Thomas Alva Edison (1847 - 1931)
| When we talk of education, it is almost always meant “going to school”. But education is much more than that. Thomas Edison went to school for only three months, but he educated himself for all the 84 years of his life. Tom learned to read quickly, and reading gave him both information and inspiration. Even as a small boy, Thomas Edison had always asked questions about how things worked and why things were the way they were. | |
| He read books on literature, history, maths and science, and it was one of these books that helped him shape his early life. A science book by R. C. Parker showed him how experiments should be done. Tom set up a laboratory in the basement of the family home where each of the experiments discussed in the book was carefully conducted by him. Reading and experimenting were two of the habits which helped make him famous. The other habits were perseverance and hard work. | |
| Tom started earning money when he was ten or eleven years old. Before the age of 14 he had to sell magazines and newspapers to the passengers on the train which traveled between his hometown and Detroit. His experiments were not interrupted because the baggage master let him set up a small laboratory in one of the corners of the baggage car where he could experiment with his chemicals, batteries, wires and home-made gadgets. | |
| When Edison was 17 he produced his first practical invention, a repeating telegraph. Still in his twenties, he earned over $40,000 for some of his early patent rights and with that money opened his first laboratory and workshop where inventing became his business. There he produced the phonograph and the light bulb, improved electrical and telephone equipment, invented motion picture camera and projector. | |
| Thomas A. Edison lived to be 84 years old. In his lifetime over a thousand inventions were produced. He had only three months of formal schooling but he knew that education was a life-long process and he read almost everything he could find. He believed in himself and he worked long and hard at his many jobs. He failed many times but even failure was a part of his education. Because he read and worked and experimented, and never let himself become discouraged, he changed our world and our lives forever. |
III. Какое из данных утверждений выражает основную идею текста?
1. Edison had carried out a translation in the 19th century science from the industrialistic way of invention to specialized teams engaged in systematic research.
2. Edison had never been to university but he educated himself all his life and became the world’s leading inventor.
3. Edison contributed greatly to the progress of mankind and his assistants became world-known directors of companies and Nobel Prize winners.
IV. Запишите номер абзаца, в котором вы найдете ответ на вопрос:
What helped Edison shape his life?
V. Расположите данные пункты плана в последовательности, соответствующей содержанию текста:
1. Thomas Alva Edison belongs to the world’s great contributors to industrial development.
2. The need to earn money did not prevent him from self-educating.
3. Reading and inquisitive mind helped Edison to educate himself.
4. Still in his twenties Edison earned enough money to form his own “factory of invention”.
5. One of the books became his handbook for making experiments.
VI. Есть ли в тексте ответы на вопросы? Запишите “да” или “нет”.
1. Why did Edison go to school for only three months?
2. Who is the author of the book that taught him to experiment?
3. Where did Edison make experiments when he worked as a sales boy on a train?
4. What invention did he earn $40,000 for?
5. How did the American government appreciate Edison’s contribution to the progress of mankind?
VII. Переведите письменно 2, 3 и 4 абзацы.
КОНТРОЛЬНАЯ РАБОТА № 5
Вариант A
Для выполнения данной контрольной работы рекомендуется найти по словарю значения заданных слов и словосочетаний, постараться их запомнить, а затем перейти к выполнению контрольной работы:
filament, device, to solve, to invent, engineering, to create, lighting, to turn into, advantage, to devote to, to consist of, to serve, instead of, hard, numerous, to satisfy, to perfect, to increase, to support, to consider, to exist, tungsten, to introduce, still, by means of, service, to resign, doubt, close, to achieve, to connect.
Лексика
I. Выберите русское словосочетание, соответствующее данному английскому:
| 1. | metal filament lamp | a) металлическая нить накала лампы b) лампа с металлической нитью накала |
| 2. | laboratory device | a) лабораторный прибор b) лаборатория приборов |
| 3. | technical problems solving | a) технические проблемы решения b) решение технических проблем |
| 4. | a means of electric lighting | a) средство электрического освещения b) посредством электрического освещения |
II. Из данных слов выберите то, которое закончит предложение:
5. To make a suitable lamp … was an extremely difficult thing.
a) problem b) filament c) tungsten
6. All newspapers published articles discussing the great ….
a) invention b) engineering c) service
7. Incandescent lamps of older types had carbon filaments … in different ways.
a) considered b) introduced c) produced
8. These facts are connected with the history of electrical ….
a) advantage b) engineering c) application
9. Lodygin was very young when he … his flying machine.
a) designed b) resigned c) increased
III. Из предложенных слов выберите то, которое наиболее близко передает значение подчеркнутого:
10. A.N. Lodygin is a well-known Russian scientist and inventor.
a) talented b) famous c) great
11. The source of light invented by the Russian scientist won world-wide recognition.
a) created b) studied c) demonstrated
12. Lodygin constructed a lamp which could burn for two hours.
a) perfected b) laid c) made
13. In 1872 Lodygin constructed a number of incandescent lamps.
a) several b) lots of c) many
14. Lodygin spent all money he had in his numerous experiments.
a) a few b) many c) few
IV. Подберите к началу предложения из колонки А окончание предложения в колонке В. Полученные предложения переведите:
| 15. | Lodygin laid the foundation | a | use tungsten for filaments. |
| 16. | The incandescent lamp is the source | b | used for lamp filaments. |
| 17. | Lodygin was the first to | c | for producing modern lamps. |
| 18. | Edison solved the problem | d | of the electric light. |
| 19. | Tungsten is now mostly | e | of cheap electric lighting. |
Грамматика
Для успешного выполнения заданий по грамматике необходимо проработать формы и функции герундия, формы и функции причастия, независимый причастный оборот. Упражнения на словообразование включают суффиксы –ion, -ly, -ment, -ance/ence, -er/or.