Michael Faraday is one of the great scientists in the history
of man's work in electricity. He was born in a small village
near London on September 11, 1791, in a poor family. His
family lived from hand to mouth. At the age of thirteen
Michael went to work in a bookbinder's shop, because he didn't
have much schooling. Some of the scientific works and articles
which passed through his hands aroused his interest in science
and he started to read.
Some time later Michael became a pupil of great scientist
of that time, Sir Humphry Davy. The boy accompanied Davy
in his trips to Europe. The educational value of such trips
Was great. Among great men of science Faraday met Ampere,
who had already made a name for himself in the history of
electricity.
Today almost all the electricity we use is. generated by
great machines with magnets in them, but in those days no
one knew how to do it. That's why the English scientist
danced with delight on his table when he got what he wanted
by moving the magnet near wire. This was a great moment in
the history of man's electrical experiments. But Faraday didn't
stop at this.
Faraday's scientific interests were varied. He made new
kind of glass and a new kind of steel. Faraday made about
two thousand difficult experiments and made countless
discoveries in chemistry and physics. He made a wonderful
machine which was the father of all the great machines that
make electricity today. They light and heat our houses and
they make our radio-sets work. Michael Faraday was the
creator of the electric motor, who ushered us in the electrical
age which had changed the face of the earth.
Questions:
1. Who is the creator of the electric motor?
2. Why did Michael have to work in a bookbinder's shop?
3. Was he a pupil of Humphry Davy or Ampere?
4. What was the greatest discovery of Faraday?
5. Faraday made about two thousand difficult experiments,
didn't he?
Vocabulary:
to live from hand to mouth — жить впроголодь
to arouse — возбуждать, пробуждать
bookbinder — переплетчик
value — ценность
creator -— создатель
to usher — вводить
|