Volume 3- March 22, 2026

Level: Intermediate Mid

Reading Comprehension Assessment 

1. What is the primary purpose of this article?

A. To introduce the Physics Department at Columbia University. 

B. To discuss the plot of the movie Oppenheimer. 

C. To introduce the life and contributions of the distinguished physicist Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu. 

D. To explain the historical background of the Manhattan Project.

2. Regarding Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu’s academic background, which of the following is correct? 

A. She completed her doctoral degree in Jiangsu Province. 

B. She earned her doctoral degree from the University of California, Berkeley. 

C. She returned to China to teach immediately after graduation. 

D. She was the original founder of the Manhattan Project.

3. According to the article, what was Dr. Wu’s contribution to the Nobel Prize? 

A. She co-won the 1957 prize alongside Dr. Yang Zhenning. 

B. She was the first female physicist to ever win a Nobel Prize. 

C. Her experiments proved the violation of parity conservation, helping others win the award. 

D. She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1975.

4. In the text, the title "The First Lady of Physics" refers to: 

A. The founder of the American Physical Society. 

B. The wife of Professor J. Robert Oppenheimer. 

C. A respectful title given to Dr. Wu by the public. 

D. An editor at TIME Magazine.

5. According to the content of the article, which of the following statements is true? 

A. Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu never worked for the U.S. government. 

B. The United States Postal Service released a commemorative stamp of her in 2021. 

C. Dr. Wu was the only outstanding woman ever selected by TIME Magazine. 

D. Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu played the lead role in the movie Oppenheimer.

Answer Key

1. C (Main Idea)

2. B (Fact/Detail)

3. C (Inference/Detail)

4. C (Cultural Context)

5. B (Fact/Detail)

Reading Assessment 

Section 1: Vocabulary in Context

Choose the word from the list below that best matches the meaning of the underlined words in the text.

A. 傑出 / 杰出  |  B. 貢獻 / 贡献  |  C. 挑戰 / 挑战  |  D. 著名 / 著名  |  E. 解決 / 解决

1. 吳健雄博士是一位聞名世界的科學家。 ( ______ ) / 吴健雄博士是一位闻名世界的科学家。 ( ______ )

2. 她成功地幫助處理了許多技術難題。 ( ______ ) / 她成功地帮助处理了许多技术难题。 ( ______ )

3. 她的研究對核子物理領域有重大的功勞。 ( ______ ) / 她的研究对核子物理领域有重大的功勞。 ( ______ )

4. 请不要忘记这位优秀的女物理学家。 ( ______ )

Section 2: True or False with Justification 

Based on the text, determine if the following statements are True (對 / 对) or False (錯 / 错) and provide the specific sentence from the text as justification.

5. 吳健雄博士在美國加州大學完成了她的博士學位。/ 吴健雄博士在美国加州大学完成了她的博士学位。

• 判斷 / 判断：__________

• 理由：_______________________________________________________

6. 吳健雄博士與楊振寧博士共同獲得了1957年的諾貝爾物理學獎。/ 吴健雄博士与杨振宁博士共同获得了1957年的诺贝尔物理学奖。

• 判斷 / 判断：__________

• 理由：_______________________________________________________

7. 2021年，美國郵政署發行了郵票來紀念她。/ 2021年，美国邮政署发行了邮票來纪念她。

• 判斷/ 判断：__________

• 理由：_______________________________________________________

Section 3: Short Answer Questions (簡答題 / 简答题)

Answer the following questions based on the content of the article.

