Michael Faraday (1791-1867)

The English chemist and physicist Michael Faraday was largely self-taught, but he became one of the most brilliant scientists of his age. His main contribution to science was in the field of electromagnetism. Among many other developments, he provided the idea and basic framework for the construction of the electric motor. Faraday was one of those great men who made possible the age of electricity in which we live.

Michael Faraday was born in a poor family in 1791. His father was a blacksmith and Michael had little chance to get an education. When the boy was thirteen he was sent to learn bookbinding. He read many of the books he had to bind and made notes from those books that interested him most. Once when binding an encyclopedia, he ran across an article on electricity. It struck his imagination and aroused his interest.

With the little money he could save, he bought a cheap and simple apparatus and started to make experiments. He began to attend the lectures of Humphry Davy, an outstanding scientist and the most popular lecturer in London at that time. It was Davy who helped Faraday to become an assistant at the laboratory of the Royal Institute and to get good knowledge of the subject. While still an assistant Faraday helped Davy to create a safety lamp for miners. He learned chemistry, lectured for young people interested in science and wrote for a scientific journal. At the same time he worked on the problem of turning gases into liquids.

For several years he worked at the problem of a perfect optical glass and made a glass that greatly improved the telescope.

Yet the problem of electricity and magnetism interested him above all. At last in 1831 he made his major discovery in the field   the electromagnetic induction. Among a number of other discoveries he is also known to have measured for the first time the electric current.

Ex.5 Look through the text again and translate the following words and word-combinations:

Contribution, provide, bind, outstanding, attend lectures, optical glass, physicist , self-taught, framework, make notes, apparatus, assistant, miner, discovery, major, induction.

Ex.6 Find in the text the English equivalents for the following:

Вклад, выдающийся, делать заметки, главный, аппарат, посещать занятия, введение, переплетать, самоучка, воображение, жидкость, измерять, электрический поток, кузнец.

Ex.7 Correct the statements if necessary:

1. The English chemist and teacher Faraday was largely self-taught. 2. He provided the idea and basic framework for the construction of the washing machine. 3. Michael Faraday was born in a poor family in 1771. 4. He read none of the books he had to bind. 5. He learned physics, lectured for young people interested in science. 6. At last in 1831 he made his minor discovery.

Ex.8 Give questions to which the following sentences are the answers:

1. His main contribution to science was in the field of electromagnetism. 2. Michael had little chance to get an education. 3. Once he ran across an article on electricity. 4. It was Davy who helped Faraday to become an assistant at the laboratory. 5. The problem of electricity and magnetism interested him above all.

Ex.9 Use the text to enlarge the given statements:

1. Faraday was one of those great men who … . 2. When the boy was thirteen … . 3. With the little money he could save … . 4. At the same time he worked … . 5. He is also known … .

Ex.10 Answer the following questions:

1. What was his main contribution to science?

2. Which idea did he provide?

3. When was Michael Faraday born?

4. How old was he when he was sent to learn bookbinding?

5. When did he run across an article on electricity?

6. How much time did he work at the problem of a perfect optical glass?

7. When did he make his major discovery in the field   the electromagnetic induction?

Ex.11 Reorder the items of the plan according to the logic of the text. Describe item 4 of the plan in detail.

1. The problem of electricity and magnetism interested him above all.

2. He provided the idea and basic framework for the construction of the electric motor.

3. The English chemist and physicist Michael Faraday was largely self-taught.

4. It struck his imagination and aroused his interest.

Ex.12 Give a written summary of the text in 5-7 sentences.

Text 5

Ex.1 Translate and memorize the following words:

To be about, Edinburgh, honorary, insect, naturalist, origin, species, (species), to believe, to include, chemical, jelly-like, creature, to produce.

Ex.2 Insert the words from exercise 1 in the gaps:

1. People who knew nothing about living things didn’t … Ch. Darwin. 2. In this list I … you as well. 3. His elder brother was making … experiments. 4. The … … were living in the sea at the beginning. 5. The creatures produced all the different kinds of animals. 6. This ship … to take a voyage of scientific exploration. 7. Ch. Darwin got … degrees in Cambridge and Oxford. 8. Darwin was a great English … .

9. The … of people is shown in Darwin’s theory. 10. As a boy, Charles collected different … .

Ex.3 Translate the following sentences from English into Russian:

1. They thought that all the different sorts of living things were put in this world by some mysterious power. 2. Charles studied in Cambridge to become a priest. 3. In 1842 he published a book about reef formation. 4. Darwin’s works had a great importance for biological science. 5. It showed that all living things had developed from simpler creatures.

Ex.4 Read the text and give answers to the following questions:

1. What was the idea of putting in this world different sorts of living things a hundred years ago? 2. Who was Ch. Darwin? 3. Did he like Latin? 4. What did Ch. Darwin publish 1842? 5. How quickly was his book sold out? 6. What universities gave Ch. Darwin the honorary degrees?