Joy English · Level B2 · Science and technologyjoy-english.com
Thomas Edison: an inventor at work
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Read a VOA Learning English report about Thomas Edison's childhood, his way of working and the inventions he valued most.
Thomas Edison: Inventor and Busy Team Leader
The inventor Thomas Alva Edison had a major effect on the lives of people around the world. Thomas Edison is remembered most for the electric light, his phonograph, and his work with motion pictures.
Edison was born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio. He was mostly self-taught. His mother taught him reading, writing, and mathematics. He learned from books, and he experimented.
At the age of 10, he experimented with chemicals and electricity. He built a telegraph machine and, at the age of 16, he went to work as a telegraph operator.
He continued his work with electricity, making improved telegraph machines, and he invented an electrical voting machine.
Edison earned enough money from his early inventions to start his own company in 1871. Instead of working alone, he worked with a group of employees on many different projects at one time. They asked the United States government for patents to protect more than one hundred devices or inventions each year. He was an extremely busy man.
In 1913, a popular magazine at the time called Thomas Edison the most useful man in America.
He almost never slept more than four or five hours a night. He usually worked 18 hours each day because he enjoyed what he was doing.
A reporter asked Edison in 1917 which of his many inventions he enjoyed the most. He answered, the phonograph was really the most interesting. The hardest invention to develop, he said, was the electric light. He said that it was the most difficult and the most important. He also invented the modern motion picture film.
In 1928, he received a special medal of honor from the Congress of the United States. Thomas Edison died on January 6, 1931. People worldwide have had easier and more enjoyable lives because of his inventions.
Understand the text
Read the text. Choose the correct answer.
- How did Edison get most of his education?
- What did Edison do at the age of 16?
- Edison preferred to work alone on one project at a time.
- Why did Edison's team ask the government for patents?
- According to the text, why did Edison usually work 18 hours a day?
- Which invention did Edison say was the most interesting?
- Which invention did he describe as both the most difficult and the most important?
- A magazine once called Edison the most useful man in America.
Words and details
Choose the best answer, or type a word or number from the text.
- Edison "had a major effect on the lives of people around the world". This means he ...
- Edison started his own company in ___.
- "He was an extremely busy man." Extremely means ...
- He almost never slept more than four or five ___ a night.
- "People worldwide have had easier and more enjoyable lives." Worldwide means ...
- In 1928, Edison received a special medal of honor from the ___ of the United States.
Answer key
Understand the text
- b) Mostly by teaching himself, with lessons from his motherHe was mostly self-taught. His mother taught him reading, writing and mathematics, and he learned from books and experiments.
- a) He went to work as a telegraph operator.At the age of 16, he went to work as a telegraph operator.
- b) FalseInstead of working alone, he worked with a group of employees on many projects at one time.
- c) To protect their devices and inventionsThey asked for patents to protect more than one hundred devices or inventions each year.
- b) He enjoyed what he was doing.He usually worked 18 hours each day because he enjoyed what he was doing.
- c) The phonographHe answered that the phonograph was really the most interesting.
- a) The electric lightThe hardest invention to develop, he said, was the electric light, and it was also the most important.
- a) TrueIn 1913, a popular magazine called him the most useful man in America.
Words and details
- a) greatly influenced their livesA major effect is a big influence.
- 1871He earned enough money from his early inventions to start his own company in 1871.
- b) veryExtremely means very or to a very great degree.
- hoursThe text says he almost never slept more than four or five hours a night.
- c) in many countries around the worldWorldwide means in all or many parts of the world.
- CongressHe received the medal from the Congress of the United States.