CBSE Class 10/9/8 - English - Reading Comprehension (Set-8) (#cbsenotes)

Reading Comprehension

(NTSE 2015) Read the comprehension passage and answer the following questions:

Marie Curie was one of the most accomplished scientists in history. Together with her husband, Pierre, she discovered radium, an element widely used for treating cancer and studied uranium and other radioactive substances. Pierre and Marie’s amicable collaboration later helped to unlock the secrets of the atom.

Marie was born in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, where her father was a professor of Physics. At an early age, she displayed a brilliant mind and blithe personality. Her great exuberance for learning prompted her to continue with her studies after high school. She became disgruntled, however, when she learned that the university in Warsaw was closed to women, Determined to receive a higher education, she defiantly left Poland and in 1891 entered the Sorbonne, a French university, where she earned her master’s degree and the doctorate in Physics.

Marie was fortunate to have studied at the Sorbonne with some of the greatest scientists of her day, one of whom was Pierre Curie. Marie and Pierre were married in 1895 and spent many productive years working together in the physics laboratory. A short time after they discovered radium, Pierre was killed by horse-drawn wagon in 1906. Marie was stunned by this horrible misfortune and endured heartbreaking anguish. Despondently she recalled their close relationship and joy that they had shared in scientific research. The fact that she had two young daughters to raise by herself greatly increased her distress.

Curie’s feeling of desolation finally began to fade when she was asked to succeed her husband as a Physics professor at the Sorbonne. She was the first woman to be given Professorship at the world famous university. In 1911 she received the Noble prize in chemistry for isolating radium. Although Marie Curie eventually suffered a fatal illness from her long exposure to radium, she never becomes disillusioned about her work, Regardless of the consequence, she had dedicated herself to science and to revelling the mysteries of the physical world.

Q1: The Curies _______ collaboration helped to unlock the secrets of the atoms.

(A) Friendly
(B) Competitive
(C) Courteous
(D) Industrious


Q2: Marie had a bright mind and a _______ personality.

(A) Strong
(B) Lighthearted
(C) humorous
(D) Strange


Q3: When she learned that she could not attend the university in Warsaw, she felt _______

(A) Hopeless
(B) Annoyed
(C) Depressed
(D) Worried

Q4: Marie ______ by leaving Poland and travelling to France to enter the Sorbonne.

(A) Challenged authority
(B) Showed intelligence
(C) Behaved
(D) Was distressed

Q5: _______ she remembered their joy together.

(A) Dejectedly
(B) Worried
(C) Tearfully
(D) Happily

Q6: Her _______ began to fade when she returned to the Sorbonne to succeed her husband.

(A) Misfortune
(B) Anger
(C) Wretchedness
(D) Disappointment


Q7: Even though she became fatally ill from working with radium, Marie Curie was never_______

(A) Troubled
(B) Worried
(C) Disappointed
(D) Disturbed



Answers:
1: (A) Friendly
2: (B) Lighthearted
3: (B) Annoyed
4: (A) Challenged authority
5: (A) Dejectedly
6: (C) Wretchedness
7: (C) Disappointed

☛See also:
English Reading Comprehension (Set-1)
English Reading Comprehension (Set-2)
English Reading Comprehension(Set-3)
Reading Comprehension(Set-4)
Reading Comprehension (Set-5)
Reading Comprehension (Set-6)
Reading Comprehension (Set-7)
Reading Comprehension (set-10)
Reading Comprehension (Set-11)
Reading Comprehension (Set-12)


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