subject
English, 05.10.2020 19:01 ashl3yisbored

STORIES OF USEFUL INVENTIONS, excerpt By S. E. Forman

1911

THE MATCH

There never was a time when the world was without fire, but there was a time when men did not know how to kindle fire; and after they learned how to kindle one, it was a long, long time before they learned how to kindle one easily. In these days we can kindle a fire without any trouble, because we can easily get a match; but we must remember that the match is one of the most wonderful things in the world, and that it took men thousands of years to learn how to make one. Let us learn the history of this familiar little object, the match.

Fire was first given to man by nature itself. When a forest is set on fire by cinders from a neighboring volcano, or when a tree is set ablaze by a thunderbolt, we may say that nature strikes a match. In the early history of the world, nature had to kindle all the fires, for man by his own effort was unable to produce a spark. The first method, then, of getting fire for use was to light sticks of wood at a flame kindled by nature—by a volcano, perhaps, or by a stroke of lightning. These firebrands were carried to the home and used in kindling the fires there. The fire secured in this way was carefully guarded and was kept burning as long as possible. But the flame, however faithfully watched, would sometimes be extinguished. A sudden gust of wind or a sudden shower would put it out. Then a new firebrand would have to be secured, and this often meant a long journey and a deal of trouble.

In 1827, John Walker, a druggist in a small English town, tipped a splint with sulphur, chlorate of potash, and sulphid of antimony, and rubbed it on sandpaper, and it burst into flame. The druggist had discovered the first friction-chemical match, the kind we use to-day. It is called friction-chemical because it is made by mixing certain chemicals together and rubbing them. Although Walker's match did not require the bottle of acid, nevertheless it was not a good one. It could be lighted only by hard rubbing, and it sputtered and threw fire in all directions. In a few years, however, phosphorus was substituted on the tip for antimony, and the change worked wonders. The match could now be lighted with very little rubbing, and it was no longer necessary to have sandpaper upon which to rub it. It would ignite when rubbed on any dry surface, and there was no longer any sputtering. This was the phosphorus match, the match with which we are so familiar.

Read this sentence from the text:

In these days we can kindle a fire without any trouble, because we can easily get a match...

What is the purpose of this line from the text? (5 points)

Group of answer choices

To contradict the main idea of the article

To imply the main idea of the article

To provide a conclusion to the article

To support the claim of the article

ansver
Answers: 2

Other questions on the subject: English

image
English, 21.06.2019 21:30, nancye2008
Read this excerpt from lorraine hansberry's a raisin in the sun: based on the character description, what can the reader infer about travis? a. he is organized and has an established morning routine. b. he has inherited his good looks from his mother, not his father. c. he doesn't like having to share a bathroom with other families. d. he is a little boy of about 10 or 11.
Answers: 1
image
English, 21.06.2019 22:20, jjackson0010
What do we know about the mother in “two kinds”? select all that apply. she came from china. she had two daughters who died. her mother, father, and first husband are dead. she is part japanese.
Answers: 1
image
English, 22.06.2019 02:30, volocibel
Subject: save the whales! dear professor crest, i know you are really busy and everything, but i was hoping that you could spend more time thinking about how to save the whales. it’s up to us to speak up on their behalf. it’s really wrong that some amusement parks use these poor, defenseless animals for recreational purposes. this must be stopped, and you’re the person to do it! ttyl, jules which revisions would make this e-mail more formal? check all that apply. a. removing the contractions b. removing the exclamation points c. removing the salutation d. removing the slang and casual speech e. removing the information about amusement parks
Answers: 2
image
English, 22.06.2019 05:30, babydolltia28
How did rick respond to this conflict
Answers: 2
You know the right answer?
STORIES OF USEFUL INVENTIONS, excerpt By S. E. Forman

1911

THE MATCH
<...

Questions in other subjects:

Konu
English, 05.02.2021 04:00
Konu
Chemistry, 05.02.2021 04:00
Konu
Mathematics, 05.02.2021 04:00
Konu
Computers and Technology, 05.02.2021 04:00
Konu
Mathematics, 05.02.2021 04:00