Thomas Edison (1)

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

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

Thomas 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 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. A stock-ticker is a machine that automatically prints stock prices on a tape. He was then able to build his first shop in Newark, New Jersey.

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. He called himself a "two-shift man" because he worked 16 out of every 24 hours. Sometimes he worked so intensely that his wife had to remind him to sleep and eat.

Thomas Edison died at the age of 84 on October 18, 1931, at his estate in West Orange, New Jersey. He left numerous inventions that improved the quality of life all over the world.

Whatever He Says Goes (2)

Mr Goldrobber made it a rule to read all the advertisements and his wife thought it was terrible waste of time. But she was wrong.

One day Mr Goldrobber came across a very funny piece of information.

“Come over here,” he shouted, spreading The Times. “Just read this! It looks like a misprint to me!”

Mrs Goldrobber was a practical woman, she read the advertisement and thought there was no time to lose.

The advertisement said: “A new Rolls-Royce for sale. £20 only.”

“I can’t say whether the seller is mad or drunk, but what I do know it’s worth while trying. Go there at once and make sure,” said Mrs Goldrobbi to her husband. It took him over an hour to get to the place.

When he rang the bell a lady in black answered the door and Mr Goldrobber said:

“I’ve just read your advertisement, Madam, and I believe you’ve got a new Rolls-Royce for sale for twenty pounds.”

“This is quite right.” Said the lady with a smile.

Mr Goldrobber wrote out the cheque, signed it and handed it to the lady who seemed pleased.

“I’m afraid you’ve got to take it away with you within 24 hours,” she said.

“Certainly, I can take it away with me right now,” said the man, still not believing his eyes and not knowing whether he was standing on his feet or his head, “but I hope you wouldn’t mind tell­ing me what the trick is.”

“There is no trick here.” Said the woman, as she opened the garage door and pointed to the car for which she could get several thousand pounds. “You see, my husband died last week, but before the death he made me promise I would sell the car at once and give the money to Christina Killer, his private secretary.”

As Mr Goldrobber said nothing, obviously sur­prised by the story, she continued with a smile:

I come from a God-fearing family, and the last will of a dying man is a sacred (священный) thing to me.

Caged (2)

after Lovell Reeve

Purcell was a small, fussy (суетливый) man. He owned a pet shop. He sold cats and dogs and monkeys. He considered himself something of a professional man. The customers who came in said: «Aren’t they cute! Look at that little monkey! They’re sweet».

It was a wet, wintry day. Having completed his usual tasks, Mr. Purcell again mounted the high stool and opened his morning paper. He glanced at the day’s headlines. There was a bell over the door that rang whenever a customer entered. This morning, however, for the first time Mr. Purcell could recall (вспомнить), it failed to ring. Simply he glanced up, and there was the stranger, standing just inside the door, as if he had materialized out of the air. From the first instant (момент) he knew instinctively, that the man hated him; but he rubbed his hands, smiled and nodded.

«Good morning», he said. «What can I do for you?»

The man’s suit was cheap, but obviously (очевидно) new. He had a shutting glance and close-cropped hair. Ignoring Purcell for the moment, he looked around the shop.

«A nasty morning», volunteered the shopkeeper. «I see by the paper we’re in for a cold snap (период). Now what was it you wanted?»

The man stared closely at Purcell and said, «I want something in a cage».

«Something in a cage?» Mr. Purcell was a bit confused. «You mean ... some sort of pet?»

«I mean what I said!» snapped (отрезал) the man. «Something in a cage. Something alive that’s in a cage».

«I see», hastened (поспешил) the storekeeper, not at all certain (уверенно) that he did. His eyes narrowed. «Now let me think. A white rat, perhaps? I have some very nice white rats».

«No!» said the man. «Not rats. Something with wings. Something that flies».

«A bird!» exclaimed Mr. Purcell.

«A bird’s all right». The customer pointed suddenly to a cage which contained two snowy birds. «Doves? How much for those?»

«Five-fifty», came the prompt (быстрый) answer. «And a very reasonable (разумная) price. They are a fine pair».

«Five-fifty?» The man was obviously disappointed. He hesitantly (с сомнением) produce a five-dollar bill. «I’d like to have those birds. But this is all I’ve got. Just five dollars».

Mr. Purcell made a quick calculation, which told him that at a fifty cent reduction he could still get a profit (прибыль). He smiled kindly «My dear man, if you want them badly, you can certainly have them for five dollars».

«I’ll take them». He laid his five dollars on the counter. Mr. Purcell unhooked (снял с крючка) the cage, and handled it to his customer.

«Listen». The staring eyes came closer. «How long do you think it took me to make that five dollars?»

«Why ... why, how long did it take you?»

The other laughed. «Ten years! At hard labor. Ten years to earn five dollars. Fifty cents a year».