Benjamin Franklin. American Statesman and Inventor

Benjamin Franklin
American Statesman and Inventor

1

If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead & rotten,
either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing.
 —Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston Massachusetts. Franklin was one of the leading founding fathers of the United States of America. He signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, and served as the new nation's ablest diplomat.

Franklin's formal schooling ended early but his education never did. He believed that "the doors to wisdom are never shut," and read every book he could get his hands on. Franklin taught himself simple algebra and geometry, navigation, logic, history, science, English grammar and a working knowledge of five other languages.

Franklin had a simple formula for success. He believed that successful people worked just a little harder than other people. Benjamin Franklin certainly did. He built a successful printing and publishing business in Philadelphia; he conducted scientific studies of electricity and made several important discoveries; he was an accomplished diplomat and statesman; he helped establish Pennsylvania's first university and America's first city hospital. He also organized the country's first subscription library.

Franklin was also unequaled in America as an inventor until Thomas Edison. He invented the Franklin stove, bifocal eyeglasses and the lightning rod. Franklin wasn't greedy about his inventions, preferring to have them used freely for the comfort and convenience of everyone. Thomas Jefferson called Benjamin Franklin "the greatest man and ornament of the age and country in which he lived."

Franklin had a strong belief that good citizenship included an obligation of public service. Franklin himself served the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the new United States of America, in one way or the other, for most of his life. To Benjamin Franklin there was no greater purpose in life than to "live usefully."

Answer the questions:

1.  When and where was Franklin born?

2.  What was he famous for?

3.  What kind of education did he have?

4.  What was his formula for success?

5.  What were the results of his life and activity?

6.  What things did he invent?

Read and translate Franklin’s quotations

1. Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing. 2. Work as if you were to live a hundred years, Pray as if you were to die tomorrow. 3. Well done is better than well said. 4. Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead. 5. Eat to live, and not live to eat. 6. Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. 7. He that lieth down with Dogs, shall rise up with Fleas. 8. The cat in gloves catches no mice.

Задание повышенного уровня:

Ученику дается ссылка на сайт http://www. ushistory. org/franklin/quotable , где он сам отбирает понравившиеся ему изречения.

(Задание пониженного уровня)

Find the English equivalent for the following quotations:

1.  Выбирай друга не спеша, еще меньше торопись его менять.

2.  Без труда не вынешь рыбку из пруда.

3.  Ляжешь спать с собаками – встанешь с блохами.

4.  Кто рано ложится и рано встает, здоровье, богатство и ум наживет.

5.  Ешь, чтобы жить, а не живи, чтобы есть.

6.  Трое могут хранить секрет, если двое из них мертвы.

7.  Хорошо сделано – лучше, чем хорошо сказано.

8.  Работай, будто у тебя 100 лет впереди, молись, будто завтра умрешь.