A
Some of the greatest scientists of all time are women who have made important discoveries in a variety of fields in science. Several of their contributions throughout history are even more than men's contributions. Our list of the most famous female scientists below are organised in order of popularity so you can read about the advancements that they made.
Marie Curie (1867－1934)
Famous For: Work on radioactivity
Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize and the only woman to win this award in two fields: Physics and Chemistry. She discovered polonium and radium and her work helped with the creation of X-rays.
Jane Goodall (1934)
Famous For: Primate (灵长类) studies
Jane Goodall is known world-wide for her groundbreaking studies on primates. She is considered as the top expert on chimps in the world and is perhaps best known for her 45-year study on the social lives of these animals in Tanzania.
Rita Levi-Montalcini (1909－2012)
Famous For: Nerve growth studies
Rita Levi-Montalcini was a neurologist (神经病学家) who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1986 for her findings in Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). She was the first Nobel Prize winner to live past her 100th birthday.
Lise Meitner (1878－1968)
Famous For: Work on radioactivity and nuclear physics
Lise Meitner was a key member of a group that discovered nuclear fission (裂变). One of her colleagues, Otto Hahn, was given the Noble Prize for this work. That Meitner didn't get the award is considered to be a huge error by the Nobel committee.
语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。文章主要列举了4位著名的女科学家在各自领域所取得的成就和影响。
1．Who is still contributing to the world?
A．Marie Curie. B．Jane Goodall.
C．Rita Levi-Montalcini. D．Lise Meitner.
解析：选B 细节理解题。根据每个人物后面跟的时间可知，Jane Goodall出生于1934年，而后面没有给出去世时间，说明仍在为世界做贡献。故选B。
2．What did Rita Levi-Montalcini research on?
A．Nerve growth. B．The wildlife.
C．Nuclear explosion. D．Radioactivity.
解析：选A 细节理解题。根据Rita Levi-Montalcini (1909－2012)部分中“Famous For: Nerve growth studies”可知，Rita Levi-Montalcini研究的是神经发育。故选A。
3．What do we know about Lise Meitner?
A．She was awarded the Nobel Prize.
B．She made a big mistake in her work.
C．She did lots of studies about nerve growth.
D．She made great contributions to nuclear physics.
解析：选D 推理判断题。根据Lise Meitner (1878－1968)部分中“Famous For: Work on radioactivity and nuclear physics”可知，因为研究放射性和核物理而出名。由此可知，Lise Meitner对核物理学做出了巨大的贡献。故选D。
