1. Who was Adolph Schicklgruber? Give his short biography.
A: Adolph Schicklgruber was Adolf Hitler. Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 in Braunau am Inn, Austria. Adi, as he was known in his youth, spent his childhood in Austria. His father, Alois, retired from civil service in 1895, when Hitler was only six, which created a tense, strict atmosphere at home. When Hitler was 13, his father passed away and his mother, Klara, had to care for Hitler and his siblings by herself. Times were tough for the Hitler household. In 1905, at age 16, Adolf quit school and never returned.
Adolf Hitler was responsible for starting World War II and for killing more than 11 million people during the Holocaust.
2. Why is John Stith Pemberton's name famous? Illustrate.
A:He was best known for being the inventor of coca-cola, which in his lifetime was used only for medical purposes. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stith_Pemberton
3. What was the name of the famous Italian astronomer, physicist and philosopher, who was born on the 15 February 1564? Give a short overview of his achievements.
A:His name was Galilei Galileo. He worked on a variety of experiments, including the speed at which different objects fall, mechanics and pendulums. Galileo heard about the invention of the telescope. Without having seen an example, he constructed a superior version and made many astronomical discoveries. These included mountains and valleys on the surface of the moon, sunspots, the four largest moons of the planet Jupiter and the phases of the planet Venus. Although he was going blind he continued to write. In 1638, his 'Discourses Concerning Two New Sciences' was published with Galileo's ideas on the laws of motion and the principles of mechanics. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/galilei_galileo.shtml
4.Provide interesting facts about William Henry Gates III. Why is he world-famous?
A:
- According to Forbes magazine in 2004, Gates is the wealthiest person in the world, a position he has held steadily for many years.
- While he was a student at Harvard, he co-authored with Paul Allen the original Altair BASIC interpreter for the Altair 8800 (the first commercially successful personal computer) in the mid 1970s.
- Gates married Melinda French on January 1, 1994.
- He and his wife have three children, Jennifer Katharine Gates (1996), Rory John Gates (1999) and Phoebe Adele Gates (2002).
- He has a modern 21st century house in the "Pacific lodge" style, with advanced electrical and electronic systems everywhere.
- In 1997, Gates was the victim of a bizarre extortion plot by Chicago resident Adam Quinn Pletcher.
- Gates licensed MS-DOS to IBM, which it had acquired from a local computer manufacturer.
- In the mid-1980s Gates became excited about the possibilities of compact disc for storage, and sponsored the publication of the book CD-ROM: The New Papyrus that promoted the idea of CD-ROM.
- As the architect of Microsoft's product strategy, Gates has aggressively broadened the company's range of products and, once it has obtained a leading position in a category, has vigorously defended that position.
- In 2000, Gates promoted long-time friend and Microsoft executive Steve Ballmer to the role of Chief Executive Officer and took on the role of "Chief Software Architect".
Source: http://www.famouspeople.co.uk/b/billgates.html
5.What was the name of the Scottish mathematician and engineer whose improvements to the steam engine were a key stage in the Industrial Revolution? Illustrate his innovation.
A: His name was James Watt.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Watt http://www.famouspeople.co.uk/j/jameswatt.html
6.Give a short biography of Andrew Warhola. What was/is he famous for? Illustrations.
A: Andrew Warhola, more commonly known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. After a successful career as a commercial illustrator, Warhol became famous worldwide for his work as a painter, avant-garde filmmaker, record producer, author, and public figure known for his membership in wildly diverse social circles that included bohemian street people, distinguished intellectuals, Hollywood celebrities and wealthy aristocrats.
Warhol has been the subject of numerous retrospective exhibitions, books, and feature and documentary films. He coined the widely used expression "15 minutes of fame." In his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, The Andy Warhol Museum exists in memory of his life and artwork.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Warhola7.What are the most important facts about the life of Norma Jeane Mortenson ? Illustrate.
A: Marilyn Monroe. She was born June 1, 1926 and died August 5, 1962. She borned as Norma Jeane Mortenson. She was an American actress, singer, and model. After spending much of her childhood in foster homes, Monroe began a career as a model, which led to a film contract in 1946. Her early roles were minor, but her performances in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve (both 1950) were well received. Monroe was praised for her comedic ability in such films as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire, Some Like It Hot, and The Seven Year Itch.
The typecasting of Monroe's "dumb blonde" persona limited her career prospects, so she broadened her range. She studied at the Actors Studio and formed Marilyn Monroe Productions. Her dramatic performance in Bus Stop was hailed by critics, and she won a Golden Globe Award for her performance in Some Like it Hot.
The final years of Monroe's life were marked by illness, personal problems, and a reputation for being unreliable and difficult to work with. The circumstances of her death, from an overdose of barbiturates, have been the subject of conjecture. Though officially classified as a "probable suicide", the possibility of an accidental overdose, as well as the possibility of homicide, have not been ruled out. In 1999, Monroe was ranked as the sixth greatest female star of all time by the American Film Institute.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norma_Jeane_Mortenson
8. Who was the Roman emperor, who was murdered by senators 44 B.C? Why did this happen?
A: It was Julius Caesar. He was murdered because he declared himself dictator for life. This act, along with his continual effort to adorn himself with the trappings of power, turned many in the Senate against him. Sixty members of the Senate concluded that the only resolution to the problem was to assassinate Caesar. Source: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/caesar2.htm
9.What is the name of the French emperor, who had to spend the last six years of his life under British supervision on the island of Saint Helena? Add short biography.
A: Napoleon Bonaparte. He was borned 15 August 1769 and he died 5 May 1821. He was a military and political leader of France and Emperor of the French as Napoleon I, whose actions shaped European politics in the early 19th century.
Born in Corsica and trained as an artillery officer in mainland France, Bonaparte rose to prominence under the First French Republic and led successful campaigns against the First and Second Coalitions arrayed against France. In 1799, he staged a coup d'etat and installed himself as First Consul; five years later the French Senate proclaimed him Emperor. In the first decade of the nineteenth century, the French Empire under Napoleon engaged in a series of conflicts—the Napoleonic Wars—involving every major European power. After a streak of victories, France secured a dominant position in continental Europe and Napoleon maintained the French sphere of imfluence through the formation of extensive alliances and the appointment of friends and family members to rule other European countries as French client states.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_I_of_France10.What was the maiden name of the Princess of Wales, who was killed in the car accident in France? Illustate her short biography.
A: Diana Spencer. Borned: 1 July 1961; died: 31 August 1997. She was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales. Diana was the youngest daughter of John Spencer and Frances Spencer. She was born at Park House, Sandringham in Norfolk, England on 1 July 1961, and was baptised on 30 August 1961 at St. Mary Magdalene Church by the Rt. Rev. Percy Herbert, with godparents that included John Floyd. She was the fourth child to the couple, with older sisters Sarah (born 19 March 1955) and Jane (born 11 February 1957), as well as an infant brother, The Honourable John Spencer (born and died on 12 January 1960). The heir to the Spencer titles and estates, her younger brother, Charles, was born three years after her on 20 May 1964.
Biography of Princess Diana
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana,_Princess_of_Wales