Albert Einstein - Biography and Lessons

Albert Einstein was a German-born physicist, although most people probably know him as the most intelligent person who ever lived. His name has become part of many languages when we want to say someone is a genius, as in the phrase, “She’s a real Einstein”. He must have been pretty brainy to discover the Theory of Relativity and the equation E=mc2.

In 1999, ‘Time’ magazine named Einstein as the Person of the Century. No one could have guessed this would happen when he was at school. He was extremely interested in science but hated the system of learning by heart. He said it destroyed learning and creativity. He had already done many experiments, but failed the entrance exams to a technical college.

He didn’t let this setback stop him. When he was 16, he performed his famous experiment of imagining traveling alongside a beam of light. He eventually graduated from university, in 1900, with a degree in physics. Twelve years later he was a university professor and in 1921, he won the Nobel Prize for Physics. He went on to publish over 300 scientific papers.

Einstein is the only scientist to become a cult figure, a household name, and part of everyday culture. He once joked that when people stopped him in the street, he always replied: "Pardon me, sorry! Always I am mistaken for Professor Einstein.” Today, he is seen as the typical mad, absent-minded professor, who just happened to change our world.

245 words

Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.

DOWNLOADS: Word Doc | PDF | MP3 Listening | Online Exercise

SYNONYM MATCH

Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your answers the same as other students’?

Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.	probably	a.	mastermind
2	genius	b.	very
3.	brainy	c.	predicted
4.	guessed	d.	most likely
5.	extremely	e.	ruined
6.	destroyed	f.	intelligent
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.	setback	g.	forgetful
8.	alongside	h.	answered
9.	papers	i.	next to
10.	figure	j.	problem
11	replied	k	personality
12	absent-minded	l	reports

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article:

1.	the most intelligent person	a.	this would happen
2	He must have been pretty	b.	name
3.	No one could have guessed	c.	brainy
4.	the system of learning	d.	stop him
5.	failed the entrance exams	e.	who ever lived
6.	He didn’t let this setback	f.	over 300 scientific papers
7.	traveling alongside a beam	g.	by heart
8.	He went on to publish	h.	to a technical college
9.	a household	i.	absent-minded professor
10.	the typical mad,	j.	of light

LISTENING GAP FILL

Albert Einstein was a German-_______________, although most people probably know him as the most intelligent person _______________. His name has become part of many languages when we want to say someone is a genius, _______________, “She’s a real Einstein”. He must have been pretty brainy to discover the Theory of Relativity and the _______________.

In 1999, ‘Time’ magazine named Einstein as the Person of the Century. No one __________________ this would happen when he was at school. He was ____________________ science but hated the system of learning by heart. He said it destroyed learning and creativity. He had __________________ experiments, but failed the __________________ a technical college.

He didn’t __________________ him. When he was 16, he performed his famous experiment of imagining traveling alongside __________________. He eventually graduated from university, in 1900, with __________________. Twelve years later he was a university professor and in 1921, he won the Nobel Prize for Physics. He __________________ over 300 scientific papers.

Einstein is the only scientist __________________ figure, a household name, and part __________________. He once joked that when people stopped him in the street, he always replied: "Pardon me, sorry! Always __________________ Professor Einstein.” Today, he is seen as the typical mad, __________________, who just happened to change our world.

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.

Albert Einstein was a German-born physics / physicist, although most people probably know him as the most intelligent people / person who ever lived. His name has become part of many languages when we want to say someone is a genius, as / so in the phrase, “She’s a real Einstein”. He must have been pretty brain / brainy to discover the Theory of Relativity and the equation E=mc2.

In 1999, ‘Time’ magazine naming / named Einstein as the Person of the Century. No one could have guessed / guesses this would happen when he was at school. He was extremely interested in science but hated the system of learning by heart / stomach. He said it destroyed learning and creativity. He had already done many / much experiments, but failed the entrance exams to a technical college.

He didn’t let this setback / setting stop him. When he was 16, he performed his famous experiment of imagining traveling alongside a beam of sound / light. He eventually graduated from university, in 1900, with a degrees / degree in physics. Twelve years later he was a university professor and in 1921, he won the Nobel Prize for Physics. He went on to publish / publishing over 300 scientific papers.

Einstein is the only scientist to become a culture / cult figure, a household name, and part of everyday culture. He once joke / joked that when people stopped him in the street, he always replied: "Pardon me, sorry! Always I am mistake / mistaken for Professor Einstein.” Today, he is seen as the typicalmadly / mad, absent-minded professor, who just happened to change our world.

