The first traffic signal was invented by a railway signaling engineer. it was installed outside the houses of parliament in 1868. it resembled like any railway signal of the time, and was operated by gas. therefor , it exploded and killed a policeman, and the accident forbade further development until cars became common. recent traffic lights are an american invention. red-green means were installed in cleveland in 1914. three-colour signals, operated in hand from a tower in the focus of the street, were installed in new york in 1918. the early lights of this type to appear in britain were in london, on the junction between st.james’s streetand piccadilly, in 1925. automatic signals were installed in the year later.in the past, traffic lights were rare . in new york, some lights had a statue on top.in los angeles the lights did not just alter silently, but would ring bells to get up the sleeping motorists of the 1930s. these are gone and have been replaced by standard models which are universally adopted. ответьте на вопросы по тексту: 1. which of the following is not true? a) the first traffic signal was the cause of death of a british policeman. b) the first traffic signal was invented in the houses of parliament. c) the first traffic signal didn't look like the traffic lights of today. d) the first traffic signal was placed near the palace of westminster. true what are traffic lights? a) special signal controlling road traffic by colored lights. b) movement of cars along roads. c) an official controlling over the movement of cars. d) regulation of traffic with the help of colored lights. true 3. whom do we owe the traffic lights of the type now to? a) americans. b) members of parliament from westminster palace c) british. d) sleeping motorists. true 4. why was the changing of the traffic lights follow the bells in 1930s? a) to break the silence of los angeles at night. b) to wake the sleeping drivers. c) to replace the standard models of the time. d) to keep step with the time. true 5. the word junction means: a) a narrow country road. b) the main public road, main route. c) a paved way at the side of a street for people d) a place where roads meet or diverge. true