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All questions of Firsts in World (Male & Female) for UPSC CSE Exam

Who was the first woman to become the CEO of a Fortune 500 company?
  • a)
    Mary Barra
  • b)
    Indra Nooyi
  • c)
    Meg Whitman
  • d)
    Ursula Burns
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Ursula Burns: The First Female Fortune 500 CEO
Ursula Burns made history as the first African American woman to lead a Fortune 500 company when she became the CEO of Xerox Corporation in 2009. Here are some key points about her groundbreaking achievement:

Background:
- Ursula Burns joined Xerox Corporation in 1980 as a mechanical engineering summer intern.
- Over the years, she held various leadership positions within the company, including roles in product development and planning.

CEO Appointment:
- In 2009, Ursula Burns was appointed as the CEO of Xerox Corporation, succeeding Anne Mulcahy.
- This made her the first woman to lead a Fortune 500 company, marking a significant milestone for gender diversity in corporate leadership.

Legacy:
- During her tenure as CEO, Ursula Burns focused on transforming Xerox into a services-led technology company.
- She was known for her strategic leadership and ability to navigate the challenges of the digital age.

Recognition:
- Ursula Burns has received numerous accolades for her leadership, including being named one of the "World's 100 Most Powerful Women" by Forbes.
- She continues to be a prominent figure in the business world, advocating for diversity and inclusion in corporate leadership.
In conclusion, Ursula Burns' appointment as the first female CEO of a Fortune 500 company was a significant milestone in the advancement of women in corporate leadership. Her legacy serves as an inspiration for future generations of female leaders.

Who was the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal?
  • a)
    Serena Williams
  • b)
    Simone Biles
  • c)
    Nadia Comăneci
  • d)
    Fanny Blankers-Koen
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Niti Mehta answered
Fanny Blankers-Koen: The First Woman to Win an Olympic Gold Medal
Fanny Blankers-Koen was a Dutch track and field athlete who made history by becoming the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Here is an explanation of her incredible achievement:

Early Life and Career
Fanny Blankers-Koen was born on April 26, 1918, in the Netherlands. She began her athletic career at a young age and quickly rose to prominence in the world of track and field.

1948 London Olympics
In 1948, Fanny Blankers-Koen competed in the London Olympics and made history by winning four gold medals. She dominated the competition in the 100m, 200m, 80m hurdles, and 4x100m relay events, showcasing her incredible talent and athleticism.

Breaking Barriers
Fanny Blankers-Koen's success at the 1948 Olympics was groundbreaking, as it challenged traditional gender norms and proved that women could excel in sports at the highest level. She paved the way for future generations of female athletes to pursue their Olympic dreams.

Legacy
Fanny Blankers-Koen's legacy as a trailblazer in women's sports continues to inspire athletes around the world. Her achievements have left a lasting impact on the Olympic movement and serve as a reminder of the power of perseverance and dedication.
In conclusion, Fanny Blankers-Koen's historic performance at the 1948 London Olympics solidified her place in sports history as the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Her remarkable accomplishments continue to be celebrated and revered to this day.

Who was the first person to set foot on the South Pole?
  • a)
    Roald Amundsen
  • b)
    Ernest Shackleton
  • c)
    Robert Falcon Scott
  • d)
    Edmund Hillary
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian explorer, became the first person to set foot on the South Pole on December 14, 1911, during the Antarctic expedition known as the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.

Who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in Chemistry?
  • a)
    Rosalind Franklin
  • b)
    Dorothy Hodgkin
  • c)
    Marie Curie
  • d)
    Ada Yonath
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Knowledge Hub answered
Marie Curie, the remarkable scientist, became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911. She was honored for her contributions to the discovery of the elements polonium and radium.

Who was the first person to circumnavigate the Earth?
  • a)
    Ferdinand Magellan
  • b)
    Christopher Columbus
  • c)
    James Cook
  • d)
    Marco Polo
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Knowledge Hub answered
Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer, led the first successful expedition to circumnavigate the Earth between 1519 and 1522.

Who was the first person to win the Nobel Prize in Literature?
  • a)
    William Shakespeare
  • b)
    Leo Tolstoy
  • c)
    Rabindranath Tagore
  • d)
    Mark Twain
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

 
Rabindranath Tagore, an Indian poet, and philosopher became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. His literary works and contributions to the Bengali literature are celebrated worldwide.

Who was the first woman to win a Grand Slam title in tennis?
  • a)
    Serena Williams
  • b)
    Steffi Graf
  • c)
    Martina Navratilova
  • d)
    Billie Jean King
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Knowledge Hub answered
Billie Jean King, an American tennis player, was the first woman to win a Grand Slam title in tennis. She achieved this milestone in 1966 and went on to become a trailblazer for gender equality in sports.

