.
A maths talent who won fame this week for giving up a million-dollar prize is living with his mother in a simple flat in St Petersburg, co-existing on her ~30-a-month pension, because he has been
unemployed for many years.
The Sunday Telegraph tracked down the strange recluse (隐士 ) who shocked the maths world when he solved a century-old puzzle known as the Poincare Conjecture.
Grigory Perelman's trouble comes from a split with a leading Russian mathematical institute, the
Steklov, in 2003. When the Institute in St Petersburg failed to re-elect him as a member, Dr Perelman
was left feeling an "absolutely ungified and untalented person", said a friend. He becEune unconfident and cut himself off.
Other friends say he cannot afford to travel to the International Mathematical Union's congress inMadrid, where many people want him to receive the maths equivalent(等价物) of the Nobel Prize, and that he is too modest to ask anyone to pay for his trip.
Interviewed in St Petersburg, Dr Perelman insisted that he was unworthy of all the attention, and
was uninterested in the prize.“I do not think anything that I say can be ofthe slightest public interest"
he said. "I am not saying that because I value my privacy, or that I am doing anything I want to hide.
There are no top-secret projects going on here. Ijust believe the public has no interest in me."
He continued: "I know that self-promotion happens a lot and if people want to do that, good luck
to them, bjt I do not regard it as a positive thing. I realised this a long time ago and nobody is going to
change my mind. Newspapers sliould be more discerning(有洞察力的) over who they write about.
They should have more taste. As far as I am concerned, I can't offer anything for their readers."
Dr Perelman has some small savings from his time as a lecturer, but is apparently unwilling to increase them with the $1 million offered by the Clay Mathematics Institute in Cambridge,Massachusetts, for solving one ofthe world's seven "Millennium Problems".
66. Grigory Perelman lives with his mother because
A. he has to look after her
B. his mother has a million dollars
C. he has been out of work for a long time
D. he is badly paid at the mathematical institute
67. The phrase "absolutely ungified and untalented person" shows that Dr Perelman felt
A. angry B. discouraged C. proud D. confident
68. Grigory Perelman refused to accept the prize because .
A. he thought the prize was worthless
B. he didn't believe the news
C. he couldn't afford to travel to Madrid
D. he showed no interest in it
69. From the passage, we can infer that Grigory Perelman
A. solved the most difficult maths problem
B. has a strong personality
C. wanted to make himself known to all
D. didn't get on well with the press
70. What's the best title for the passage?
A. Great Mathematician Leads Simple Life
B. Maths Genius Abandons a Million-dollar Prize
C. Mathematics Institute Offers Grigory $1 Million
D. One ofthe World's Seven "Millennium Probtems" Solved
When I met him, I had a lot of anger inside of me. I've lived my whole life in Spanish Harlem, but in my neighborhood, there are shoot-ups all the time. I know kids who have been shot or beaten up. I have friends who ended up in prison. I could have ended up that way, too, but Mr. Clark wouldn't let that happen.
Mr. Clark worked long hours, making sure I did my work. My grades rose. In fact, the scores of our whole class rose. One day, he took our class to see The Phantom of the Opera, and it was the first time some kids had ever been out of Harlem. Before the show, he treated us to dinner at a restaurant and taught us not to talk with our mouths full. We did not want to let him down.
Mr. Clark was selected as Disney's 2000 Teacher of the Year. He said he would draw three names out of a hat; those students would go with him to Los Angeles to get the award. But when the time came to draw names, Mr. Clark said, "You're all going."
On graduation day, there were a lot of tears. We didn't want his class to end. In 2001, he moved to Atlanta, but he always kept in touch. He started giving lectures about education, and wrote a bestselling book based on his classroom rules, The Essential 55. In 2003, Mr. Clark took some of us on a trip to South Africa to deliver school supplies and visit the orphanages (孤儿院). It was the most amazing experience of my life. It's now my dream to one day start a group of women's clubs, helping people from all backgrounds. Without Mr. Clark, the writer __________.
A.might have been put into prison |
B.might not have won the prize |
C.might have joined a women's club |
D.might not have moved to Atlanta |
The Essential 55 is __________.
A.a show | B.a speech | C.a classroom rule | D.a book |
What can we learn in the short reading?
