Many people think of computers (1) ________ very modern inventions, products of our technological (2) ________. But actually the idea for a computer was worked out over two centuries ago by a man (3) ________ Charles Babbage.
Babbage was born in 1791 and grew up to be a brilliant mathematician. He drew up plans for several calculating machines(4) ________ he called "engines". But (5) ________ the fact that he started building some of these, he never finished (6) ________ of them. Over the years people have argued (7) ________ his machines would ever work. Recently, however, the Science Museum in London has finished building an engine based (8) ________ one of Babbage's designs. It has(9) ________ six years to complete and more than four thousand parts have been specially made. Whether it works or not, the machine will be on show at a special exhibition in the Science Museum to(10) ________ people of Babbage's work.