"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Those are the words of Thomas Alva Edison, one of the greatest (inventor) in the history of the United States.
Edison, who grew up in the Midwest, was (large) self-educated. He earned 1,093 patents in his lifetime, including the lightbulb. Being successful businessman, Edison often reworked existing technology, making it more practical for widespread use.
Edison was born on February 11, 1847, a day that (celebrate) as National Inventors' Day today. The Thomas Edison Center, which was created in memory of Edison, is at Menlo Park in New Jersey. It is said that the seven years Edison spent at the lab he created in New Jersey were the most (product).
"Menlo Park is the birthplace of (record) sound. It was in Menlo Park Edison invented the phonograph （留声机） in 1877. The invention led to the 30-year-old Ohio native's international fame. From then on, he was known the "Wizard （奇才） of Menlo Park."
A phonograph was the first device that was used (reserve) sound. It was the precursor （先驱） to record albums and CDs. The original model had no volume knob （旋钮）, so listeners would have to control the sound by (place) a sock in the machine. That's where we get the expression "put a sock in it", which means "stop talking".
