Marie Curie and the discovery of radium

Marie Curie was born in Warsaw on November 7, 1867. Her father was a teacher of science and mathematics in a school, and it was from him that little Marie Sklodowska (her Polish name) learned her first lesson of science.

In 1891 she went to Paris to continue her studies at the Sorbonne. She determined to work for two Master’s degrees – one in physics, the other in mathematics. Yet she had scarcely enough money to live on. She studied night after night after her hard day’s work at the University. She chose her course and nothing could turn her from it.

Among the many scientists whom Marie met and worked with in Paris was Pierre Curie. When he met Marie he was 35 years old and was famous throughout Europe for his discoveries in magnetism.

Pierre Curie and Marie, both of whom loved science more than anything else, very soon became the closest friends. After a little more than a year Marie became Madame Curie.

At that time she had already had her Master’s degree in physics and mathematics and was busy in researches on steel. She wished to obtain a Doctor’s degree. Pierre and Marie Curie were greatly interested in the work of the French scientist Becquerel. There is a rare metal uranium which, as Becquerel discovered, emits rays very much like X-rays. The Curies wanted to discover the mystery of the rays of uranium. What caused them? How strong were they?

The research was carried out under great difficulties. Marie Curie had to use an old store-room at the University as her laboratory. There was no proper apparatus and very little space for research work. But she had to make the best of it.

Besides uranium Marie Curie began to examine every known chemical substance. She repeated her experiments time after time and found that one mineral emitted much more powerful rays than uranium. So she could only decide that this mineral must contain a new element. It was a mystery. This seemed unthinkable. Scientists declared that every element was already known to them. However, all Marie’s experiments proved that the mineral contained a new and unknown element. There was no other explanation for the powerful rays which it emitted. Scientists call the property of giving out such rays “radioactivity”, and Marie decided to call the new element “radium”.

II. Выберите правильный вариант ответа на вопросы к тексту.

1. Why did Marie go to Paris?

a) to discover the mystery of the rays of uranium

b) to continue her studies

c) to begin her research

2. What was the result of her numerous experiments?

a) She discovered the mystery of the rays of uranium.

b) She found that one mineral emitted much more powerful rays than uranium.

c) She proved that the mineral contained some new elements.

3. Why did little Marie learn her first lessons from her father?

a) because he was a teacher

b) because she was a clever girl

c) because there were no schools in the suburbs of Warsaw

III. Закончите предложения по содержанию прочитанного текста.

4. Pierre and Marie Curie were greatly interested ….

a) in researches

b) in X-rays

c) in the work of the French scientist Becquerel

5. There was no proper apparatus and very little space ….

a) for laboratory experiments

b) for research work

c) for scientific work

6. Pierre Curie was famous throughout Europe ….

a) for his discovery of X-rays

b) for his discovery in magnetism

c) for his discovery of uranium

7. In 1891 Marie went to Paris ….

a) to discover the mystery of the rays of uranium

b) to obtain Doctor’s degree

c) to continue her studies

8. Besides uranium Marie Curie began to examine ….

a) X-rays

b) the rays of uranium

c) every known chemical substance

IV. Подберите эквивалент к данному русскому слову.

9. содержать

a) container

b) contain

c) contained

10. повторять

a) repetition

b) repeat

c) repeated

11. открытие

a) discover

b) discovering

c) discovery

12. излучение

a) emit

b) emitter

c) emission

13. исследование

a) research

b) researcher

c) researching

14. объяснение

a) explain

b) explanation

c) explained

15. выбор

a) choose

b) choice

c) chosen

V. Выберите русское предложение, наиболее точно передающие содержание предъявленного.

16. In 1891 she went to Paris to continue her studies at the Sorbonne.

a) В 1891 она поехала в Париж, чтобы получить степень доктора наук.

b) В 1891 она поехала в Париж, чтобы получить степень магистра.

c) В 1891 она поехала в Париж, чтобы продолжить учебу в Сорбонне.

