The Threshold of Marxist Philosophy

December 2nd.

The overall progress of the paper "Analysis of Generalized Nonlinear Complementarity Problems with Linear Inequality Constraints" is 30%, which is slightly faster than Shen Qi expected.

Today, first-year students in the School of Mathematical Sciences faced their first exam since starting university: Marxist Philosophy.

Shen Qi entered the examination room with great confidence. If the exam focused on the key points, he would admit defeat if he didn't get a perfect score on the Marxist Philosophy exam.

The Mathematics Department and Probability Statistics departments were arranged to take the exam in the same classroom.

The Marxist Philosophy exam papers were distributed to each student, and the proctors walked around.

"Hehe, Marxist Philosophy, a piece of cake." Shen Qi hadn't even looked at the questions after receiving the test paper, but he was already quite confident.

After the college entrance examination, Shen Qi never took another closed-book exam, and he felt a strange sense of nostalgia.

However, the very first question on this Marxist Philosophy exam made Shen Qi shudder, "Damn it, go to hell..."

The first question is:

"May I ask who is teaching <Marxist Philosophy> this semester?

A. Chen Xinhong

B. Chen Yahong

C. Chen Jinghong

D. Chen Aihong

Note: This is a threshold question; a correct answer will not earn any points, while an incorrect answer or no answer will deduct 41 points.

Inside the exam hall, Shen Qi wasn't the only one going crazy; there were practically no students in the School of Mathematical Sciences who never skipped Marxist Philosophy classes.

For students who never attend Marxist Philosophy classes or rarely attend them, this threshold question is an insanely difficult and potentially fatal question.

Ask the instructor of the Marxist Philosophy course what their name is. A correct answer earns 0 points, while a wrong answer or no answer earns -41 points.

If Shen Qi had chosen the wrong teacher's name, even if he had scored 100 points on the subsequent questions, it wouldn't have helped him; his final score in Marxist Philosophy would not have exceeded 59 points.

Is it abnormal?

Is it cruel?

Shen Qi calmed himself down, realizing he had to rationally confront the incredibly complex and brutal political struggle.

Clue.

Shen Qi recalled an important clue: he had taken his first Marxist Philosophy class, and the teacher was a woman.

During the first lesson, the female Marxist Philosophy teacher wrote her name on the blackboard—three characters!

However, Shen Qi couldn't remember which three words they were; he was reading a math book during that class.

Options A, B, C, and D all have three characters; which one should you choose?

Chen Xinhong, Chen Yahong, Chen Jinghong, and Chen Aihong —their names all contain the character "hong" (red), signifying their impeccable revolutionary heritage and revolutionary spirit.

Which of these Mr. Chens is the real Marxist Philosophy teacher?

The Monkey King has to choose between the real and the fake one, but you, Teacher Chen, have to choose from four. You must be the ultimate boss at the level of Buddha.

Can permutations, combinations, and Probability Theory come in handy?

The answer is no.

You math students think you're so great? You look down on us Marxist Philosophy? Today, we, the great Marxist Philosophy, will teach you a lesson and make you suffer. There's always someone to subdue you, and every wrong has its perpetrator.

A vague outline appeared in Shen Qi's mind: she was a woman, of medium build, with short hair, capable, and slightly plump.

The outline became clearer, and a smile bloomed on the middle-aged woman's face. This smile was firm and indifferent, persistent yet eerie.

Shen Qi shuddered. No, I absolutely cannot fail! I got full marks in math, full marks in the college entrance exam, completed 10 credits of Advanced Algebra ahead of schedule, wrote four professional papers, co-authored one with Ou Ye, and the sixth is currently being finalized... How could Professor Chen possibly let me fail Marxist Philosophy?

No!

This shouldn't be my fate!

I, Shen Qi, will never yield!

"Advanced Algebra, Analytic Geometry and mathematical analysis, functional analysis, complex analysis and real analysis, topology, discrete geometry, Probability Theory, Riemannian Geometry and partial differential equations..."

