STORIES OF USEFUL INVENTIONS, excerpt
By S. E. Forman
1911
THE MATCH
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STORIES OF USEFUL INVENTIONS, excerpt
By S. E. Forman
1911
THE MATCH
There never was a time when the world was without fire, but there was a time when men did not know how to kindle fire; and after they learned how to kindle one, it was a long, long time before they learned how to kindle one easily. In these days we can kindle a fire without any trouble, because we can easily get a match; but we must remember that the match is one of the most wonderful things in the world, and that it took men thousands of years to learn how to make one. Let us learn the history of this familiar little object, the match.
Fire was first given to man by nature itself. When a forest is set on fire by cinders from a neighboring volcano, or when a tree is set ablaze by a thunderbolt, we may say that nature strikes a match. In the early history of the world, nature had to kindle all the fires, for man by his own effort was unable to produce a spark. The first method, then, of getting fire for use was to light sticks of wood at a flame kindled by nature—by a volcano, perhaps, or by a stroke of lightning. These firebrands were carried to the home and used in kindling the fires there. The fire secured in this way was carefully guarded and was kept burning as long as possible. But the flame, however faithfully watched, would sometimes be extinguished. A sudden gust of wind or a sudden shower would put it out. Then a new firebrand would have to be secured, and this often meant a long journey and a deal of trouble.
In 1827, John Walker, a druggist in a small English town, tipped a splint with sulphur, chlorate of potash, and sulphid of antimony, and rubbed it on sandpaper, and it burst into flame. The druggist had discovered the first friction-chemical match, the kind we use to-day. It is called friction-chemical because it is made by mixing certain chemicals together and rubbing them. Although Walker's match did not require the bottle of acid, nevertheless it was not a good one. It could be lighted only by hard rubbing, and it sputtered and threw fire in all directions. In a few years, however, phosphorus was substituted on the tip for antimony, and the change worked wonders. The match could now be lighted with very little rubbing, and it was no longer necessary to have sandpaper upon which to rub it. It would ignite when rubbed on any dry surface, and there was no longer any sputtering. This was the phosphorus match, the match with which we are so familiar.
How does the author convince readers that the match was "the most wonderful thing in the world"? Please respond in three to five complete sentences, using evidence from the text to support your answer. (5 points)
Answers: 3
English, 21.06.2019 21:40
What is the main source of conflict in this passage? lee grew up near the old-growth forest. she loved wandering the trails and looking at the natural beauty around her. but the city council recently approved plans to cut down the forest in order to build a shopping center and apartment buildings. the council believed the development would create new jobs and provide more affordable housing. lee was upset when she heard about the plans to destroy her beloved forest, and she vowed to do something to save it.
Answers: 3
English, 21.06.2019 22:30
There are six red marbles 4 blue marbles and 15 green marbles in a jar if you reach in and randomly draw one what is the probability that it will choose a red marble
Answers: 2
English, 21.06.2019 23:00
As you have learned, epic heroes experience trials along their journeys. using your knowledge from beowulf, create a trial you believe an epic hero like beowulf might face. you will need to write a description of the trial using the aspects of a narrative. the trial can be anything you imagine, meaning you can test the hero in any way you see fit. be creative and have fun with this! let your creativity flow. focus on key attributes of beowulf and use his attributes to create a trial that would truly test him. since beowulf is very strong, a trial involving strength and endurance might be to easy. try thinking outside the box to create a trial that would truly test the hero of the geats. examples of beowulf’s attributes: couragous, loyal, strong, persistant, honorable, confident try to use one or multiples of these attribute when designing your trial. a good way to think of this activity is that you are a hunger games game designer. what could you make that would stump beowulf
Answers: 1
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