Stories of Great Scientists
FoundationZhang Heng invented the seismoscope to tell where earthquakes struck, and Edison's thousand trials lit the electric lamp — observe keenly, try bravely, never fear failure.
- Zhang Heng invented the seismoscope to show where earthquakes struck.
- Edison tested again and again to invent the lasting electric light.
- Failure is evidence for success, helping us improve.
文體小知識：說明文把人物事跡講得清清楚楚。這一篇講張衡和愛迪生的發明故事，看看科學家有什麼精神值得學習。
§Text Passage
1One thousand nine hundred years ago, in China's Eastern Han dynasty, lived a scientist named Zhang Heng. Earthquakes struck often, and travel was slow — when an earthquake hit far away, the capital might not know for many days, delaying rescue. After careful study, Zhang Heng invented the world's first instrument to detect earthquakes — the seismoscope — astonishing the world.
2The seismoscope was cast in bronze like a great wine jar, with eight dragons around it, each holding a bronze ball in its mouth, and eight toads crouching below. When an earthquake struck a direction, that dragon dropped its ball with a clang into the toad's mouth, reporting the direction, so the court could send relief quickly.
3Over seventeen hundred years later, in America lived an inventor named Edison. In his day nights were lit only by dim oil lamps, and he was determined to invent a lasting electric light. He tested over a thousand materials for the filament — hair, bamboo fibre, metal wire — failing again and again, yet he said: I have only found a thousand-odd materials that do not work.
4At last Edison found that treated bamboo fibre could glow for a long time. The electric light entered millions of homes, and night turned bright as day. Today, when we study under lamps at night, play in floodlit playgrounds and stroll streets glowing with decorations, we thank Edison, the wizard of invention.
5Zhang Heng and Edison lived a thousand years apart on different continents, yet shared the same qualities: observing life keenly, daring to ask questions, experimenting endlessly, never fearing failure and persisting to the end. Their inventions changed the world and inspire us: never give up on hard problems — observe more, try more, and you can be a little inventor too.
1Summary 重點摘要
Zhang Heng invented the seismoscope to tell where earthquakes struck, and Edison's thousand trials lit the electric lamp — observe keenly, try bravely, never fear failure.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
A person who studies nature and seeks knowledge, like Zhang Heng.
A person who creates brand-new things, like Edison.
Zhang Heng's bronze instrument that showed where an earthquake struck.
When the ground shakes, which can topple buildings.
A lamp that glows with electricity, making night bright as day.
The glowing wire inside a bulb; Edison tested a thousand materials for it.
A new device or method someone creates.
To give something a go, and try another way after failing.
An attempt that did not work; it teaches us much.
Not giving up when things get hard.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Meet the scientist Zhang HengZhang Heng was a scientist of China's Eastern Han dynasty, nearly two thousand years ago. Skilled in astronomy and mathematics, he also observed life keenly: earthquakes struck often and communication was slow, so news of a distant quake might reach the capital only after days, delaying relief. He wondered: could an instrument reveal the direction of an earthquake at once? After repeated study he built the seismoscope. He also made an armillary sphere showing the heavens and wrote works on astronomy — an all-round scientist.
- Step 2: See how the seismoscope workedThe seismoscope was cast in bronze, round like a great wine jar about eight chi across. Around it eight dragons faced the eight directions, each holding a bronze ball in its mouth, with a bronze toad below, head up and mouth open. When an earthquake struck a direction, the tremor loosened that dragon's mechanism, and the ball dropped with a clang into the toad's mouth. Officials hearing the sound knew the quake's direction and prepared relief at once. History records the seismoscope successfully reporting a distant earthquake, winning everyone's trust.
- Step 3: Meet the inventor EdisonEdison was a famous American inventor. As a boy he loved asking why, and in his lifetime he invented countless things, including the phonograph, the movie camera and the electric light. In his era people lit nights with oil lamps and candles — dim and easy to cause fires. Edison set out to invent a safe, lasting electric light: he organised a team to test day and night, trying over a thousand filament materials — hair, cotton thread, bamboo fibre, platinum wire — recording every result, until they found one that glowed brightly and lasted.
- Step 4: Learn Edison's experimental spiritEdison is famous for his answer when asked how it felt to fail a thousand times: I have not failed; I have only found a thousand-odd materials that do not work. In his eyes every failure was evidence showing which road led nowhere, bringing the next trial closer to success. That is the scientific spirit: make a guess, test it, record the result, learn from mistakes and keep improving. At last he found carbonised bamboo fibre that glowed over a thousand hours, and the electric light lit up the world.
- Step 5: Find the spirit the two scientists shareCompare Zhang Heng and Edison and four common traits appear. First, keen observation: Zhang Heng noted the suffering earthquakes caused, Edison the inconvenience of dim nights. Second, daring to ask: could there be a better way? Third, hands-on experimenting: turning ideas into real things, testing and improving again and again. Fourth, not fearing failure and persisting to the end. Neither invention succeeded overnight; behind them lay countless days and nights of effort. Science advances step by step through such unyielding people.
- Step 6: Live like the scientistsPractise the scientists' spirit in small things: stuck on homework, try several methods instead of giving up; when a craft or experiment fails, think about what went wrong and improve for another try; ask why about things around you, then hunt for answers with your own hands; record your little inventions and discoveries and share them with classmates. Remember, every great inventor began as a curious child. Stay curious and dare to try, and you will shine too.
5Worked example Example
Example: Zhang Heng invented the seismoscope and Edison the lasting electric light. What made them succeed, and what spirit of theirs can we learn?
- Zhang Heng saw the delays and disasters of earthquakes, refused to just wait for news, and built an instrument that scientifically reported the direction by where the bronze ball fell.
- Edison tested over a thousand filament materials, treating every failure as one more material that did not work, recording results and trying again.
- What they shared: keen observation of life's problems, daring questions, repeated hands-on trials, no fear of failure, and persistence to the end.
- Put it into practice: when an experiment fails, find the problem, improve and try again; when stuck, ask why and hunt for evidence and answers yourself.
- Answer: Zhang Heng succeeded through careful observation and repeated study; Edison through a thousand trials without fear of failure. We should learn their scientific spirit: observe keenly, try bravely and never give up.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What instrument did Zhang Heng invent?
Q2What was the seismoscope for?
Q3What did Edison invent?
Q4How many filament materials did Edison test?
Q5What spirit did the two scientists share?
8Recap Recap
- Zhang Heng invented the seismoscope to show where earthquakes struck.
- Edison tested again and again to invent the lasting electric light.
- Failure is evidence for success, helping us improve.
- Scientists succeed by observing, trying and persisting.
- Ask and try when stuck — be a little inventor.