John Von Neumann was the oldest of 3 children of a banker, and his speed of learning new ideas and of solving problems stood out early. At 17, his father tried to persuade him not to become a mathematician because he may lead a poor life being a mathematician, and so Von Neumann agreed to study chemistry as well. In 1926, at 23, he received a degree in chemical engineering and a Ph.D. in mathematics. From then on, mathematics provided well enough for him, and he never had to turn to chemistry.
In 1930, Von Neumann visited Princeton University for a year and then became a professor there. His first book was published in 1932. In 1933, the Institute for Advanced Study was formed, and he became one of the 6 full-time people in the School of Mathematics (Einstein was one of the others).
World War II hugely changed Von Neumann’s areas of interest. Until 1940 he had been a great pure (纯粹的) mathematician. During and after the war, he became one of the best mathematicians who put mathematics theories into practice. During the last part of the war he became interested in computing machines and made several fundamental contributions. After the war, Von Neumann continued his work with computers, and was generally very active in government service. He received many awards, was president of the American Mathematical Society and was a member of the Atomic Energy Commission. He died in 1957 of cancer.
Von Neumann made several great contributions and any one of them would have been enough to earn him a firm place in history. He will be remembered as one of the greatest minds of the 20th century.
Von Neumann really was a legend (传奇) in his own time, and there are a number of stories about him. His driving ability is a part of this legend. He reported one accident this way: “I was driving down the road. The trees on the right were passing me in an orderly fashion at 60 miles per hour. Suddenly one of them stepped in my path.”
1. According to the text, Von Neumann’s father believed that ________.| A．a mathematician couldn’t earn a lot of money |
| B．a mathematician needed a good memory |
| C．Von Neumann had the ability to learn two subjects at the same time |
| D．Von Neumann had a gift for solving problems at a high speed |
| A．23 | B．26 | C．29 | D．32 |
| A．He realized the importance of engineering. |
| B．He began to research how to put mathematics into practice. |
| C．He left college and served at the government department. |
| D．He lost interest in chemistry. |
| A．calm | B．brave | C．intelligent | D．humorous |
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Despite these worries, I came to New Zealand in July 2009. I have found the place and people very nice and supportive. Soon after I arrived, I realized the importance of getting a job for my living expenses.
Determined to do this on my own, I spent a whole day going door to door asking for a job. However, I received little response. This became my routine every day after college for a few weeks.
One afternoon, I walked into a building to ask whether there were any job opportunities. People there were very surprised, and advised me not to continue my job search in that manner. As I was about to leave, a clerk in the building, who had been listening to what the others had said, approached me and asked me to wait outside for a while. Fifteen minutes later, he returned. He asked me about my plans and encouraged me to stay confident. Then he offered to take me to Royal Oak to search for a job.
I was a little surprised but had a good feeling about him. He gave me some suggestions on dressing and speaking. I handed out my resumes and went home feeling very satisfied. The following day, I received a call from a store in Royal Oak offering me a job.
It seems that the world always gives back to you when you need it .And this time，it was a complete stranger who turned out to be a real blessing.
1. What wasn’t the author’s mother worried about?
| A．The author couldn’t speak the local language. |
| B．The author wasn’t familiar with local customs. |
| C．People might look down on the author. |
| D．It might be difficult for the author to find a job. |
| A．decided to go back to his own country |
| B．had to find a job to cover his living expenses |
| C．felt the local people were not very friendly |
| D．wanted to get a job that needed practical skills |
| A．a clerk recommended him to the company he worked for |
| B．he was confident that he would find a good one |
| C．he found many college students like him already there |
| D．a clerk gave him encouragement and advice |
| A．How a stranger offered the author a job. |
| B．How a stranger turned out to be a real blessing. |
| C．How the author was helped to get a job by a stranger. |
| D．How the author adapted himself to a new situation. |
【推荐2】Richard Williams works hard. He’s clever, careful, and fast .His work is dangerous. Richard thinks of himself as a professional—a professional thief.
Yesterday was a typical day. Richard dressed in a business suit, took his briefcase (手提箱), and drove to a town about ten miles from his home. He parked his car in a busy area, then began to walk along the street. No one looked at him. He was another businessman walking to work.
At 8：05, Richard saw what he wanted. A man was leaving his house. Richard walked around the block again. At 8：10 , he watched a woman leave the same house. After she left, Richard worked quickly. He walked to the side of the house and stood behind a tree. He took a screwdriver (螺丝刀) out of his briefcase and quickly opened the window and climbed in. First, he looked through the desk in the living room. He found ＄200 in cash (现金). In the dining room, he put the silverware (银器) into his briefcase. The next stop was the bedroom. Richard stole a diamond ring and an emerald (祖母绿宝石) necklace. Richard passed a color TV, a stereo (音响), and a camera, but he didn’t touch them. Everything had to fit into his briefcase. In less than five minutes, Richard climbed back out the window. He looked around carefully, then began his walk down the street again. No one looked at him. He was just another businessman, walking to work.
