Question

I don’t ever want to talk about being a woman scientist again. There was a time in my life when people asked constantly for stories about what it’s like to work in a field dominated by men. I was never very good at telling those stories because truthfully I never found them interesting. What I do find interesting is the origin of the universe, the shape of space-time and the nature of black holes.

At 19, when I began studying astrophysics, it did not bother me in the least to be the only woman in the classroom. But while earning my Ph.D. at MIT and then as a post-doctor doing space research, the issue started to bother me. My every achievement—jobs, research papers, awards—was viewed through the lens of gender (性别) politics. So were my failures. Sometimes, when I was pushed into an argument on left brain versus (相对于) right brain, or nature versus nurture (培育), I would instantly fight fiercely on my behalf and all womankind.

Then one day a few years ago, out of my mouth came a sentence that would eventually become my reply to any and all provocations: I don’t talk about that anymore. It took me 10 years to get back the confidence I had at 19 and to realize that I didn’t want to deal with gender issues. Why should curing sexism be yet another terrible burden on every female scientist? After all, I don’t study sociology or political theory.

Today I research and teach at Barnard, a women’s college in New York City. Recently, someone asked me how may of the 45 students in my class were women. You cannot imagine my satisfaction at being able to answer, 45. I know some of my students worry how they will manage their scientific research and a desire for children. And I don’t dismiss those concerns. Still, I don’t tell them “war” stories. Instead, I have given them this: the visual of their physics professor heavily pregnant doing physics experiments. And in turn they have given me the image of 45 women driven by a love of science. And that’s a sight worth talking about.

Why doesn’t the author want to talk about being a woman scientist again?

A. She feels unhappy working in male-dominated fields.

B. She is fed up with the issue of gender discrimination.

C. She is not good at telling stories of the kind.

D. She finds space research more important.

   From Paragraph 2, we can infer that people would attribute the author’s failures to ________.

A. the very fact that she is a woman

B. her involvement in gender politics

C. her over-confidence as a female astrophysicist

D. the burden she bears in a male-dominated society

What did the author constantly fight against while doing her Ph.D. and post-doctoral research?

A. Lack of confidence in succeeding in space science.

B. Unfair accusations from both inside and outside her circle.

C. People’s stereotyped attitude toward female scientists.

D. Widespread misconceptions about nature and nurtured.

Why does the author feel great satisfaction when talking about her class?

A. Female students no longer have to bother about gender issues.

B. Her students’ performance has brought back her confidence.

C. Her female students can do just as well as male students.

D. More female students are pursuing science than before.

What does the image the author presents to her students suggest?

A. Women students needn’t have the concerns of her generation.

B. Women have more barriers on their way to academic success.

C. Women can balance a career in science and having a family.

D. Women now have fewer problems pursuing a science career.

Answer 1

【小题1】B

【小题2】A

【小题3】C

【小题4】D

【小题5】C

解析:

【小题1】对于性别歧视问题使作者一直非常烦恼,所以她不再喜欢回答这类的问题。

【小题2】第二段讲的是作者对性别问题的态度由不在乎转变为热情关注的过程。19岁时完全超脱（it did not bother me in the least），麻省理工求学及之后研究时开始受到干扰（the issue started to bother me），这种干扰就是作者所有的成就：工作、研究论文、获奖，都受到性别偏见这副有色眼镜的过滤（viewed through the lens of gender politics），而后作者写了一句So were my failures，so在这里是代指，指代viewed through the lens of gender politics，即my failures were also viewed through the lens of gender politics，意思就是人们是从性别政治的角度看待她的失败，也就是认为她的失败是由性别偏见引起的。这样的话，符合这个意思的只有A。

【小题3】C说是人们对女性科学家的固有态度。文中第二段从But while earning my Ph.D. at MIT and then as a post-doctor doing space research, the issue started to bother me这句开始，讲述了作者面对世人成见时如何挺身而出、为女性仗义执言。这也就是C 所表达的意思。

【小题4】追求科学研究的女生比以前多了。这一描述符合上文的分析。

【小题5】题目问作者展示给学生们的图景意味着什么。文章的最后一段讲到了作者曾给学生展示过一个怀孕教师坚持做物理试验的图景。相关原文是：I have given them this: the visual of their physics professor heavily pregnant doing physics experiments，身怀六甲的物理教授依然在做物理实验。而这一行为的前因后果在第四段中也描述得很清楚。在这句话之前，作者给出了原因： I know some of my students worry how they will manage their scientific research and a desire for children，一些学生担心不能很好地处理科研与生育孩子之间的平衡。作者为了消除学生们的担忧，便展示了这个图景。而在这句话之后，作者给出了结果：in turn they have given me the image of 45 women driven by a love of science，45个学生完全投入到科学之爱中。从这些前因后果可以看出，作者之所以展示这一图景，就是为了打消学生对于生育孩子会否影响科学研究的忧虑。C项女性可以在科研和拥有家庭之间很好地平衡。符合前面的分析。