填空题
Karl Wilhelm Rontgen (1845--1923) astounded people with the first x-rays in 1895; this was followed three years (1) by the discovery of radium by Pierre and Marie Curie. But who were they? In 1894, Marie and Pierre Curie met (2) studying in Paris. Their marriage on 25th July 1895 marked the (3) of a partnership which was to receive worldwide recognition.
The Curies discovered radium, a radioactive substance, in uranium oxide ore. They (4) techniques for extracting it, but first did not fully (5) its properties. Pierre Curie used to (6) radium around in his waistcoat pocket and could not understand (7) he was developing a massive sore in his chest. This would have been fatal, but Pierre's life was cut short in 1906 when he was knocked (8) and killed by a horse and cart in the street. From then on, Marie devoted herself (9) completing the work that they had begun together.
Marie and Pierre Curie were (10) a joint Nobel Prize in 1904, followed up by a second one (11) Marie in 1911. Their research was crucial in the development of x-rays (12) surgery. (13) World War I Marie Curie helped to equip ambulances, (14) she drove to the front lines, (15) x-ray equipment. The International Red Cross made her head of its Radiological Service and she held (16) courses for medical orderlies and doctors in the new techniques.
Despite her success, Marie (17) great opposition from male scientists in France and she never received the recognition she deserved. She died in 1934 (18) leukaemia, due to exposure (19) high-energy radiation used in her research. Radiation has since been used to (20) cancer worldwide.