Women Who Changed the World in the Last Century

From the first woman to rocket into space to the activists who gathered for a record-breaking Women’s March, solo or in groups, women have set records and forged paths forward against all odds.

Newfoundland, Canada to Northern Ireland (1932)

Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly nonstop and solo across the Atlantic. Several years later in 1937, she disappeared over the central Pacific Ocean while attempting to circumnavigate the globe; theories about her mysterious disappearance still endure.

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Nepal (1975)

Junko Tabei was the first woman to summit Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak. The Japanese climber went on to reach peaks in 76 different countries and also became the first woman to conquer the “Seven Summits”, the highest mountain on each continent.

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Kenya (2004)

Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmental activist, was the first African woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize. The pioneering ecologist founded a grassroots movement aimed at empowering rural women’s groups toward conservation and improving their quality of life, resulting in the largest tree-planting campaigns in Africa.

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Russia (1963)

Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to travel into space, orbiting Earth 48 times in almost 3 days. Though she logged only a single trip, Tereshkova still holds the claim to being the only woman to fly to space solo, and the youngest – at 26 years old.

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Texas (1973)

Regarded as one of the greatest women’s tennis players of all time, Billie Jean King earned a six-time world No. 1 ranking and 39 Grand Slam titles. Her crusade for pay equality gained the largest-ever worldwide audience for a tennis match – over 90 million – when she defeated “self-proclaimed chauvinist” Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes” at the Houston Astrodome.

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Saudia Arabia (2017)

After years of campaigning by women’s rights activists and fighting hard against opposition, women regained the freedom to legally drive in Saudia Arabia – the only country in the world banning female drivers. Activists are hopeful this change paves the path for additional progress in women’s rights in the kingdom.

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Alabama (1955)

Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat and go to the back of a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, ignited one of the largest social resistance movements in history. The Montgomery Bus Boycott was the igniting event that set off the U.S. civil rights movement.

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Antarctica (2016)

The largest ever all-female expedition to Antarctica sought to raise awareness and increase female representation in top science jobs. The Homeward Bound mission sent 76 women scientists to observe the effect of climate change on the southernmost continent firsthand.

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Iceland (1980)

Icelandic politician Vigdís Finnbogadóttir was the first woman to be directly elected president. Her 16-year presidency was also the longest of any elected female head of state.

forge path forward – wyznaczać dalszą drogę

circumnavigate the globe – okrążyć kulę ziemską

endure – tutaj: być wciąż żywym

summit Mount Everest – zdobyć Mount Everest

conquer the “Seven Summits” – zdobyć Koronę Ziemi

grassroots movement – ruch oddolny

conservation – tutaj: ochrona przyrody

log – odbyć

hold the claim – zachować tytuł/rekord

pay equality – równość płac

self-proclaimed chauvinist – samozwańczy szowinista

pave the path – wytyczać ścieżkę

ignite – dać początek, zainicjować

social resistance movement – ruch oporu społecznego

set off – tutaj: dać czemuś początek

Listen to the recording and answer the following questions:

Which woman…

1. … was the first African woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize?

2. … was the first to climb the highest mountain in the world?

3. … sparked the civil rights movement in America?

4. … beat a man in a famous match?

5. … was the first and youngest to have flown in space on a solo mission?

6. … disappeared in mysterious circumstances trying to fly around the world?

Fot.: Newsweek_redakcja_zrodlo

1. When and where was Marie Skłodowska-Curie born?

2. Why could she not study at the University of Warsaw?

3. What did she discover?

4. Why did she not go to accept the Nobel Prize in person?

5. How did she contribute to cancer treatment?

6. When and how did she die?

Describe the issue presented in the article. Use the expressions listed below. They will help you give structure to the text analysis.

key words:

19th Amendment

women’s right to vote

civil rights

collocations with positive meaning:

impressive female advancements

pioneering ecologist

top science jobs

collocations with negative meaning:

crusade for pay equality

self-proclaimed chauvinist

segregated bus

mysterious disappearance

action verb phrases:

rocket into space

set records

empower rural women’s groups

pave the path for progress

raise awareness

Record your text analysis on a voice recorder or practice delivering your presentation in a group setting.

Examples:

In honor of the 100th anniversary of…

Newsweek is looking at other impressive female…

Regarded as one of the greatest…

Translate the sentences below using the suggested word or phrase. (See Key)

(earned) Uważana za jedną z najlepszych tenisistek wszech czasów Billie Jean King była sześciokrotnie numerem 1 światowego rankingu i zdobyła 39 tytułów Wielkiego Szlema.

(give up … segregated bus … ignited) Odmowa Rosy Parks, by ustąpić miejsca i przesiąść się do tyłu autobusu, w którym obowiązywała segregacja rasowa, w Montgomery w Alabamie, dała początek jednemu z największych ruchów oporu społecznego w historii.

(held … broke) Marsz Kobiet, który odbył się 21 stycznia 2017 r., pobił rekordy i zainicjował współczesny ruch protestacyjny.

(fly … nonstop … solo) Amelia Earhart była pierwszą kobietą, która samotnie przeleciała nad Atlantykiem bez międzylądowań.

(circumnavigate) Kilka lat później, w 1937 r., zaginęła na środkowym Pacyfiku, próbując okrążyć kulę ziemską.

You can use your translations in your presentation of the topic (in Task 6).

Continue the translation using the suggested word or phrase. Remember: It’s not about translating these sentences perfectly – there are a number of possible ways to translate each sentence. This task aims to teach you TO THINK IN ENGLISH. By working on your translation of a sentence, you can change it to get closer to the sense of the original (see Key).

Islandzka polityk Vigdís Finnbogadóttir była pierwszą kobietą to be bezpośrednio wybraną na prezydenta.

Jej 16-letnia prezydentura była także najdłuższą of any elected female głów państwa.

Wangari Maathai, kenijska environmental activist, była pierwszą afrykańską kobietą, która zdobyła Pokojową Nagrodę Nobla.

Sowiecka kosmonautka Walentina Tierieszkowa była pierwszą kobietą to travel w kosmos, orbiting Ziemię 48 razy w ciągu prawie 3 dni.

Junko Tabei was the first woman, która zdobyła Mount Everest, najwyższy szczyt świata.

You can use your translations in your presentation of the topic (in Task 6).

Now it’s time to put forward your views on the issues. Record your speech on a voice recorder or practice presenting your opinion in a group setting. Consider the issues raised in the text from these viewpoints:

Historical: 19th Amendment

The passing of the 19th Amendment guaranteed…

However, there are other impressive…

Personal: Pioneering women

Aside from tennis, Billie Jean King…

She defeated Bobby Riggs in…

Social: Women’s empowerment

Individuals such as Valentina Tereshkova proved that…

Because of their strength and character,…

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