1. Why did Richard wear a business suit?| A．Because he is a professional. |
| B．Because he didn’t want to draw others’ attention to him. |
| C．Because he works hard. |
| D．Because he is a thief. |
| A．stood behind a tree |
| B．entered the house |
| C．walked around the block again |
| D．opened the window with a screwdriver |
| A．it was night time |
| B．he ran very fast |
| C．he stood behind a tree |
| D．he was very clever |
| A．Five minutes. |
| B．One hour. |
| C．Nearly five minutes. |
| D．Fifteen minutes. |
| A．it is too big to carry |
| B．it is too heavy to carry |
| C．it is worth nothing |
| D．it is difficult for him to carry such a thing without being notice |
【推荐3】It was an old day when I set out for a run in Moab, Utah, with my dog, Taz. As an athlete I often went for a run by myself. While running along a canyon (峡谷) road, I hit a piece of ice. I slipped down the rock face and fell 60 feet into the canyon, landing on a ledge (岩脊). Taz found his way to me, so I knew there must be a way out of the canyon, but I couldn’t stand, as I had broken an important bone.
I shouted for help but then decided to move to the bottom of the canyon first. The ledge was too dangerous to stay. It took me five hours to go a quarter of a mile. Eventually it got dark, and I decided to stay where I was for the night, next to a puddle of water. All I had on me was a water bottle and some chocolates. At night, I avoided sleeping for fear of dying of hypothermia (低体温症). Taz stayed with me, providing some warmth. The next morning, I couldn’t move at all. But I was sure somebody would hear me screaming for help. The second night in the canyon seemed even colder. My feet were frostbitten (冻伤). On the third day, I accepted the fact that I might die. I called Taz over and told him to go and get help.
Taz returned, alone. Then I heard an engine in the distance. I started shouting for help, and then I saw a man walking towards me. It turned out that my neighbor noticed I hadn’t come home, and Taz had found the rescue team. I was airlifted to hospital, where doctors found I was seriously wounded, having lost half of my blood.
Five years on, I still think about the experience. I couldn’t run like I used to due to the after-effects of the accident, and cold weather brings back bad memories, but I’m married with two kids, and Taz is still alive. Realizing you have a second chance to live puts things into perspective.
1. Why did the author try to move to the bottom of the canyon?| A．To reach a safe place. | B．To climb back to the road. |
| C．To come across some helper. | D．To avoid being attacked by wild animals. |
| A．Lack of food. | B．Physical pain. |
| C．Fear of death. | D．Low temperature. |
| A．Taz turned to the author’s neighbor for help. |
| B．The author stayed in the canyon for 3 nights. |
| C．The author didn’t hold out much hope of his dog. |
| D．The rescue team was required by the author's neighbor. |
THE MAN WHO CHANGED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNIVERSE
Albert Einstein, who is perhaps the greatest scientist in modern physics, is often considered one of the smartest men who ever lived. He made numerous contributions to the world, the most well-known being the general theory of relativity and the famous formula E=mc². Einstein was not only a genius; he was a courageous and kind figure loved by many people.
This gentle genius was born in Germany on 14 March 1879. When he was 16, he tried to enter university in Switzerland, but failed due to his low scores in the general part of the entrance exam, despite obtaining exceptional scores in maths and physics. After studying for another year, he managed to pass the exam, entering university in 1896 and graduating in 1900.
After two years of looking for work as a teacher, Einstein took a job as a clerk in the Swiss patent office. While working there, out of a strong passion for knowledge, he continued to study, earning a doctorate in physics in 1905. That same year, which was later recorded as a miracle year in science, he published four extraordinary physics papers. Following this, he gradually became famous throughout the world as the new Isaac Newton. After four years, he was able to quit his job at the patent office and enter research full-time at a university. In 1922, he was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize for Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.
Circumstances changed in 1933, when Hitler came to power in Germany. Einstein, who was Jewish, found the doors of academic institutions closed to him. As a consequence, he had to flee Germany. After spending time in Europe, he finally took up a position as a researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, USA. Following that, he continued to make great achievements in physics and mathematics.
To the public, he was seen as a slightly odd-looking but kind and funny man. He had a thick moustache and long white hair, which sometimes stood on end as though he had just received an electric shock. Although he was a genius, he sometimes forgot things, like his friends’ birthdays. But despite his peculiarities, he was loved by his friends and neighbors. There is even a story about how he helped a little girl who knocked on his door and asked for help with her homework. In fact, Einstein often encountered people on the street who would stop him and ask him to help explain things. After many such occasions, he finally started saying, “Pardon me! Sorry! Always I am mistaken for Professor Einstein!”
