Page 64 - WorldWatchers_3_SB_DEMO

5c 1 Read

Α. Discuss.

• What do you think is the most important invention of all time? Why?
• Do you know of any famous inventors from the past or the present? What did they invent?
B. W h i c h o f t h e i n v e n t i o n s b e l o w d o y o u t h i n k w e r e i n v e n t e d b y a cc i d e n t ?
Which of the inventions below do you think were invented by accident?
Listen, read and find out.
he v
the light bulb the microwave t the vacuum cleaner
acuum cl
ner
ea
O
AMAZING INVENTI NS THAT

HAVE MADE OUR LIVES BETTER

© MM Publications
There are many inventions that have made our homes
more comfortable and our lives easier, but have you
ever thought about how they were invented?

Let’s start with the electric light bulb. When light bulbs were irst invented at
the beginning of the 1800s, people couldn’t use them in their homes because
they didn’t stay bright for very long. The American inventor Thomas Edison
solved this problem. Edison and his team did lots of experiments until inally,
in 1879, they managed to improve the existing light bulb and create one that
could stay bright for about fourteen hours. His achievement changed the world
could stay bright for about fourteen hours. His achievement changed the world
because it allowed people to use electricity to light their homes.

Another incredible invention is the microwave oven. Our food is cooked
o
o
s c
d
e
k
i
. O
r f
u
d
o
o
or heated up in minutes or even seconds. Microwaves are very convenient,
or heated up in minutes or even seconds. Microwaves are very convenient,
and millions are sold every year all over the world. But do you know how
and millions are sold every year all over the world. But do you know how
the microwave was irst ‘invented’? It was 1945, and American engineer
the microwave was irst ‘invented’? It was 1945, and American engineer
Percy Spencer was at work. He was standing close to equipment that
Percy Spencer was at work. He was standing close to equipment that
produced microwaves when he noticed something strange: the chocolate
produced microwaves when he noticed something strange: the chocolate
bar he had in his pocket had melted. He realised microwaves could actually
bar he had in his pocket had melted. He realised microwaves could actually
Matti Blume/en.wikipedia.org/
‘cook’ food, and then he built one of the irst microwave ovens.
CC BY SA 4.0 ‘cook’ food, and then he built one of the irst microwave ovens.
Another invention that almost everyone owns is the vacuum
cleaner. The irst vacuum cleaner that was used to clean inside
a building appeared in the early 1900s and was pulled along by
horses. That’s right! It was called the ‘Pu ing Billy’ and its inventor
was the British engineer Hubert Cecil Booth. This machine was too
big to go inside a building. Instead, the rooms of a building were Hubert Cecil Booth Staubsauger/
cleaned from the outside with special pipes that were put through commons.wikimedia.org/P.D.
an open window. Imagine that!
C. Read again and answer the questions. Over to you…
• Could you live without any of the inventions mentioned
1. What problem did Thomas Edison want to in the text? Which one(s)? Why? / Why not?
solve?
2. How long could the light bulb that Thomas • Can you think of any other inventions that you use around
the house that make your life easier? What are they?
Edison invented stay bright for?
3. Why did Thomas Edison’s light bulb
change the world? CULTURE FOCUS
4. Who was Percy Spencer and what did he Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American engineer and
discover at work one day? inventor. His inventions have in luenced today’s
5. What was the ‘Pu ing Billy’? technology and means of communication. The
6. Why couldn’t Hubert Cecil Booth’s vacuum Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade is one of the most
cleaner enter the building it was cleaning? famous museums in Serbia.
62

20/5/2024 12:15:57 µµ
BOOK_WW 3_SB_SRB.indb 62 20/5/2024 12:15:57 µµ
BOOK_WW 3_SB_SRB.indb 62