Dalton
Dalton was a British chemist and physicist. When he was about 17, he worked as a teacher in a primary school in Kandarl in England. Just at that time, he heard that John Goff was a man of great learning. He went to visit the man at once.
When they were shaking hands, Dalton felt very surprised for he found the famous man was blind. Dalton was so excited that his hands kept trembling all the time.
The place where they met was Golfs living room as well as his laboratory. All kinds of instruments and test tubes were kept in good order. The blind man walked to a large table and began to do an experiment. He did it so skillfully and accurately as if he had been an outstanding magician who was giving a performance. Dalton was deeply impressed by what he had seen.
After that, Dalton began to visit him very often. A friendship began to grow between them. Goff helped Dalton with his Greek, Latin, French as well as maths, and they made weather observations together.
From then on, Dalton began his scientific research and worked in his laboratory ail his life. He made great contributions to meteorology, physics and chemistry. One evening in 1844-, Dalton stepped into his laboratory with difficulty. It was a quarter to nine. And it was just at this time every evening that he wrote down the data about meteorological phenomena. He had been doing this for 57 years. This time he wrote down the following word with his trembling hand: " drizzle".
A few hours later, the first light of morning shone into the laboratory, but the great scientist was already lying there in peace. He had dedicated all his life to the scientific research for the benefit of mankind.
Exercises
Choose the correct answer to each question:
1. Young Dalton went to visit John Goff, because _________________.
A. he had little interest in teaching B. he wanted to be famous
C. he loved to learn D. he respected him
2. What impressed Dalton most was ________________.
A. Goffs great learning and friendliness B. Goffs neat and tidy laboratory
C.Goffs blindness D. Goffs skillfulness and accuracy in doing an experiment
3. The data Dalton wrote down on the evening he died
was aboutthe meteorological phenomena ________________.
A. every day there B. at a point of time every day there
C. in Kandarl D. in England
4. Dalton had lived __________________ years.
A. exactly 57 B. fewer than 57 C. more than 74 D. more than 57
5. Dalton died _________________________.
A. Quickly B. Regretfully C. Sorrowfully D. With great pain