CBSE Class 10 English The Making of a Scientist Assignment

EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS

1. For his eighth grade project, Ebright tried to find the cause of a viral disease that kills nearly all monarch caterpillars every few years. Ebright thought the disease might be carried by a beetle. He tried raising caterpillars in the presence of beetles. “I didn’t get any real results,” he said. “But I went ahead and showed that I had tried the experiment. This time I won.” The next year his science fair project was testing the theory that viceroy butterflies copy monarchs. The theory was that viceroys look like monarchs because monarchs don’t taste good to birds. Viceroys, on the other hand, do taste good to birds, so the more they look like monarchs, the less likely they are to become a bird’s dinner.

Question. Why do birds ignore monarch butterflies?
(a) Monarch butterflies look like viceroy butterflies.
(b) Birds are scared of monarch butterflies.
(c) Birds don’t like the taste of monarch butterflies
(d) All are correct.
Answer. C

Question. Below you can find pictures of monarch, viceroy, Brush-footed and snout butterflies. Looking at the pictures try to identify the monarch butterfly.

(a) a or b
(b) b
(c) a or c
(d) d or c
Answer. C

Question. Which of the following statements is not true?
(a) Ebright’s topic in the science fair was to prove that viceroy butterflies copy monarch butterflies
(b) Monarch butterflies are less likely to become a bird’s dinner.
(c) Viceroy butterflies tasted good to birds.
(d) A virus killed monarch caterpillars every few years.
Answer. A

Question. Ebright didn’t get any real result to prove that _____________
(a) Viceroy butterflies copy monarchs
(b) The disease that killed monarch caterpillars was carried by beetles.
(c) Caterpillars can be raised in the presence of beetles.
(d) Monarchs don’t taste good to birds.
Answer. B

Question. The topic for Ebright’s eighth grade project was
(a) To prove that the death of monarch caterpillars is due to a beetle.
(b) Birds did not eat viceroy butterflies due to the presence of a hormone in its body.
(c) Viceroys look like monarchs because monarchs don’t taste good to birds.
(d) To find the cause of a viral disease that affected monarch caterpillars.
Answer. D

2. “Richard would always give that extra effort,” Mr. Weiherer said. “What pleased me was, here was the person who put in three or four hours at night doing debate research besides doing all his research with butterflies and his other interests.
“Richard was competitive,” Mr. Weiherer continued, “but not in a bad sense.” He explained, “Richard wasn’t interested in winning for winning’s sake or winning to get a prize. Rather, he was winning because he wanted to do the best job he could. For the right reasons, he wants to be the best.

Question. “Richard was competitive, but in the right way” This statement suggests that
(a) Richard was always ready to put in a lot of effort to become successful.
(b) Richard’s success is the result of all his hard work.
(c) Richard always wanted to be successful and was ready to work hard for it.
(d) Richard never allowed others to be successful.
Answer. C

Question. Which of the following statement is not true?
(a) Richard was always ready to put in that extra effort to whatever he did.
(b) Richard was competitive.
(c) He always wanted to do the best job he could.
(d) Richard always made sure that he received prize for all the competitions.
Answer. D

Question. What pleased Mr. Weiherer?
(a) Richard was highly competitive.
(b) Richard would always put in that extra effort
(c) Richard would spend hours at night doing debate research besides his research with butterflies.
(d) He always wanted to do the best.
Answer. C

Question. Assertion: Richard wasn’t interested in winning for winning’s sake
Reason: He wanted to do the best job he could.
(a) A is true; R is false
(b) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(c) A and R are False.
(d) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
Answer. B

Question. Which word can substitute the word ‘pleased’ in the extract?
(a) Delighted
(b) Wrapped
(c) Entertained
(d) Agreed
Answer. A

3. Then in the seventh grade he got a hint of what real science is when he entered a county science fair – and lost. “It was really a sad feeling to sit there and not get anything while everybody else had won something,” Ebright said. His entry was slides of frog tissues, which he showed under a microscope. He realized the winners had tried to do real experiments, not simply make a neat display.
Already the competitive spirit that drives Richard Ebright was appearing. “I knew that for the next year’s fair I would have to do a real experiment, “he said. “The subject I knew most about was the insect work I’d been doing in the past several years.”

Question. What was Ebright’s entry in the county science fair?
(a) He did not present anything.
(b) A work on insects.
(c) Slides of frog tissues.
(d) Monarch butterflies.
Answer. C

Question. Which of the following is not true according to the given extract?
(a) Richard won the County science fair.
(b) He competed in the county science fair when he was in the seventh grade.
(c) Richard was the only person who did not get any prize in the fair.
(d) Richard did not do any real experiment in the science fair.
Answer. A

Question. Assertion: Richard did not win the county science fair.
Reason: He made a neat display of frog tissues
(a) A is true; R is false
(b) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(c) A and R are False.
(d) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
Answer. B

Question. What led him to the realisation of real science?
(a) His losing the county science fair
(b) His realization of the reason behind losing the fair
(c) His realization that frog tissues should not be used in science fairs
(d) None of the above
Answer. B

Question. Which word aptly substitutes ‘display’ in the passage?
(a) Show
(b) Presentation
(c) Demonstration
(d) Exhibit
Answer. D

4. The above graph shows the kind and number of butterflies collected by Richard Ebright. Observe the graph carefully and answer the following questions.

Question. How many kinds of butterflies were caught by Richard?
(a) 5
(b) 6
(c) 7
(d) 8
Answer. D

Question. Which butterfly did he collect the most?
(a) Gossamer-winged
(b) Wood nymphs
(c) Brush footed
(d) Monarch
Answer. C

Question. How many Gossamer-Winged butterflies did he collect in 6 weeks?
(a) 5
(b) 7
(c) 8
(d) Data not available
Answer. C

Question. The least number of butterflies collected were of which type?
(a) Satyrs and wood nymphs
(b) Monarch
(c) Snout
(d) Both b and c
Answer. D

Question. After 6 weeks how many butterflies were there in his collection?
(a) 25
(b) 20
(c) 22
(d) 21
Answer. A

5. In his senior year, he went a step further. He grew cells from a monarch’s wing in a culture and showed that the cells would divide and develop into normal butterfly wing scales only if they were fed the hormone from their gold spots. That project won first place for Zoology at the international fair. He spent the summer after graduation doing further work at the army laboratory and at the laboratory of the US department of Agriculture.
The following summer, after his freshman year at Harvard University, Ebright went back to the laboratory of the department of Agriculture and did more work on the hormone from the gold spots. Using the laboratory’s sophisticated instruments, he was able to identify the hormone’s chemical structure.

Question. What did Ebright discover in his senior year of school?
(a) The cells would divide and develop into normal butterfly.
(b) The cells would divide and develop into normal butterfly wing scale
( c) The cells would divide and develop into normal butterfly wig scales only if fed the hormone from their gold spot.
(d) None of the above
Answer. C

Question. Which project won first place for Zoology at the international fair?
(a) The project which showed the importance of hormone present in the gold spot for the development of the butterfly.
(b) the project that focused on the division of cells.
(c) The project showing the growth of a butterfly
(d) the project which showed the growth of monarch butterflies.
Answer. A

Question. Where did Richard join after completing his graduation?
(a) Oxford University
(b) Harvard University
(c) Cambridge University
(d) London University of Research
Answer. B

Question. What does the word ’freshman’ mean?
(a) a student in his first year at college.
(b) a student lost in a strange town.
(c) a student who has won several prizes
(d) a student with huge fan followers.
Answer. A

Question. Find another term for ‘advanced’ from the passage.
(a) structure
(b) fair
(c) project
(d) sophisticated
Answer. D

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Question. What rare achievement did Richard manage at the age of twenty two?
Answer. Richard wrote an article with his friend about a theory on how cells work. The article was published in the scientific journal, ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Science’. It was the first time this important scientific journal had ever published the work of college students.

Question. Why did viceroy butterflies copy monarchs?
Answer. Monarchs did not taste good to birds. Viceroys, on the other hand, did taste good to birds. So, the more they look like Monarchs, the less likely they are to become a bird’s dinner. So the viceroy butterflies copied monarchs.

Question. What was the common belief about the twelve tiny gold spots on a Monarch pupa? What is its actual purpose?
Answer. The twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa were believed to be just ornamental. The actual purpose of these tiny gold spots is to produce a hormone necessary for the butterfly’s full development.

Question. What lesson did Ebright learn when he did not win anything at a science fair?
Answer. Ebright learnt that just a neat display is not a scientific achievement. To win at a science fair, he'll have to do real experiments.

Question. What experiments and projects did Ebright undertake as a school student?
Answer. Ebright tried to find the cause of a viral disease that kills nearly all monarch caterpillars every few years. After that he worked on the theory that viceroy butterflies copy monarchs. In his second year in high school Ebright began the research that led to his discovery of an unknown insect hormone. Indirectly, it also led to his new theory on the life of cells.

Question. What other interests, besides Science, did Richard Ebright pursue? What opinion did Mr. Weiherer, his social studies teacher, have about Ebright?
Answer. Other than Science, Richard Ebright was interested in collecting rocks, coins and fossils and was also interested in star-gazing and astronomy. He was also a good debater, canoeist and expert photographer. Mr. Weiherer felt that Richard was not only interested in his experiments but also kept his mind open for other things and put in that extra effort to attain success.

Question. What are the essential qualities of becoming a scientist according to Ebright’s teacher?
Answer. According to Ebright’s teacher, the essential qualities of becoming a scientist are to have a first rate mind, and have a lot of curiosity. Along with that, the person should have the zeal to excel and the wish to become the best.

Question. Mention any two of Ebright’s contributions to the world of science.
Answer. Ebright discovered a hormone that was necessary for the growth of a butterfly. His other important contribution proved to be his study of how cells read their DNA.

Question. Who was Richard A. Weiherer? How did he help Richard Ebright?
Answer. Richard A. Weiherer was Richard Ebright’s social studies teacher and adviser to the debating and Model United Nations Club. He helped Ebright a lot by helping him open his mind to new ideas.

Question. How can Ebright’s theory of cell life be a revolution in the medical field if it is proved right?
Answer. Ebright identified the chemical structure of the gold spot hormone and found that cells can read the blueprints of its DNA. To further test his theory, he began doing experiments. If it proves correct it will be a big leap towards understanding the process of life. It might lead to new ideas for preventing certain types of cancer and diseases. (3 marks)

Question. How did a book become a turning point in Richard Ebright’s life?
Answer. The butterfly collection was a hobby for Richard Ebright. He had gathered all twenty-five species of butterflies found in his hometown by the time he was in second grade. His butterfly collection would have come to an end at this point if his mother hadn’t bought him a book called "The Travels of Monarch X". This book informed him of the monarch butterfly's migration to Central America. This book piqued his interest in Monarch butterflies while also introducing him to the realm of science. This proved to be a watershed moment in Richard Ebright's life. He started raising Monarch butterflies in his basement and studying them at various stages of life.

Question. What were the factors which contributed in making Ebright a scientist?
Answer. Richard Ebright has some innate character traits that are the pre-requisites for the making of a scientist. He had, besides an intelligent mind, the curiosity to seek information, keen observing powers, perseverance, patience as well as self-discipline, which are the basic requirements for any scientific research. And the credit also goes to his mother for recognizing his inclinations and curiosity. She not only encouraged and supported him, but also provided the required stimulus through books and other materials. 

Question. How did Richard’s mother help him to become a scientist?
Answer. Richard’s mother was a vigilant parent who keenly observed her child, identified his interests and inclinations and channelized his energies in the right direction. She very deftly kept him occupied with learning activities which was a constructive use of the leisure time. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials and other equipment. She bought him books to kindle his curiosity and thus provided the impetus towards scientific interests. She thereby played a significant role in ‘the Making of a Scientist’.

Question. When and how did Richard Ebright get a hint of what real science is?
Answer. Richard Ebright was in the seventh grade when he got a hint of what real science was. Actually, he entered a county science fair — and lost. He didn’t get anything while everybody else had won. It was a very sad feeling for young Ebright. His entry was slides of frog tissues. He showed them under a microscope. He realised that the winners had tried to do real experiments. On the other hand, he failed because he simply made a neat display.

Question. What lesson did Richard Ebright learn when he didn’t win anything at the County Science Fair?
Answer. Richard Ebright was in the seventh grade when he sent his first project in the County Science Fair. Everybody else had won something. But he returned empty-handed. It was really a sad experience for him. But his loss taught him an important lesson in life. He realised that to be a winner he would have to do real experiments. His project of merely showing slides of frog tissues under a microscope didn’t click. He should have done real experiments and that is what real science is all about.

Question. How did Ebright’s house’s basement become home to thousands of monarch butterflies?
Answer. At the end of the book, ‘The Travels of Monarch X’, the readers were invited to help study butterfly migrations. Ebright, who found interest in this, decided to work on it. He realised that it was not possible to chase the butterflies one by one. So he decided to raise a flock of butterflies in the basement of his house. He caught a female monarch, took her eggs and raised them. Then he tagged the butterflies and let them go. Thus for several years his basement was home to monarchs in different stages of development.

Question. What are the qualities that go into the making of a scientist?
Answer. A sharp mind, curiosity, and the will to succeed for the right reasons, according to the author, are three qualities that go into being a scientist. Richard Ebright was an exceptionally bright student. He was a skilled debater, public speaker, canoeist, and photographer, among other things. He was always willing to go above and above. He was fiercely competitive but in a good manner. From the outset, he had a keen interest and a smart mind, and it was this curiosity that led him to his cell-life idea.

