Prize. As they walked out of the airport , Quinn received a call and stepped aside to speak. When he turned back a minute or two later, he lost Yuan. “I had never before ‘lost’ a laureate(贵人),” he said. After a desperate search, he found Professor Yuan surrounded by a group of smiling graduate students from Iowa State University who so admired him that they wanted to take him off for a meal and conversation.
Quinn admired Yuan as a teacher. “He always had time to answer questions and speak with young scientists and students. The American high school students we sent to his research center each year always returned filled with knowledge and a deep desire to learn more.”
In Quinn’s eyes, Yuan was incredibly humble, never seeking fame, and focused only on hard work and results that could help lift people out of poverty. With a ‘down to earth’ attitude, Yuan greatly reduced hunger and provided farmers with surplus income through his discovery of hybrid rice.
Learning of Yuan’s passing away on Saturday, Quinn issued a statement to send his deepest sympathy to Yuan’s family and colleagues in China, as well as his admirers across the world. “Professor Yuan Longping, who was truly beloved in his country and by all of us who knew him, will be greatly missed. His legacy will provide inspiration to generations far into the future, in China and across the world,” Quinn said in the statement.
8. How did Kenneth Quinn feel when he found Yuan in a group of students?
A.Confused. | B.Amazed. | C.Annoyed. | D.Frightened. |
9. How did Yuan Longping deal with young people ?
A.He cared about the development of the youth. |
B.He sent young students abroad for further study. |
C.He was too busy to answer the students’ question. |
D.He was generous to help young people out of trouble. |
10. What does the words “down to earth” mean in paragraph 4?
A.Realistic . | B.Stubborn | C.Flexible | D.Critical |
11. What is the purpose of the text?
A.To introduce the “father of hybrid rice”. |
B.To share the stories of Yuan Longping. |
C.To remember Professor Yuan Longping |
D.To inspire the young to become a pioneer. |