Do you sometimes argue about what seems to you to be simple fact? Do you argue whether it’s cold outdoors or whether the car in front of you is going faster than the speed limit?

If you get into such arguments, try to think about the story about the six blind men and the elephant. The first blind man who felt the elephant’s trunk said it was like a snake. The second who felt the elephant’s side said it was like a wall, while the third said it was like a spear as he touched the animal’s tusk. The fourth, who got hold of the elephant’s tail insisted that it was like a rope. The fifth man said it looked like a tree as he put his arms around one of the elephant’s legs. The sixth, who was tall and got hold of the elephant’s ears, said it was like a huge fan.

Each man’s idea of the animal came from his own experience. So if someone disagrees with you about a“simple fact”, it’s often because his experience in the matter is different from yours.

To see how hard it is for even one person to make up his mind about a“simple fact”, try this simple experiment. Get three large bowls. Put ice water in one. Put hot water in the second. Put lukewarm water in the third. Now put your left hand in the ice water. Put your right hand in the hot water. After thirty seconds, put both hands in the lukewarm water. Your right hand will tell you the water is cold. Your left hand will tell you it’s hot!

What makes people think about simple facts differently?

A. The fact that simple facts differ from one another.

B. The fact that people have different experience in the same simple fact.

C. The fact that people often disagree with one another.

D. The fact that it’s hard to make up one’s mind about simple facts.

Which of the following temperatures can the word“lukewarm”be applied to?

A. Around 1℃          B. Above 60℃      C. Around 25℃        D. Below 0℃

After reading the last paragraph, we may think of        .

A. Newton’s law                       B. Gallileo’s theory of falling objects

C. Einstein’s theory of relativity    D. Marx’s On Capital

The main idea of this passage is         .

A. people often judge something according to his own experience

B. people often agree about simple facts

C. it’s hard for a person to make up his mind about a simple fact

D. don’t care too much about simple facts

   What will you be doing when you are 26 years old? Studying at university or working for a living? Take a look at what Albert Einstein was doing at the age of 26.

   100 years ago, Einstein was working in Switzerland. His hobby was physics. Without much money or help, he wrote five papers(论文) for a physics magazine. Three of these greatly changed the study of physics and our understanding of space, time, light and matter(物质). His most famous work is on the Theory of Relativity(相对论). Einstein was given the Nobel Prize for his discoveries. Although he also did many other things later, the years 1905 has been called Einstein’s “Year of Wonders”. It has been 100 years since then. Because of this, the UN has named 05 the World Year of Physics.

   Today, over fifty years after Einstein’s death, a question is asked,  “ Will there ever be another Einstein?” It may take a long time. After all, Einstein was born more than 200 years after Sir Isaac Newton, another great scientist. Besides, physics is a different field now, and education is different, too. Even if you can’t be the next great scientist, it is still helpful to remember some of the things that made Einstein great. He thought independently(独立地) and read widely. He left with us a formula(公式) for life: If A is a success in life, then A=X+Y+Z. X is work, Y is play, and Z is keeping your mouth shut.

The year 1905 is known as Einstein’s “Year of Wonders” because           .

A. Einstein was working in Switzerland in 1905            B. Einstein was 26 years old in 1905

C. Einstein made some very important discoveries in 1905    D. Einstein studied physics in 1905

Why hasn’t there been another scientist as great as Einstein?

A. Because the study of physics is not enough.

B. Because it is hard to make important discoveries as Einstein did.

C. Because people don’t work hard any more.

D. Because physics is getting more and more difficult.

The UN has named 05 the World Year of Physics because           .

A. Einstein is 100 years old this year     

B. Einstein has been dead for more than 50 years

C. there have been other great discoveries after Einstein’s death 

D. it is the 100^th year since Einstein’s “Year of Wonders”

What does Einstein’s formula for life mean?

A. Success means years of hard work.   

 B. Success means all study and no play.

C. Success means working hard, relaxing and not talking too much.

D. Success is a secret that nobody knows.

He could have been president of Israel or played violin at Carnegie Hall, but he was too busy thinking. His thinking on God, love and the meaning of life grace our greeting cards and day-timers.

Fifty years after his death, his shock (蓬乱) of white hair and hanging mustache still symbolize genius. Einstein remains the foremost scientist of the modern time. Looking back 2,400 years, only Newton, Galileo and Aristotle were his equals.

Around the world, universities and academies (研究院) are celebrating the 100th anniversary of Einstein's "miracle year" when he published five scientific papers in 1905 that basically changed our grasp of space, time, light and matter. Only he could top himself about a decade later with his theory of relativity.

Born in the age of horse-drawn carriages, his ideas launched a technological revolution that has made more change in a century than in the previous two thousand years. Computers, satellites, telecommunication, lasers, television and nuclear power all owe their invention to ways in which Einstein exposed a stranger and more complicated reality underneath the world．

He escaped Hitler's Germany and devoted the rest of his life to human rights and peace with an authority unmatched by any scientist today, or even most politicians and religious leaders. He spoke out against fascism (法西斯主义) and racial prejudice. His FBI (美国联邦调查局) file ran 1,400 pages.

His letters expose a disorderly personal life -- married twice and indifferent toward his children while absorbed in physics. Yet he charmed lovers and admirers with poetry and sailboat outings. Friends and neighbors fiercely protected his privacy.

The first paragraph implies that Einstein _____.

       A．had the gift for politics and music

       B．had run for president before he worked at his research

       C．was an excellent violinist

       D．was more a political leader or a musician than a thinker

When you think of Einstein, what typical appearance was formed in your mind?

       A．Funning and humorous, with an air of a musician.

       B．Wearing very wide trousers, a moustache, with an image of an actor.

       C．Rough untidy mass of white hair and hanging moustache, with an image of thinking.

       D．Black long hair and moustache, with his eyes deep set.

Why was 1905 called Einstein’s “miracle year”?

       A．Because he topped himself with the theory of relativity.

       B．Because he made important discoveries of space, time, light and matter.

       C．Because he published five papers on his theory of relativity.

       D．Because he wrote five important articles to help people better understand space, time, light

and matter.

Which of the following is not true about Einstein according to the passage?

       A．When he was absorbed in his research, he didn’t care for his family.

       B．He tried to amuse his family and friends in his spare time.

       C．He was so busy with the physical research that he showed no interest in politics.

       D．His theory led to much improvement in many technological fields.

完形填空

At one time Einstein travelled all over the United States giving lectures. He travelled 1 , and soon became quite 2 with the driver.

The driver always 3 Einstein's lecture, 4 the great scientist gave again and again. One day he told Einstein that he 5 the lecture so well that he was sure he could give it 6 . Einstein smiled and said, “Why don't you give the lecture for me next time?” The driver 7 That evening, both of them went along to the 8 . 9 there had seen Einstein before. As the driver 10 on the stage (讲台) everybody clapped (鼓掌). Then he began the lecture seriously. Sure enough, he 11 make a single mistake. It was a great success, and when it was over, people clapped and clapped. Then he started to 12 , shaking hands 13 everybody, 14 Einstein followed a few steps behind.

Just before they go to the door, a man 15 them and asked the driver a very difficult question. The driver 16 carefully. Of course, he did not 17 a thing. but he nodded as if he did. Then the man stopped 18 , the driver said that he thought the question was very 19 but really quite simple, In fact, 20 show how simple it really was, he would ask his driver to answer it!

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