IELTS READING LEVEL 4.5 – Electricity & Energy – The Light Bulb

Electricity & Energy – The Light Bulb

by ReadWorks

Thomas Edison holding a light bulb

Thomas Edison invented the first commercially successful light bulb in 1879. Ironically, barely anyone in America had access to electricity. They couldn’t use the new invention. Edison worked to solve this problem. He helped develop power plants so that they could distribute electricity over wires to homes and businesses. Once electricity reached customers across the nation, everyone had light bulbs.

Light bulbs literally changed the way people lived. Before, people strained to read by candlelight. Now, they could read comfortably with adequate light. The invention of the light bulb also led to the invention of other electrical items. Soon, refrigerators and electric heaters also helped people live more easily, and radios entertained people.

Imagine what your life would be like without light bulbs. You would have to keep a lot of candles at home. The streets would be sometimes so dark you probably would not go out after sundown. A simple little light bulb has made all the difference in the world. It has created a high level of convenience and security for the human race.

Vocabulary

adequate    ad · e · quate

Definition

adjective

1. enough; as much as needed.

          Is your paycheck adequate?

Advanced Definition

adjective

1. good enough or well enough suited for the situation or need; satisfactory.

            Make sure the children have adequate clothing for the winter weather.

2. just barely good enough.

             As a teacher, he was adequate, but nowhere near excellent.

3. sufficient in quantity; enough.

             The army had adequate supplies for the campaign. The new instructors don’t have adequate experience.

Spanish cognate

adecuado: The Spanish word adecuado means adequate.

These are some examples of how the word or forms of the word are used:

1. Now, they could read comfortably with adequate light.
2. Kyle always imagined them moving faster, since they had to generate electricity, but his mom assured everyone that this was enough speed to produce adequate energy for the area.

barely    bare · ly

Definition

adverb

1. almost not at all.

          Please speak louder. I can barely hear you.

Advanced Definition

adverb

1. only just; hardly.

            Please speak louder. I can barely hear you.

2. sparsely

            barely dressed.

           barely equipped troops

These are some examples of how the word or forms of the word are used: 

1. She could barely breathe after falling down the steps and onto the cold concrete.
2. He could barely contain his excitement.
3. The temperature would barely rise or fall throughout the year.
4. As it was now, Angelica’s hair barely reached below her ears, and she couldn’t put it up at all anymore because she’d just gotten a haircut.
5. Ironically, barely anyone in America had access to electricity.
6. When Captain John Smith returned from a trip to England, he found that the colony was barely surviving.

7. Washington never gave up, even during the bitter winters when he and his troops had barely enough food or supplies to survive.

8. Angelica could barely keep up, Sally was running really fast.

strain    strain

Definition

verb

1. to bring something close to its breaking point.

          Their frequent arguments strained their marriage.

2. to hurt or injure something by using it too much.

            He strained a muscle while playing softball.

3. to remove the solid things from a liquid.

            She strained the vegetables for her baby.

4. to pull with energy or force.

            The dog strained on its leash.

noun

1. an injury caused by putting too much force on a muscle.

           The strain in his back was caused by lifting heavy boxes.

Advanced Definition

transitive verb

1. to pull or stretch to a high degree of tension.
2. to exert or extend to the maximum.
3. to push beyond limit, reason, or endurance.
4. to injure, impair, or weaken by excessive stress.

            He strained a muscle during practice.

5. to cause through stress, mechanical failure of.
6. to pass (a substance) through a sieve or filter.

            The chef strained the sauce.

7. to remove (something) by filtering.

            The chef strained the lumps from the sauce.

intransitive verb

1. to pull energetically or forcibly.
2. to expend the maximum amount of effort; strive.
3. to put one’s nerves and muscles under the maximum amount of stress.
4. to filter, trickle, or percolate through something.

noun

1. the act or process of straining.
2. the condition of being strained.
3. an injury or impairment resulting from placing too much stress on some part of the body.
4. extreme pressure or force, sometimes causing harm or deformity.
5. severe or exhausting emotional pressure.

These are some examples of how the word or forms of the word are used:

1. If you play tennis, you swing a tennis racket. That puts a lot of strain on your arm. If you switch to soccer, you give your arm a rest.
2. Strain is the overuse of a body part.
3. A strain is a torn or pulled muscle or tendon.
4. Keeping your weight at a healthy level can keep your joints safe from extra strain, advises Letha Griffin, an orthopedist in Atlanta.
5. Playing only one sport can put too much strain on the same muscle groups.