The Great Invention

"An odventure for teenoge students"

Violence is oll around us - in our schoot. in our cily, in our counlry ondin lhe world. But whol con we do cbout il? Whose responsibilily is itonywoy?Steve ond his friends think they should do something. Tension ondmisunderstonding threoten a Peoce Conference in their city. They hoveto get to the Conference Room quickly before lts too late.This is the story of a young inventor ond his friends ond on inventionthot could sove the world. But will they be too late?

Main theme - an invention to promote world peaceOther themes - ethics, environment

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© EDUARDO AMOS, ELISABETH PRESCHER, ERNESTO PASQUALr"N,2004

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Diretoria: Paul BerryGerência editorial: Sandra PossasCoordenação de bureau: América JesusCoordenação de pesquisa iconográfica: Ana Lúcia SoaresCoordenação de revisão: Estevam Vieira Lédo Jr.Coordenação de produção gráfica: André Monteiro, Maria de Lourdes RodriguesCoordenação de produção industrial: Wilson Troque

Projeto editorial: Véra Regina A. Masel/i

Edição de texto: Kylie MackinAssistência Editorial: Gabriela Peixoto VilanovaRevisão: Denise CeronProjeto gráfico de miolo e capa: Ricardo Van Steen Comunicações e

Propaganda Ltda.joliver FuchsEdição de arte: Christiane BorinIlustrações de miolo e capa: Robson AraújoFoto da capa: CIOPesquisa iconográfica: Vera Lucia da Silva BarrionuevoTratamento de imagens: Fabio N. PrecendoDiagramação: EXATA EditoraçãoPré-impressão: Hélio P. de Souza Filho, Marcio H. KamotoImpressão e acabamento: EGB

Dados Internacionais de Catalogação na Publicação (CIP)(Cãmara Brasileira do Livro, SP, Brasil)

Amos, EduardoThe great invention / Eduardo Amos. Elisabeth

Prescher, Ernesto Pasqualin ; [ilustraçõesRobson Araújo]. - 2. ed. - São Paulo:Moderna, 2003. - (Modern readers ; stage 3)

1. Inglês (Ensino fundamental) I. Prescher,Elisabeth. 11. Pasqualin, Ernesto. m. Araújo,Robson. IV. Título. V. Série.

03-3368 COO-372.652

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"Anybody horne?" shouted Neil as he knocked at thegarage door.

Steve opened the doar and said, "Neil! Fred! Come in."The boys entered the garage. It was almost impossible to

walk cround. Cans, boxes, and tools were all over the place."What are you doing, Steve?" asked Fred."Finishing up a new invention," answered Steve. "The

mechanical fingers aren't moving very well and the electronicelbow has a problern."

"Mechanical fingers? Electronic elbow? What are youworking on this time?" Fred csked.

Índices para catálogo sistemático:1. Inglês: Ensino fundamental 372.652

ISBN 85-16-03721-5

Reprodução proibida. Art.l84 do Código Penal e lei 9.610 de 19 de fevereiro de 1998.

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"A turnator. It turns pages for you. I think it's going to behelpful for musicians," explained Steve.

"And lazy readers," added Neil. "Fred is going to be yourfirst customer."

Steve and Neil started laughing, but Fred didn't like thejoke.

The two boys were still laughing when Fred noticedsomething strange in a fishbowl by the window.

"What's that in the fishbowl?" he asked."Another invention - a buoy for stressed tish," said Steve."You're really crazy, you knowl" said Neil."Yes, but the fish are happy," replied Fred. "Lcok!"

"OK,you quys." said Steve. "Enough of inventions. What's new?""We're really worried," said Neil."Why? What's happening?" asked Steve."There's going to be a basketball game next Saturday,"

Fred said. "Kingsville High School is coming to play against usoRemember the lcst time we played them. They were reallyviolent."

"Yes. I remember," said Steve. "Rick was hit on the headand was in hospital for two days."

"We think it's going to be even more violent this time," saidNeil.

"The whole world is more violent," Steve said. "Nobodyknows where things are going to end. Did you read today'spaper?" he asked. "Here, lookl"

The boys readthe article in silence."Do you think there is going to be a war?" asked Neil."Yes. if they don't come to cn agreement," answered Steve.

