1 Look at the sentences about gadgets that we use every day. Read the text and decide if each sentence is correct. If it is correct, write A. If it is incorrect,
write B.
1 The first microwave oven was small and easy to use.
2 Everyone wanted to buy the first microwave oven.
3. Calculators that we can put in our hand were invented in 1967.
4 A kind of calculator was invented more than 4,000 years ago.
5 The first battery was smaller than a washing machine.
10
BRAM
Build it, use it!
We've got many things in our homes that we have used all our lives. But do you
know how they were invented? Or when they were first built? Here are three items
that almost all of us use every day.
We all know what a microwave oven does, but do you know how it was invented? In
1946, a man named Dr Percy Spencer was doing some tests. He noticed something
unusual – a piece of chocolate in his pocket was cooked. How did this happen? He
did some more tests and discovered a way to cook food with microwaves'. Then he
built his first oven, which was quite big and difficult to use. No-one wanted it at first,
but smaller ones were soon built.
Calculators as we know them today were invented in 1967. That was when the first
calculator that you could hold in your hand was made. Before that they were as big
as a small room! But a kind of calculator has been around for more than 4,000 years.
It's called an abacus and it was used in China, Egypt and many other parts of the
world. It was made from wood and of course it was very different from the calculators
we use today.
These days, we use batteries for many different things – for example radios, clocks
and phones. But when was the first battery made? In 1800, a man named
Alessandro Volta discovered a way to keep electricity in a safe place and use it later.
This became the first true battery. Like the microwave and the calculator, it was very
large. It wouldn't even fit inside a washing machine! But over time, the battery
became smaller and now it can fit inside an MP3 player.
New Year celebrations in Italy is at the end of December - beginning of January. In all the cities streets illuminate brightly, organize festivals and concerts. In Venice, for example, the lions guarding the palace, wear caps on their heads and stick the beard on all balconies put Christmas trees in pots, on yachts sails appear with the image of Santa Claus. In Rome, on the areas set trees that adorn toys and flowers, shop windows, restaurants, houses and balconies decorated with garlands with red ribbons. We should talk about the holiday table in Italy. The Italians have a custom to accompany the old year and welcome the new year in different dishes. Year old escort dish of pork legs. Meet the New Year dish of pig's head. It is believed that at least a pig nose and digs the earth, but still moving forward. Roast turkey served at the first dinner in the new year. For the Europeans, some Christmas traditions of Italians seem to them unusual and strange. For example, one of these "strange" traditions in Italy - a kick out of the windows the old furniture and unnecessary things. This is done to make room for the new year took new things. The most popular gift on New Year's night is red underwear, it represents something new. The house be sure to bring a "new water" from a source with a sprig of olive January 1, which is presented as a gift to friends. Meeting with crooked old man in the New Year is sure to bring good luck in the coming year .. In small towns and villages of Italy New Year celebrations held in accordance with centuries-old traditions. So in Tuscany bonfires, next to which the locals gather and have fun until the morning. In the province of Umbria in the churches begin to play jazz groups. At Baptism, all children receive gifts from "Baba Yaga" - La Befana. She flies at night, opens the door and puts the golden key to children's stockings gifts. If during the year the child was behaving well, he gets sweets, dried fruits, nuts and chestnuts. Unruly kids gets the embers or ash, garlic, and onion. The central squares of trade fairs toys and puppet shows.