Newton, one of the greatest scientists of all times was born in 1642 in the little village in Lincolnshire, England. His father was a farmer and died before Newton was born. His mother was a clever woman whom he always loved.
After the school, Newton studied mathematics at Cambridge university and received his degree in 1665. Then the university was closed because of the danger of plague and Newton went home for eighteen months. It was most important period in his life when he made his three great discoveries the discoveries of the differential calculuses, of the nature of white light, and of the law of gravitation. These discoveries are still important for the modern science. Newton had always been interested in the problems of light. Many people saw colours of a rainbow but only Newton showed, by his experiments, that white light consists of these colours.
It is interesting how he discovered the law gravitation. Once, as he sat at the garden, his attention was drawn by the fall of an apple. Many people saw such an usual thing before. But it was Newton who sked himself a question: “Why does that apple fall perpendicularly to the ground? Why doesn’t it go sidewards or upwards?” The answer to this question was the theory of gravitation, discovered by Newton. Newton died at the age of 84, and was buried in Westminster Abbey, where his monument stands today.
Questions:
1. When and where was Newton born?
2. Where did he study?
3. What three major discoveries did Newton make?
4. When did Newton make these discoveries?
5. How did the idea which led to the discovery of the law of gravitation first come to him?
6. When did Newton die and where is he buried?
Vocabulary:
degree – ученая степень
plague – чума
discovery – открытие
differential calculuses – дифференциальное исчисление
law of gravitation – закон всемирного тяготения
rainbow – радуга
to draw – привлекать
perpendicularly – перпендикулярно
sidewards – в сторону
upwards – вверх
abbey – аббатство
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