When students read articles about scientific discovery,they learn what worked.Scientists present the methods that got the best result.They often show only the results that are significant and important.What they won’t show are the mistakes or failures that came first.Yet sometimes those mistakes pointed the way to success.
It can take a long time and many experiments to achieve scientific success.Robbin,16,and Annabelle,15,learned that while working this summer in a biochemistry lab at Stony Brook University in New York.What’s more,they learned that failure is not necessarily something to fear.
“I like the idea of scientific research,”says Robbin.It’s the basis for “every lesson you learn in school and understanding everything you see in life”.This summer,Robbin has been working with Lauren,a chemistry student,who is making new drugs to fight harmful bacteria.At first,the tests made Robbin anxious.She worried that she might be making costly mistakes.But Lauren reassured her that finding out what doesn’t work is “just part of the learning process”.With time,the teen got comfortable with the idea that every experiment wouldn’t succeed.
Annabelle also learned a lot about failure and success.She worked with graduate student Agnieszka Gil.“Sometimes I try something and it takes a while for the experiment to run.”This means that finding out whether Annabelle did something wrong can be a stressful waiting game,because “if you did something wrong you need to do it again”.But she’s now learning to be patient and not to expect instant success.
In science,figuring out why something failed is what may just put them on the road to success.
1.What impresses students most in articles about scientific discovery?
A.Scientists’ achievements. B.The reasons for success.
C.The cause of mistakes. D.Stressful process of research.
2.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Robbin is a graduate student.
B.Lauren managed to make new drugs.
C.Annabelle learns the value of patience.
D.Agnieszka expected instant success.
3.What did Robbin and Annabelle have in common in their experiments?
A.They did their experiments independently.
B.They realized not all experiments would succeed.
C.They assisted graduate students to make new drugs.
D.They made severe mistakes in the experiments.
4.What does the writer intend to tell us?
A.The cause of making errors in science.
B.The significance of scientific discovery.
C.The importance of doing experiments.
D.The correct attitudes towards failures.
语篇解读:在阅读科学发现的文章时,人们往往对科学成就过度关心,其实科学成就往往是建立在无数次失败的基础之上的。Robbin和Annabelle在实验室里体会到了坦然接受实验失败的价值。
答案及剖析:
1.A 细节理解题。根据第一段的前三句可知,学生在阅读科学发现的文章时,对科学成就的印象最为深刻,故A项正确。
2.C 细节理解题。根据倒数第二段的最后一句“But she’s now learning to be patient and not to expect instant success.”可知,Annabelle学会了耐心,不期望立即成功。据此可以判断,Annabelle知道了耐心的价值,故C项正确。
3.B 细节理解题。根据第三段的最后一句“With time,the teen got comfortable with the idea that every experiment wouldn’t succeed.”可知,Robbin坦然接受了并不是每次实验都会成功的事实;根据第四段的最后一句“But she’s now learning to be patient and not to expect instant success.”可知,Annabelle学会了耐心,不期望立即成功。据此可知,Robbin和Annabelle的共同点是她们都意识到了不是每次实验都会成功,故B项正确。
4.D 写作意图题。通读全文可知,本文的主题句是文章最后一段“In science,figuring out why something failed is what may just put them on the road to success.”由此可知,探索科学世界,失败是成功之母。据此可以判断,本文旨在告诉人们对待失败的正确态度,故D项正确。
