In November, Focus Features will release a new movie, The Theory of Everything, which describes what happened to the famous physicist Stephen Hawking.
The movie is based on a book by Jane Hawking, Stephen’s first wife. When they met in the early 1960s, Jane was studying literature and got a Ph. D in Spanish poetry, while Stephen was just 21, looking for an interesting physics problem to explore.
Not long after they began dating, he developed balance problems, then speech issues. He was told that he had ALS, a disease that would kill him in two years. Jane’s friends warned her not to stick with a boy with so little time ahead of him. But he and Jane didn’t quit each other. Instead, they willfully pushed on. It wasn’t like they didn’t believe the diagnosis (诊断). They did. They just ignored it.
“We did not want to think about that,” she wrote. “Also, we had this very strong sense at the time that our generation lived anyway under this most awful nuclear cloud — that with a four-minute warning the world itself could likely end. That made us feel that we should make the most of whatever gifts that were given to us.”
They had one child. Then another. He, meanwhile, kept losing ground. He needed help with dressing, then washing, then eating. She tried to keep up.
“I had two babies. I was running the home and looking after Stephen alone. One of the greatest battles was getting Stephen to use a wheelchair,” she continued. “I’d be going out with an adult on one arm, carrying a newly-born baby in the other, with an older baby struggling alongside.”
As Stephen Hawking became more celebrated and dependent, Jane had a third child and he had to allow others to help him. But he fell in love with a nurse and left his wife.
Hmmm, I wonder how they are going to handle this one. It’s a messy story.
1. What was Jane’s friends’ attitude to her dating with Hawking?| A．Disapproving. | B．Unconcerned. | C．Supportive. | D．Optimistic. |
| A．He was a very famous and rich man. |
| B．They shared similar research interest. |
| C．They did not believe the diagnosis. |
| D．She accepted the uncertainty of life. |
| A．Grateful. | B．Stubborn. | C．Reasonable. | D．Reliable. |
| A．The Hawkings. | B．The nurses. | C．Focus Features. | D．Love stories. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Last week, the social media giant Facebook paused its planned launch of Instagram Kids, an app targeted at kids aged between 10 and 12.
It’s rare to see Facebook retreating on its business ambitions. But even Silicon Valley executives, who insulate their own kids from the products they push on the rest of the population, can’t ignore that social media is contributing to an unprecedented mental health crisis among kids and teens. The percent of teens reporting moderate or severe depression has risen substantially from just two years ago —from 25 percent to 38 percent, according to survey results published earlier this year by Common Sense, Hopelab, and the California Health Foundation, correlating with the time period when the pandemic forced kids to spend even more time in front of screens.
In 2017, psychologist Jean Twenge wrote an article in The Atlantic called “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?”—and the backlash was swift. Critics said Twenge was overreacting because she had relied on observational studies, was unable to show a “direction of causality,” and didn’t note social media’s positive outcomes. What permeated these criticisms was a belief that while social media was a problem, some teens who were struggling may have already been vulnerable, and that ultimately, it could be managed if parents encouraged better digital habits.
Teenagers are experiencing significant physical, mental, and hormonal changes that contribute to intense emotions, yet the ability to recognize and process these emotions is much less developed. “I think social media fundamentally changes the way you grow up as a human and turn into yourself,” says Maddie Freeman, 20, who started an initiative called No Social Media November. This emotionally and developmentally difficult age, one in which mental health issues start to arise, is “the same time this platform swoops you up,” Freeman explains.
Since 2012, the year that a social media use moved from optional to ubiquitous among adolescents,” teen cases of mental problems have risen dramatically, as Twenge and Jonathan Haidt recently wrote. Throughout the pandemic, increased social media use was linked to higher levels of depression and anxiety symptoms, according to research by the Brown-Lifespan Center for Digital Health at Brown University.
