Direction: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

A remarkable feature of Edison’s inventions is their basic simplicity. There were innumerable scientists possessing deep knowledge of electricity, chemistry, etc., but it was this unschooled genius who succeeded where they failed. What were his unique qualities? Firstly, he had an uncanny ability to judge the practical use of any scientific fact. Secondly, he was blessed with patience and perseverance. He would try out countless ideas until he found the right one. The third was his businesses acumen, which enabled him to earn the large sums of money necessary to conduct experimental work.

Edison’s enthusiasm for work and optimistic attitude ensured a long and productive life. Only after crossing the age of seventy-five did he start slowing down. During his final illness, his curiosity about his condition, medicines, and treatment, made the doctors think that possibly he was taking this too seriously just as one of his scientific investigations! He passed away on 18 October 1931, at the ripe old age of eighty-four.

During his lifetime itself, Edison became one of the most famous men in the world. Honours were showered on him. Among them was the congressional gold medal in 1928 for his contributions to human welfare. In 1960, he was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame for Great Americans at New York University. But the tribute that was most eloquent was quite unintended. The authorities contemplated switching off the power supply in New York, the scene of his triumph in 1882, for two minutes as a mark of respect on his death. But 1931 was not 1882. Since normal life would have come to a standstill by the two-minute power cut off, the idea was given up. There could be no greater tribute to the man than this negative tribute!