Albert Einstein - world-famous physicist

Albert Einstein was a world-famous physicist.

Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany, in 1879, but grew up in Munich. As a young boy, he did not do well in school. He liked to study math, science, and philosophy at home by himself.

In 1895, Einsteins family moved to Milan, Italy. He stayed behind to go to school, but soon left to join his family. Again, he studied at home on his own. But, in 1896, on his second try, he became a student at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. He studied math and physics and graduated in 1900.

In 1901, Einstein got a job in the patent office in Bern, Switzerland. When he wasnt at work, he did research on physics. In 1903, he married Mileva Maric.

In 1905, the University of Zurich gave him a Ph.D. for an article he wrote on molecular physics. He wrote four other scientific papers that year. The most important one explained his theory of relativity.

Einstein became a professor of physics. He worked at universities in Prague, in Zurich, and, finally, in Berlin. But his wife did not like Berlin. She and their sons went back to Switzerland. Einstein and his wife divorced in 1919. Later that year, he married again.

In 1915, Einstein finished his theory of relativity. In 1919, the scientists in the Royal Society of London said they agreed with his theory. This made Einstein very famous. He gave lectures on relativity around the world. In 1921, he won the Nobel Prize for Physics. He worked on theories of physics for the rest of his life.

Einstein did not believe in war. When the Nazis gained power in Germany in 1933, he gave up his German citizenship and moved to the United States. Einstein was very upset when the United States used an atomic bomb to end the Second World War. After that, he spent much of his time trying to convince people that an atomic bomb should never be used again.

Einstein died in Princeton, New Jersey, in 1955.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

A. True or False. Read the statements below. If the statement is true, write T beside the sentence. If it is false, write F. If it is false, correct the information.

1. Albert Einstein was an excellent student when he was in school. _______

2. Einstein preferred to study by himself. _______

3. Einstein studied mathematics. _______

4. Einstein was a professor of philosophy. _______

5. Einstein did not believe in war. _______

B. Practice asking and answering the following questions with your partner. Then

write the answers in complete sentences.

1. Where was Einstein from?

2. What did Einstein like to study?

3. When did Einstein graduate from the Swiss Federal institute of Technology?

4. What did Einstein like to do when he wasnt working at his job?

5. What was Einsteins most important theory?

6. From which university did Einstein receive his Ph.D. degree?

7. Why did Einstein move to United States?

8. How did Einstein spend much of his time after the Second World War?

VOCABULARY REVIEW

A. Match the words on the left with the correct meaning on the right.

famous a. study

grew up b. a talk for the purpose of teaching

graduate c. idea given to explain something

patent d. known by many people

research e. make someone believe or think, persuade

article f. became an adult

theory g. connection

relativity h. finish school with a diploma or degree

lecture i. a piece of writing

_____ 10.convince j. the exclusive right to make or sell a new invention

B. Choose the right word from the left column above to complete the following sentences.

1. The professor gave a very interesting _____ _______ ______ ______ in class today.

2. She was born in England, but _____ _______ ______ ___________ in Canada.

3. Today many scientists are doing _____ _______ ______ ______, trying to find a cure for cancer.

4. She doesnt want to move to a new city, but her husband is trying to _____________ her.

5. He wrote a very interesting _____ _______ ______ __________ for the school newspaper.

C. Studies Draw a line between the subject and the correct meaning.

mathematics study of what substances are made of

physics study of plants and animals

biology study of numbers

chemistry study of problems concerning the nature of man

geography study of matter and energy, ex. heat, light, sound

philosophy study of earths surface, climate, population

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Have you ever studied physics?

2. What subjects do you like to study?

3. Do you think Einsteins parents were upset when he did not do well in school?

4. Do you think it is necessary to do well in school in order to succeed in life?

5. Why do you think Einstein spent the last years of his life trying to convince people not

to use the atomic bomb?