"And it is going to be an ugly war. Perhaps the last war on ourplanet."

Steve's mother opened the dcor and scld, "Sandwichescoming!" She pressed a button and a tray with sandwichesmoved towards the boys.

"What's that?" asked Fred."Another of my inventions - a flying troy." said Steve.

"Thanks. Mom."

,

Two days later. Steve was looking for his friends ct school.He was very excited.

"Neil! Fred! We have to talk right now. It's about thebasketball game next Saturday."

"What about it?" asked Neil."We all know it's going to be violent, right?""Right," they said."Well. I think we can do something about it. I have a ptori."

said Steve. He told the boys that he had invented a new gasthat had the power to calm down angry people.

"OK. but what is the plan?" asked Fred.

7

"We fill balloons with the gas," explained Steve. "We thengive them to the cheerleaders and ask them to burst theballoons during the gome. The gas will do the rest."

Fred and Neilliked the planoThe three boys walked aroundthe school to find the cheerleaders. The girls did not know thereal reason for the plano They thought it was some kind of jokeand immediately agreed to help.

I

Neil and Fred woke up at 6:30 on Saturday morning. At7:00, the three boys were busy working in Steve's garage. Thegome was going to start at 10:00.

"Steve!" said Neil after an hour working hard on their plano"This is not going to work! The balloons burst when [ blow thegas into them."

"Maybe there is too much pressure inside the balloons,"said Fred. "It will never work! What now, Steve?"

"[ think we have to find thicker balloons," Steve replied."Let's go, then! Hurry!" said Fred.

,

They ran to the neighborhood stores to find thickerballoons. At 9:15.they were bock at the garage to test the newones.

They hod to hurry. There were fifty balloons to fill. Whenthey finished. they rushed off to school.

"You're late. guys!" shouted one of the cheerleaders. "Thegame is olmost over."

Vou could feel the tension in the air. The Kingsville teamwas losing. and they were getting more violent. A big fight wosstarting.

"Here you are. qirls." Steve shouted. "Toke the balloonsaround the gym and burst them. Hurry up! There's no time towaste!"

The cheerleaders quickly took the bolloons. ran in alldirections and burst them. Nobody understood whot wosgoing on.

"Stop what you are doing. girls!" somebody shouted butthey dicri't pay any attention.

10

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As the gos dispersed. everybody started to calm down.The visitors lost the game. but there was no violence.

When Steve went to bed that evening. he could not sleep.He thought about the game. the violence. and the gas he hadinvented.

"It was the gas." he thought. "I knew it was going to work!The gas calmed everyone down."

He was lost in thought when an ideo flashed through hismind. "lt the gos worked on the kids. it must work on adultstoo." he reosoned. "There is that Peace Summit next week.Everybody is going to be tense."

He sat up in bed and reached for the telephone. He hadto tolk to Neil and Fred.

"

Mr Thompson opened his front door and found Neil. Fredand Steve on his doorstep. Mr Thompson was Neil's neighbor.He worked in the Maintenance Department at the ConventionCenter, the location of the Peace Summit the following week.

"Hello. boys." said Mr Thompson as he opened the door."Quite early for a Sunday morning, isn't it?"

"Sorry for being 50 early, Mr Thompson, but we really needto talk to you." said Neil. "Do you have a few minutes?"

"Sure!" replied Mr Thompson. "Come on in!""What can 1do for you, kids?" asked Mr Thompson.They told him about the gas and what they did at the

basketball gome. They told him they wanted to do the something at the Peace Summit.

"Wait a minute!" said MrThompson. "15this some crazy ideato save the world? Don't you kids realize that the Peace Summitis a very serious matter? It's not for people like you and me."

"We have to do something, Mr Thompson," insisted Steve."The newspaper says that this is an important meeting, butthe politicians are inflexible. If they can't agree, there couldbe a war."

