CBSE Class 10 English The Making of a Scientist Important Questions Set 04

Long Answer Questions

Question 1. How did Richard Ebright’s not winning anything at his first County Science Fair motivate him to become a great scientist? What lessons did he learn from his failure there?
Answer: Richard Ebright had started the work of butterflies and insects from a very early age. His main work was based on butterflies, particularly monarch butterflies. By the time he was in the second grade, he had collected all twenty-five species of butterflies found around his hometown. But he learnt the lesson of his life when he was in the seventh grade. He got a hint of what real science was. He entered the County Science Fair with a project. His project was slides of frog tissues, which he showed under a microscope. In the fair, he failed miserably. He didn’t get anything while everybody else had won something. It was really a very sad feeling for him. From his first county science fair, Ebright came to know what real science was. He also learnt a lesson of knowing what made a winner. He realised his mistakes. He had only made a neat display of frog tissues under a microscope. He realised that winners had tried real experiments. From then onwards, he looked to Dr Urquhart for new ideas and suggestions. Dr Urquhart gave him number of suggestions for experiments. Continuous research and experimentations won him great honours and prizes locally as well as internationally.

Question 2. How did The Travels of Monarch X open the world of science to Richard Ebright? Elaborate.
Answer: True — The Travels of Monarch X—changed — course of Ebright’s life — told how monarch butterflies migrated to Central America — Richard Ebright — a passionate and eager collector — in the second grade — had collected all twenty-five species of butterflies — found around his hometown — not got The Travels of Monarch X, Richard Ebright’s butterfly collecting — ended — book — a children’s book — gifted to him by his mother — readers — invited to help study butterfly migrations — asked to tag butterflies — research to Dr Urquhart — Ebright — sending — tagged butterflies to Dr Urquhart of the University of Toronto, Canada — Ebright — raising a flock of butterflies — his basement — several years his basement — home to thousands of monarch butterflies — different stages of development. Dr Urquhart — a dominating influence — Richard Ebright’s life — elaborate experiments on monarch butterflies — Ebright — succeeded in proving — viceroy butterflies copy monarch butterflies — avoid being eaten by birds — showed how DNA controls heredity — the blueprint for life.

Question 3. What other interests, besides science did Richard Ebright pursue? Why did Ebright respect and praise his Social Studies teacher so much?
Answer: Richard Ebright — a scientist — interested in science — first began — butterflies —found time for other interests — a man of many parts – a multifaceted genius —collect butterflies — also took deep interest in other activities — collected rocks, fossils, and coins — an eager astronomer — indulge in star-gazing — became a champion debater —public speaker — this field — Social Studies teacher — Ebright’s tremendous energy — the Debating and Model United Nations Clubs — a good canoeist and all-round outdoors-person — also an expert photographer — excelled in nature and scientific exhibits — enjoyed all pleasures, adventures, hobbies and entertainments that a happy and civilised living provided to him. 

Question 4. Ebright had nothing interesting to do in his hometown. His mother kept him busy with new books and equipment. Imagine yourself as the writer of the story “The Making of a Scientist” and develop a conversation between Ebright and his mother when Ebright gets bored.
Answer: Ebright: Mom..I have nothing to do. This town is devoid of interesting things!
Ebright’s mother: Why, Richie? Don’t you have to collect colourful butterflies and rock fossils tomorrow? Also, I will buy you a new books on butterflies by Dr. Urquhart. I have heard they are extremely good.
Ebright: Oh great! I can also click pictures of the natural objects. I need a telescope for gazing at the stars at night. Can you buy me one, mom?
Ebright’s mother: Sure, Richie. You also need to finish up your school project at the earliest. I will help you with that. Your friends might come over the weekend to stay with you.
Ebright: Thanks mom!

Question 5. Imagine Richard wrote a letter to his mother when he was studying at Harvard University to motivate him and be a constant source of support throughout his growing up years. Write that letter of gratitude as Richard. You may begin like this: Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 20 September 1981 Dear Mom It's been long since I've written to you...
Answer: Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts
20 September 1981
Dear Mom,
It's been a while since I last wrote to you, and I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for everything you have done for me. Throughout my life, you have been my biggest supporter and a constant source of motivation.
From my early days of collecting butterflies and exploring the world around me, you always encouraged my curiosity and provided me with the tools and resources for me to learn and grow. You were there during countless science fair projects and experiments, guiding me and cheering me on. Your love, dedication, and belief in me have shaped who I am today. As I pursue my studies here at Harvard, I carry your lessons and values with me. Thank you for always being there, Mom.
With love,
Richard

Question 6. Albert Einstein said, ‘The important thing is to never stop questioning.’ Richard was a genius who proved this quote true. Justify.
Answer: Richard Ebright was a brilliant student. He always had an urge to discover something new. Albert Einstein’s quote, ‘The important thing is to never stop questioning’ suits Ebright perfectly. Since childhood, Ebright has been a curious child. He used to read a lot of books and do research on several theories. When he lost the first time at the country science fair, he didn't stop trying. He learned that to win, he had to do a real experiment and not just a display. Then he asked Dr. Urquhart about the ideas to work on ‘insect to win the fair. Finally, he won first prize in his second attempt. Later, he worked on Monarch pupa's gold spots and how cells read their DNA. He didn't stop trying after failing at his attempt. He was a determined student who remained persistent.