A.It was in Harlem that we saw The Phantom of the Opera for the first time. |
B.Mr. Clark taught us not to talk with our mouths full, and we did. |
C.Mr. Clark was selected as Disney's 2000 Teacher of the Year in Los Angeles. |
D.In 2003, Mr. Clark moved to Atlanta, and he always kept in touch with us. |
In the passage, the writer intends to tell us that __________.
A.Mr. Clark went to South Africa because he liked travelling |
B.Mr. Clark helped to set up a group of women's clubs |
C.a good teacher can help raise his or her students' scores |
D.a good teacher has a good influence on his or her students |
Informal conversation is an important part of any business relationship. Before you start a discussion, however, make sure you understand which topics are suitable and which are considered taboos (禁忌) in a particular culture. Latin Americans enjoy sharing information about their local history, art, and customs. They expect questions about their family and are sure to show pictures of their children. Yon may feel free to ask similar questions of your Latin American friends. The French think of conversation as an art form, and they enjoy the value of lively discussions as well as disagreements. For them, arguments can be interesting—and they can cover pretty much or any topic—as long as they occur in a respectful and intelligent (智慧的) manner.
In the United States, business people like to discuss a wide range of topics, including opinions about work, family, hobbies, and politics. In Japan, China, and Korea, however, people are much more private. They do not share much about their thoughts, feelings, or emotions because they feel that doing so might take away from the harmonious (和谐的) business relationship they're trying to build. Middle Easterners are also private about their personal lives and family matters. It is considered rude, for example, to ask a businessman from Saudi Arabia about his wife or children.
As general rule, it's best not to talk about politics or religion (宗教) with your business friends. This can get you into trouble, even in the United States, where people hold different views. In addition, discussing one's salary is usually considered unsuitable. Sports is typically a friendly subject in most parts of the world, but be careful not to criticize a national sport. Instead, be friendly and praise your host's team. Which is typically a friendly topic in most places according to the author?
A.Sports. |
B.Children. |
C.Personal feelings. |
D.Families. |
Why are people from Asia more private in their conversation with others?
A.They don't want to talk with others much. |
B.They don't want to have their good relationship with others harmed by informal conversation. |
C.They are afraid to argue with their colleagues. |
D.They want to keep their feelings to themselves. |
What shouldn't you do when talking about sports with colleagues from another country?
A.Praising your own country's sports. |
B.Criticizing your own country's sports. |
C.Praising the sports of your colleagues'country. |
D.Criticizing the sports of your colleagues'country. |
Kataria is the founder of the worldwide laughter movement. The celebration of World Laughter Day is a positive activity for world peace and is intended to build up a global sense of brotherhood and friendship through laughter. The first "World Laughter Day" gathering took place in Mumbai, India, on 11th January, 1998. 12, 000 members from India and international Laughter Clubs attended it. Now there are over 5, 000 Laughter Clubs worldwide on all 5 continents.
"HAPPY-DEMIC" was the first World Laughter Day gathering outside India. It took place on 9th January, two years after the Mumbai gathering. In Copenhagen, Denmark, more than 10, 000 people gathered at Town Hall Square. The event went into Guinness Book of World Records. "World Laughter Day" is now organized on the first Sunday of May every year. Hundreds of people gather worldwide on that day to laugh together.
Today, many people fear widespread international terrorism. The world has never faced so much unrest before. People are at war within themselves. Laughter is a universal language, which has the ability to unite humanity without religion. Laughter can build a common connection between various religions and create a new world order. The idea may sound over-ambitious (野心太大的), and maybe it is. But maybe it is not. It is our deep belief that laughter and only laughter can unite the world, building up a global sense of brotherhood and friendship.
Studies also say that laughter helps your body do the following: lower blood pressure; lighten depression; reduce stress; work out the heart, especially for those who are unable to perform physical exercise. So in life, when you can laugh, you should laugh loudly and with your entire body—because it's good for you. The first World Laughter Day gathering outside India took place __________.
A.on 11th January, 1998 |
B.on the first Sunday of May |
C.on 9th January, 1996 |
D.on 9th January, 2000 |
The author's attitude towards laughter movement is __________.
A.positive |
B.negative |
C.uninterested |
D.objective |
The passage is mainly about __________.
A.World Laughter Day and its significance |
B.the worldwide laughter movement |
C.a universal language |
D.laughter |
Yasuda is 95 years old. He and his colleagues, looking for easier ways to search the Web and send e-mail, represent a potential market for Apple (AAPL)'s iPad. The company has sold 3. 27 million iPads since its launch in April, but doesn't break down sales figures by customer age, making it impossible to know with certainty how many old people are buying them. However, evidence suggests it's popular with the old.