Shen Qi would never bow to fate or compromise with brutal political forces. He silently recited all the math courses he had taken in university, while his finger clicked back and forth on the four options (A, B, C, D) on the exam paper.

This mathematical analytical method is very ancient, and Shen Qi would not resort to such a shocking move unless absolutely necessary.

"Number theory, series, variational calculus, Non-Euclidean Geometry, groups, fields, and rings."

Ultimately, Shen Qi's recitation of the math lesson stopped at "group domain rings," that is, Abstract Algebra.

The option he was pointing to was... A. Chen Xinhong.

When faced with difficulty in making a choice, don't blindly follow your feelings; you must firmly believe in mathematics. This is the last stand of mathematicians.

Ms. Chen Xinhong, I'm sorry, I've let you down.

Do you think that just because you're using A as a pretext, I won't dare choose you?

Shen Qi chose A without hesitation.

Then I started on the following short answer questions.

Once you pass the teacher selection hurdle, the subsequent short answer questions are easy points.

Each question is worth 20 points, and there are five short answer questions, all of which are the key points of Marxist Philosophy circled on the photocopy paper.

Shen Qi quickly finished the exam, handed it in, and left.

Zhou Yu'an handed in his paper a few minutes early and waited outside the examination room.

"Zhou, you're up so early," Shen Qi said casually.

Zhou Yu'an spread his hands and said, "Shen Xueba, I've done my best. I can't help you with something as basic as choosing a teacher. It's truly outrageous that they would set such a difficult question."

"Teacher Chen Xinhong may have her own difficulties," Shen Qi said nonchalantly.

"Huh, how do you know her Chen Xinhong?" Zhou Yu'an asked in surprise.

"I attended the first Marxist Philosophy class, okay? The first thing Professor Chen said was, 'Hello everyone, my Chen Xinhong, and I'll be spending a pleasant semester with you all. Zhou Yu'an, I'm leaving, bye-bye.'" Shen Qi turned and left, secretly pleased. This political devilish Marxist Philosophy professor really is Chen Xinhong?

What a close call! How could I, Shen, possibly fail? After leaving the examination room, Shen Qi immediately did something urgent and extremely important.

Shen Qi searched for the names of the instructors for each course on the school's academic affairs website.

Advanced Algebra, by Sun Erxiong. This course has already been passed, so you don't need to worry about it.

Mathematical Analysis, Lu Guozhen.

Analytic Geometry, Qu Wenquan.

Shen Qi was very familiar with the professors of mathematical analysis Analytic Geometry, and the professors in the mathematics department never gave out inhumane questions, such as "41 points will be deducted for choosing the wrong professor".

Marxist philosophy, Chen Xinhong. It really is her, the she-devil!

Military Theory, Wei Junqiang. Pay attention, remember this teacher's name.

College English, Hua Mulan. This English teacher was quite unique; it would be difficult for Shen Qi to forget her name. She was a foreign teacher who had given herself the Chinese name Hua Mulan.

She also has an English name. Shen Qi emphasizes this: Helen-Margaret-Laurance, which translates to Helen Margaret Lawrence, HML. No wonder she gave herself the Chinese name Hua Mulan; she knows Chinese Pinyin.

Computer Science, Mo Youde. This is important; Shen Qi hasn't been to Computer Science class for a while.

Physical Education, Zhu Jian. No need to emphasize this; there's no written exam for physical education, unless you're a student majoring in sports theory.

The final exams for the above courses will be scheduled over the next month. Shen Qi has already passed Advanced Algebra and Marxist Philosophy, getting a perfect score in Advanced Algebra and completing his credits ahead of schedule. He should have gotten a perfect score in Marxist Philosophy as well, right?

Shen Qi mentally drew up a short-term plan, outlining how much time to allocate to math major courses, how much effort to spend on corresponding general education exams, and how to work on his thesis. December was going to be a very busy month.