17. Pierre and Marie Curie were greatly interested in the work of the French scientist Becquerel.

a) Пьер и Мари Кюри очень интересовались открытием тайны лучей урана.

b) Пьер и Мари Кюри очень интересовались тем, что вызывает эти лучи.

c) Пьер и Мари Кюри очень интересовались работой французского ученого Беккереля.

18. All Maria’s experiments proved that the mineral contained some new and unknown element.

a) Все эксперименты Марии доказали, что минерал содержит новый и неизвестный элемент.

b) Все эксперименты Марии доказали, что один минерал испускает более мощные лучи, чем уран.

c) Все эксперименты Марии объяснили природу мощных испускаемых лучей.

VI. Выберите английское предложение, наиболее точно передающие содержание предъявленного.

19. The Curies wanted to discover the mystery of the rays of uranium.

a) The Curies were greatly interested in the rays of uranium.

b) The Curies discovered that uranium emitted rays.

c) The Curies discovered the rays very much like X-rays.

20. Marie found that one mineral emitted much more powerful rays than uranium.

a) Marie proved that the mineral contained a new and unknown element.

b) Marie explained the nature of the powerful rays.

c) Marie discovered that there were minerals besides uranium that emitted the rays.

21. Scientists call the property of giving out such rays “radioactivity”.

a) Scientists call these powerful rays “X-rays”.

b) Scientists call the new element “radium”.

c) Scientists call the ability of giving out rays “radioactivity”.

VII. Выберите правильную неличную форму глагола.

22. She continued … at the Sorbonne.

a) studied

b) study

c) studying

23. They were interested in … the mystery of these rays.

a) discovering

b) discovered

c) to discover

24. Marie Curie began … every known chemical substance.

a) to examine

b) being examined

c) examined

25. She was busy in …research on steel.

a) doing

b) done

c) having done

26. Scientists called the property of … such rays “radioactivity”.

a) to give out

b) giving out

c) given out

VIII. Определите функцию неличной формы глагола.

27. She determined to work for two Master’s degrees – one in physics, the other in mathematics.

a) определение

b) дополнение

c) обстоятельство

28. Having repeated the experiments, Marie Curie found that one mineral emitted much more powerful rays than uranium.

a)обстоятельство

b) определение

c) подлежащее

29. The discovery made by Marie Curie won world recognition.

a) часть сказуемого

b) определение

c) обстоятельство

30. Marie Curie decided to call the new element “radium”.

a) дополнение

b) часть сказуемого

c) обстоятельство

IX. Выберите правильную форму условного предложения.

31. If her father … a teacher, she … her first lesson from him.

a) were, learn

b) had been, would have learned

c) was, will learn

32. If Linda … to Paris to continue her studies, she … surely … a scientist.

a) went, will become

b) don’t go, won’t become

c) goes, will become

33. If she … her experiments time after time, she … her discovery.

a) repeated, would make

b) had repeated, would make

c) didn’t repeat, make

34. If she … to obtain a Master’s degree, she … hard.

a) decides, would work

b) decided, would work

c) had decided, would worked

35. If she … in the problem, she … a discovery.

a) were interested, would make

b) interested, will make

c) had interested, would be made

X. Переведите текст (письменно).

Holographic techniques, that can record both the phase and amplitude of the light reflected by an object, can be used to generate a true three-dimensional image. Holograms were originally demonstrated by Dennis Gabor in the late 1940s, but significant interest and application of holography did not occur until the 1960s when a convenient source of radiation, in the form of laser, became available.

During the past three decades, several types of interferometric holography have been demonstrated, each having advantages of specific devices for measurements. The technique has been used in applications that include the inspection of aircraft components, the measurement of shrinkage in concrete structures, etc. In each case, a holographic interferometer can show dimensional changes that are difficult to detect with the help of other kinds of techniques. Several types of holographic devices are used for research and quality control, the holograms being produced by a number of different methods.