Who was the first person to invent the telephone?
  • a)
    Thomas Edison
  • b)
    Alexander Graham Bell
  • c)
    Nikola Tesla
  • d)
    Guglielmo Marconi
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Alexander Graham Bell, a Scottish-born inventor, is credited with inventing the telephone in 1876. His invention revolutionized communication and laid the foundation for modern telecommunication systems.

Who was the first woman to become the Prime Minister of a country?
  • a)
    Angela Merkel
  • b)
    Golda Meir
  • c)
    Margaret Thatcher
  • d)
    Benazir Bhutto
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Golda Meir, an Israeli stateswoman, became the first woman to serve as the Prime Minister of a country. She held office in Israel from 1969 to 1974 and played a significant role in shaping the nation's history.

Who was the first person to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction?
  • a)
    Ernest Hemingway
  • b)
    F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • c)
    William Faulkner
  • d)
    Edith Wharton
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Edith Wharton, an American novelist, was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1921 for her novel "The Age of Innocence."

Who was the first person to walk on the Moon?
  • a)
    Neil Armstrong
  • b)
    Buzz Aldrin
  • c)
    Alan Shepard
  • d)
    Yuri Gagarin
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Neil Armstrong, an American astronaut, made history as the first person to walk on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 1969. His famous words, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," are etched in the annals of history.

Who was the first woman to win an Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Director?
  • a)
    Greta Gerwig
  • b)
    Sofia Coppola
  • c)
    Kathryn Bigelow
  • d)
    Ava DuVernay
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Kathryn Bigelow, an American filmmaker, made history as the first woman to win an Academy Award for Best Director. She received the award for her film "The Hurt Locker" in 2010.

Who was the first person to win the Nobel Prize in Physics?
  • a)
    Albert Einstein
  • b)
    Max Planck
  • c)
    Marie Curie
  • d)
    Isaac Newton
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Marie Curie, the renowned scientist, was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903. She was awarded the prize along with her husband Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel for their pioneering work on radioactivity.

Who was the first woman to fly in space?
  • a)
    Valentina Tereshkova
  • b)
    Sally Ride
  • c)
    Yuri Gagarin
  • d)
    Neil Armstrong
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Valentina Tereshkova, a Soviet cosmonaut, made history as the first woman to fly in space. She orbited the Earth 48 times during her Vostok 6 mission in 1963.

Who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean?
  • a)
    Amelia Earhart
  • b)
    Bessie Coleman
  • c)
    Jacqueline Cochran
  • d)
    Harriet Quimby
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Amelia Earhart, an American aviator, made history as the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She achieved this feat on May 20-21, 1932, and her courage inspired generations of female pilots.

Who was the first person to discover the law of gravity?
  • a)
    Isaac Newton
  • b)
    Galileo Galilei
  • c)
    Albert Einstein
  • d)
    Johannes Kepler
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Sir Isaac Newton, an English mathematician, physicist, and astronomer, discovered the law of gravity in the late 17th century. His groundbreaking work laid the foundation for classical mechanics and changed the course of science.

Who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize?
  • a)
    Marie Curie
  • b)
    Mother Teresa
  • c)
    Malala Yousafzai
  • d)
    Ada Lovelace
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Marie Curie, a pioneering scientist, became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in 1903. She was honored for her groundbreaking research on radioactivity and shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel.

Who was the first person to discover penicillin?
  • a)
    Alexander Fleming
  • b)
    Louis Pasteur
  • c)
    Robert Koch
  • d)
    Marie Curie
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Alexander Fleming, a Scottish biologist, and pharmacologist discovered penicillin in 1928, which revolutionized medicine by introducing the first antibiotic.

Who was the first person to propose the theory of evolution?
  • a)
    Charles Darwin
  • b)
    Alfred Russel Wallace
  • c)
    Gregor Mendel
  • d)
    Thomas Huxley
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

 
Charles Darwin, an English naturalist, and biologist proposed the theory of evolution by natural selection in his seminal work "On the Origin of Species" published in 1859. His theory revolutionized biology and had a profound impact on scientific thought.

Who was the first woman to climb Mount Everest?
  • a)
    Junko Tabei
  • b)
    Reinhold Messner
  • c)
    Sir Edmund Hillary
  • d)
    Tenzing Norgay
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Knowledge Hub answered
Junko Tabei, a Japanese mountaineer, was the first woman to climb Mount Everest on May 16, 1975. She conquered the world's highest peak and paved the way for future female mountaineers to follow her footsteps.

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