Edison 1-4
What does the word "fashioned" mean in paragraph 7?
Formulated
What is the effect of the metaphor in paragraph 13?
“ ‘Sixty watts is the holy grail of the LED replacement game.’ ”
It signifies the ultimate goal of the energy companies.
What is the effect of the simile “like a horse in a mill” in paragraph 1?
It emphasizes how Alex toiled ceaselessly.
How does the author create suspense in paragraph 5?
By saying Alex’s life would have flowed on, perhaps to extreme old age
What can be inferred from the sentence below in paragraph 8?
“Edison’s technology so transformed the candlelit world that his lightbulb has stood for years as the iconic image of a new idea.”
The light bulb represents any fresh and original concept
What detail from the text supports the author’s claim that General Electric’s high efficiency LED bulb is an illumination breakthrough?
“Lighting experts tout long-lasting, ultra-low-energy light-emitting diodes (LEDs)—first seen as indicator lights on appliances—as the remedy for virtually all of these issues"
How does Alex’s interaction with the director in paragraph 2 advance the plot?
It emphasizes Alex’s contentment with his position and his fear of change
What is being implied in paragraph 5?
Alex seems content with his work and his life despite the future challenges he has ahead of him.
Which statement from the text supports the author's claim in paragraph 7?
“The twisty look of the main energy-saving home bulb now on the market, the compact-fluorescent (CFL), is seen by the lighting industry as one of a series of stumbling blocks that has prevented the product from gaining deep acceptance.”
How did the author make the connection between Edison’s light bulb and the high-efficiency lighting choices available today?
By contrasting the benefits of innovative lighting technology with the popularity of traditional lighting
What can be inferred from the sentence below in paragraph 3?
“But Alex saw in all things the clean, even strokes of his written lines; and only when a horse thrust his nose, from some unknown quarter, over his shoulder, and sent a whole gust of wind down his neck from his nostrils, did he observe that he was not in the middle of a page, but in the middle of the street.”
Alex was oblivious to his surroundings.
What impact does the author’s use of the word lot have in paragraph 5?
It indicates that Alex’s life and work are neither rewarding nor revered by other people
Which detail states where the central idea of the text emerges?
“It hasn’t been easy to design an energy-efficient lighting appliance that consumers embrace as warmly as the gadget that Thomas Edison first fashioned 131 years ago in a Menlo Park, New Jersey, laboratory with carbonized thread from his wife’s sewing kit"
For what purpose did the author include information about Edison’s “candlelit world” crafted “with carbonized thread from his wife’s sewing kit”?
To remind the audience that consumers are basic people who prefer simple designs
How does the sentence below from paragraph 1 shape the theme of the text?
“Enjoyment was written on his face: some letters were even favorites with him; and when he encountered these, he smiled, winked, and worked with his lips, till it seemed as though each letter might be read in his face, as his pen traced it.”
It conveys the idea that Alex’s work brings him genuine pleasure.
Which detail from the text emphasizes the idea that Alex’s occupation is his favorite activity?
“If there happened to be none, he took copies for himself, for his own gratification . . .”