1. What can we infer from the first two paragraphs?| A．Instagram Kids was canceled for no apparent reason. |
| B．Social media employees are blind to the harm of their products. |
| C．Teenage mental crisis has been dramatically worsened. |
| D．The percent of teen depression victims will decline. |
| A．Shelter. | B．Benefit. | C．Foster. | D．Abandon. |
| A．the positive effect of social media cannot be overlooked |
| B．there is a direct link between social media and teen mental struggle |
| C．the present teenagers are resistant to the impact of social media |
| D．parents are to blame for teenagers’ mental health crisis |
| A．promote the public awareness of teenagers, mental health |
| B．balance the virtues against drawbacks of the social media |
| C．analyze the link between social media use and teen mental issues |
| D．criticize the wrong belief held by some people in social media |
【推荐2】Earth’s protective ozone(臭氧) layer is slowly but noticeably healing at a pace that would fully mend the hole over Antarctica in about 43 years, a new United Nations report says. The layer of ozone in Earth’s atmosphere shields the planet from harmful radiation linked to skin cancer, cataracts and crop damage. The progress is slow. The global average amount of ozone 18 miles high in the atmosphere won’t be back to 1980 pre-thinning levels until about 2040, the report said. And it won’t be back to normal in the Arctic until 2045. Antarctica, where it’s so thin there’s an annual giant gaping hole in the layer, won’t be fully fixed until 2066, the report said.
Scientists and environmental advocates across the world have long hailed the efforts to heal the ozone hole—springing out of a 1987 agreement called the Montreal Protocol that called on all countries to ban a class of chemicals often used in refrigerants and aerosol—as one of the biggest ecological victories for humanity. “Our success in phasing out ozone-eating chemicals shows us what can and must be done to transition away from fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gases and so limit temperature increase,” professor Petteri Taalas said in a statement. Signs of healing were reported four years ago although the observations at that point were in the early stages. “Those numbers of recovery have solidified a lot recently,” Petteri said.
“There has been a sea change in the way our society deals with ozone reducing substances,” said lead researcher David W. Fahey. Decades ago, people could go into a store and buy a can of refrigerants that eat away at the ozone. Now, not only are the substances banned but they are no longer much in people’s homes or cars, replaced by cleaner chemicals.
Natural weather patterns in the Antarctic also affect ozone hole levels. And the past couple years, the holes have been a bit bigger because of that but the overall trend is one of healing. This is “saving 2 million people every year from skin cancer,” United Nations Environment Programme Director Inger Andersen said in an email.
1. What can be concluded about ozone layer from the United Nations report?| A．It has been improved. | B．It has little harmful radiation now. |
| C．It will be in the best condition in 2040. | D．It will free Antarctica of biological risks in 2066. |
| A．New household appliances. | B．Development in fossil fuels. |
| C．Global efforts and cooperation. | D．Measures to slow global warming. |
| A．They are likely to be prohibited. | B．They are not easily obtainable currently. |
| C．They fail to meet great demand. | D．They are produced at a low cost. |
| A．Antarctic: a promising island. |
| B．Ozone layer: on track to recovery. |
| C．Restoration Progress: Overcoming Challenges. |
| D．The Montreal Protocol: A Global Success Story. |
【推荐3】The recently opened time capsule at the U.S. Military Academy West Point has sparked excitement and curiosity. Although the initial disappointment was palpable when the box seemed to contain only dirt, the discovery of hidden treasures has reawakened interest in the historical significance of the artifacts.
The time capsule, believed to have been placed by West Point military students, was found inside the base of a memorial dedicated to Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a Revolutionary War hero. The contents of the capsule, revealed during a ceremonial opening at the military school, included six silver American coins dating from 1795 and 1828, as well as a medal commemorating (纪念) the Erie Canal from 1826.
While the live opening event did not provide the expected glimpse into historical military objects or documents, it has deepened the mystery surrounding the purpose of the time capsule. The discovery of these valuable coins and medal supports the theory that the box was buried by the military students sometime between 1828 and 1829. Additional research will be conducted to explore other potential surprises within the capsule.
The preservation and investigation of the time capsule hold immense historical value, casting light on the past and connecting the present generation with the stories and legacy of those who came before. Archeologist Paul Hudson, despite the initial letdown, remains optimistic about the ongoing research possibilities and the potential insights awaiting discovery.
