Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Marie Curie. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Marie Curie was born in 1867. She is one of the greatest scientists ever to have lived. She was a pioneer in the field of radioactivity and discovered the chemical elements radium and polonium. Curie is the only person ever to win two Nobel Prizes in two different sciences. Other achievements include being the first female professor at the University of Paris.
Curie was born in Warsaw, Poland. Her father was a maths and physics teacher and was a big influence on Marie’s early education. From an early age Marie was an exceptional student with an amazing memory. She often went without food and sleep to study. Her brilliant mind led her to Paris to study and conduct her research.
She met her future husband Pierre Curie at the university. He considered Marie to be a genius and instantly wanted to work with her. They got married and spent most of their time together in their laboratory studying radioactive materials. Their research led to the discovery of radium, for which they were honoured with the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903.
Pierre was killed in 1906 and Marie was devastated and extremely lonely. She threw herself even deeper into her work and won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1911. She spent the 1920s raising funds for more research into radium. In 1934 she died from a condition caused by decades of exposure to radiation. No one knew how deadly radium was until years later.
245 words
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.
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SYNONYM MATCH
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your answers the same as other students’?
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
pioneer
a.
role model
2
field
b.
groundbreaker
3.
achievements
c.
carry out
4.
influence
d.
outstanding
5.
exceptional
e.
successes
6.
conduct
f.
area
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
genius
g.
lethal
8.
instantly
h.
crushed
9.
discovery
i.
gifted person
10.
devastated
j.
money
11
funds
k
immediately
12
deadly
l
finding
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
one of the greatest scientists
a.
materials
2
She was a pioneer in the field
b.
to Paris to study
3.
Marie was an exceptional
c.
food and sleep to study
4.
She often went without
d.
of exposure to radiation
5.
Her brilliant mind led her
e.
of radioactivity
6.
He considered Marie
f.
ever to have lived
7.
radioactive
g.
radium was until years later
8.
She threw herself even
h.
to be a genius
9.
died from a condition caused by decades
i.
student
10.
No one knew how deadly
j.
deeper into her work
LISTENING GAP FILL
Marie Curie was born in 1867. She ______________ greatest scientists ever to have lived. She was a pioneer ______________ radioactivity and discovered the chemical elements radium and polonium. Curie is the only person ______________ Nobel Prizes in two different sciences. Other achievements include ______________ female professor at the University of Paris.
Curie was born in Warsaw, Poland. Her father was a maths and physics teacher ______________ influence on Marie’s early education. From ______________ Marie was an exceptional student with an amazing memory. She often went without food ______________. Her brilliant mind led her to Paris ______________ conduct her research.
She ______________ husband Pierre Curie at the university. He considered Marie to be a genius and instantly wanted ______________. They got married and spent ______________ time together in their laboratory studying radioactive materials. Their research led to the discovery of radium, ______________ were honoured with the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903.
Pierre was killed in 1906 and Marie was devastated ______________ lonely. She threw herself ______________ her work and won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1911. She spent the 1920s raising ______________ research into radium. In 1934 she died from a condition caused by decades of exposure to radiation. No one ______________ radium was until years later.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Marie Curie was born in 1867. She is one of the greatest science / scientists ever to have lived. She was a pioneer in / on the field of radioactivity and discovered the chemical elements radium and polonium. Curie is the only person ever to win / won two Nobel Prizes in two different sciences. Other achievements include was / being the first female professor at the University of Paris.
Curie was born in Warsaw, Poland. Her father was a maths and physics teacher and was a big / tall influence on Marie’s early education. From an early old / age Marie was an exceptional student with an amazing memories / memory. She often went without food and sleep to study. Her brilliant mind led her to Paris to study and conduct / conductor her research.
She met her future husband Pierre Curie at the university. He considered Marie to be a genie / genius and instantly wanted to work with her. They got married and spent / spending most of their time together in their laboratory / lavatory studying radioactive materials. Their research led to the discovery of radium, for which / who they were honoured with the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903.