"What can 1do about it?" asked Mr Thompson."You can help us a tot." said Neil."But why me?" asked Mr Thompson."Well. tirst. because you work at the Convention Center,"

said Fred."And second, because we know you core." added Steve."Yeah. We remember that you risked your life to sove those

children from the fire at the shopping center last year," said Neil.

"Our plan is to spray the gasat the Convention Centerduring the surnrnit."explained Steve. "Theparticipants will beaffected by the gas.They will calm downand think about peace,not war."

"You work in theMaintenance Departmentat the Convention Center,right?" asked Neil. "You arefamiliar with the building. Vouknow your way 011 around theplace, don't you? Vou can help us getinto the building and reach the Conference Room."

Mr Thompson was reluctant at first. It was difficult for himto accept doing something illegal. But he was worried aboutthe possibility of war. The boys were enthusiastic and finallyconvinced him to help.

"Your only access to the Conference Room is the air-conditioning systern." he said. "lt is full of passages, but 1canmake a map of the pipes for you."

"I think we are going to need maintenance uniforms andidentification cores." Neil said.

'TIl take care of thot." said Mr Thompson. "Don't worry.""Good. And we are going to need walkie-talkies for

communication inside the air-conditioning system," said Fred."And don't forget the gas!" Mr Thompson reminded the

boys."Dori't worry about that, Mr Thompson. We are going to

put the gas in fire extinquishers." explained Steve."Well. the only thing is that we have to keep this secret.

Top secret!" said Neil.

The Convention Center wos busy on Wednesdoy morning.Reporters were everywhere. Television crews went in ond outwith their equipment. Limousines stopped by the moin doorbringing the heods of stote. Security guords ond police officerswere everywhere.

At nine o'clock, everyone wos reody to stort the summit.TV floodlights went on ond the choirmon opened the event.

Down ot the Mointenonce Deportment, Mr Thompson wosanxiously wotching the closed-circuit TV.

"The meeting storted twenty minutes ogo ond those boysore not here yet," he thought. "Security guords ore oll over theploce. Perhops they stopped them."

Just then, the boys ron into the room.

"Sorry we're lote, Mr Thompson." soid Steve ponting."lt wos very hord to enter the building," odded Fred."There ore security guords ot the gote," exploined Neil.

We hod to show them our lOs ond tell them o long story.Fortunotely they let us in."

"Thonk goodness!" soid Mr Thompson. "Now let's see! Didyou bring everything?"

"Sure, we hove the bottles ond they ore filled with qcs."soid Fred. They took out three smoll metal bottles from theirbogs. "And we brought the wolkie-talkies."

"Right, boys ... we have no time to waste. Hurry!" said MrThompson. "Here ore the mops of the pipe system. Follow thedirections corefully. Now get your things and go."

"whct time is it now?" asked Steve.'Ten rninutes to ten." answered Neil."You have only fifteen minutes to get to the Conference

Room," said Mr Thompson. 'Tll check you positions every fiveminutes over the walkie-talkie. Go, quickly!"

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<kAfter +

The way through the air-conditioning system was cold,dusty, and dark. The passages were so low that they had tocrawl. Three minutes late r, the walkie-talkie in Mr Thompson'shand beeped. It was Neil.

"I can't find my map! I think I lost it on the way," said theboy.

"Well, calm down and tell me where you are.""I don't know exactly, but there is a large yellow pipe on

my riqht," said Neil. "Shall I go on?""No, Neil. It's too complicated. If you go on, you'll get lost.

Go back and try to tind your map. It must besomewhere near you."

Two minutes later, Neilcalled MrThompson again.

"I found it, MrThompson. !t was

on the floorfifteen meters

behind me.Everything is

OK now."MrThompson

sighed in reliefand thought.

"Let's hopeeverythingis really OK."

"Steve!" Mr Thompson shouted over the walkie-talkie."Steve, give me your position."

"I think I'rn doing fine," said Steve. "Iam elose to the air-eonditioning power unit. It is very noisy and very eold here."

"OK, Steve, go on."

MrThompson paused for a seeond and looked at the eloekon the wall. It was ten o'eloek.

"Fred." he ealled over the walkie-talkie. "Can you hearme Fred?" There was no answer. He ealled again. "Can youhear me, Fred? What's going on?" he asked nervously."Something is wroriq." he thought.

