Unit 3. People's background

Isaac Newton
 English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, …
Albert Einstein
 physicist
 received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics
Alfred Nobel
 Swedish chemist, engineer, …
Nobel Medal
Pierre Curie
 French physicist
Marie Curie
 physicist and chemist of Polish
Unit 3
PEOPLE`S BACKGROUND
Reading
Before you read
brilliant [`briljənt] (adj)
mature [mə`tjuə] (adj)
harbour [`hɑ:bə] (v)
interrupt [intə`rʌpt] (v)
position [pə`zi∫n] (n)
obtain [əb`tein] (v)
humanitarian [hju:mæni`teəriən] (adj) (n)
While you read
Marie Curie was born in Warsaw on November 7th, 1867. She received general education in local schools and some scientific training from her father.
As a brilliant and mature student, Marie haboured the dream of a scientific career, which was impossible for a woman at that time. To save money for a study tour abroad, she had to work as a private tutor, and her studies were interrupted.
Finally in 1891, Marie, with very little money to live on, went to Paris to realise her dream at the Sorbonne. In spite of her difficult living conditions, she worked extremely hard. She earned a degree in Physics with flying colours, and went on to take another degree in Mathematics. She met Pierre Curie in the School of Physics in 1894 and a year later they got married. From then on, they worked together on their research. In 1903, Marie became the first woman to receive a PhD from the Sorbonne.
After the tragic death of Pierre Curie in 1906, she took up the position which her husband had obtained at the Sorbonne. Thus, she was the first woman in France to be a university professor. Soon after, she was awarded a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for determining the atomic weight of radium. But her real joy was “easing human suffering”. The founding of the Radium Institute in 1914 made her humanitarian wish come true.
Task 1: Match the words or phrases in A with their meanings in B
Task 2: Decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F). Correct the false information.
Marie went to school in Warsaw.

Her dream was to become a private tutor.

At the Sorbonne, she studied very well.

She married Pierre Curie in 1894.

She was the first woman professor at the Sorbonne.
T
F
T
F
T
She harboured the dream of a scientific career
She married Pierre Curie in 1895.
Task 3: Answer the questions:
When and where was Marie Curie born?
What kind of student was she?
Why did she work as a private tutor?
For what service was she awarded a Nobel Prize in Chemistry?
Was the prize her real joy? Why/Why not?
1. When and where was Marie Curie born?

 Marie Curie was born in Warsaw on November 7th, 1867
2. What kind of student was she?
 She was a brilliant and mature student
3. Why did she work as a private tutor?

 She had to work as a private tutor to save money for a study tour abroad.
4. For what service was she awarded a Nobel Prize in Chemistry?

 She was awarded a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for determining the atomic weight of radium
5. Was the prize her real joy? Why/Why not?

 No, it wasn’t. Because her real joy was “easing human suffering”.
After you read
GROUP WORK
Below are five adjectives we may use to describe Marie Curie. Find the evidence from the passage to prove each of them.
strong-willed
ambitious
hard-working
intelligent
humane
strong-willed
Finally in 1891, Marie, with very little money to live on, went to Paris to realise her dream at the Sorbonne
ambitious
Marie haboured the dream of a scientific career, which was impossible for a woman at that time
hard-working
In spite of her difficult living conditions, she worked extremely hard.
intelligent
She earned a degree in Physics with flying colours, and went on to take another degree in Mathematics.
humane
Her real joy was “easing human suffering”.