Through hard work, he eventually managed to become a student of the first rank.

通过努力，最终他成功成为了最优秀的学生。

He is an artist of the first rank.

他是一位一流的画家。

He is a physicist of the first rank.

他是位一流的物理学家。

She is a physicist of the first rank.

她是一位一流的物理学家。

New York is a city of the first rank.

纽约是个一流的城市。