8. 根據文章第二段，吳健雄博士在1944年加入了什麼研究計劃？/  根据文章第二段，吴健雄博士在1944年加入了什么研究计畫？
   
   

9. 除了科學研究，吳健雄博士在1975年獲得了什麼職業上的榮譽？/  除了科学研究，吴健雄博士在1975年获得了什麼职业上的荣誉？
   
   

10. 作者為什麼在文章最後提到電影《奧本海默》？/ 作者为什么在文章最后提到电影《奥本海默》？

The Answer Key

1 D (著名)    2 E (解決 / 解决)   3 B (貢獻 / 贡献)   4 A (傑出 / 杰出)  5 對 / 对 (True): 「...前往美國加利福尼亞大學柏克萊分校完成了她的博士學位。」/ “前往美国加利福尼亞大学柏克萊分校完成了她的博士学位。

6 錯 /错 (False): 「...使李政道博士與楊振寧博士在1957年獲得了諾貝爾物理學獎。」(She helped them, she didn't win it herself). / ”...使李政道博士与杨振宁博士在1957年获得了诺贝尔物理学奖。“ (She helped them, she didn't win it herself)

7 對 / 对 (True): 「2021年，美國郵政署發行了一枚紀念郵票...」/ ”2021年，美国邮政署发行了一枚纪念邮票...“

8 曼哈頓計畫 (Manhattan Project)。/ 曼哈顿计畫 (Manhattan Project)。

9 她成為了美國物理學會的第一位女性會長。/ 她成为了美国物理学会的第一位女性会长。

10 為了提醒讀者在關注熱門電影時，不要忘記吳健雄這位在同一歷史背景下做出巨大貢獻的女性科學家。/ 为了提醒读者在关注热门电影时，不要忘記吴健雄这位在同一历史背景下做出巨大贡献的女性科学家。

English Translations:

Getting To Know The Famous Physicist — Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu

Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu was a renowned scientist. Born in Jiangsu Province, China, in 1912, she later moved to the United States to complete her Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley. Ultimately, she spent many years at Columbia University conducting physics research and teaching.

Dr. Wu is most famous for her work on the element uranium. Her research made significant contributions to the field of nuclear physics. In 1944, Dr. Wu joined Columbia University and participated in the U.S. government's Manhattan Project, where she successfully helped solve numerous technical challenges. Beyond these achievements, her experiments not only proved the violation of parity conservation but also enabled Dr. Tsung-Dao Lee and Dr. Chen Ning Yang to win the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1957.

In 1975, Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu became the first female president of the American Physical Society. In 2020, TIME Magazine selected her as one of the most influential women of the century, and in 2021, the United States Postal Service released a commemorative stamp in her honor. She was the queen of nuclear research. Today, when people discuss the movie Oppenheimer, please do not forget this outstanding female physicist, Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu.

AP Chinese Themes

• Science and Technology (科技與生活): The primary focus is on Dr. Wu’s contributions to nuclear physics, the Manhattan Project, and her research on uranium.

• Contributions to World Heritage (文化傳承與對世界的貢獻): The essay highlights how her work led to a Nobel Prize for her colleagues and her recognition as the "Queen of Nuclear Research."

• Famous People/Role Models (名人): It serves as a biographical study of an influential Chinese-American figure who broke barriers in her field.

IB Chinese Themes

• Human Ingenuity (人類發明創造): This theme explores how scientific and technological innovation affects our world. Dr. Wu’s experimental proof of parity non-conservation is a perfect example.

• Identities (身份認同): The text touches upon her journey from being born in China to becoming a leading scientist in the U.S., reflecting the experience of the Chinese diaspora and professional identity.

• Social Organization (社會組織): Her role as the first female president of the American Physical Society addresses themes of gender equality and leadership within professional institutions.

ACTFL reading level: Intermediate Mid 

Content: The text focuses on a biographical narrative and factual information about a well-known historical figure, which is a high-interest, predictable topic for learners at this level.

Structure: It uses a mix of simple and connected sentences. While it introduces specialized vocabulary (like "nuclear physics" or "parity non-conservation"), the overall grammatical structures remain accessible.

Support: The inclusion of a "Vocabulary Spotlight" and a bilingual format (Traditional and Simplified Chinese with English translations) helps bridge the gap for students who are moving from highly literal "Intermediate Low" tasks toward more fluid "Intermediate Mid" comprehension.

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