Vocabulary - Foundation - Reading lesson 1

Choose the correct definition of CROWD

• a large number of people gathered in one place

• a large family

• a person who does tricks to make children laugh

• a piece of jewelry that a king or queen always wears on their heads

Choose the correct definition of FANTASTIC

• extremely good

• normal

• boring

• helpful

Choose the correct definition of MIRACULOUS

• very strong

• like a miracle

• unusual

• extremely good

Choose the correct definition of COMMERCIALLY

• in a way that is connected with the buying

• in a way that is connected with the selling

• to sell and buy products

• in a way that is connected with the buying and selling

Choose the correct definition of INK

• another name for 'pen'

• a coloured liquid that is used for writing

• a coloured liquid that is used to paint the wall

• a type of paper to write on

Choose the correct definition of LEAK

• to produce something

• to come in something

• to come out of something

• to put something in place

Choose the correct definition of PRODUCE

• to use something

• to recycle something that is used

• to make something

• to build something

Choose the correct word for this definition: happening or done without delay

• waiting

• immediate

• lucky

• late

One morning in 1945, a crowd of 5,000 people jammed the entrance of Gimbels Department Store in New York. The day before, Gimbels had placed a full-page advertisement in the New York Times for a wonderful new invention, the ballpoint pen. The advertisement described the pen as 'fantastic' and 'miraculous'. Although they were expensive, $12.50 each, all 10,000 pens in stock were sold on the first day.

READ THE PARAGRAPH AND CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER TO THE QUESTION:

People went to Gimbels to buy a ballpoint pen because

• they couldn't get them anywhere else.

• they had been told how good the pens were.

• they had never seen a ballpoint pen before.

• they thought the price was good.

In fact, this 'new' pen was not new at all. In 1888, John Loud, a leather manufacturer, had invented a pen with a reservoir of ink and a rolling ball. However, his pen was never produced, and efforts by other people to produce a commercially successful one failed too. The main problem was with the ink. If it was too thin, the ink leaked out of the pen. If it was too thick, it didn't come out of the pen at all.

READ THE PARAGRAPH AND CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER TO THE QUESTION:

Why were early ballpoint pens not produced commercially?

• Nobody wanted to buy one.

• It cost too much to produce them.

• They used too much ink.

• They didn't work properly.