The Bell family was originally from Scotland where Alexander was born in 1847.Both his grandfather and father trained Alex in public speaking and teaching the deaf to speak.His mother was deaf so he had a deep desire to help those who couldn't hear.He studied anatomy(解剖)and physiology(生理学)which gave him a background of understanding as to how the ear hears sounds.
When Alex lost his two brothers to tuberculosis(结核病),he traveled with his family to Ontario,Canada.The family continued their work in the research of hearing.Alex then moved to the United States to become a professor of vocal(有声的)physiology at Boston University.There he experimented with transmitting speech by electricity.In 1875,he discovered the principle(原理)that allowed him to send sound over an electric wire.On March 6, 1876,he tried an experiment of sending a message to his assistant in the next room.He said,“Mr.Watson,come here.I want you.” Mr.Watson responded and told Alex that he heard him over the wire.
He received a patent(专利)for his invention on March 10.The next June,he brought his telephone to the Centennial Exhibition in the city of Philadelphia,which was on July 4,one hundred years after Independence Day in 1776.As he demonstrated(演示)his invention, everyone present was amazed that it actually worked.It was the most significant invention at this prestigious(最有声望的)exhibition.
To prove how it worked,Alex took a booth in the electrical section of exhibit and placed the receiver down a long corridor(走廊) and up a flight of stairs.Though it was a very hot day,spectators(观众)watched Bell set up the invention and then they raced down the corridor and up the stairs to see if it worked.
Alex wrote a letter to his father in Canada and said,“The day is coming when telegraph wires will be laid in to houses just like water or gas,and friends will converse with each other without leaving home.”
The next year in 1877,Alex married Mabel Hubbard who was deaf like his mother.In 1882,Alex became a United States citizen,for his career was definitely in America.Heinvented other devices such as one that could transmit(播送)speech through light waves.
He founded the magazine called“Science”.He became the president of the National Geographic Society from 1898—1904 which is the most professional scientific society of America.He also became a regent(董事)of the Smithsonian Institution,the National Museum of History in Washington,D.C.
He gave this advice to researchers of the future,“Leave the beaten track occasionally and dive into the woods.Every time you do so you will be certain to find something that you have never seen before.Follow it up,explore all around it,and before you know it,you will have something worth thinking about to occupy(占据)your mind.All really big discoveries are the result of thought.”
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1.Alexander Bell received American citizenship ___________ years after his birth in ___________ .
A.30;Canada B.35;Scotland C.28;England D.29;Ireland
2.Alex started his invention ___________ .
A.with the study of anatomy and physiology to obtain a background on how the ear hears sounds
B.when he became a professor at Boston University
C.when he experimented with transmitting speech by electricity
D.when he tried to send a message on electric wire to his assistant in the next room
3.Alex succeeded in carrying out the first experiment of the telephone ___________ .
A.at his home
B.in his laboratory at Boston University
C.at the Centennial Exhibition
D.in the Smithsonian Institution
4.What's the meaning of his advice:“Leave the beaten track occasionally and dive into the woods”?
A.“Don't always walk on the road that has been walked on by other people.Try to get into the woods.”
B.“Try to find something that you have never seen before.”
C.“Try to explore new things to be a path-breaker.”
D.“All big discoveries are the result of thought.”
5.Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.After the exhibition of the telephone in the Centennial Exhibition,he received a patent.
B.All his family took part in the research of the telephone.
C.Finally his family moved to the States.
D.According to Alex,important discoveries are all the result of continuous thinking.
参考答案:BABCD