📞 A2 Reading & History

The First Telephone Call and Saying Hello

Read about the first telephone call in 1876.

💡 How to use this lesson

👩‍🏫 For Teachers:

Use this 12-minute reading activity to read about the history of the telephone. Check answers together using the evidence boxes.

🧑‍🎓 For Learners:

Read the short article first and check the word meanings. Then answer the 8 questions step by step.

School Website Article Reading Time: ~2 mins

Article

How Phone Calls Began

A telephone is a machine for talking to a person who is far away. Alexander Graham Bell was a professor who worked on the telephone. The Library of Congress says a patent for the telephone was issued on 7 March 1876. It keeps Bell's notebooks. The Library of Congress also says that on 10 March 1876, Bell tested the telephone in his Boston laboratory. He spoke to his assistant, Watson, in the next room: "Mr. Watson - come here - I want to see you." Watson heard and understood. In 1877, Thomas Edison suggested "Hello" for answering calls. The Hagley Museum and Library says Bell suggested "Ahoy, ahoy".

A detailed vintage 1876 telephone machine made of wood and brass on a wooden laboratory desk in Boston, historical sketc

Bell tested the telephone in his laboratory in Boston

📖 Word Helps (Vocabulary)

telephone: a machine for talking to a person who is far away.

patent: an official paper for a new invention.

professor: a university teacher.

assistant: a person who helps someone with their work.

suggest: to give an idea or word for people to use.

💬 Useful Phone Pattern

Everyday Use

Here is a common phrase people use when answering a home phone call:

"Hold on, please, I will get my mother."

Tip: Use "Hold on, please" when you ask the caller to wait for a moment.

✏️ Interactive Exercises (Questions 1 to 8)

Answer the questions below. Explanations will show your answer, evidence, and why it works.

Question 1 • True / False

A telephone helps people talk to someone who is far away.

____ True ____ False

Question 2 • True / False

Alexander Graham Bell was a professor.

____ True ____ False

Question 3 • Multiple Choice

When was the patent for the telephone issued according to the Library of Congress?

____ a. 7 March 1876 ____ b. 10 March 1876 ____ c. In 1877

Question 4 • Multiple Choice

Where was Watson when Bell spoke to him through the telephone?

____ a. In another city ____ b. In the next room ____ c. Outside the building

Question 5 • Matching

Match each sentence part to complete the exact words Bell wrote in his notebook on 10 March 1876:

Sentence Part

"I want to see you"

"Mr. Watson"

"come here"

1. First phrase (Greeting):

____I want to see you ____Mr. Watson ____come here

2. Second phrase (Action):

____I want to see you ____Mr. Watson ____come here

3. Third phrase (Reason):

____I want to see you ____Mr. Watson ____come here

Question 6 • Multiple Choice

Who suggested the word 'Hello' for answering the telephone in 1877 according to the Hagley Museum and Library?

____ a. Alexander Graham Bell ____ b. Thomas Edison ____ c. Mr. Watson

Question 7 • Short Answer

What word did Alexander Graham Bell suggest for answering the phone?

Type the exact phrase mentioned in the article:

____ (Type answer here...)

Question 8 • Short Answer

In which city did Bell test the telephone in his laboratory?

City: ____ (city)

Reading: The First Telephone Call

The First Telephone Call and Saying Hello

💡 How to use this lesson

How Phone Calls Began

📖 Word Helps (Vocabulary)

💬 Useful Phone Pattern

✏️ Interactive Exercises (Questions 1 to 8)

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