Mika McKinnon is a geologist and physicist in Canada. She also works as a science adviser. We asked her some questions.
Q: How did you get interested in science?
A: I watched too much Star Trek as a kid. When I asked my mum why the sky was blue, she would make me research it and actually learn the answers. So I learnt science is something you can study anywhere, any time.
Q: How did you start working in the movies?
A: A movie company came to my university looking for a “string theorist”. I figured they were saying “string theorist” because that was the smartest scientist they could think of. I said, “You don’t need a string theorist. You need me!” So I went to work.
Q: What do you do at work?
A: I first worked on the TV show Stargate, in the prop(道具) department. They would lend me out to people who decorated sets and did special effects, and anybody who wanted to ask a scientist questions. Then I worked with a movie company to create story ideas. Most science fiction stories are about “what if” questions. What if the speed of light were different? What if we had a colony on Mars? I realized how useful it was for storytellers to be able to ask all those what-ifs and actually get answers.
Q: Why does it matter to get the science right in a made-up story?
A: A writer told me that by getting things right, you get everyone to believe in your world and your story. It allows storytellers to have more surprising plots. I also think real science
is often more interesting than fiction. There are so many things that are stranger than we imagine. So telling the truth can actually be a way of stretching belief.
任务一 阅读理解。
1. What made Mika interested in science?
A. Her mother’s science research.
B. Her love for Star Trek and Mum’s guidance.
C. Her work in a movie company.
D. Her university teacher’s influence.
2. Why is it important to get the science right in movies according to Mika?
A. It can make movies more surprising and believable.
B. It helps cut down the cost of making movies.
C. It lets writers make up any stories freely.
D. It makes actors understand stories better.
3.（创新考法·行文方式）How does the writer organize the passage?
A. By telling a lifetime story of Mika.
B. By asking and answering questions.
C. By comparing different movies.
D. By showing different science reports.
任务二 阅读与回答问题。
1. What does Mika do in Canada?
2. Where did the movie company go to look for a “string theorist”?
3. What are most sci-fi stories based on?
4. What does Mika think of real science compared with fiction?
5. What can you learn from Mika’s work?（请自拟一句话作答）
Q: How did you get interested in science?
A: I watched too much Star Trek as a kid. When I asked my mum why the sky was blue, she would make me research it and actually learn the answers. So I learnt science is something you can study anywhere, any time.
Q: How did you start working in the movies?
A: A movie company came to my university looking for a “string theorist”. I figured they were saying “string theorist” because that was the smartest scientist they could think of. I said, “You don’t need a string theorist. You need me!” So I went to work.
Q: What do you do at work?
A: I first worked on the TV show Stargate, in the prop(道具) department. They would lend me out to people who decorated sets and did special effects, and anybody who wanted to ask a scientist questions. Then I worked with a movie company to create story ideas. Most science fiction stories are about “what if” questions. What if the speed of light were different? What if we had a colony on Mars? I realized how useful it was for storytellers to be able to ask all those what-ifs and actually get answers.
Q: Why does it matter to get the science right in a made-up story?
A: A writer told me that by getting things right, you get everyone to believe in your world and your story. It allows storytellers to have more surprising plots. I also think real science
is often more interesting than fiction. There are so many things that are stranger than we imagine. So telling the truth can actually be a way of stretching belief.
任务一 阅读理解。
1. What made Mika interested in science?
A. Her mother’s science research.
B. Her love for Star Trek and Mum’s guidance.
C. Her work in a movie company.
D. Her university teacher’s influence.
2. Why is it important to get the science right in movies according to Mika?
A. It can make movies more surprising and believable.
B. It helps cut down the cost of making movies.
C. It lets writers make up any stories freely.
D. It makes actors understand stories better.
3.（创新考法·行文方式）How does the writer organize the passage?
A. By telling a lifetime story of Mika.
B. By asking and answering questions.
C. By comparing different movies.
D. By showing different science reports.
任务二 阅读与回答问题。
1. What does Mika do in Canada?
She is a geologist, physicist and a science adviser.
2. Where did the movie company go to look for a “string theorist”?
They went to Mika's university.
3. What are most sci-fi stories based on?
Most sci-fi stories are based on “what if” questions.
4. What does Mika think of real science compared with fiction?
She thinks real science is often more interesting than fiction.
