Вариант 3

1. Переведите текст на русский язык.

T. A. Edison and His Inventions

Thomas Alva Edison is known for many things. He invented the phonograph, electric light and motion pictures. And he made it possible for all Americans to use the wonders of electricity.

Thomas Edison got a poor start in life. His family had little money. He suffered from deafness. Yet, Thomas Edison successfully struggled through these problems. He became one of the great men of his time.

Thomas Edison was born in 1847 in Mylan, Ohio. When Tom was eight years old his family moved to another small town - Port Huron, Michigan. Young Tom rebelled its school. He did not feel he could learn much by just repeating everything the teacher asked. He wanted to see things with his own eyes and he wanted to do things himself. After three months Tom left school.

When Tom was only ten his mother discovered the brightness of the boy’s mind. She gave him a book on physical science. After reading it he used all his money to buy books on science and chemicals. He spent all his time doing experiments.

When Tom Edison was a boy the telegraph was still a new invention. The telegraph is a communications system that sends and receives simple electric signals through a wire. Many boys built their own telegraph machines in those days. So did Tom. But Tom wanted to know why the telegraph worked. He became interested in telegraph parts, in batteries and chemicals. Tom became an expert in telegraphy before he was 16 years old. He soon got a job as a telegraph operator. He was not satisfied with this job, however, so he decided that one day he would become an inventor.

In 1875 Edison invented a new kind of telegraph machine. It could send four messages over one wire at the same time. Telegraph companies paid Edison a great deal of money for his invention. He decided to let others manufacture thee machines. He wanted to work on new inventions.

When he was 29 Edison built his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey. Edison gathered twelve friends and assistants to work with him. Some had special scientific or technical skills. He gave them many kinds of materials and equipment. Edison and his assistants worked day and night. They were excited about their work. They believed their work could change the world. It did. Every few years they produced an important new device or system.

One of Edison’s first goals was to improve the telephone. He developed better telephone equipment. The new telephone made the sound loud enough so people could talk and listen at the same time. In 1877 Edison invented the phonograph – the first talking machine. People could hear the human voice by playing records on the phonograph. They also could hear music on records. Edison suddenly became famous as America’s greatest inventor. However, he said the phonograph was just a toy. He had become much more interested in something else. Was it possible to use electricity to light American homes and city streets?

He brought more scientists and engineers to his laboratory. In 1879 he developed a lamp with a carbon wire inside. It was not the first electric lamp. But it was the first one that did not cost too much money. And it was the first one that worked in a useful way.

His next goal was to create a complete system for sending electric power to light homes and businesses. He built and sold small systems to light one home or factory at a time. Then he built larger systems to produce electricity for many people at once. In 1882 he completed an electric lighting system in an area of New York City. Edison electric companies were started in the United States, France and England.

Edison continued to test different kinds of wires inside electric lamps. In 1883 he discovered that electricity could pass through a vacuum that is a place with no air. This discovery helped Edison make a new kind of lamp. Scientists called it the Edison Effect Lamp. This lamp was the first electronic instrument ever made. Edison’s discovery led to the later inventions of radio, television and radar.

In 1887, when he was 40, Edison built a new laboratory in West Orange, New Jersey. It was ten times larger than the one in Menlo Park. Edison said it would produce ten times as many inventions. But he did not reach this goal.

With the success of his inventions Edison became very famous. People wanted to see this famous man. He appeared all over the country with other famous Americans including the President of the United States.

Also in the 1880’s electric technology was changing. Edison did not retrain himself for the new technologies. He did not investigate electronics, radio waves and alternating electrical current systems. During this time Edison did improve the phonograph and in 1888 he invented a way to produce motion pictures with a special camera. However, he also spent several years and a great deal of money trying to develop a new way of mining iron.

In 1928 Congress gave Thomas Edison the nation’s highest prize – the Medal of Honor. The next year America celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of Edison’s First Electric Lamp. Leaders in industry and government led the celebration. Among them was President Herbert Hoover. President Hoover said, “Mr. Edison brought light where before there was darkness.” Edison’s friend, car maker Henry Ford, also honored him. Ford opened a museum in Dearborn, Michigan. It included Edison’s complete Menlo Park Laboratory. Famous people from all areas of American life attended the ceremony. Edison was there too, but was very weak. “I am tired of all the glory.” He said, “I want to get back to work”. He never did. Two years later, at age 84, Thomas Edison died.

2. Переведите следующие словосочетания на русский язык:

1. struggle through problems; 6. alternating electrical

current systems;

2. a telegraph operator; 7. the nation’s highest prize;

3. to reach the goal; 8. car maker;

4. through a wire; 9. a new way of mining

iron;

5. at the same time; 10. the Medal of Honor

3. Найдите в тексте эквиваленты следующих словосочетаний:

1. телеграфный аппарат; 6. научно-техническая

квалификация;

2. учебник по физике; 7. телеграфные детали;

3. приносить пользу; 8. страдать глухотой;

4. лампа эффекта Эдисона; 9. посещать церемонию;

5. проходить в вакууме; 10. переменный ток

4. Найдите в тексте однокоренные слова, определите, к какой части речи они относятся, и переведите их на русский язык:

1. deaf; 6. equip;

2. use; 7. discover;

3. assist; 8. bright;

4. operate; 9. invent;

5. success; 10. fame

5. Задайте к предложению все типы вопросов: общий, альтернативный, специальный (а) к подлежащему, б) к второстепенному члену предложения), разделительный:

He gave them many kinds of materials and equipment.

6. Найдите и выпишите из данных предложений случаи следующих грамматических явлений: группа времен Indefinite в действительном и страдательном залогах, модальные глаголы и их эквиваленты, степени сравнения прилагательных, притяжательный падеж и множественное число имени существительного:

1. He became one of the great men of his time.

2. He was not satisfied with this job.

3. One of Edison’s first goals was to improve the telephone.

4. He developed better telephone equipment.

5. The new telephone made the sound loud enough so people could talk and listen at the same time.

7. Ответьте на вопросы к тексту:

1. What did Edison suffer from in his childhood?

2. When did Edison’s mother discover the brightness of his mind?

3. How old was Edison when he built his first laboratory?

4. What kind of lamp did the inventor develop in 1879?

5. How many times larger was the second Edison’s laboratory?

6. When was Edison given the nation’s highest prize?

7. Who opened the museum in Dearborn?

8. Составьте аннотацию к тексту.

9. Составьте реферат текста (10-15 предложений).

10. Составьте план текста и устно перескажите текст.