Nikola Tesla
In the 1880’s Nikola Tesla(特斯拉) is a scientist(科學家). He starts(開始) making(製作) machines (機器) that can make electricity (電力) and send (發送) electricity. Thomas Edison(愛迪生) also (也) sells (賣) a machine to make and send electricity. Tesla’s machine can send electricity farther (更遠) than(比...) Edison’s machine but it is more(比較) dangerous(危險) than Edison’s machine. People(人) don’t know which one(哪一個) is better(比較好). Edison uses Tesla’s machine to send electricity and kill (殺死) dogs and cats. Many people are scared (害怕) of Tesla’s machine. But everyone (每個人) uses(使用) Tesla’s machines now because(因為) his machines send electricity better. Electricity is dangerous and we try (嘗試) our (我們的) best (最好的) to make it safe. (安全)
Thomas Edison
In the 1900’s Thomas Edison is a businessman(商人). He has a company(公司), the first(第一個) company to start making movies(電影). He makes movies of sports, (運動) silly (愚蠢的) things and strange(奇怪的) things (東西). His movie company is the first company to make a movie of killing (殺死) animals. In 1903 they kill an elephant with(用) electricity. Some (一些) people pay(付) a lot of(很多) money to watch Edison’s movies. Movies do not have any sound (聲音) until (直到...) the 1930’s. Edison does not like movies with sound. Edison doesn't hear well(聽力不佳). He thinks(認為) the movies are better silent(無聲的).
Alexander Fleming
In 1928 Alexander Fleming(佛萊明) is a doctor. He wants to study (研究) germs(細菌) . He grows (培養) germs on dishes(盤子). Many people think he is smart. But many people think the place where he learns (學習) is not clean(乾淨) and things are not put away. Fleming put fruit(水果) and dishes with germs on a bench(長椅). Then he goes on vacation(渡假). When he comes back, the fruit is moldy(長霉). He looks at the germs near (在...附近) the moldy fruit. They are dead(死了). He is sad about his mistake(錯誤). The germs far(遠離) from the mold(黴菌) are ok. He looks at the mold and germs and says(說), "That’s funny(有趣). I think the mold can make a medicine(藥)." Fleming calls (稱呼) the medicine "mold juice." Then he gives(給) the medicine a new name: Penicillin(盤尼西林). We still (仍舊) use that medicine today.
Marie Curie
In 1898 Marie Curie(居禮夫人) is a scientist. She and her husband (丈夫) find (發現) and learn (學習) about a dangerous metal(金屬). The metal makes a light (光線) that you can’t see but you can use it to make things glow(發光). The metal can make people sick (生病) and kill people. At first(剛開始) they don’t know (知道) that. So people use the metal to make watches that can glow in the dark(黑暗). Some people put the metal in medicine. People make paint(顏料) that can glow. The metal makes people sick, so people don’t use that metal in paint or on watches now. Marie Currie learns more about the metal. It can be used(被用來) to make medicine that can kill cancer(癌症).
Hedy Lamarr
In the 1930’s Hedy Lamarr is an actress(演員) in the USA. She is famous(有名的) and beautiful, so people invite(邀請) her to parties. The best scientists(科學家) and famous people go to the parties too. She likes to go to the parties and talk to people. Everyone likes to talk to Lamarr and she learns(學習) about new technology(科技). At one party she hears(聽) about problems in a war(戰爭) in Europe(歐洲). So she starts thinking. In 1940, she works with(與) a friend to make a secret(神秘的) communication system(通訊系統). Lamarr’s system doesn’t use one radio channel(廣播頻道). One message(訊息) is cut up(切割) and pieces jump to many channels. This makes it very difficult(困難的) for bad people to listen to a message. The army(軍隊) scientists do not believe(相信) that a beautiful actress can make such a cool thing. They don't use(使用) her system but they want her to make ads(廣告) for them. After 20 years, people start to use her idea(想法、點子)but nobody says it was Lamarr’s idea. After 50 years people start to praise(讚揚) her for her idea. Now we use her system in Wi-fi and Bluetooth.
Shi Xianggu
① Shi Yang(石陽) is born in 1775 in China. She has a nickname Shi Xianggu (石香姑). ② Her family are pirates(海盜). A pirate leader(領袖) wants to marry(結婚) Shi ③ Xianggu. Shi Xianggu wants fifty percent(百分之五十) of the pirate leader's ships(大船) ④ and money(錢). He says OK. They work together(一起) to get many small pirate ⑤ groups(組) to join(加入) them. They make the most powerful(強大) pirate fleet(艦隊) ⑥ in the world named the Red Flag(旗) Fleet. Shi Xianggu's husband(丈夫) dies(去世). ⑦ She becomes(成為) the leader. She has three main rules(主要規定). First rule is: If ⑧ you don’t obey(遵守) the orders(命令), I cut off your head. Second rule is: don't steal(偷) ⑨ or hide(藏) money from the Red Flag Fleet or villages(村莊) that help us. Third ⑩ rule is: Everyone shares(分享) the money we steal. In 1808 China tries(嘗試) ⑪ to destroy(破壞) the Red Flag Fleet. In 1809 ships from the UK(英國) fight(作戰) them. ⑫ In 1810 ships from Portugal(葡萄牙) fight them. The Red Flag Fleet always wins. ⑬ Finally(最後) China doesn’t want to fight Shi Xianggu and the Red Flag Fleet. So ⑭ they say, “we will give you money if you stop being(當) pirates.” So Shi Xianggu and her ⑮ pirate friends stop being pirates and get money. Shi Xianggu opens a casino(賭場) ⑯ and lives a happy life. She dies at the age of 69.
