Question

When Marie arrived in Paris in 1891, she studied physics at the greatest university in Europe, the Sorbonne. But how poor she was! And how poorly prepared! She barely knew enough French, let alone advanced math and science, to understand the lectures. Why might the author have included these details?

Answer 1

This passage describes the hardships that Marie encountered when she came to Paris.

 (I think that it's about Marie Curie, who at the time was called Sklodowska, the Nobel Prize laureate). 

It shows how remarkable her success was, given how hard it was for her to achieve it: