some reading practice

Thomas Edison

Thomas Alva Edison lit up the world with his invention of the electric light. Without him, the world might still be a dark place. However, 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 February 11, 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 at a young age with electrical and mechanical things at home.
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 care 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, for $40,000. A stock-ticker is a machine that automatically prints stock prices on a tape. He was then able to build his first shop in Newark, New Jersey.
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 kept conversations short, so that he could have more time for work. He called himself a "two-shift man" because he worked 16 out of every 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 October 18, 1931, at his estate in West Orange, New Jersey. He left numerous inventions that improved the quality of life all over the world.



1. Thomas Edison did things in this order:
a.
he became a telegraph operator, a newsboy, and then got his first patent
b.
he became a newsboy, got his first patent, and then became a telegraph operator
c.
he got a patent, became a telegraph operator, and then became a newsboy
d.
he became a newsboy, a telegraph operator, and then got a patent
This is sequence question. The answer is plainly stated in the passage, you just need to figure out the order in which Edison did these things. The third paragraph says that he got his first job as a newsboy on a train. He then got fired from that job. The fourth paragraph says that he then worked for five years as a telegraph operator. After that, it says that he got his first patent. If we read looking only for the details that relate to the question, it becomes clear that the answer is
2. Edison considered his deafness:
a.
a disadvantage
b.
a blessing
c.
something from a priest
d.
a necessity
This is a detail question. The answer is given directly in the text, you just need to be a skilled enough reader to find it. The answer is in the fifth paragraph. It says that Edison was deaf, but that he thought of his deafness as a blessing. It then goes on to describe in detail the reasons why Edison considered his deafness a blessing.
3. Of all the inventions, __________ was probably the most important for civilization.
a.
the vote recorder
b.
the stock ticker
c.
the light bulb
d.
the motion picture camera
This is an inference question. The answer is not directly given in the passage, but we can infer (or assume) which is the best answer from the information given. For the answer you should look at the first couple of sentences of the first paragraph. It explains that Edison lit up the world with his invention of the electric light, or light bulb. The world might still be a dark place if it werent for his invention. These sentences indicate that his invention of the light bulb had a deep impact on the world. There are no statements about any of his other inventions that make such a bold claim. For questions like these, you should also use your own common sense. Think about the inventions mentioned. Look around you. You are probably sitting in a place that is using many different light bulbs. There is probably not a stock ticker, a vote recorder, or a movie camera in the room with you. This simple fact indicates that the light bulb had a more widespread impact on the world than any of his other inventions.'
4. The main idea of this passage is:
a.
Thomas Edison was always interested in science and inventions, and he invented many important things.
b.
Thomas Edison could not keep a job.
c.
Thomas Edison worked day and night on his experiments.
d.
Deaf people make good inventors because they can focus without the distraction of spoken conversation.


1. His mother, a former teacher, taught him a few things, but he was mostly self-educated.
a.
taught himself
b.
born a genius
c.
loved school
d.
thought of himself
2. His natural curiosity soon led him to start experimenting with electrical and mechanical things at home.
a.
experiencing
b.
inventing
c.
making tests and playing with
d.
ignoring
3. He left numerous inventions that improved the quality of life all over the world.
a.
numbered
b.
many
c.
none
d.
modern
4. Sometimes he worked so intensely that his wife had to remind him to sleep and eat.
a.
passionately and with great focus
b.
carelessly and with many distractions
c.
hard
d.
problems




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The Civil War
The American Civil War was a very sad time for the United States. The people of the country were divided into two sides: The North and The South. Each side had its own army. The southern army was called the Confederate Army, and the northern army was called the Union Army. Many people died for both the North and South.The schools for the deaf had many problems during the Civil War. There are many stories about that _____1_____ in history.Some schools for the deaf had to close during the Civil War. The _____2_____ of many were taken over by the Confederate or Union army and occupied by soldiers. The Tennessee School even became a hospital and is now a national landmark.Some schools closed because the teachers joined the war. At the Kentucky School, the superintendent's son _____3_____ to join the Union Army. He died during battle and never returned. Teachers at the Tennessee School also resigned, but they joined the Confederate Army.A sad _____4_____ took place in North Carolina during the Civil War. A 55-year-old man was out walking one day. He was on his way home when a soldier saw him. The soldier _____5_____ the man to stop. The man was deaf and did not hear the soldier's command. The soldier shot the man and killed him.In southeastern states, every school for the deaf closed except one. The Kentucky School for the Deaf remained _____6_____. Its superintendent did not allow soldiers to occupy the school. He told officers from both armies what would happen if they moved into the school. He warned the officers that all of the teachers would resign and the soldiers would have to take care of the deaf students. He _____7_____ both sides, so the Kentucky School for the Deaf was never occupied by either the Confederate or Union troops!



The Civil War YearsCloze Exercise - Level 56
1
There are many stories about that __________ in history.
period
book
spirit
figure
class
2
The ___________ of many were taken over by the Confederate or Union army and occupied by soldiers.
staffs
lessons
buildings
doctors
graduates
3
At the Kentucky School, the superintendent's son _______ to join the Union Army.
meant
tried
pretended
refused
quit
4
A sad ________ took place in North Carolina during the Civil War.
fight
incident
arrest
discussion
disagreement
5
The soldier __________ the man to stop.
forced
promised
begged
paid
ordered
6
The Kentucky School for the Deaf remained __________.
standing
silent
locked
empty
open
7
He __________ both sides, so the Kentucky School for the Deaf was never occupied by either the Confederate or Union troops!
feared
comforted
convinced
angered
escaped