The iPad's intuitive interface (直观界面) makes it attractive to old citizens around the world, says Takahiro Miura, a researcher at the University of Tokyo: "The iPad is a good tool for the elderly because it's very forgiving of mistakes." Miura's team uses computers to help train senior citizens to rejoin the workforce. "Unlike the PC, it doesn't require previous (先前的) knowledge," he says.
James Cordwell, a technology analyst at Atlantic-Equities in London, says the iPad's popularity with the elderly is helping Apple reach beyond its traditional base of younger customer. "The world's population, especially in developed markets, is getting older, and it's probably a market where Apple has least entered," Cordwell says. Elderly users are "a key source of growth for them in the future."
The elderly in Japan, who make up an estimated 22 percent of the population, may prove particularly quick to accept the iPad. They spend more than any other group in the country except for those under 30, according to a report by Japan's Cabinet Office. Mo-too Kitamura, 78, a former gas salesman, bought an iPad to help him communicate with his 2-year-old grandson and prevent against dementia (痴呆). "Trying new things like that is a good mental exercise," he says. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The iPad was only intended for elderly people. |
B.The use of iPad requires previous knowledge. |
C.The use of iPad is mentally useful to the old. |
D.Only the elderly in Japan can use iPad. |
What can we infer from Paragraph 1?
A.The old get a bit strike from the iPad. |
B.The iPad causes a heavy burden to the old. |
C.The iPad is accepted by the old. |
D.The old are very familiar with the iPad. |
Which of the following is NOT the advantage of the iPad over the PC?
A.It has intuitive interface. |
B.It is easier to operate. |
C.It is more accessible to beginners. |
D.It is a good mental exercise. |
What can we learn from the passage?
A.The old are the largest consumers in Japan. |
B.The iPad is traditionally accepted by the young. |
C.The old in Japan are fond of latest hi-tech products. |
D.The old customers will soon replace the younger ones. |
What could be the best title for the passage?
A.The iPad Leads Apple to the Elderly |
B.IPad Hits Japan's Store Shelves |
C.IPad's Arrival in Tokyo Causes Japanese to Excite |
D.AAPL Tries to Balance the Old and the Yong |
It is difficult for doctors to help a person with a damaged brain. Without enough blood, the brain lives for only three to five minutes. More often the doctors can't fix the damage. Sometimes they are afraid to try something to help because it is dangerous to work on the brain. The doctors might make the person worse if they operate on the brain.
Dr. Robert White, a famous professor and doctor, thinks he knows a way to help. He thinks doctors should make the brain very cold. If it is very cold, the brain can live without blood for 30 minutes. This gives the doctor a longer time to do something for the brain.
Dr. White tried his idea on 13 monkeys. First he taught them to do different jobs, then he operated on them. He made the monkeys' blood back to the monkeys' brains. When the brain's temperature was 10℃, Dr. White stopped the blood to the brain. After 30 minutes he turned the blood back on. He warmed the blood again. After their operations the monkeys were like they had been before. They were healthy and busy. Each one could still do the jobs the doctor had taught them. The biggest difficulty in operating on the damaged brain is that __________.
A.the time is too short for doctors |
B.the patients are often too nervous |
C.the damage is extremely hard to fix |
D.the blood-cooling machine might break down |
The brain operation was made possible mainly by __________.
A.taking the blood out of the brain |
B.trying the operation on monkeys first |
C.having the blood go through a machine |
D.lowering the brain's temperature |
With Dr. White's new idea, the operation on the damaged brain __________.
A.can last as long as 30 minutes |
B.can keep the brain's blood warm |
C.can keep the patient's brain healthy |
D.can help monkeys do different jobs |
What is the right order of the steps in the operation?
a. make the blood back to the brain
b. stop the blood to the brain
c. have the blood cooled down
d. operate on the brain
A.a, b, c, d | B.a, c, b, d |
C.c, b, d, a | D.b, c, d, a |
Which of the following is not true?
A.If there isn't enough blood, the brain can live for only three to five minutes. |
B.If the brain is very cold, it can live without blood for half an hour. |
C.Dr. White tried his idea for thirteen times. |
D.After their operations, the monkeys were healthy and busy again. |