代数:algebra

奇数:odd number

偶数:even number

分数:fraction

分子:numerator

分母:denominator

小数:decimal

负数:negative number

计算:calculate

加:plus /add

减:minus/subtract

乘:multiply

除:divide

函数:function

平均值:average value

公式:formula

fundamental 基础的

measure 测量

essential 不可或缺的

definitely 一定，肯定

talent 天赋

enormous 巨大的

gender 性别

bias 偏见

stereotype 刻板印象

peers 同辈分的人

calculate by heart 心算

day-to-day 日常生活的

Do you think mathematics is important?

分析：

作为学生来说，math肯定是一个熟悉的话题。但是这里不建议同学去谈algebra 代数/ geometry几何 / functions 方程 等太过于学术化的词汇和idea，还是从自己的学习experience 和how you felt about it以及general impressions for math来谈比较容易。

回答：Sure it is. Mathematics serves as a fundamental subject to other science like physics or chemistry. For example, in physics if you want to calculate the speed of an object, you measure the distance and record the time, and rest is just math, so it’s very essential in science, it’s the mother of all science.

Do you think it’s difficult to learn mathematics?

分析：

这个问题回答no比较容易举例子：就是做不出来想不出答案。因为学习好数学需要天赋 （talent）和努力（effort）。 作为学生，面对熟悉的话题可以多举几个例子。

回答：For me, definitely. It takes talent and an enormous amount of effort to learn math well. I remember back in high school I could spend hours and hours on math and yet failed to figure out the questions. Also, I didn’t do very well in my University Entrance Exams, so…it’s definitely hard for me.

Are girls generally good at mathematics?

分析：

这个问题其实有点gender-biased, 但是也是由于人们对数学学习的印象造成的，所以此题我们就谈人们对数学学习的刻板印象——女生通常缺乏抽象思维(abstract thinking)能力，所以她们在理科（包括数学）方面发挥的不如男生。因此我们可以对此发表看法。

回答：I don’t think so. I know this is a little bit gender-biased, but people are usually under the impression that female students are not so good at science subjects, which includes math. I think girls have as strong abstract thinking as their male peers.

Do you often use calculators?

分析：

作为中国同学，我们就没必要谦虚了：我们不常用，因为我们可以心算（calculate by heart.）当然此题也可以谈在学校学习是需要经常使用计算器去计算functions 或者 calculus (微积分)，但是这会给自己的描述添堵🤪，正如前面所说，我们在谈论match，或者任何科学的（学科）的时候，都是以personal learning experience 和 impression 为主，因为这样好举例子。而不是去描述具体的学科。

回答：Not really…not that I’m bragging, but Chinese students usually can calculate easy tasks by heart, which is really what you need math for on a day-to-day basis, so…I don’t really use it a lot.