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From writers to scientists, here are the amazing stories of women you may not know about, but certainly should.
Murasaki Shikibu
You may be familiar with lots of novels by male writers, from Mark Twain to Charles Dickens. But their works may not even have existed if it hadn’t been for Murasaki Shikibu, a Japanese woman widely considered to be the world’s first novelist. In addition to a two-part novel called The Tale of Genji, Shikibu also wrote a book of poems.
Maria Sibylla Merian
Today, children as young as preschool age can happily explain how a caterpillar (毛虫) turns into a butterfly. But there was a time when no one knew this — not even scientists. Until the 1670s, scientists thought that caterpillars and butterflies were two totally different creatures. Thanks to Maria Sibylla Merian, we know the truth about these beautiful insects.
Ada Lovelace
Ada Lovelace, born in 1815, was the daughter of famous British poet Lord Byron, but she wasn’t a poet herself. She was the world’s first computer programmer. Lovelace’s mathematical (数学的) talent was obvious at a young age and caught the attention of Charles Babbage. Babbage designed the early computing machine that he hoped would be able to quickly solve math problems. In addition to helping Babbage design the early computer program, Lovelace was also the first to recognize that the machine might be able to do more than calculation.
Tu Youyou
Tu Youyou, born in 1930, became the first Chinese scientist to win the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. In the 1970s, Tu worked to find a way to prevent the spread of malaria (疟疾). She discovered artemisinin (青蒿素), which is used in life-saving, malaria-fighting drugs around the world today.
21. What can we learn about Murasaki Shikibu?
A. She was a famous poet. B. She was highly educated.
C. She was an award-winning writer. D. She was a pioneer in novel writing.
22. What is Ada Lovelace best known for?
A. Her family background.
B. Her mathematical talent.
C. Her work on computer programming.
D. Her invention of computing machines.
23. Who made a great contribution to the prevention of a common disease?
A. Murasaki Shikibu. B. Maria Sibylla Merian.
C. Ada Lovelace. D. Tu Youyou.
