The first roller skates were made in 1760 by Joseph Merlim, a Belgium musician. He worked hard on his wonderful invention. People at a dance couldn’t believe it when Merlin arrived on his roller skates playing the volin.

Unfortunately his skates had no breaks so he couldn’t stop; he went straight across the dance floor and crashed into a large mirror. Both the mirror and the violin were broken, and Merlim was badly hurt. It was the last time anyone tried roller-skating for another hundred years.

(Something to Read – Cambridge University Press)

GLOSSARY:

unfortunately = infelizmente

go straight across = ir direto a / ao

crash = bater, colidir