Lamplighters Worksheet | Elementary ESL Reading PDF

Kifungu cha Kusoma

Long ago, before electric lights, cities used gas lamps to light their streets at night. These lamps could not turn on by themselves. Special workers called lamplighters had to light each lamp by hand every evening. This job was very important because dark streets were dangerous for people walking at night.

Lamplighters worked for the city. They helped everyone feel safe when the sun went down. Their job made it possible for people to walk on dark streets, shop in the evening, and feel protected from crime. Each lamplighter had their own route through the city. They knew exactly where every lamp was located and had to visit each one every single night.

The work was hard. Lamplighters carried a long pole with fire on the end. They walked many miles each evening to light all the lamps on their route. In the morning, they walked the same route again to put out all the fires. They also had to clean the glass around each lamp and fix broken parts. Rain, snow, or wind did not stop them from doing their job.

Being a lamplighter was a steady job that paid fair wages. People in the neighborhood respected lamplighters because they kept everyone safe. The job required workers to be very punctual – they had to light the lamps at exactly the right time each evening. Lamplighters also needed to be strong and healthy because they walked so much every day.

In the 1880s, Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb. Cities started putting electric lights on their streets instead of gas lamps. Electric lights could be turned on and off from far away, so lamplighters were no longer needed. By 1900, most cities had electric street lights. Today, you can still see old-style lamplighters in a few historic places like London and Charleston, but their job mostly disappeared long ago.

Kiwango: Kiwango cha C

A. Ulinganisho wa Msamiati

Linganisha kila neno na ufafanuzi wake.

B. Kweli au Si Kweli

Andika T (Kweli) au F (Si kweli) kwa kila kauli.

1. Lamplighters only worked on sunny days
2. Gas lamps could turn on by themselves
3. Lamplighters helped make streets safer at night
4. Each lamplighter had their own route through the city
5. The work was easy and did not require much walking
6. Lamplighters were respected by people in their neighborhoods
7. Electric lights were invented in the 1780s
8. Modern lamplighters still exist in some historic places
9. Lamplighters had to be punctual and light lamps at the right time

C. Jaza Nafasi Zilizoachwa Hapo

Word Bank: route, punctual, wages, steady, bulb, dangerous, invention

1. Each lamplighter followed the same _________ through the city every night.
2. Dark streets were _________ for people walking alone.
3. Edison’s light _________ changed how cities lit their streets.
4. Lamplighting was a _________ job that paid fair money.
5. Workers had to be very _________ and light lamps at exactly the right time.

D. Maswali ya Uelewa

1. Why did cities need lamplighters before electric lights?
2. What tools did lamplighters use to do their job?
3. How did lamplighters help make cities safer?
4. What happened to lamplighters after electric lights were invented?
5. Where can you still see lamplighters today?

E. Maswali ya Majadiliano

1. Would you like to have the job of a lamplighter? Why or why not?
2. What other old jobs do you know that people don’t do anymore?
3. How do you think cities would be different without electric street lights?

Ufunguo wa Jibu

A. Msamiati: 1-a, 2-b, 3-c, 4-d, 5-e, 6-f, 7-g, 8-saa, 9-i, 10-j

B. True or False: 1-F, 2-F, 3-T, 4-T, 5-F, 6-T, 7-F, 8-T, 9-T

C. Jaza Nafasi Zilizoachwa: 1-route, 2-dangerous, 3-bulb, 4-steady, 5-punctual