ACT English practice test 24

Inventions That Break Barriers

At the turn of the 20th century, Mary Anderson was a real-estate developer, rancher, and winemaker. We don't know her name today for any of these reasons, however. Instead, Anderson made history for₁ inventing automobile windshield wipers—a feat she accomplished in 1903, five years before Henry Ford even created the Model T. In 1902, while riding a trolley in New York City, she couldn't help noticing that the driver had to continually stop in order to wipe₂ snow and ice from the windshield. Anderson thought that there had to be a₃ better way.

However₄ she, devised a swinging arm with a rubber blade that swung back and forth, swishing rain and snow from the windshield surface. Anderson's model was different from today's models,₅ though, because it was hand-activated by a lever from inside the car. Similar devices had been attempted and tried₆ in the past, but Anderson's was the first to work and the first to be successfully patented. Interestingly, she could not sell the rights to her invention. A Canadian company told her that drivers would find the movement of the arm₇ too distracting. So even though Anderson's windshield wipers became standard in cars after 1915, her₈ invention did not make her much money.

Today, it is difficult for us to imagine driving without windshield wipers.₉ In fact, women have been responsible for many practical inventions. Josephine Cochran, for example, declared, "If nobody else is going to invent a dishwashing machine, I will." She presented her working dishwasher at the 1886 World's Fair. At first not a huge success; the₁₀ machine was used only by hotels and large restaurants. Household dishwashers did not become popular until the 1950s.

Historically, women have held a minority of patents. In early U.S. history, social and legal barriers often discouraged₁₁ women from patenting inventions. In Anderson and Cochran's time, women lacked the same legal rights as men, which compelled many women patented₁₂ their inventions under their husbands' or fathers' names. Although the true number of women inventors in history may not ever be known, it is evident that women like Mary Anderson and Josephine Cochran saw problems₁₃ and devised simple and imaginative solutions. It is unfortunate that the genius behind each of these innovations have not always been₁₄ rewarded or recognized, because these women helped to create the efficient world we take for granted today.₁₅

Inventions That Break Barriers

At the turn of the 20th century, Mary Anderson was a real-estate developer, rancher, and winemaker. We don't know her name today for any of these reasons, however. Instead, Anderson made history for⁴⁶ inventing automobile windshield wipersâa feat she accomplished in 1903, five years before Henry Ford even created the Model T. In 1902, while riding a trolley in New York City, she couldn't help noticing that the driver had to continually stop in order to wipe⁴⁷ snow and ice from the windshield. Anderson thought that there had to be a⁴⁸ better way.⁴⁸

However⁴⁹ she, devised a swinging arm with a rubber blade that swung back and forth, swishing rain and snow from the windshield surface. Anderson's model was different from todays models,⁵⁰ though, because it was hand-activated by a lever from inside the car. Similar devices had been attempted and tried⁵¹ in the past, but Anderson's was the first to work and the first to be successfully patented. Interestingly, she could not sell the rights to her invention. A Canadian company told her that drivers would find the movement of the arm⁵² too distracting. So even though Anderson's windshield wipers became standard in cars after 1915, her⁵³ invention did not make her much money.

Today, it is difficult for us to imagine driving without⁵⁴ windshield wipers.⁵⁴ In fact, women have been responsible for many practical inventions. Josephine Cochran, for example, declared, "If nobody else is going to invent a dishwashing machine, I will." She presented her working dishwasher at the 1886 World's Fair. At first not a huge success; the⁵⁵ machine was used only by hotels and large restaurants. Household dishwashers did not become popular until the 1950s.

Historically, women have held a minority of patents. In early U.S. history, social and legal barriers often discouraged⁵⁶ women from patenting inventions. In Anderson and Cochran's time, women lacked the same legal rights as men, which compelled many women patented⁵⁷ their inventions under their husbands' or fathers' names. Although the true number of women inventors in history may not ever be known, it is evident that women like Mary Anderson and Josephine Cochran saw problems⁵⁸ and devised simple and imaginative solutions. It is unfortunate that the genius behind each of these innovations have not always been⁵⁹ rewarded or recognized, because these women helped to create the efficient world we take for granted today.

English practice 24