On 18 April 1955, it was reported that Einstein had passed away, and the whole world mourned the great loss of a brilliant scientist.
1. What subjects did Albert Einstein like best in middle school?| A．Politics and geography. | B．Physics and maths. |
| C．English and art. | D．Chemistry and history. |
| A．In 1902. | B．In 1904. |
| C．In 1905. | D．In 1906. |
| A．Because of his explanation of the photoelectric effect. |
| B．Because of his courageous and kind character. |
| C．Because of his strong passion for knowledge. |
| D．Because of his fulltime research at a university. |
| A．He came to power in Germany. |
| B．He was forced to leave Germany. |
| C．He moved to Europe for his degree. |
| D．He refused to work as a researcher in the US. |
【推荐2】Early in the autumn of 1674, Henry Oldenburg, secretary of the Royal Society in London, received an extraordinary letter. Sent by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, a draper from Delft in the Netherlands, it contained an unlikely-sounding claim.
Using a microscope of his own invention, van Leeuwenhoek had seen tiny creatures, invisible to the naked eye, living in lake water. Some of these “animalcules (微生物)” were so small, and he later estimated that 30 million of them would still be smaller than a grain of sand.
Royal Society fellows couldn’t believe it. Even with his most powerful instruments, the celebrated English microscopist Robert Hooke had never observed anything like the little creatures.
In fact, the Dutchman had developed far superior lenses to Hooke’s, and had discovered bacteria and protozoans (原生动物). By producing even smaller and more curved lenses— using a technique that he kept secret—van Leeuwenhoek was able to magnify objects up to 500 times. As well as discovering microorganisms, he was the first to see red blood cells.
In 1677, van Leeuwenhoek sent the Society further animalcule observations. Hooke eventually improved his own microscopes to the point where he, too, could see the tiny creatures. Three years later van Leeuwenhoek was made a fellow.
It was not until 1890, more than 160 years after van Leeuwenhoek’s death, that bacteria were linked with diseases. “Reading van Leeuwenhoek’s letters, you very much get the impression of somebody dazzled by what he was finding,” says Lesley Robertson, leader of the archives at Delft University’s school of microbiology. “He thought he’d found a whole new world—but he certainly never picked up on the connection with illness.”
1. What did Antoni van Leeuwenhoek see with his own microscope?| A．A letter. | B．Bacteria and protozoans. |
| C．Small animals in the water. | D．The element of water. |
| A．van Leeuwenhoek knew the tiny creatures in the water had something to do with nature |
| B．van Leeuwenhoek was the first one to discover bacteria |
| C．van Leeuwenhoek was the first one to use the microscope |
| D．van Leeuwenhoek was the first one to know how to observe bacteria and protozoans |
| A．To clear away. | B．To improve. |
| C．To collect. | D．To make large. |
| A．he was overexcited | B．he knew he followed someone else’s discovery |
| C．he was a bit disappointed | D．his discovery was to lead a connection between bacteria and illnesses |
【推荐3】Charles Darwin lived an unusually quiet life. In 1842, Darwin and his wife Emma moved from London to Kent in southern England to have as little disturbance（烦扰）as possible. They already had two children then, and would go on to have eight more in the country.
Darwin, had very regular habits. He rose early and went for a walk, After breakfast he worked in his study until 9:30 am, his most productive time of the day, and then read his letters lying on the sofa before returning to work.
At midday he would go for another walk with his dog, stopping at his greenhouse to check his experiments. Then he would go for another walk around an area of woodland. While walking on his “thinking path”, Darwin would consider his unsolved scientific problems.
After lunch he read the newspaper and wrote letters. His network of friends provided information from all corners of the world.
The Darwins were not very strict parents and the children were always seen running wild. Their father worked patiently with a background of happy shouts and little footsteps walking past his study door.
After dinner Darwin played backgammon（a game for two people to play）with his wife. He once wrote, “Now the result with my wife in backgammon stands like this: she… has won only 2,490 games, while I have won, hurrah（a cheer of joy or victory）, hurrah, 2,795 games!”
Although he had poor health, Darwin continued to publish a lot of creative works until his final book in 1881. He died the following year, aged 73.
Rather than a quiet space in the local churchyard, which he called “the sweetest place on Earth”, Darwin was given a state funeral（国葬）in London’s Westminster Abbey.
1. Why did the Darwins move to Kent?| A．To do more experiments. | B．To cut their cost of living. |
| C．To enjoy more peacefulness. | D．To be together with their children. |
| A．He studied in the forest. | B．He started to work at 9:30 am. |
| C．He wrote letters in the morning. | D．He examined his experiments. |
| A．Strict. | B．Kind. |
| C．Cold. | D．Brave. |
| A．Darwin’s scientific achievements. | B．Darwin’s unusual state funeral. |
| C．Darwin’s personal life. | D．Darwin’s large family. |