Question. What other interests besides Science, did Richard Ebright pursue? What opinion did Mr. Weiherer, his social studies teacher, have about Ebright?
Answer. Other than Science, Richard Ebright was interested in collecting rocks, coins and fossils and was also interested in star gazing and astronomy. He was also a good debater, canoeist and expert photographer. Mr Weiherer felt that Richard not only was interested in experiments but also kept his mind open for other things and put in that extra effort to attain success.

Question. Which project of Ebright won first prize in the county science fair?
Answer. Ebright didn’t win anything at his first science fair, thereby realizing that actual experiments alone worked. Later, he started winning prizes. Ebright with his scientist friend first built a device that showed that the tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa were producing a hormone necessary for the butterfly’s full development. This project won the first prize in the county science fair and third prize in zoology in the international science fair.

Question. Why and where did Richard Ebright send the tagged butterflies?
Answer. At the end of the book, ‘The Travels of Monarch X’, readers were invited to help study monarch butterflies’ migration. They were asked to tag butterflies for research by Dr.Urquhart. Soon, Richard Ebright was attaching light adhesive tags to the wings of monarch butterflies. He used to send them to Dr. Urquhart for his research work.

Question. Why did Richard Ebright give up tagging butterflies?
Answer. Richard Ebright lost interest in tagging butterflies as it was tedious and there was not much feedback. He could recapture only two butterflies in all the time he did it and they were not more than seventy-five miles away from where he lived.

Question. What are the ingredients in the making of a scientist?
Answer. The author gave examples from Richard Ebright‘s life to show the ingredients to make a scientist. Start with a first-rate mind, add curiosity, and mix in the will to win for the right reasons.

Question. What was the common belief about the twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa? What is the actualpurpose of these tiny gold spots?
Answer. These twelve tiny gold spots were believed to be ornamental only. The actual purpose of these tiny gold spots is to produce a hormone necessary for the butterfly‘s full development.

Question. But there was one thing I could do-collect things‖. What collection did Ebright make? When did he startmaking collection?
Answer. Ebright began collecting butterflies, rocks, fossils and coins. He began as early as when he was in kindergarten. He collected with same determination that had marked all his activities.

Question.  What other interests besides science did Richard Ebright pursue?
Answer. Richard Ebright was a champion debater and public speaker. He was a good canoeist and all-around outdoor person. He was also an expert photographer, particularly of natural and scientific exhibits.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

Question. “Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”- Elucidate with reference to Richard Ebright's experience of being motivated to become a real scientist on not winning anything at the Science Fair. OR How did Ebright’s not winning anything at the Science fair motivate him to become a bright scientist? OR
‘Failure is the stepping stone to success.’ Elucidate with reference to Richard Ebright.
Answer. Failure is something which is dreaded by every one of us. We try to avoid it with all our might. But the simple truth is, no great success was ever achieved without failure. It may be one epic failure or a series of failures. But, whether we like it or not, failure is a necessary stepping stone to achieving our dreams. This can be well elucidated with the example of Richard Ebright- the scientist in the lesson" The Making of a Scientist". When Ebright was in the seventh grade, he participated in a county science fair. His entry was slides of frog tissues, shown under a microscope. He lost the competition. He felt really sad when he just sat there and others won many prizes. That was the time of motivation. A sense of real Science entered him and he realised that winners had to try to do real experiments and not just a simple neat display. The competitive spirit started entering him and he thought of conducting experiments. Next year his experiment on Viceroy’s copying Monarchs came first in the zoology division and overall third. The year after that he found out an unknown insect hormone which led him to his new theory on the life of cells. Ebright’s story, demonstrates that defeat is the stepping stone of success. Not winning anything at the science fair encouraged him greatly to conduct real experiments which molded him into a full blown scientist.

Question. ‘The development of a child is guaranteed in his curiosity to discover the cause behind each and every incident. "How do you think this quality helped Richard Ebright to become a grea t scientist? OR
Richard Ebright was a curious child, observing the phenomena around him keenly and these traits contributed to his evolution into a scientist. Do you think such qualities should be encouraged in children?
Answer. Richard had a driving curiosity and bright mind right from his childhood. He used to observe and collect butterflies of every species. He once displayed a slide of frog tissues under a microscope as his experiment in a Science County Fair. . He lost in that competition. After that he realised that only true experiments help one in succeeding. He was an exceptional child with rare qualities of intelligent observation and keen interest in the nature of things. The traits of his successful career were nurtured and honed during his childhood itself. These qualities are definitely desirable in every child and curiosity should never be curbed or discouraged. Curiosity in children is an appetite for knowledge. One reason why children abandon themselves to silly things and trifle away their life insipidly is because they find their curiosity balked and their inquiries neglected. Providing logical answers to the queries goes a long way to develop a scientific way of thinking and problem solving. Children learn to analyse the things and come to logical conclusions and this is indeed the correct learning procedure. The learning environment must reflect a classroom and outer space that inspire a sense of wanting to investigate, to find out and to explore.

