lab+3


 * 1. Place the text boxes in the correct order to make a coherent reading on the life of James Watt. Write your reasons in the “Reflection box” at the end of the exercise.**

James Watt, the son of a merchant, was born in Greenock, Scotland, in 1736. At the age of nineteen Watt was sent to Glasgow to learn the trade of a mathematical-instrument maker.

After spending a year in London, Watt returned to Glasgow in 1757 where he established his own instrument-making business. Watt soon developed a reputation as a high quality engineer and was employed on the Forth & Clyde Canal and the Caledonian Canal. He was also engaged in the improvement of harbours and in the deepening of the Forth, Clyde and other rivers in Scotland.

In 1763 Watt was sent a Newcomen steam engine to repair. While putting it back into working order, Watt discovered how he could make the engine more efficient. Watt worked on the idea for several months and eventually produced a steam engine that cooled the used steam in a condenser separate from the main cylinder. James Watt was not a wealthy man so he decided to seek a partner with money. John Roebuck, the owner of a Scottish ironworks, agreed to provide financial backing for Watt's project.

When Roebuck went bankrupt in 1773, Watt took his ideas to Matthew Boulton, a successful businessman from Birmingham. For the next eleven years Boulton's factory producing and selling Watt's steam-engines. These machines were mainly sold to colliery owners who used them to pump water from their mines. Watt's machine was very popular because it was four times more powerful than those that had been based on the Thomas Newcomen design.

Watt continued to experiment and in 1781 he produced a rotary-motion steam engine. Whereas his earlier machine, with its up-and-down pumping action, was ideal for draining mines, this new steam engine could be used to drive many different types of machinery.

Richard Arkwright was quick to importance of this new invention, and in 1783 he began using Watt's steam-engine in his textile factories. Others followed his lead and by 1800 there were over 500 of Watt's machines in Britain's mines and factories.

In 1755 Watt had been granted a patent by Parliament that prevented anybody else from making a steam-engine like the one he had developed. For the next twenty-five years, the Boulton & Watt company had a virtual monopoly over the production of steam-engines. Watt charged his customers a premium for using his steam engines.

To justify this he compared his machine to a horse. Watt calculated that a horse exerted a pull of 180 lb., therefore, when he made a machine, he described its power in relation to a horse, i.e. "a 20 horse-power engine". Watt worked out how much each company saved by using his machine rather than a team of horses. The company then had to pay him one third of this figure every year, for the next twenty-five years. When James Watt died in 1819 he was a very wealthy man. Text taken from http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/SCwatt.htm

My reasons for putting the boxes in this order

I remain the chronological order of the text and apply the order more reasonable as possible.


 * 2. Read the questions below so you will know what information you are looking for. Then scan the text, read quickly looking for the key words in the question, to find the answers.**

To learn the trade of a mathematical-instrument maker.
 * 1. What did James Watt study in Glasgow?**

Produced a steam engine that cooled the used steam in a condenser separate from the main cylinder.
 * 2. How did Watt begin working on steam engines?**

Watt's machine was very popular because it was four times more powerful than those that had been based on the Thomas Newcomen design.
 * 3. Why was Watt’s engine more popular than the Thomas Newcomen engine?**

Whereas his earlier machine, with its up-and-down pumping action, was ideal for draining mines, this new steam engine could be used to drive many different types of machinery.
 * 4. What was the difference between them?**

Richard Arkwright was quick to importance of this new invention, and in 1783 he began using Watt's steam-engine in his textile factories.
 * 5. Who was the first to use Watt’s engine in the textile industry?**

The company then had to pay him one third of this figure every year, for the next twenty-five years. When James Watt died in 1819 he was a very wealthy man.
 * 6. How much money did companies have to pay Watt for the use of his engines?**

A 20 horse-power engine".
 * 7. What term used today was “coined” or used by Watt?**

1. When James Watt went to London.** In 1756.
 * 2. Use the chronological indicators in the text and determine:

In 1773.
 * 2. When Boulton stopped only producing Watt’s first steam engine.**

In 1783.
 * 3. How long it took for Watt’s engines to be used not only in mines but in the textile industry too.**

For the next twenty-five years, the Boulton & Watt company had a virtual monopoly over the production of steam-engines.
 * 4. Boulton & Watt monopoly over Watt’s steam engine design ended.**


 * These ten (10) words appear in the first thousand word list in your glossary. Without using a dictionary, write their Spanish equivalents.**

1. develop : desarrollar 2. improvement : mejora 3. lead : plomo, dirigir 4. deepening : profundización

5. wealthy : rico 6. agree : estar de acuerdo 7. provide : proveer 8. successful : exitoso 9. mine : mina 10. pull : halar

1. engaged: participan 2. steam : vapor 3. seek: buscar 4 backing : apoyo 5. took: tomo
 * Now find five (5) new words from today’s text. Write them and their meanings here.**

1. What impact do you think Watt’s steam engine had on Britain’s and the world’s economy?**
 * 3. After reading activity

Developing an invention that is used worldwide who helped develop engines for cars, meters, machinery and so on.

A 20 horse-power engine
 * 2. What word in our vocabulary is in his honour?**