Marie Curie did not set out to be famous. She set out to understand the world. As a young girl in Poland, she loved numbers, patterns, and the feeling that every question had a deeper layer. But at that time, many schools didn’t allow girls to study science. Marie studied anyway—by reading at night and learning in secret.
Years later, she moved to France and became a scientist. She began to study invisible forces—energy that passed through objects, even metal. With her husband Pierre, she discovered two new elements: polonium and radium. These gave off a strange glow and a powerful energy no one could see but everyone could feel.
Marie named this energy *radioactivity*. It changed science forever. Her discoveries helped doctors treat cancer and taught the world more about atoms, energy, and the invisible strength inside matter.
But Marie’s strength wasn’t just in her science. It was in her determination. She kept working through grief, illness, and doubt. She became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize—and then the first person to win it twice. She did not chase awards. She followed questions.
Marie Curie showed the world that real power doesn’t always shine on the outside. Sometimes it glows quietly from within—from steady questions, patient work, and the courage to keep asking, even in the dark.
Q1: What challenge did Marie Curie face when she was young?
Q2: What did Marie Curie and her husband discover?
Q3: What is radioactivity, according to the passage?
Q4: What does the author suggest was Marie Curie’s greatest strength?
Q5: What is the main message of this passage?
Printable Comprehension Practice
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Q1: What challenge did Marie Curie face when she was young?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: The passage says many schools didn’t allow girls to study science, so Marie studied in secret.
Q2: What did Marie Curie and her husband discover?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: They discovered polonium and radium, which gave off a powerful energy called radioactivity.
Q3: What is radioactivity, according to the passage?
✅ Correct Answer: B
💡 Reasoning: Radioactivity is described as powerful, invisible energy that changed science and medicine.
Q4: What does the author suggest was Marie Curie’s greatest strength?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: The passage highlights her perseverance, curiosity, and quiet strength in facing difficulty.
Q5: What is the main message of this passage?
✅ Correct Answer: B
💡 Reasoning: The story encourages readers to value persistence and big questions, showing how they led to important discoveries.