On July 14, 2017, Maryam Mirzakhani, Stanford professor of mathematics and the first female winner of the Fields Medal in Mathematics, died at the age of 40.
The news was especially hard-hitting for a generation of younger academics who have always held Maryam as a role model whose example is helping redefine women’s status in science and especially mathematics. What was fun was that Maryam always tried to avoid the media’s spotlight. Her modesty (谦虚) and simplicity despite being the first woman to gain such high status in the world of mathematics — winning what’s often called the “Nobel Prize of math” — stood out to those who knew her.
Maryam originally wanted to be a writer, a passion of hers that never faded away even during her postgraduate studies. However, she found an even greater joy in how rewarding it felt to solve mathematical problems. As a student, she was the first female member of Iran’s national team to participate in the International Math Olympiad (IMO), and she won two gold medals in two years — still a record.
She received her bachelor’s degree in Iran and later studied at Harvard. In 2014, Maryam was recognized with the Fields Medal, the highest-ranking award in mathematics. Her work focused on curved surfaces like spheres (球体). Her achievements have applications in other scientific fields including engineering and material science. Unfortunately, at that time she was already tackling the breast cancer.
Maryam’s legend (传奇) may continue to grow after her early death. Still only 20 percent of full-time math teachers at U. S. universities are women. The example of a woman who rose to the top of this still very male field may help inspire math’s next generation.
In the same way people think of Marie Curie or Jane Goodall as scientific pioneers, Maryam Mirzakhani will go down in history as a trailblazer as well as a mathematical genius.
1. What makes Maryam internationally recognized?| A．Her unfading passion for writing. |
| B．Fighting against sexual discrimination. |
| C．Being the first female Fields Medal winner. |
| D．Coming under the media’s spotlight frequently. |
| A．She was sociable in her life. |
| B．She was enthusiastic about spotlight. |
| C．She was devoted to redefining women’s right. |
| D．She was much indifferent to fame and fortune. |
| A．She won gold medals for Iran in IMO. |
| B．She got her bachelor’s degree at Harvard. |
| C．She applied mathematics to material science. |
| D．She instructed some female students to reach the top. |
| A．Talent. | B．Model. | C．Follower. | D．Pioneer. |
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【推荐1】“Women do not own lands in my community except if they are able to buy one, as most of the lands in a family are passed on to the male children. So a woman who intends to own a land must be prepared to work hard.”
Monica Maigari was born and raised in her native community of Madakiya, located in the southern part of Kaduna state of northwestern Nigeria. In 2014, her achievements as a farmer, community leader, and women’s advocate won her recognition as an Oxfam Female Food Hero. Since that time, she has deepened her involvement in the local community while sharing her skills with influential audiences.
Monica has been a farmer for more than 30 years. Despite great challenges faced by rural women farmers, such as land accessibility, labour costs, market access, and climate change, she has achieved great success. She started with a small field for crop cultivation in 1984 and then expanded into various crops and livestock farming. Like all farmers in her region, Monica’s agricultural productivity is threatened by climate change. She is leading her community in adapting to the effects while challenging policymakers to act.
In November 2014, out of the 1,280 contestants nationwide, Monica won the Female Food Hero title for her innovative and leadership qualities. Against local practices, she chose to purchase farmland with her prize money in order to reduce the cost of renting a land and help plough back (把……再投资)that money into her agribusiness.
She describes the FFH as being a truly life changing experience, “I acquired several skills. I was taught the value chain. My productivity and income has steadily increased. I am more financially stable. Since her recognition from Oxfam, Monica has been in demand as a speaker throughout Nigeria and abroad, and she is now able to educate other female farmers. Realizing this yet always humble (谦虚的), Monica simply describes herself as “a hard-working woman devoted to encouraging women especially those less privileged to go into agriculture”.
1. What does the author intend to stress in Paragraph 1?| A．Monica’s achievements as a women’s advocate. |
| B．The challenges of having lands faced by women. |
| C．The role of male children played in possessing lands. |
| D．The importance of women’s involvement in agriculture. |
| A．She used her money to buy farmland. |
| B．She was creative and had strong leadership. |
| C．She served as a public speaker at home and abroad. |
| D．She owned lands in a community where women typically do not. |
| A．Shy but strict. | B．Creative but proud. |
| C．Devoted and inspiring. | D．Hard-working and sensitive. |
| A．Women’s Land Rights in Madakiya |
| B．Climate Change and Agriculture in Nigeria |
| C．Oxfam Female Food Hero: Monica Maigari |
| D．A Farmer’s Journey in Northwestern Nigeria |
【推荐2】Ice cream season is here! Let’s hope you have enough money for your favorite flavors. But have you ever thought about getting paid to eat ice cream?
The idea isn’t pie in the sky. It’s how American Derek Spors, 32, makes his living. Although he simply calls himself a product developer at Ben and Jerry’s, an ice-cream company based in Vermont. His job is something delicious.
So how did he become an ice-cream expert in the first place? Spors received a degree in food science from the University of Wisconsin. However, some research and development staff in the company come from culinary (厨师的) backgrounds.
