The control-reading for the 11th
form pupils
the second term.
Thomas Alva Edison
The American inventor, Thomas Alva
Edison, was born in Ohio public school of Port Huron , Michigan Port Huron and Detroit Detroit Edison learned telegraphy and
he became a telegraph operator. He was soon one of the fastest operators in a
large telegraph company in Boston New York New York Edison 's greatest inventions was the gramophone, or the
"phonograph", as he called it, which repeated his words. He told his
assistants that this was the beginning. The time would come, he said, when this
new instrument would record music. "It will play symphonies and whole
operas, the world will hear again the great singers who are no longer
living". Another of Edison 's inventions
was the electric lamp. Edison believed that
only work could bring success. He continued active work until only eighteen days
before his death in 1931, at the age of eighty-seven. That evening, Americans
all over the country turned off their electric lights for a few moments — the
light which, Edison had given them.
1. Choose the correct answer.
1.
Where was Edison born?
a)
in New York ; b) in Detroit ; c) in Ohio
2.
When did he start work at the rail way?
a)
at the age of fifty; b) at
the age of twenty; c) at the age of 12 .
3.
What did young Edison do when he had to wait at Detroit
a)
sold fruit, sweets and cakes;
b) spent hours in the
library; c) walked around the city.
4.
What did Edison want to improve when he
became a telegraph operator?
a)
railway communication; b) a telegraph system;
c)
streetlights in New York
5. What was Edison 's
first invention?
a)
a phonograph;
b) a transmitter of a new kind;
c) a motion picture projector.
6.
What did Americans do the evening he died?'
a)
turned off the electric lights: b) organized meetings:
c)
came to his place.
2. Mark true or false statements.
1.
He was one of those children who are always asking "Why?"
2. Edison got his education in a private
school in Detroit
3.
He started work at the age of twelve when the first telegraph company appeared in the USA
4.
He sold newspapers to the passengers on one of the trains.
5.
He learned telegraphy and became one of the fastest operators in a
telegraph company.
6.
Edison went to New York
7.
At the age of twenty he had twelve inventions.
8.
He invented a new instrument that could compose music
9.
Edison believed that only a lot of
money could bring success.
10.
He continued active work until the day he died.
II. Read the second text and do the
tasks.
The valuable fence.
The Greggs were coming back from
their first trip to Europe . On board "The
Queen Elizabeth" they got acquainted with a Frenchman. His English was
good and soon they got quite friendly. The Frenchman told the Greggs that he
was an artist and his name was Lautisse. He asked them to keep it in a secret.
He did not like publicity. The Greggs didn't know any artist whose name was
Lautisse. So they talked to the ship's librarian and found out that their new
friend was the world's famous artist whose pictures were very valuable and
expensive. The librarian found a book with a biographical sketch and a
photograph. The sketch said that the artist had retired at fifty-three to a
villa on the Rivera. He said he would never touch a brush again. Lautisse was
going to spend a month in New York New York New York New York Europe ". The day
after the story appeared, two reporters came to the Greggs' place. They wanted
to know everything about the stay of the famous artist at their place. They
were shown the fence painted and signed by Lautisse. A long article, headlined
"Lautisse paints again", was published the next day. The fence turned
out to be a valuable thing. It was sold for a big sum of money. It was taken to
a museum. The fence was not worth it.
3. Choose the correct answer.
1.
Where were the Greggs coming from?
a)
from their trip to Japan : b) from their trip to Africa ;
c)
from their trip to Europe .
2. What was the Frenchman they got acquainted
with?
a) an inventor b) an artist c) a writer
3.
How did the Greggs learn the information about Lautisse?
a)
From the newspaper article;
b) from the ship's librarian;
c)
from the artist himself.
4.
Where did the Greggs invite their new friend to?
a)
to their place; b) to the art gallery; c) to
their wedding party.
5.
What did Mr. Greggs want to paint the next morning?
a) the door of his house; b) Mrs. Greggs' portrait;
c) the fence around their vegetable
garden.
6.
What did the Greggs do with the fence painted by the famous artist?
a) they sold it for a big sum of
money; b) they gave it to Lautisse;
c) they kept it in their garden.
4. Choose the correct word.
a) invitation b) publicity; c)
sketch d) friendly; e) headlined
f) best.
1. On board the ship the Greggs got acquainted
with a Frenchman and soon they got quite__________
2. The famous artist didn't
like_______________
3. The librarian found a book with a
biographical____________and a photograph.
5. Choose the correct ending.
1.
The Greggs get acquainted with a Frenchman
a)
on board the ship; b) at the British Museum
2. Lautisse asked them to keep his
name a secret because:
a)
he was afraid of the police;
b) he didn't like publicity;
c) he was a brave person.
3.
The Greggs learned from the sketch in the book that
a)
Lautisse had lost all his money
b)
Lautisse had married a girl younger than he was
c)
Lautisse had retired and promised not to take brush again
4.
The famous artist wanted
a)
to start a new picture;
b) to relax;
c)
to help Mrs. Greggs in the vegetable garden
.
a) got afraid and ran away, b) got
angry with Mr. Greggs;
c) seized it from Mr. Greggs and
began painting the fence
6. At the Greggs place two reporters
were shown:
a) Lautisse's photograph signed by
the artist b) Mr. Greggs'
photograph c) the fence painted by the famous artist
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