"Let's take a look at Zheng Li's exam paper first," Liu Gui said to Zhang Jixue, sounding very eager.
Zhang Jixue slowly rummaged through a pile of exam papers and pulled out Zheng Li's: "What's the rush? This year's exam is even more difficult than previous years, so don't have too high expectations."
Liu Gui laughed: "Could it be more difficult than Qiu Sai?"
Zhang Jixue glanced at him but didn't say anything. Liu Gui chuckled and said, "It might be a little difficult."
The Qiu Sai test does not assess the difficulty of the questions, but rather the breadth of students' mathematical knowledge. The questions are relatively conventional.
"Why are you so optimistic about Zheng Li? Just because he solved two analytical questions?" Zhang Jixue asked while grading Zheng Li's test paper.
"Not entirely. It's rare for a freshman to master real analysis and measure theory, which also demonstrates his mathematical talent."
"More than anything, I can see his love for mathematics and his boastful remarks in the group, which show his extreme self-confidence."
"It's not easy to have both of these qualities at the same time," Liu Gui explained.
Zhang Jixue asked, "It won't be easy for you to lure this kind of student to study for your doctorate."
Liu Gui laughed and said, "I don't have that kind of obsession. I'm just happy to see some good students."
"For such talented and passionate students, as a senior, I always hope to give them some correct guidance."
"There are too few mathematicians from the School of Mathematics at Jiangcheng University. The last time a mathematician from Jiangcheng University was able to give a presentation at the International Congress of Mathematicians was 14 years ago."
The International Congress of Mathematicians is held every four years and is the most important event in the mathematics community. It is very difficult to give a presentation at the main venue.
Over the years, only two mathematicians from Jiangcheng University have given presentations at the main venue of the International Congress of Mathematicians.
(Note: Giving a presentation at a breakout session is a very easy task.)
Zhang Jixue: "It's quite difficult, but at least the goal is achievable. I thought you would expect him to win the Fields Medal."
“He is indeed talented.” Zhang Jixue handed Zheng Li’s test paper over; it was covered with checkmarks.
“Not bad,” Liu Gui said.
Zhang Jixue: "I've always felt that there's something wrong with our training system; what we teach our students is too abstract."
Liu Gui rarely saw his old friend in such a talkative mood, so he asked, "What do you mean?"
Zhang Jixue stood up, walked to the window, and took a deep breath of the mountain air: "The edifice of mathematics was built by our predecessors, and then later mathematicians trimmed and refined it, presenting us with a very exquisite structure."
“Each theorem is related to many related theorems, but when we explain it to students, it sounds very abstract, as if a road suddenly appears out of thin air, without the muddy path trodden out by countless footprints beforehand, it's just a road directly.”
"Students only learn the theorems and proofs, and the proofs shown to them are the optimal ones, without showing them how predecessors continuously optimized them."
"Therefore, most of the people we train lack enthusiasm for mathematical research because they haven't experienced the beauty of mathematics, the efforts of their predecessors, or the sense of accomplishment in mathematical research; they are merely learning mechanically."
Liu Gui nodded, completely understanding Zhang Jixue's meaning: "That's why Yenching University has been using American textbooks directly all these years."
Zhang Jixue: "Because their textbooks have many relevant examples to explain how the theorems are derived, which simply means they are more in line with the actual research situation."
Liu Gui interrupted, "This is not something we can change, and if we also use all-English textbooks, we need to get the dean's support."
Zhang Jixue sighed: "How do you plan to train Zheng Li? His foundation should be very solid; he should have no problem with the basic courses in his first and second years."
Liu Gui: "Just find him a research topic to work on, and have him attend the seminar for my graduate students."
......
Zhang Jixue walked into the classroom with a big smile on his face and in a hurry:
"The class monitor, please help me distribute the test papers first."
After saying that, Zhang Jixue handed a large stack of papers to the class monitor, and then he continued, "The midterm exam was indeed very difficult. Almost everyone failed, and only three people passed, which is quite a few."
Zhang Jixue is quite old, an old professor. He went to France to pursue his doctorate in the 1980s. He is a very open-minded person and always seems very happy, as if nothing can bother him.
If you were an algebra teacher, seeing everyone fail, you'd have to give them a serious lecture for at least one class period.
"Song Hanlin, 65 points."
"Li Jinding, 78 points."
"Finally, I want to give special praise to Zheng Li. Is Zheng Li here?" He looked around and said, "Zheng Li got 100 points on the test. He got everything right. That's really impressive."
"Wow!" The students below erupted in cheers. The first-year Hongyi Class and the Base Class 1 were taking classes together, and it could be said that Zheng Li's score was the highest in the entire grade.
"He's not here," the class monitor replied after searching around.
Zhang Jixue asked, "I think I only saw him on the first day of roll call. Has he not come since then?"
"No, it seems like he hasn't been here since after National Day," the class monitor replied intuitively. "He's been studying in the study room on the 6th floor of the lakeside building every day lately."
Zhang Jixue nodded: "If you can get full marks on this test, there's really no need for you to come to class."
"Most people did not do well on the exam, and their scores may be different from what you expected. If you were able to get into Jiangcheng University and choose the mathematics department, you must have scored 140 or 150 in math in high school, or at least 130."
"When I got my first midterm exam after coming to university, I was really disappointed to see that I only got 30 points."
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