This makes for a good mix. People with a food science background and those with a culinary background both know a lot about food, but the things they know are different. “In studying food science, you learn about food functionality, but you don’t really learn how to make it taste good.” Spors said. “To the consumer, it’s all about the taste.”
Great tastes are exactly what Spors spends his days inventing and perfecting.
So how is a new product developed? According to Spors, the process has to begin with a new idea for a flavor. Next comes the formulation (配方) of “base” mixes. This lays the foundation (基础) for new flavors, which involves complex science. On top of all these chemical experiments, the mix has to taste good.
Being an ice-cream inventor does have its own rewards-who wouldn’t want a chance to create a new ice cream flavor? For Spors, it’s terrific to know his work makes others happy when he goes to the grocery store and sees someone buy ice cream he developed.
1. Which of the following is closest in meaning to “pie in the sky” in Paragraph 2?| A．Unlikely. |
| B．Simple. |
| C．Unusual. |
| D．Decent. |
| A．Developing new markets. |
| B．Inventing good tastes. |
| C．Making phone calls. |
| D．Eating delicious food. |
| A．How to make ice cream taste good. |
| B．What helps make a good mix. |
| C．What Spors learned at university. |
| D．How others’ work helps Spors. |
| A．It’s terrible. |
| B．It’s awesome. |
| C．It’s tiring. |
| D．It’s well-paid. |
【推荐3】Last year, I fell into a deep depression(抑郁). It was caused by a car accident. I was in physical recovery from the accident and suddenly all of my old hurts started coming up. I found myself crying on the floor of my apartment.
I don't want you to bleed with me or to pity me. But I also don't want to gloss my reality. And the truth is, beneath the shiny photos you see on the Internet, I'm still a work in progress. I'm not perfect. Like all of us, I'm doing the best I can. Making the best choices I can. Back to the evening when I found myself lying on the floor.
What happened next? I started writing.
There was a TV show I absolutely loved. I started writing fan fiction. It provided a beautiful place of escape from the thoughts swimming in my head. The depression started to lift. I started to feel like myself again.
After completing a four-part fan fiction totaling around 12,000 words, I had an idea. I should write a novel to give a hand to those like me.
I continued writing, having no idea where it would lead. I didn't know I would publish it but, after much resistance on my part I finally made the decision to publish the book under my own name. No pen name. No hiding on the deep bowels of the internet.
And so here we are. The day before the release of the book. Sure, readers will enjoy the twists and turns. And I can see myself in the character. But that's not my real motivation. I wrote it to help people. To give them a place to belong to. A place to talk about this fictional world. The very same thing that saved me last year.
If the story provides this to just one person, I've done my job.
1. What does the underlined word “gloss” in Paragraph 3 mean?| A．Cover. | B．Expose. | C．Realize. | D．Face. |
| A．To earn a living. | B．To follow his dream. |
| C．To help people with depression. | D．To find a place to belong to. |
| A．Perfect. | B．Cautious. | C．Shy. | D．Honest. |
| A．My Hobby | B．Writing Can Help | C．A Moving Story | D．My New Book |
【推荐1】Born on 1 July 1948, in the small Italian city of Palmi, Roberto Crea was a gifted <kid. He moved to the Netherlands and majored in Biological Chemistry. It was this university that directed his interest in the synthesis (合成) of nucleotides (核苷酸), the basic units that are required to build DNA. At that time, not many researchers studied the combination of genes (基因), but Roberto’s strong chemistry background made a historical invention possible.
In 1977, he joined the Genentech, Inc. and the gene synthesis team at City of Hope Medical School.The company funded Dr. Crea’s ongoing research on gene synthesis. After working day and night, the brilliant individual finally invented a new procedure that improved the chemical synthesis of genes. Thanks to his rich knowledge and the joint efforts of the excellent Genentech team, he made use of this discovery to produce the human insulin (胰岛素) genes, A and B. It was his invention that allowed Genentech to be labeled as the first producer of human protein. This benefited hundreds of millions of people suffering from diabetes (糖尿病) all over the world.
Today Roberto is known as the father of synthetic insulin and had almost won the Nobel Prize. His efforts did not stop after discovering the synthetic insulin. In fact, he was more than driven and tried to make more contribution to the field of biotechnology. His team of experts discovered Ziconotide under his teachings and guidance. According to leading scientists and researchers, this drug is more powerful and effective than morphine (吗啡), and the best part of this is that it has zero side-effects.
Dr. Roberto Crea has a long list of creditable discoveries and researches that he has achieved in 65 years of his life. He is an inspiration for many individuals who aim to add value to humanity with the help of science.
