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Who was Marie Curie?
Model-written, not yet read by a native reader.
Correct answer: A scientist who won two Nobel Prizes. Marie Curie was a scientist born in Warsaw. She won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and the one in Chemistry in 1911. With Pierre Curie she discovered polonium and radium.
Sources: Sheet “Marie Curie, Nobel Prize in Physics 1903 (NobelPrize.org, Nobel Foundation)” (French), read on 15 October 2026. Answer written by Hexaciv from this source. Hexaciv is an independent preparation tool. It is not an official website, is not linked to any government body and does not give legal advice. The authoritative source is the Ministry of the Interior's, cited on this page.
The four choices and why
- ✗ A queen of FranceUne reine de FranceMarie Curie was never a queen: she did scientific research.
- ✓ A scientist who won two Nobel PrizesUne scientifique qui a reçu deux prix NobelCorrect answer. Marie Curie was a scientist born in Warsaw. She won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and the one in Chemistry in 1911. With Pierre Curie she discovered polonium and radium.
- ✗ A well-known French writer of the 17th centuryUne écrivaine du XVIIe siècle, connue en FranceShe was not a writer: she researched radioactivity.
- ✗ A film actressUne actrice de cinémaShe was not an actress: she was a physicist and chemist.
What the source says
« Marie was widowed in 1906, but continued the couple's work and went on to become the first person ever to be awarded two Nobel Prizes. »
Sentence copied word for word from the source, in French, read on 15 October 2026.
How it reads on exam day
The exam is in French, so this is the question you will see: « Qui était Marie Curie ? ». Learn the English idea above and the French words in the options.
This question comes from the list of the naturalisation version of the exam (PDF relayed by Le Français des affaires, read on 14 October 2026; the Ministry's own page for this list did not answer). The list's wording: “Qui était Marie Curie ?”.
Where the Ministry explains it
Sheet “Marie Curie, Nobel Prize in Physics 1903 (NobelPrize.org, Nobel Foundation)” (French).
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