Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
Thomas Alva Edison lit up the world with his invention of the electric light. Without him, the world
might still be a dark place. The electric light was not his only invention. He also invented the
phonograph, the motion picture camera, and over 1,200 other things. About every two weeks, he
created something new.
Thomas A. Edison was born in Milan, Ohio, on 11 February, 1847. His family moved to Port Huron,
Michigan, when he was seven years old. Surprisingly, he attended school for only two months.
His mother, a former teacher, taught him a few things, but Thomas was mostly self educated. His
natural curiosity led him to start experimenting with electrical and mechanical things at home at a
young age.
When he was 12 years old, he got his first job. He became a newsboy on a train that ran between
Port Huron and Detroit. He set up a laboratory in a baggage car of the train so that he could continue
his experiments in his spare time. Unfortunately, his first work experience did not end well. Thomas
was fired when he accidentally set fire to the floor of the baggage car.
Thomas then worked for five years as a telegraph operator, but he continued to spend much of his
time on the job conducting experiments. He got his first patent in 1868 for a vote recorder run by
electricity. However, the vote recorder was not a success. In 1870, he sold another invention, a stock-
ticker is a machine that automatically prints stock prices on a tape.
Thomas Edison was totally deaf in one ear and hard of hearing in the other, but thought of his
deafness as a blessing in many ways. It helped him keep conversations short, so that he could have
more time for work. He called himself a ‘two-shift man’ because he worked 16 out of 24 hours.
Sometimes he worked so intensely that his wife had to remind him to sleep and eat.
Thomas Edison died at the age of 84 on 18 October, 1931, at his estate in West Orange, New Jersey.
He left numerous inventions that improved the quality of life all over the world.
1. What is the main idea of this passage?
2. Outline the sequence of events in Thomas’ life?
3. Why did Thomas call himself a two-shift man?
4. Which invention do you consider the biggest achievement of Thomas?
5. Write down five adjectives to describe Thomas Alva Edison.
6. Why did Thomas consider his deafness as a blessing?
Answers
1- The main idea of this passage is about life history and inventions of Thomas. Alva Adison.
2- Thomas A. Edison was born in Milan, Ohio, on 11 February, 1847.
Michigan, when he was seven years old. he attended school for only two months.
When he was 12 years old, he got his first job. He became a newsboy on a train
worked for five years as a telegraph operator.
He got his first patent in 1868 for a vote recorder run by electricity.
In 1870, he sold another invention, a stock-ticker is a machine.
died at the age of 84 on 18 October, 1931, at his estate in West Orange, New Jersey.
3- He called himself a ‘two-shift man’ because he worked 16 out of 24 hours.
4- Thomas Alva Edison lit up the world with his invention of the electric light. Without him, the world might still be a dark place. this is his biggest invention.
5- Hard working, determined, scientist, careful, famous.
6- his deafness helped him keep conversations short, so that he could have more time for work.
self educated if my answer is cut mark mention the name