Question

marie curie arrives in paris
when marie curie arrived in paris in september of 1891, she was not yet the woman the world would know as a scientific icon. she was a polish student named maria sklodowska, living in freezing attic rooms, learning french between physics lectures, and eating little more than bread and tea. at the sorbonne, she was often the only woman in the room—and sometimes, not even one taken seriously. but she had already made a promise to herself: she would become a scientist, no matter what it took. curie didnt have all the answers yet. her notebooks were full of questions, experiments, and invisible solutions. some nights, she wrapped herself in all her clothes to stay warm while solving problems by candlelight. in time, she would discover polonium and radium, become the first woman to win a nobel prize, and then the first person to win two. but in that first autumn in paris, there was only cold, doubt, and books. she persevered. greatness, like radiation, cannot be hidden.
which of the following sentences would logically fit best just before the final sentence?
a. \she spent her days in museums and cafes, avoiding labs.\
b. \curie once thought of quitting but never did.\
c. \her husband would later take credit for her early work.\
d. \she traveled to england after graduation.\
which of the following interpretations of the text aligns most closely with the authors purpose?
a. to convince students to study chemistry
b. to explain the process of radioactive discovery
c. to compare male and female scientists in the 1800s
d. to inform readers of curies early challenges and resilience
highlight the sentence that best shows both the hardships marie curie faced and her determination to succeed?

Explanation:

1. For the first question, the text describes Marie Curie's early - days struggles in Paris, studying hard and facing difficulties. Option b "Curie once thought of quitting but never did" connects well as it shows her perseverance before her later achievements.
2. For the second question, the text focuses on Marie Curie's early challenges like being the only woman in the room at the Sorbonne, living in poor conditions, etc. The author's purpose is to inform readers of her early challenges and resilience.

Answer:

1. b. "Curie once thought of quitting but never did"
2. d. To inform readers of Curie's early challenges and resilience