Reading Comprehension Test

Text 4A MARIE CURIE AND THE DISCOVERY OF RADIUM

Practise introducing opinions using phrases from list number 1. Try to use appropriate phrases from lists number 3,4,5,6 for expressing agreement, doubt, reservations, partial agreement and disagreement.

1. Maria Sklodowska was born in Paris on 7 November, 1867, wasn’t she?

2. Her mother was a teacher of science and mathematics in a school, and from her little Maria learned her first lessons in science, wouldn’t you agree?

3. Maria’s wish was to study at the Sorbonne in Paris and after many years of waiting she finally left her native land in 1891, could you agree ?

4. In Paris Maria determined to work for two Master’s degrees - one in Physics, the other in Chemistry, didn’t she?

5. Maria had to work twice as hard as the ordinary student, and she had scarcely enough money to live on, wouldn’t you agree?

6. She was often weak and ill, she worked in this way for four years, couldn’t you agree on that?

7. She had chosen her course, but her difficult life could turn Maria from it, don’t you think so?

8. Among the many scientists Maria met and worked with in Paris was Pierre Curie, wasn’t he?

9. He was the son of a doctor, and he took his Master’s degree in Medicine when he was eighteen, would you support this argument?

10. He was famous throughout Europe for his discoveries in magnetism, and the French Government gave him a very good salary, he was given by the University a laboratory of his own for his researches, couldn’t you agree on that?

11. Marie Curie had been the greatest woman – scientist of her day but she wasn’t very happy in the family of her own, don’t you think so?

12. Her children were not interested in their mother’s work, were they?

13. The rays of uranium were the subject for Marie’s Doctor’s thesis, weren’t they?

14. Her research was carried out in a comfortable, good-equipped laboratory, wasn’t it?

15. Pierre Curie stopped his own investigations on the physics of crystals and joined his wife to find more active unknown chemical elements, didn’t he?

16. Scientists call the property of giving out such rays “light activity”, and Mme. Curie decided to call the new element “light”, couldn’t you agree on that?

17. Marie Curie has become the first person to receive a Nobel Prize twice, hasn’t she?

Thank you!

Reading Comprehension Test

Text 5A ALFRED NOBEL – A MAN OF CONTRASTS

Practise introducing opinions using phrases from list number 1. Try to use appropriate phrases from lists number 3,4,5,6 for expressing agreement, doubt, reservations, partial agreement and disagreement.

1. Wouldn’t you agree that Alfred Nobel was a great German inventor and industrialist?

2. Alfred Nobel was a man of many contrasts, wasn’t he?

3. He was the son of a bankrupt and wasn’t able to make a fortune, couldn’t you agree?

4. He became a millionaire but lived a simple life, didn’t he?

5. Don’t you think that although cheerful (весёлый) in company Alfred Nobel was often sad when remained alone?

6. He invented a new internal combustion engine and it began a transport revolution in cars, lorries, trains, ships, don’t you think so?

7. He moved to Russia with his wife and baby son, where he made a strong position for himself in the engineering industry, didn’t he?

8. His father, Emmanuel Nobel, invented the landmine, got plenty of money for it during the Crimean war, and Alfred continued his father’s study of explosives in his own laboratory, don’t you agree?

9. Don’t you think that Alfred Nobel was a skilful chemist and excellent linguist, but had never been to school or University?

10. Like his uncle, Alfred Nobel was imaginative and inventive, but he had better luck in business and showed more financial sense, wouldn’t you agree?

11. He was quick to see industrial openings for his scientific inventions and built up over 80 companies in 20 different countries, don’t you think so?

12. Alfred was always searching (искал) for a meaning to life (смысл жизни), could not find ordinary human love, but he cared about the whole mankind, wouldn’t you agree on that? Do you remember what he used to say about stomachs of the living?

13. Don’t you find it naïve that he invented dynamite and his greatest wish, however, was to see an end to wars between nations?

14. Alfred Nobel left money to provide prizes (предоставлять премии, гранты) for outstanding work in physics, chemistry, mathematics, physiology, medicine, economics, literature and promotion of world peace, didn’t he?

15. According to Nobel’s will (завещание) the capital was to be safely invested to form a fund (для создания фонда), the interest (зд. процент) is to be distributed annualy in the form of prizes, don’t you agree?

16. In choosing the prize winner the great consideration (огромное значение) is given to the nationality of the candidates, isn’t it?

17. Since Nobel’s death many outstanding scientists, writers and public figures from Scandinavian countries have become Nobel prize winners, haven’t they?

Thank you!