Fig. 13. Nikolaus August Otto

Pre-questons:

Do you know the name of N. Otto? What is he famous for?

11.1. Words and word combinations to be remembered:

1. landmark	веха, поворотный пункт
2. gasoline motor engine	бензиновый двигатель автомобиля
3. steam engine	паровой двигатель
4. four-stroke internal combustion engine	4-х тактный двигатель внутреннего сгорания
5. to raise	воспитывать
6. to excel	отличаться, выделяться
7. failed	неудачный, провалившийся
8. to decline	приходить в упадок, ухудшаться
9. merchant	торговец
10.to be better off	быть богаче
11. grocery store	гастроном, продуктовый магазин
12.to own	владеть, обладать
13. sales representative	торговый представитель
14. western border	западная граница
15. to quit	бросать, оставлять
16. duo	дуэт
17. piston	поршень
18.cycle	цикл
19. magneto ignition system	индукционная система зажигания
20. low voltage	низкое напряжение
21. to overturn	опровергать
22. in favor	в пользу
23.to issue	выдавать

11.2. Read and translate the text:

One of the most important landmarks in engine design comes from Nicolaus Otto who in 1876 invented an effective gasoline motor engine which offered the first practical alternative to the steam engine as a power source.

Nikolaus Otto was born in Holzhausen, in a small village on the Rhine River in Germany. Although his father, the village postmaster, died soon after Otto was born, his mother raised him well. Young Otto excelled in school, and his mother planned for him to continue with a technical education, but the failed German revolution in 1848 and declining economic conditions made his mother believe that he would be better off as a merchant.

Otto left high school and got a job as a clerk in a grocery store. He soon was working as a clerk in the nearby city of Frankfurt. His older brother Wilhelm owned a textile business in Cologne, and he helped Otto get a job as a sales representative. Otto sold tea, sugar, and kitchenware to grocery stores along the western border of Germany.

He soon developed an interest in the new technologies of the day and began experimenting with building four-stroke engines (inspired by Lenoir's two-stroke gas-driven internal combustion engine). After meeting Eugen Langen, a technician and owner of a sugar factory, Otto quitted his job, and in 1864, the duo started the world's first engine manufacturing company N.A. Otto & Cie (now DEUTZ AG, Köln). In 1867, the pair were awarded a Gold Medal at the Paris World Exhibition for their atmospheric gas engine built a year earlier.

In May 1876, Nicolaus Otto built the first practical four-stroke piston cycle internal combustion engine. He continued to develop his four-stroke engine after 1876 and he considered his work finished after his invention of the first magneto ignition system for low voltage ignition in 1884. Otto's patent was overturned in 1886 in favor of the patent granted to Alphonse Beau de Roaches for his four-stroke engine. However, Otto built a working engine while Roaches' design stayed on paper. On October 23, 1877, another patent for a gas-motor engine was issued to Nicolaus Otto, and Francis and William Crossley.

Nicolaus Otto died at age 59, on January 26, 1891, in Cologne.

11.3. After you have read:

I. Say what is true and what is false. Correct the false statements:

1. One of the most important landmarks in engine design comes from Nicolaus Otto who in 1876 invented an effective steam engine.

2. Nikolaus Otto was born in Holzhausen,in a small village on the Rhine River in Germany.

3. Otto left high school and got a job as a gardener.

4. He soon developed an interest in the new technologies of the day and began experimenting with building four-stroke engines.

5. N.Otto and H.Ford started the world's first engine manufacturing company General Motors.

6. In 1867, the pair were awarded a Nobel Prize at the Paris World Exhibition for their atmospheric gas engine built a year earlier.

7. In May 1876, Nicolaus Otto built the first practical four-stroke piston cycle internal combustion engine.

II. Fill in the blanks with words from the text:

1. Otto … in 1876 an effective gasoline motor engine which … the first practical alternative to the … as a power source.

2. Nikolaus Otto … in Holzhausen, in a small village on the … in Germany.

3. … his father, the village postmaster, … soon after Otto was born, his mother … him well.

4. Young Otto … in school, and his mother … for him to … with a technical education.

5. He soon … as a clerk in the … city of Frankfurt.

6. His older brother Wilhelm … a textile business in …, and he … Otto get a … as a … representative.

7. In May 1876, Nicolaus Otto … the first practical … piston cycle internal … engine.

8. He … his work finished after his invention of the first … system for low … ignition in 1884.

III. Put the verb in brackets into the correct form:

1. Otto (to invent) in 1876 an effective gasoline motor engine.

2. Nikolaus Otto (to be, bear) in Holzhausen, in a small village on the Rhine River in Germany.

3. Young Otto (to excel) in school, and his mother (to plan) for him to continue with a technical education.

4. Otto (to leave) high school and (to get) a job as a clerk in a grocery store.

5. After meeting Eugen Langen, a technician and owner of a sugar factory, Otto (to quit) his job, and in 1864 the duo (to start) the world's first engine manufacturing company N.A. Otto & Cie.

6. In 1867, the pair (to be, award) a Gold Medal at the Paris World Exhibition.

7. Otto's patent (to be, overturn) in 1886 in favor of the patent granted to Alphonse Beau de Roaches for his four-stroke engine.

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