Genius at Work

Henry Ford¹ didn’t always pay attention in school.

One day, he and a friend took a watch apart. Angry and upset, the teacher told him both to stay after school. Their punishment was to stay until they had fixed² the watch. But the teacher did not know young ford’s genius. In ten minutes, this mechanical wizard had repaired the watch and was on this way home.

Ford was always interested in how things worked. He once plugged up the spout³（喷口） of a teapot and placed it on the fire. Then he waited to see what would happen. The water boiled and, of course, turned to steam. Since the steam had no way to escape, the teapot exploded. The explosion cracked a mirror and broke a window. The young inventor was badly scalded（烫伤） .

Ford’s year of curiosity and tinkering paid off. He dreamed of a horseless carriage. When he built one, the world of transportation was changed forever.