Question. Richard’s mother had a great influence on him. Discuss. Or
Discuss the role of Ebright’s mother in making him a scientist.
Answer. Mother's love is the fuel that enables the normal man to do the impossible. The role of Richard’s mother in molding him into a great scientist is immense. She was a single parent and had her entire focus upon Richard. She was his only friend until he started school. At night they just did things together. She and her son spent almost every evening at the dining room table. If he didn’t have things to do, she found work for him — not physical work, but learning things. He enjoyed doing them. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials, and other equipment and helped him in many other ways. She was his only companion for a long time. It was his mother who got him the book The Travels of Monarch X. This book opened the world of science for Richard. She also wrote to Dr. Urquhart to guide her son. The scientist helped Richard and guided him. Thus, his mother actually shaped him into an extraordinary scientist.

Question. Richard Ebright displayed a well-rounded personality. Do you agree? Elucidate in the context of the given text.
Answer. Richard’s genius was obvious by the time he was in his second grade. He managed to collect all twenty-five species of butterflies around his hometown and classify them. He also loved to collect coins, fossils and rocks. Science was not his only passion. He was an active member of his schools oratory club and model United Nations club and was an effective debater and a public speaker. He loved photography as well. He was an enthusiastic canoeist and an all-around outdoors person. Learning was easy for him. So he found it simple to devote time and energy to many other interests. He became a champion in whatever he did. He believed in the spirit of competition to win. But, he did not wish to defeat others just to win. He wanted to win to do his best. Thus, he displayed a well-founded personality.

Question. Ebright’s study of monarch pupas had a far reaching impact. Elaborate.
Answer. For a long time the scientific community had regarded the bright spots on a monarch pupa as purely ornamental. But Dr. Urquhart did not believe it. Nor did Richard. He started his experiments on the monarch pupa. He built a device with the help of a friend. This led to the discovery of a hormone. Richard proved that the hormone was necessary for the growth of the butterfly. This discovery got him many honors. Also, it led to another important study. He began working on how cells read their DNA. DNA is the carrier of heredity and is called the blueprint of life. His theory could find answers to the cure of many types of cancers and diseases.

Question. Besides curiosity a number of other values are required to become a successful scientist. Explain withreference to the chapter,.The Making of a Scientist‘.
Answer. From very young age Richard Ebright was competitive and put in extra effort with curiosity for the right reason to win. But his mother was always very dedicated and made his spirits rise high. He did not lose heart even after losing when he was in seventh grade. To him people around were very encouraging. His mother‘s encouragement was really an eye-opener. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials and other equipment. Thus, constant support of each other opened a new world. This helps us to conclude that hard work, parental guidance and keen observation are the qualities which help one to excel.

Question. Ebright‘s mother played a pivotal role in enabling him to become a successful scientist. This is true for most of our lives. Our parents help us a lot in our education. Their guidance is very important in what webecome in later life. Based on your reading of the story how did Ebright‘s mother help him in becoming a scientist?
Answer. Parents play a pivotal role in determining not just our behaviour but also our future in most cases. They are the ones who teach us wrong from right. For most of us, parents are our role models. Ebright‘s mother supported her son in becoming a scientist. She gave him an intensive training. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials and other equipments. She used to keep her son busy. If she found him sitting idle, she would find work for him-not physical work, but learning things. His mother was very supportive. She wrote to Dr Urquhart also so that her son could be busy in research activity. She helped her son a lot. She inspired him to explore new things and instilled a sense of discovery into her child.

Question. To participate in the competition is more necessary than to win a prize. Explain this statement in the light of Ebright‘s participation at the country science fair.
Answer. We know very well to win is a human nature. Everyone wants to get a winning place everywhere. Our life is full of different competitions at different levels. In these, competitions every one of us wants to become a winner. But it is always not possible. When we enter any competition, we feel a great zeal. We try our best to get the top position there. But if we don‘t get or achieve our goal, we feel disappointed. Great thinkers have said that participation is more important than winning. The same is proved in Ebright success. Richards Ebright participated in the country science fair, but he lost. There he showed slides of frog tissues. He realised that he should have done some real experiments to be a winner. If he did not participate in that competition, the result might have been different.