Discover how American inventions changed the world, then practise adjectives & adverbs, participles as adjectives, and linking words.
Read the text carefully, then answer the comprehension questions below.
Throughout history, Americans have created many important inventions that changed everyday life around the world. Here are some of the most remarkable ones.
In 1879, Thomas Edison successfully developed the first practical electric light bulb in his laboratory in New Jersey. Before this invention, people used candles and oil lamps to light their homes. Edison worked extremely hard — he tested more than 1,000 different materials before finding the right one for the filament. His determination made him one of the most famous inventors in history.
Alexander Graham Bell made the first successful telephone call in 1876. He spoke the now-famous words, “Mr Watson, come here. I want to see you.” Before the telephone, people could only communicate quickly over long distances by sending telegrams. Bell’s invention completely transformed how people stayed in touch with each other.
The Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur, built and flew the first powered aeroplane in 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Their first flight lasted only twelve seconds and covered just 37 metres, but it was a truly astonishing achievement. Many people had believed that human flight was entirely impossible.
In 1955, Jonas Salk developed a vaccine against polio, a terrible disease that had affected millions of children worldwide. His discovery was incredibly important for public health. Salk generously refused to patent the vaccine so that everyone could afford it. When asked who owned the patent, he famously replied, “The people. Could you patent the sun?”
More recently, the internet was developed partly from research at American universities and government agencies during the 1960s and 1970s. Today, billions of people use it daily for communication, education, and entertainment. It has dramatically changed how we work, learn, and connect with others.
1 What did Thomas Edison invent in 1879?
2 How many materials did Edison test for the light bulb filament?
3 When did Alexander Graham Bell make the first telephone call?
4 How long did the Wright Brothers’ first flight last?
5 Why did Jonas Salk refuse to patent his polio vaccine?
6 How did people communicate quickly over long distances before the telephone?
Choose the correct form — adjective (describes a noun) or adverb (describes a verb, adjective or other adverb). Think about what each word is describing.
1 Edison worked to find the right material for the filament.
2 The light bulb was an important invention.
3 Bell’s telephone call was a moment in the history of communication.
4 The Wright Brothers flew their plane for the first time in 1903.
5 Salk refused to patent his vaccine.
6 The internet has changed our lives over the past few decades.
7 Polio was a disease that affected millions of children.
8 The first flight was short, lasting only twelve seconds.
Choose the correct participle form. Use -ing to describe what causes a feeling (the thing/situation), and -ed to describe the person who experiences the feeling.
1 The story of Edison’s many experiments is really .
2 Many people were when they heard Bell’s voice through the telephone for the first time.
3 The Wright Brothers’ achievement was truly .
4 Students are often in learning about how everyday objects were invented.
5 Salk’s decision not to patent his vaccine was to many people in the medical industry.
6 Children with polio were often because there was no cure at that time.
7 The rapid growth of the internet has been — nobody in the 1970s imagined it would connect billions of people.
8 Many young people feel about new technology and can’t wait to try the latest devices.
Choose one invention from the reading text and write a short paragraph (60–100 words) about what life would be like without it. Use conditionals and linking words.
Choose one: the light bulb, the telephone, the aeroplane, the polio vaccine, or the internet. Think about how daily life would be different without it.
Conditionals:
“If Edison had not invented the light bulb, people would still use candles.” / “If we didn’t have the internet, it would be much harder to find information.”
Linking words:
however, therefore, for example, in addition, as a result, on the other hand, furthermore
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