He put his walkie-talkie on the table and went into thepiping. While he was erawling inside, the walkie-talkie on thetable beeped. He ran baek to answer. He knew it was Fredtrying to talk to him.

"Fred, ean you hear me?""Yes, faintly," Fred said. "I think I'm tost.""What's the matter, Fred?""I ean't find the yellow marks on the wall. I don't know

where Iam. l'rn seared, Mr Thompson. The plan is going to failand it will be all my fault!"

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"Look, Fred. Don't worry. Listen to me, now." Mr Thompsonwas sweating and spoke very slowly. "Look around. What doyou see around you?"

"A green box. There is a large green metal box to my right,"said Fred.

"Great! I knowwhere you are. Go baek about three meters.You'll find a fork. Take the left pipe. You'll find the marks there."

As he waited. Mr Thompson was more and more nervous.'Tm a tcot." he thought. 'The seeurity guards are going to findus! I never should have ..."

"OK, Mr Thompson. I found the marks. Everything isfine now."

Mr Thompson sct on the large couch in the MaintenanceDepartment firmly holding his walkie-talkie. On the closed-circuit TV, he could see what was going on in the ConferenceRoom. Some people gestured aggressively, others stood upand spoke angrily. They alllooked very tense.

One of them walked to the microphone with a grave lookon the face. He said a few words and walked bockto his place.Mr Thompson got up.

"Steve! Fred! Neil!" said Mr. Thompson nervously. You haveto hurry, boys. The Summit is going to finish earlier. There is noagreement. The chairman is going to read a statement in a

!

U

few minutes. He's probably going to announce that thenegotiations have failed. This is the end, boys. There is goingto be a WGr.Please, hurry!"

The boys hurried. They crawled faster and faster and hurttheir hands and knees. Their faces were covered with dust,but they could not cough. They had to be very silent. Theyknew that they coulon't fail.

"OK, Mr Thompson! I'm on target. I'm ready to go ahead,"said Fred over the walkie-talkie.

"Neil!" called Mr Thompson. "Where are you?""Right in place, Mr Thompson," replied Neil."What about you, Steve?" asked Mr Thompson.'Tm near the Conference Room," Steve answered. "But

there is a grate here. It won't open. It's locked.

"Try to open it! I'rn sure you'll find a way," whispered MrThompson over the walkie-talkie.

In the Conference Room, the chairman walked over to hissecretary and picked up a sheet of paper.

"The chairman is going to the microphone now, boys. Wehave no more time!" said Mr Thompson.

The walkie-talkies were silent for a few seconds. MrThompson was terrified. The chairman walked to themicrophone, took out a handkerchief and mopped hisforehead. He looked around the room very slowly.

"I did it! 1opened it" Steve said overthe walkie-talkie. "I used my jackknife.The grate is open."

"OK, let's go, boys!" said Mr Thompson."Position 1- ready," said Neil."Position 2 - ready," said Fred."Position 3 - ready," said Steve."OK, boys. FIRE!" said Mr Thompson.

, I

The boys sprayed the gas, and in seconds, everyone wasinhaling it.

The chairman adjusted the microphone. He looked at thedocument in his hands. He looked at the audience and at theTVcomeras. He thought for a while and then said, "Ladies andgentlemen. 1 hove an announcement to make. 1 believe weshould postpone our decision. We cannot decide the future ofour planet with such anger in our hearts. 1suggest we take abreak for lunch and finish in the afternoon."

His suggestion was unanimously approved by ctt thosepresent.

Back at the Maintenance Department. the three boys andMr Thompson celebrated the success of their plano The boyswere tired and dusty, but the gas worked.

("rI

At four oclock thot afternoon, Steve arrived home."Where were you 011day, Steve?" his mother asked. 'The

school secretary colled and said thot you didn't go to school.Vou missed the news on TV. They said that the Peace Summitwos a success. They are going to start a worldwidedisarmament campaign. What were you doing?"

"I was working, Mom," Steve answered. Then he looked ather ond smiled. "I was busy saving the world." couch (20) sofá

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Expressions

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