Question

Thomas 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（留聲機）, the motion picture camera, and over 1,200 other things. About every two weeks he created something new.

Thomas 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 he 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 car of the train so that he could continue his experiments in his spare time. Unfortunately, his first work experience did not end well. He was fired when he accidentally set fire to the floor of the baggage car.

Thomas Edison 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（專利）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. The 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 kept conversations short, so that he could have more time for work.

 

56. Of all Edison’s inventions, ______ was probably the most important for mankind.

A. the electric light           B. the stock-ticker

C. the vote recorder         D. the motion picture camera

57. Choose the right order of the events given in the passage.

a. Edison worked as a newsboy.

b. Edison moved to Port Huron.

c. Edison got his first patent.

d. Edison became a telegraph operator.

A. b-a-d-c      B. a-b-d-c           C. a-b-c-d       D. b-a-c-d

58. The underlined word “blessing” can be replaced by ______.

A. necessity    B. disadvantage    C. disability     D. benefit

59. What made Edison a great inventor?

A. The education from his mother    B. His interest and hard work

C. His early work experience           D. His deafness and talent.

Answer 1

AADB