Edison was sent home from school at age eight after his teacher deemed him too stupid to learn. His mother taught him at home instead. He had a natural curiosity for science from a young age and conducted experiments, one of which burned down a barn. At age fourteen, he got a job as a newsboy on trains where he continued his experiments, eventually setting a train on fire and getting thrown off. He later found work as a telegraph operator but lost multiple jobs due to his inventions that made processes more efficient. He arrived in New York City at age twenty-three with no money but was able to repair an important machine, earning his first stable job and income.

1. THOMAS A. EDISON
When Edison was about eight years old, he was sent to school. Three month leter the
teacher sent him home with a note saying that he was too stupd to learn. Edison never had
any more schooling. His mother, who was a clever and good women taught him herself. He
was always a queer boy. Once, one he was six, he was found sitting on goose eggs, trying to
hatchthem. On onother occasion he made a grand experiment in a barn and burned it down,
for which he got a good thrashing. He was always fond of chemistry. He had laboratory of
200 bottles in his home. He marked every one ‘poison’ so that nobody would touch them.
At fourteen he become newsboy, selling magazines and paper on railway trains. He
had a small laboratory on yhe train. Finally, he set fire to the train, and the guard threw him
out, and bottle after him. Also he boxed the boy’s ears so hard, that he had been deaf ever
since. At sixteen he became a telegraphboy in Canada, but he lost his job because of labour-
saving inventionthe boss said he was lazy. He lost three more jobs in the same way. At
twenty-three he wandered to New Work City. He arrived penniless. He cesured a job in a
strok-ticket. Office at $ 60 a month. This was his first good fortune. He was paid his large
amount because he was able to repair a valuable machine which had broken down.
The following year he invented a telegraphic machine and sold it to the weatern
Union Telegraph Company for $ 8000. He would have glad to take $ 80 for it, as he had no
ideas of the value on inventions at that time.
Answer the following question based on the text!
1. What is the main idea from paragraph one?
2. How old was Edision when began to go to school?
3. Why was Edison sent back home from his school?
4. Who taught him after the teacher remove him?
5. What was his favorite subject?
6. Where did he make his first experiment?
7. When did he become a newsboy?
8. Did he have much money when he arrived in New York City?
9. What did you learn after reading the passage?
10. What is meant by ‘good fortune’ in this passage?