1. What may contribute to Roberto’s invention of the human insulin genes?| A．His good luck in his life. |
| B．His curiosity about his study. |
| C．His creative imagination. |
| D．His knowledge of chemistry. |
| A．A special way of producing human protein. |
| B．A reliable method for curing people of diabetes. |
| C．A new procedure for improving gene synthesis. |
| D．A simple technique of separating human genes. |
| A．He won a Nobel Prize. |
| B．He stuck to his scientific research. |
| C．He discovered morphine with his team. |
| D．He retired after making the great discovery. |
| A．Enthusiastic and generous. | B．Courageous and calm. |
| C．Ambitious and patient. | D．Devoted and talented. |
【推荐2】For decades, China had wanted a Nobel Prize. Tu Youyou, a researcher who helped to develop a malaria(疟疾)medicine, finally won the country that honor.
In fact, Tu is not the only scientist in China who is catching the world’s attention. In 2016, the journal Nature published a list of the top 10 science stars in China. Gao Caixia and Cui Weicheng are two of them.
Gao Caixia has been devoted to genetic engineering for her whole career. She is known for using CRISPR-Cas9, the revolutionary gene-editing technique that is sweeping through biology labs around the world—in crops.
At first, Gao was unwilling to take up gene editing using CRISPR-Cas9 because her lab at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing had already created mutations(变异)in 82 genes using an older type of technology. But after thinking carefully about it, she decided to give it a try.
After a year of hard work, her lab finally succeeded. Gao worked on genetic engineering in wheat, a crop that is famous for being difficult to work with. Now she is considered one of the best scientists in the world at engineering wheat.
Cui Weicheng is the developer of China’s record-setting Jiaolong submersible(潜水器). He is now a professor at Westlake University. In 2012, Cui rode inside China’s Jiaolong submersible and reached a depth of more than 7,000 meters in the Pacific.
Thanks to Jiaolong and the 57-year-old developer, China is now one of only a few nations that can explore the deep sea. Jiaolong can travel deeper than any other manned research submersible currently in use, which shows China’s increasing ambition and leadership in deep-sea research.
1. Why is Tu Youyou mentioned at the beginning of the passage?| A．To show one of China’s long-held dreams. |
| B．To stress the importance of the Nobel Prize. |
| C．To praise Tu Youyou for her contributions. |
| D．To introduce more top Chinese scientists. |
| A．A kind of gene-editing technique. |
| B．A lab where scientists work. |
| C．A kind of crop that is widely planted in the world. |
| D．A research team that works on genetic engineering. |
| A．He teaches about the sea at a university. |
| B．He developed China’s Jiaolong submersible. |
| C．He is devoted to genetic engineering. |
| D．He reached the bottom of the ocean. |
| A．China’s Science Stars |
| B．China’s Nobel Prize Dream |
| C．Gao Caixia—China’s Crop Engineer |
| D．Cui Weicheng—China’s Deep-sea Diver |
In my first week as a graduate student at Cambridge University in 1964 I met with a fellow student, two years ahead of me in his studies; he was unsteady on his feet and spoke with great difficulty．This was Stephen Hawking．I learned that he had a bad disease and might not live long enough even to finish his Phd degree．
But, amazingly, he has reached the age of 73．Even mere survival would have been a medical miracle, but of course, he didn’t merely survive．He has become arguably the most famous scientist in the world for his brilliant research, for his bestselling books, and, above all, for his astonishing victory over hardship．
Stephen received his “death sentence” in 1964, when I thought it was hard for him to go on with his study．Stephen went from Albans School to Oxford University．He was said to be a “lazy” undergraduate, but his brilliance earned him a first-class degree, an “entry ticket” to a research career in Cambridge and a uniquely inspiring achievement．Within a few years of the burst of his disease he was wheelchair-bound, and his speech was so unclear that it could only be understood by those who knew him well．But his scientific career went from strength to strength: he quickly came up with a series of insights into the nature of black holes (then a very new idea) and how the universe began．In 1974 he was elected to the Royal Society at the exceptionally early age of 32．
The great advances in science generally involve discovering a link between phenomena that were previously conceptually unconnected — for instance, Isaac Newton realized that the force making an apple fall to earth was the same as the force that holds the moon and planets in their orbits．Stephen’s revolutionary idea about a link between gravity and quantum(量子) theory has still not been tested． However, it has been hugely influential; indeed, one of the main achievements of string theory(弦理论) has been to confirm and build on his idea． He has undoubtedly done more than anyone else since Einstein to improve our knowledge of gravity and he is one of the top-ten living theoretical physicists．
1. What impressed the author most about Stephen Hawking?
| A．His brilliant research． |
| B．His bestselling books． |
| C．His serious disease． |
| D．His defeating hardship． |
| A．His death sentence． |
| B．His “lazy” attitude． |
| C．His above-average talent and ability． |
| D．His rich experience． |
| A．in the early 1940s |
| B．in the late 1940s |
| C．in the early 1930s |
| D．in the late 1930s |
| A．Hawking’s theory was proved years ago． |
| B．Hawking was not as successful as Newton． |
| C．String theory built on Hawking’s idea． |
| D．Hawking’s theory has had little influence on others． |
| A．He achieved one success after another in his career despite his disease． |
| B．He couldn’t walk when the author first met him at Cambridge． |
| C．He not only survived his disease but contributed greatly to science． |
| D．He is among the greatest scientists to improve the knowledge of gravity． |
