ACCIDENTAL INVENTIONS PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS

Summary

This video highlights eight accidental inventions that changed the world, showcasing how chance encounters led to groundbreaking discoveries. From tea, discovered by Emperor Shen Nang in China, to the microwave oven, created when a chocolate bar melted in an engineer's pocket, each story reveals how everyday moments sparked innovation. Other accidental inventions include Corn Flakes, potato crisps, Coca-Cola, matches, penicillin, and the Slinky. The video also teaches the usage of the past simple and past continuous tenses, demonstrating how these grammatical forms relate to the events of these unexpected inventions.

Takeaways

• 😀 Many everyday items were invented by accident.
• 😀 The script uses both the past simple and past continuous tenses.
• 😀 Tea was discovered by a Chinese emperor when leaves fell into boiling water.
• 😀 Percy Spencer invented the microwave oven after a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
• 😀 Cornflakes were created when some grains fell on a stove while boiling corn for granola.
• 😀 Crisps (potato chips) were invented after a chef cut potatoes into thin slices and fried them again.
• 😀 Coca-Cola was originally made with wine, but a substitution with cocoa extract and soda led to its creation.
• 😀 John Walker invented matches when a lump on a wooden stick caught fire by friction.
• 😀 Penicillin was discovered when Alexander Fleming noticed bacteria didn't grow near mold in his lab.
• 😀 The Slinky was created accidentally when a spring fell and started bouncing during a test.
• 😀 The past simple is used for completed actions, while the past continuous describes actions happening at a specific moment.

Q & A

What is the origin story of tea?

Tea was invented thousands of years ago by a Chinese emperor named Shen Nang. His servants were boiling water when some leaves accidentally fell in, and the emperor enjoyed the smell, so he tasted it and found it delicious. That's how tea was formed.

How was the microwave oven invented?

The microwave oven was invented by American engineer Percy Spencer. While testing a new radar set, a chocolate bar in his pocket melted, leading him to come up with the idea of a microwave oven.

What is the origin of Corn Flakes?

Corn Flakes were invented by the Kellogg brothers, John and Will. They were boiling corn to make granola when some grains fell on the stove and turned crispy and tasty. This led to the creation of Corn Flakes.

How did the invention of crisps come about?

Crisps were invented by American chef George Crum. A customer complained that the potatoes he served weren't crispy enough, so Crum cut them into very thin slices and fried them again, resulting in potato chips or crisps.

What is the story behind Coca-Cola's invention?

Coca-Cola was created by John Pemberton. The original recipe contained wine, but due to alcohol prohibition at the end of the 19th century, Pemberton mixed cocoa extract and soda, which led to the creation of Coca-Cola.

Who invented matches and how did it happen?

Matches were invented by John Walker. While mixing chemicals with a wooden stick, he noticed a small lump at the end. When trying to remove it, the lump caught fire by friction, leading to the invention of matches.

How was penicillin discovered?

Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming. He was growing bacteria in his lab when he found mold in one of the cups he was using. He noticed the bacteria didn't grow near the mold, which led him to develop penicillin.

What is the origin of the Slinky?

The Slinky was accidentally created by American engineer Richard James. While testing springs for battleships, one fell to the ground and started bouncing. His wife, Betty James, came up with the idea of turning it into a toy.

How are the past simple and past continuous tenses used in the video?

The past simple is used to describe completed actions, typically with one verb. The past continuous describes an ongoing action at a particular moment in the past and uses two verbs (was/were + verb in ing form).

How do the past simple and past continuous tenses work together?

The past simple and past continuous often appear together in the same sentence, linked by 'when' or 'while'. For example, 'He was boiling water when some leaves fell in the pan.' The past continuous sets the scene, and the past simple describes the action that interrupted it.