SPELLING

The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	most people yboprlba know him
2.	someone is a esnugi
3.	He must have been pretty aniryb
4.	the oqnuatie E=mc2
Paragraph 2
5.	No one could have sdugese
6.	He was extremely interested in cincsee
7.	learning and tvtarceyii
8.	failed the aeennrtc exams to a technical college
Paragraph 3
9.	He didn’t let this katecsb stop him
10.	traveling iealnsogd a beam of light
11.	He eventually egaudrtad from university
12.	He went on to lsibpuh over 300 scientific papers
Paragraph 4
13.	become a cult rugfei
14.	a usohdleho name
15.	part of everyday ceutrul
16.	mad, absent-dindem professor

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )	someone is a genius, as in the phrase, “She’s a real Einstein”. He must have been pretty brainy to discover
(    )	heart. He said it destroyed learning and creativity. He had already done many experiments, but failed the
(    )	the Theory of Relativity and the equation E=mc2.
(    )	Einstein is the only scientist to become a cult figure, a household name, and part of everyday
(    )	happen when he was at school. He was extremely interested in science but hated the system of learning by
(    )	mistaken for Professor Einstein.” Today, he is seen as the typical mad, absent-minded professor, who just
(    )	He didn’t let this setback stop him. When he was 16, he performed his famous experiment of imagining
(    )	culture. He once joked that when people stopped him in the street, he always replied: "Pardon me, sorry! Always I am
(    )	physics. Twelve years later he was a university professor and in 1921, he won the Nobel Prize for Physics. He went on to publish over 300 scientific papers.
(    )	entrance exams to a technical college.
( 1 )	Albert Einstein was a German-born physicist, although most people probably know him as
(    )	happened to change our world.
(    )	In 1999, ‘Time’ magazine named Einstein as the Person of the Century. No one could have guessed this would
(    )	the most intelligent person who ever lived. His name has become part of many languages when we want to say
(    )	traveling alongside a beam of light. He eventually graduated from university, in 1900, with a degree in

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	German-born   a   was   Einstein   Albert   physicist
2.	He   brainy   pretty   been   have   must
3.	named   Einstein   as  the   Person   of   the  Century  ‘Time’  magazine
4.	interested   extremely   was   He   science   in
5.	creativity   said   destroyed   and   He   it   learning
6.	this   stop   He   let   setback   him   didn’t
7.	a   alongside   traveling   light   of   beam
8.	over   went   300   on   scientific   to   papers   publish   He
9.	the   to   cult   is   scientist   a   Einstein   only   become   figure
10.	mad   typical   the   professor   minded-absent

EINSTEIN DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	What do you know about Einstein?
2.	Would you like to have met Einstein?
3.	What would you like to know about Einstein and why?
4.	___________________________________________________
5.	___________________________________________________
6.	___________________________________________________
7.	___________________________________________________
8.	___________________________________________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	What did you learn from this text about Einstein?
2.	What questions would you like to have asked Einstein?
3.	What would his answers have been to those questions?
4.	___________________________________________________
5.	___________________________________________________
6.	___________________________________________________
7.	___________________________________________________
8.	___________________________________________________

EINSTEIN SURVEY

Write five questions about Einstein in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out.  Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITING

Write about Einstein for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

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HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Einstein. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. EINSTEIN POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Einstein. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?

4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Einstein. Include an imaginary interview with him. Write about what he did every day and what he thought about.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to Einstein. Ask him three questions about his life. Tell him how important he is in today’s world. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Einstein expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.

ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH:

Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.	probably	a.	most likely
2	genius	b.	mastermind
3.	brainy	c.	intelligent
4.	guessed	d.	predicted
5.	extremely	e.	very
6.	destroyed	f.	ruined
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.	setback	g.	problem
8.	alongside	h.	next to
9.	papers	i.	reports
10.	figure	j.	personality
11	replied	k	answered
12	absent-minded	l	forgetful

PHRASE MATCH:

1.	the most intelligent person	a.	who ever lived
2	He must have been pretty	b.	brainy
3.	No one could have guessed	c.	this would happen
4.	the system of learning	d.	by heart
5.	failed the entrance exams	e.	to a technical college
6.	He didn’t let this setback	f.	stop him
7.	traveling alongside a beam	g.	of light
8.	He went on to publish	h.	over 300 scientific papers
9.	a household	i.	name
10.	the typical mad,	j.	absent-minded professor