Pierre was killed in 1906 and Marie was devastated and extremely lone / lonely. She threw herself even deepest / deeper into her work and won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1911. She spent the 1920s raising finds / funds for more research into radium. In 1934 she died from a condition caused by decades of exposure to radiation. No one knew how deadly / dead radium was until years later.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
one of the greatest tinictssse
2.
She was a reinoep in the field of radioactivity
3.
discovered the lcechmia elements radium and polonium
4.
the first female serorpfos
Paragraph 2
5.
iysphsc teacher
6.
a big nefulcien on Marie’s early education
7.
an amazing emomry
8.
Her ibllitrna mind
Paragraph 3
9.
her ufreut husband
10.
He considered Marie to be a enusig
11.
studying radioactive mritsaela
12.
Their research led to the vdsyrieco of radium
Paragraph 4
13.
extremely lneoyl
14.
She wethr herself even deeper into her work
15.
niarigs funds for more research
16.
No one knew how dydela radium was
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
memory. She often went without food and sleep to study. Her brilliant mind led her to Paris to study and conduct her research.
( )
deeper into her work and won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1911. She spent the 1920s raising
( )
to win two Nobel Prizes in two different sciences. Other achievements
( )
funds for more research into radium. In 1934 she died from a condition caused by decades of
( )
genius and instantly wanted to work with her. They got married and spent most of their time together in their
( )
influence on Marie’s early education. From an early age Marie was an exceptional student with an amazing
( )
She met her future husband Pierre Curie at the university. He considered Marie to be a
( )
laboratory studying radioactive materials. Their research led to the discovery of
( 1 )
Marie Curie was born in 1867. She is one of the greatest scientists ever to have lived. She was a pioneer
( )
exposure to radiation. No one knew how deadly radium was until years later.
( )
radium, for which they were honoured with the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903.
( )
Pierre was killed in 1906 and Marie was devastated and extremely lonely. She threw herself even
( )
in the field of radioactivity and discovered the chemical elements radium and polonium. Curie is the only person ever
( )
include being the first female professor at the University of Paris.
( )
Curie was born in Warsaw, Poland. Her father was a maths and physics teacher and was a big
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
a of pioneer radioactivity in She the was field
2.
professor Paris at the the first University female of
3.
early a influence Marie’s education big on
4.
student Marie with was an an amazing exceptional memory
5.
study food She and often sleep went to without
6.
Marie be genius considered to a He
7.
time spent together most in of their their laboratory
8.
her into deeper even herself threw She work
9.
caused to by radiation decades a of condition exposure
10.
knew deadly was one how radium No
MARIE CURIE DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Marie Curie?
2.
Would you like to have met Marie Curie?
3.
What would you like to know about Marie Curie and why?
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Marie Curie. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MARIE CURIE POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Marie Curie. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?
4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Marie Curie. Include an imaginary interview with her. Write about what she did every day and what she thought about.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
5. LETTER: Write a letter to Marie Curie. Ask her three questions about her life. Tell her how important she is in today’s world. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Marie Curie expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
pioneer
a.
groundbreaker
2
field
b.
area
3.
achievements
c.
successes
4.
influence
d.
role model
5.
exceptional
e.
outstanding
6.
conduct
f.
carry out
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
genius
g.
gifted person
8.
instantly
h.
immediately
9.
discovery
i.
finding
10.
devastated
j.
crushed
11
funds
k
money
12
deadly
l
lethal
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
one of the greatest scientists
a.
ever to have lived
2
She was a pioneer in the field
b.
of radioactivity
3.
Marie was an exceptional
c.
student
4.
She often went without
d.
food and sleep to study
5.
Her brilliant mind led her
e.
to Paris to study
6.
He considered Marie
f.
to be a genius
7.
radioactive
g.
materials
8.
She threw herself even
h.
deeper into her work
9.
died from a condition caused by decades
i.
of exposure to radiation
10.
No one knew how deadly
j.
radium was until years later
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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