Rita Levi-Montalcini — Questions and answers

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What important discovery is Rita Levi-Montalcini known for?

Choices

  1. A new type of dinosaur
  2. Nerve Growth Factor ✓
  3. The design of the grand hall
  4. A special kind of light

Answer: Nerve Growth Factor

From page 1

Why did Rita Levi-Montalcini turn her bedroom into a secret lab?

Choices

  1. She liked to keep her work a secret from her family.
  2. She was banned from the university due to racial laws. ✓
  3. She wanted to surprise her friends with a new invention.
  4. She preferred working alone in a quiet space.

Answer: She was banned from the university due to racial laws.

From page 3

What did Rita Levi-Montalcini observe the nerve fibers doing in her experiment with the tumor?

Choices

  1. They shrank away from the tumor.
  2. They stopped growing completely.
  3. They rapidly grew towards the tumor fragment. ✓
  4. They changed colors and disappeared.

Answer: They rapidly grew towards the tumor fragment.

From page 4

Who did Rita Levi-Montalcini work with to identify the mysterious substance?

Choices

  1. Emilia, Winona, and Diego
  2. Stanley Cohen ✓
  3. Her university professors
  4. A famous chef

Answer: Stanley Cohen

From page 5

Besides stimulating growth, what else did Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) do for developing neurons?

Choices

  1. It made them glow in the dark.
  2. It helped them learn new languages.
  3. It acted as a fundamental survival factor, keeping them alive and healthy. ✓
  4. It helped them communicate with plants.

Answer: It acted as a fundamental survival factor, keeping them alive and healthy.

From page 6

In what kind of animals is Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) found?

Choices

  1. Only in humans
  2. Only in fish
  3. Only in birds
  4. Across many species, from fish to humans ✓

Answer: Across many species, from fish to humans

From page 7

What major award did Rita Levi-Montalcini and Stanley Cohen receive for their discovery?

Choices

  1. A gold medal in a sports competition
  2. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine ✓
  3. An award for best museum exhibit
  4. A prize for drawing

Answer: The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

From page 9

What does the page say about Rita Levi-Montalcini's lifelong dedication to science?

Choices

  1. She stopped doing science after winning the Nobel Prize.
  2. She continued her scientific work for decades and lived to be 103 years old. ✓
  3. She decided to become a famous artist instead.
  4. She only studied nerves for a few years.

Answer: She continued her scientific work for decades and lived to be 103 years old.

From page 10