As experts explore further into the remains of the time capsule, they aim to uncover any remaining artifacts and gain a better understanding of the time period and the motivations behind burying this historical treasure. The challenge lies in preserving and studying the fragile materials, considering the potential damage caused by moisture and the passage of nearly two centuries.
The exploration of this time capsule serves as a reminder of our shared history and the importance of preserving and celebrating the contributions and sacrifices made by those who paved the way for future generations. The story of the West Point time capsule continues to capture the imagination of historians, researchers, and the public, as they eagerly await further discoveries and insights from this extraordinary find.
1. What does the underlined word “palpable” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Apparent. | B．Unreasonable. | C．Lasting. | D．Impossible. |
| A．It was placed to commemorate the Erie Canal. |
| B．It was buried during the Revolutionary War. |
| C．It was treated well as a gift from a foreign country. |
| D．It was likely buried by military students in the 1800s. |
| A．Donate them to a museum. | B．Sell them to collectors. |
| C．Bury them again for future generations. | D．Continue studying them for further insights. |
| A．They are difficult to analyze due to their small size. |
| B．They may have been seriously damaged over the two centuries. |
| C．They had been heavily damaged before the capsule was buried. |
| D．The time capsule had been placed in a remote and inaccessible location. |
【推荐1】Jane Cooke Wright was born in New York City in 1919. Her father, Louis Tompkins Wright, had been one of the first African-Americans to graduate with flying colors from Harvard Medical School, and the first black doctor to work in a municipal New York hospital. By the time Jane was four, he had set up a nursing school at Harlem Hospital, admitting black students.
Jane was educated at Fieldston Upper School, and studied ant at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. She went on to the New York Medical College in 1942, where she graduated before starting work at Bellevue Hospital in New York.
In 1947-48, very little was known about chemotherapy, the treatment of disease using chemicals. Louis Wright had just set up the Cancer Research Foundation at Harlem Hospital, and Jane joined him there in 1949. The pair began testing new chemicals on patients with leukaemia (白血病). They studied people who suffered mustard gas (芥子气) attacks from the Second World War. Louis Wright himself had suffered lung damage in such an attack. It was found that gas survivors had reduced white blood cell counts. In leukemia, however, there is an increased level of bad white blood cells, and the Wrights thought some of the chemicals found in mustard gas might be used as effective treatments.
When her father died in 1952, Jane became the foundation’s director. Three years later, she became director for cancer chemotherapy research at the New York University Medical Center. For the next 40 years she kept doing chemotherapy research, testing medicines and developing new ways to deliver chemotherapy.
At the start there was only one medicine, mechlorethamine, which had been shown to be effective. But Jane and her workmates studied a wide range of chemicals for their effect on cancerous cells, and their successes included mithramycin, used to treat brain tumours (瘤) that could not be removed by operations (手术).
In 1964 Wright was appointed to the President’s Commission on Heart Disease, Cancer, and Stroke. She returned to New York Medical College in 1967 as head of the cancer research laboratory. Her research and teaching work continued until her retirement in 1987.
1. Which of the following best describes Jane’s father?| A．He was a high achiever. | B．He was interested in flying. |
| C．He was a great family man. | D．He was proud of being an African-American. |
| A．To see if it could lead to cancers. |
| B．To see if the chemicals in it could help protect lungs. |
| C．To see if certain chemicals in it could treat leukaemia. |
| D．To see if it could result in the growth of white blood cells. |
| A．She decided to move. | B．She felt lost for a while. |
| C．She changed her career direction. | D．She continued with cancer research. |
| A．It is a great post-operative medicine. |
| B．It can be used widely in operations |
| C．It increases the effectiveness of mechlorethamine. |
| D．It works on brain tumours that can’t be removed by operations. |
【推荐2】Alan Mathison Turing was born in England in 1912. Like many talents who go on to great things, Turing showed his incredible intelligence from a very young age. In fact, by the time he was halfway through primary school, Turing’s teachers had already realized he was a mathematical genius. He could do complex calculating in his head even though he had never been taught about it.
Fortunately, Turing was the opposite of Hawking, and he absolutely loved school. Proof of this is the extreme lengths he would go just to get to class. For example, on one occasion when there was a train strike, Turing even cycled 60 miles to attend. Now that’s devotion!
