Question

Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor, scientist and businessman who invented many things that greatly influenced life around the world, such as the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. Edison has been recognized as the creator of the first industrial research laboratory. It is he who came up with the concept of providing electricity for home. His first power station was on Manhattan Island, New York.

Edison was born in Milan, Ohio, and grew up in Port Huron, Michigan. He was the seventh and last child of his family. When he was young, Edison stayed at home and was taught by his mother. Edison recalled later, “My mother was the making of me. She was so true, so sure of me; and I felt I had someone to live for, someone I must not disappoint.” During his childhood, he suffered from scarlet fever which affected his hearing.

Young Edison sold candy and newspapers on trains running from Port Huron to Detroit, and he sold vegetables to supplement his income. These jobs, though insignificant, inspired him greatly. He realized that he had a talent for business. These talents eventually made him founder of 14 companies, including General Electric, which is still in existence and is the largest publicly traded company in the world.

Edison started as a telegraph operator and this was the field in which he came up with the first invention. The invention which first gained him fame was the phonograph in 1877. The invention seemed magical, as nothing similar had ever been thought of before. Funded by the successful sale of the telegraph at a price of $10,000, Edison built his own research laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey.

The laboratory expanded rapidly over the decade. In 1892, it was confirmed that Edison was the official inventor of the carbon microphones, which was used in all telephones. Although he attempted to make use of X-rays to take radiographs, he quit the project and admitted his fear of X-rays in public.

Thomas Edison died of diabetes at his home in New Jersey, on October 18, 1931 and in honor of his contributions, Life magazine (USA), in a special double issue in 1997, placed Edison first in the list of the “100 Most Important People in the Last 1000 Years”, noting that the light bulb he promoted “lit up the world”.

Title: Thomas Edison—an influential person in the American history

Edison’s __71__ to society	◆ He invented many things that greatly influenced life around the world, _72__ the phonograph, the motion picture camera, a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb and the carbon microphone. ◆ He set up the first industrial _73__ laboratory. ◆ He put __74__ the concept of providing electricity for home. ◆ He __75__ 14 companies, including General Electric, which is still in existence and is the largest publicly traded company in the world.
The life experience of Edison	◆ He was born in Milan and was the youngest of seven children in his family. ◆ _76_ of receiving schooling, Edison was taught by his mother at home. ◆ The scarlet fever he suffered _77_ to hearing loss. ◆ To earn a living, Edison sold newspapers, candy and vegetables, which __78__ him and helped him discover his talent for business. ◆ Later, he worked in the field of telecommunication as an telegraph operator, where he invented phonograph in 1877, which gained him great fame. ◆ After he created his research laboratory, he __79__ up the project of making use of X-rays to take radiographs due to his fear of radiation. ◆ He died of diabetes at his home in New Jersey in 1931.
The honor given to Edison	◆  He was placed first in the list of the “100 Most __80__ People in the Last 1000 Years”, noting that the light bulb he promoted “lit up the world”.

 

Answer 1

【答案】

 contributions

 like

  research

 forward

 founded / started

 Instead

 led / contributed

 inspired / encouraged

 gave

 Important

【解析】

试题分析： contributions  总结归纳题。本文主要讲述的就是爱迪生对世界的贡献，根据最后一段第二行his contributions。

 like   同义词转换根据第一段第二行such as the phonograph这里的such as换成like.

  research  原词再现。根据第一段第四行first industrial research laboratory.

  forward  同义词转换。根据第一段4,5行came up with the concept of providing electricity for home.把come up with换成put forward提出。

 founded / started 词性转换。根据第三段3,4行made him founder of 14 companies, including General Electric把这里的名词founder转变成动词found/start建立。

  Instead   同义转换。根据第二段第二行was taught by his mother.说明他没有上学，由妈妈在家里教他的。Instead of receiving schooling代替学校教育

 led / contributed同义转换。根据第二段最后which affected his hearing.影响了听力，也就是导致了听力方面的损伤。

 inspired / encouraged 原词再现。根据第三段第二行inspired him greatly.

 gave 同义词转换。quit="give" up放弃。

  Important 原词再现。根据最后一段倒数第二行100 Most Important People。

考点：考查任务型阅读

点评：考查文章的篇章结构和同义词转换，词性转换能力以及归纳总结能力。