5. What can you learn from Mika’s work?（请自拟一句话作答）
We should be curious about science and connect it with daily life. /We should work hard to make our dreams come true.（言之有理即可）
答案：任务一
1. B
2. A 推理判断题。根据“... you get everyone to believe in your world and your story. It allows storytellers to have more surprising plots.”以及 real science is often more interesting than fiction 可知，准确的科学能让情节更出人意料、故事更可信。
3. B 行文方式题。全文以“提问＋回答”的方式展开，分别从四个问题推进。
任务二
1. She is a geologist, physicist and a science adviser.
2. They went to Mika's university.
3. Most sci-fi stories are based on “what if” questions.
4. She thinks real science is often more interesting than fiction.
5. We should be curious about science and connect it with daily life. /We should work hard to make our dreams come true.（言之有理即可）
1. B
2. A 推理判断题。根据“... you get everyone to believe in your world and your story. It allows storytellers to have more surprising plots.”以及 real science is often more interesting than fiction 可知，准确的科学能让情节更出人意料、故事更可信。
3. B 行文方式题。全文以“提问＋回答”的方式展开，分别从四个问题推进。
任务二
1. She is a geologist, physicist and a science adviser.
2. They went to Mika's university.
3. Most sci-fi stories are based on “what if” questions.
4. She thinks real science is often more interesting than fiction.
5. We should be curious about science and connect it with daily life. /We should work hard to make our dreams come true.（言之有理即可）
解析：
【分析】
本题为英语阅读理解题，分为任务一（选择题）和任务二（问答填空题）。解题思路：1. 任务一选择题需根据题干关键词定位原文对应内容，逐一比对选项与原文信息，排除错误选项得出答案；2. 任务二问答需精准定位原文相关语句，提取关键信息作答，开放性题目需结合文章主旨合理表达。
【解析】
任务一：1. 定位原文中Mika对“如何对科学感兴趣”的回答，提到童年看了太多《星际迷航》，妈妈引导她研究问题，对应选项B；2. 定位原文中关于“科学准确的重要性”的表述，提到能让故事更可信、情节更出人意料，对应选项A；3. 通读全文，文章以“提问+回答”的形式展开，对应选项B。任务二：1. 定位原文第一句，提取Mika在加拿大的职业信息作答；2. 定位原文中电影公司寻找“弦理论学家”的地点，提取作答；3. 定位原文中科幻故事的基础内容，提取作答；4. 定位原文中Mika对真实科学与小说的对比观点，提取作答；5. 开放性题目，结合文章主旨（对科学的兴趣、科学与创作的结合），言之有理即可。
【答案】
任务一1.B；2.A；3.B；任务二1. She is a geologist, physicist and a science adviser. 2. They went to Mika's university. 3. Most sci-fi stories are based on “what if” questions. 4. She thinks real science is often more interesting than fiction. 5. We should be curious about science and connect it with daily life. /We should work hard to make our dreams come true.（言之有理即可）
【知识点】
英语阅读理解、细节理解题、行文结构分析
【点评】
本题是典型的初中英语阅读理解题，考查学生快速定位原文、提取关键信息的能力，选择题侧重细节查找与结构分析，开放性问答需结合主旨合理表达，整体难度适中。
【难度系数】
0.7
本题为英语阅读理解题，分为任务一（选择题）和任务二（问答填空题）。解题思路：1. 任务一选择题需根据题干关键词定位原文对应内容，逐一比对选项与原文信息，排除错误选项得出答案；2. 任务二问答需精准定位原文相关语句，提取关键信息作答，开放性题目需结合文章主旨合理表达。
【解析】
任务一：1. 定位原文中Mika对“如何对科学感兴趣”的回答，提到童年看了太多《星际迷航》，妈妈引导她研究问题，对应选项B；2. 定位原文中关于“科学准确的重要性”的表述，提到能让故事更可信、情节更出人意料，对应选项A；3. 通读全文，文章以“提问+回答”的形式展开，对应选项B。任务二：1. 定位原文第一句，提取Mika在加拿大的职业信息作答；2. 定位原文中电影公司寻找“弦理论学家”的地点，提取作答；3. 定位原文中科幻故事的基础内容，提取作答；4. 定位原文中Mika对真实科学与小说的对比观点，提取作答；5. 开放性题目，结合文章主旨（对科学的兴趣、科学与创作的结合），言之有理即可。
【答案】
任务一1.B；2.A；3.B；任务二1. She is a geologist, physicist and a science adviser. 2. They went to Mika's university. 3. Most sci-fi stories are based on “what if” questions. 4. She thinks real science is often more interesting than fiction. 5. We should be curious about science and connect it with daily life. /We should work hard to make our dreams come true.（言之有理即可）
【知识点】
英语阅读理解、细节理解题、行文结构分析
【点评】
本题是典型的初中英语阅读理解题，考查学生快速定位原文、提取关键信息的能力，选择题侧重细节查找与结构分析，开放性问答需结合主旨合理表达，整体难度适中。
【难度系数】
0.7