uk
enEdison's First Invention (Mixed Tenses)
Level: A2+
Read the text, use the words in bold in the correct tense form
When Edison __________ (be) a boy of fifteen, he __________ (work) as a telegraph operator. He __________ (have) to be on duty at night from 7 o’clock in the evening till 7 o’clock in the morning. But at night there __________ (be) never much work and the telegraph operators usually __________ (sleep). So the boss __________ (order) each operator to give a signal every hour to show that he __________ (be) awake. Edison’s signals always __________ (come) at the same time at the beginning of each new hour. That __________ (surprise) the boss. So one night he __________ (send) an inspector to see how well the boy __________ (work). When the inspector __________ (open) the door he __________ (see) that Edison __________ (sleep) in his chair. The inspector __________ (be going) to shake the boy when he __________ see a block with a mechanism on the table near the telegraph apparatus. He __________ (wait) to see what __________ happen). When the hand of the clock __________ (point) to the hour, the mechanism __________ (begin) to work and __________ (send) a signal. The inspector __________ (go up) to the boy and __________ (shake) him. Edison __________ (awake). The inspector told him that he __________ (lose) his job. This story __________ (explain) why the first of Edison’s many inventions was never patented.
When Edison was a boy of fifteen, he worked as a telegraph operator. He had to be on duty at night from 7 o’clock in the evening till 7 o’clock in the morning. But at night there was never much work and the telegraph operators usually slept. So the boss ordered each operator to give a signal every hour to show that he was awake. Edison’s signals always came at the same time at the beginning of each new hour. That surprised the boss. So one night he sent an inspector to see how well the boy was working. When the inspector opened the door he saw that Edison was sleeping in his chair. The inspector was going to shake the boy when he saw a block with a mechanism on the table near the telegraph apparatus. He waited to see what would happen. When the hand of the clock pointed to the hour, the mechanism began to work and sent a signal. The inspector went up to the boy and shook him. Edison awoke. The inspector told him that he had lost his job. This story explains why the first of Edison’s many inventions was never patented.