However, in spite of Turing’s scholarly attitude and his obvious genius, his teachers had their concerns about his future. This is because well-known schools in Britain like the ones Turing attended regarded the Classics, such as Latin and Greek as the most important, not subjects like maths and science. Turing’s proud teachers even wrote letters to his parents asking them to convince the young man to focus more on the Classics. Imagine how different the world might be if the young Turing had listened to his teachers! Thankfully, his love for all scientific and mathematical things meant there was no chance of that.
After finishing secondary school, Turing completed a degree in mathematics at King’s College Cambridge, and then obtained his PhD from Princeton University in the USA．It was during these university years that he invented the Turing Machine, which is considered by many people to be the earliest version of a computer processing unit. It sounds unbelievable that anybody could have invented something which was similar to a computer in 1936. But that just shows how far ahead of his time Alan Turing was, even when he was still a young man.
1. What can be inferred about Turing according to paragraphs 1-2?| A．He was inspired by his teachers. |
| B．He showed a strong desire for schooling. |
| C．He ignored parents’ advice on course selection. |
| D．His intelligence was first recognized by his parents. |
| A．He argues it’s still limited in many functions. |
| B．He doubts if it is truly invented by a young man. |
| C．He considers the construction of such machines impossible. |
| D．He thinks it has a great influence on the invention of computer. |
| A．To indicate the link between genius and success. |
| B．To illustrate the invention of the Turing Machine. |
| C．To stress the impact of teachers’ guidance on Turing’s life. |
| D．To introduce Turing’s genius, scholarly attitude and achievement. |
| A．Contented with little, yet wishing for more. |
| B．Chances favor the minds that are prepared. |
| C．Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. |
| D．Ordinary people hope, while talented people create. |
【推荐3】Stephen Hawking was both one of the world's most famous scientists and most famous disabled people. His life was a juxtaposition of sparkling intellect and failing body. Prof Hawking was diagnosed with a rare form of motor neurone(运动神经元) diseases when he was 21.
The nerves that controlled his muscles were failing and he became trapped in his body, but his mind was still free. He reached the height of his field while being a wheelchair user.
Professor Hawking certainly raised awareness of motor neurone diseases. One of his major contributions to disability in general was simply being visible---often at a time when disabled voices were missing from popular culture. He made small-screen appearances on The Simpsons, Star Trek and The Big Bang Theory. His life was dramatised (将…改成剧本)by the BBC and in the film The Theory of Everything.
Steve Bell, from the MND association, said: "He was probably the most famous person with a physical disability and it almost normalises it to see his absolute genius. I think it affected a lot of people, seeing he's more than a trapped body. The public's view of disability has changed.
But Prof Hawking’s life was exceptional. He lived five decades longer than doctors expected. Many others with motor neurone diseases die in the years after diagnosis. He was a theoretical physicist. His laboratory was in the mind; his scientific equipment was mathematics.
Prof Hawking was able to continue to pursue his career in a way that would have been much harder in other scientific disciplines and impossible in many other professions. It remains an open question how much he would have achieved if he was disabled from birth rather than after graduating with a first at Oxford. Today, disabled people are more than twice as likely to be unemployed than people without disability. Prof Hawking 's only advice on disability was to focus on what could be achieved. "My advice to other disabled people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesn’t prevent you doing well, and don 't regret the things it interferes with. Don't be disabled in spirit, as well as physically,” he said in an interview with the New York Times.
1. What does the underlined word juxtaposition in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．Combination. | B．Trouble. |
| C．Difficulty. | D．Mess. |
| A．By trying not to get trapped by the disease. |
| B．By making the voice of the disabled heard. |
| C．By making people be used to the small screen. |
| D．By working for the BBC and film companies. |
| A．He was the most well-known person. |
| B．He was affected greatly by many people. |
| C．He changed people's view of disabled people. |
| D．His physical disability affected his mind. |
| A．Try to find a job and don't be unemployed. |
| B．Don't ignore your health. |
| C．Stick to the goals that you can reach. |
| D．Don’t think you are physically disabled. |
