Mini Biographies
Mini biographies are short, simplified life stories of famous people (CEFR B1) — scientists, artists, and leaders. The names and specialized terms are the hardest part, and you can tap any word to hear it or see a definition.
CEFR B1 · 18 passages · US English
🖼️ 12 of these are illustrated — read along with the pictures and tap any sentence to hear it read slowly.
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The scientist who discovered radium — and the first person to win two Nobel Prizes.
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Painter of the Mona Lisa — and a man whose notebooks were full of flying machines.
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The mathematician who wrote the first computer program — a century before computers.
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The English novelist whose sharp, funny love stories are still read everywhere.
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The physicist who rethought space and time — and became the face of genius.
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The scientist who explained gravity, motion, and light — much of it on a quiet farm.
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The composer who lost his hearing — and wrote his greatest music anyway.
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The playwright from a small town whose words the whole world still speaks.
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The last queen of ancient Egypt — remembered for her mind, not only her beauty.
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The Apple founder who wanted computers to be simple, friendly, and beautiful.
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The boxer who called himself the greatest — and made the world agree.
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The quiet lawyer who freed India without an army.
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The silent film star who made the whole world laugh without words.
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The martial artist who carried kung fu from Hong Kong to the world.
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The King of Pop — the boy from a steel town whose album Thriller outsold them all.
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The princess who repaired army trucks — and then wore the crown for seventy years.
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The boy from Zanzibar with four extra teeth who became the voice of Queen.
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The poor boy from Tupelo who got a guitar instead of a bicycle — and became the King of Rock and Roll.