Question 7. Read the following quote. “Mother is the first teacher of a child.” Justify the quote given above in light of the contribution of Richard Ebright’s mother in making him a scientist. (Delhi Gov. 2021)
Answer: The quote “Mother is the first teacher of a child.” is apt in reference to Ebright’s mother. When Ebright used to live in his hometown, he had nothing to do. Nonetheless, his mother always kept him busy by making him learn new things, buying him microscopes, telescopes, cameras and other useful equipment. She was his learning partner and would help him with his experiments. As Ebright used to collect butterflies since childhood, to keep his interest, his mother bought him a book on “The Travels of Monarch X’ that made Ebright learn more about butterflies and made him discover great things about them. Ebright’s mother turned him into a ‘scientist’ by continuously encouraging him to do things.

Question 8. “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.” Richard Ebright’s journey to become a scientist shows that Mr. Weiherer was right about him. Explain with the help of examples from the text. (Delhi Gov. 2021)
Answer: Mr. Weiherer was right about Richard Ebright when he said that Ebright “wants to win for the right reasons, he wants to be the best.” In the story, “The Making of a Scientist”, Ebright lost in the first county science fair that he participated in. However, after losing the prize, Ebright became determined to win it at all costs the next time. He wanted to win because he wanted to be the best of all. He wanted to prove his theory right. He was competitive in the right way. When he lost at the county fair, he didn’t get disheartened or angry. Rather, he learned that to win the prize, a real experiment is required, and not just a neat display. He took advantage of his learning, and the next time, he came first. He participated in several fairs and won several prizes to prove himself and his theories right.

Question 9. A character arc is the transformation or development of a character throughout a story and refers to the changes a character undergoes as a result of their experiences, challenges, and interactions with other characters. In the light of the above information, trace the character arc of Richard Ebright.
Answer: As a child, Richard Ebright was a curious collector of butterflies, rocks, fossils and coins. His mother encouraged his interest, and the book ‘The Travels of Monarch X’ turned his hobby into a scientific pursuit.
His first big setback came when he failed to win at the county science fair. He learnt that he needed real experiments, not neat displays. With Dr. Urquhart’s guidance, he worked on viceroy and monarch butterflies and later on the gold spots of the monarch pupa, discovering a new hormone.
By the end, Ebright has become a respected scientist who has proposed a new theory of how cells read their DNA. His arc shows a change from a curious boy to a determined and successful scientist.

Question 10. "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." - Nelson Mandela Richard was a genius who proved this quote true. Justify.
Answer: Nelson Mandela’s words fit Richard Ebright perfectly. As a boy, Ebright entered the county science fair with slides of frog tissues and won nothing. Instead of being discouraged, he realised that judges wanted real experiments, and he rose again.
The next year, he tested whether birds ate monarch butterflies and won a prize. He went on to study the gold spots on the monarch pupa, built a device to show that they produced a hormone and won top places at science fairs. Later, he proposed a new theory of how cells read their DNA. Each failure became a step towards greater success, proving that true glory lies in rising every time we fall.

Question 11. What kind of person was Richard Ebright? What role did his mother play in making him a scientist? (Delhi Com. 2013)
Answer: Richard Ebright displayed a well-rounded personality. As a kid, he was a genius in the making. He was not only good in studies, but was also an effective debater and a public speaker. He was a passionate collector; he loved to collect coins, fossils and rocks. Richard Ebright had a knack for photography; he was an enthusiastic canoeist and an all-round outdoors person. Learning came effortlessly to him. Therefore, he could easily devote time and energy to many other interests. He became a winner in whatever he did.
Richard Ebright believed in the spirit of competition. But he did not wish to defeat others just to win. He wanted to win by doing his best.
Richard’s mother played an important role in making him a scientist. She was a great source of encouragement to him. She bought him scientific equipment, cameras, etc. She took him on trips and prepared various learning activities for him to do. This helped him learn a lot. It was she who bought Richard the book ‘The Travels of Monarch X’, which opened the world of science for him.

Question 12. Describe the role of Ebright’s mother in making him a scientist. (Delhi 2012)
Answer: Richard Ebright’s father passed away when Richard was in third grade. Since then Richard grew close to his mother. He did not have many friends; he would spend most of his time doing various activities with his mother. Richard’s mother always encouraged his interest in learning. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials and other equipment and helped him in many other ways.
Richard Ebright had already collected all twenty-five species of butterflies found around his home town when he was still in second grade. Seeing his growing interest in butterflies, Richard’s mother got him a children’s book called ‘The Travels of Monarch X’. This particular book opened the world of science to him.

Question 13. How did a book become a turning point in Richard Ebright’s life? (AI 2012)
Answer: The book ‘The Travels of Monarch X’ was given to Richard by his mother and it opened the world of science for him. In the book, the readers were asked to tag butterflies for research by Dr. Urquhart. Ebright had to attach light adhesive tags to the wings of monarchs. After reading it, he became interested in tracking the migration of monarch butterflies. This interest led to his other projects and experiments. Richard came in contact with Dr. Urquhart, a scientist who influenced him greatly. Dr. Urquhart provided valuable guidance to Richard for his projects and also helped him in his future research. As a result, Richard started researching butterflies with renewed interest.

Question 14. How did Ebright use determination and perseverance to achieve his aim of becoming a scientist? (AI 2019)
Answer: Richard Ebright had always been a bright student. Even as a child he had a curious mind, the will to win for the right reasons and the qualities of a genius in the making. All this made him a true scientist.
When Richard was a young boy, he participated in the County Science Fair. He entered slides of frog tissues, which he displayed under the microscope. Although he did not win an award that year, he was determined to try again the next year by entering a real science experiment. Throughout high school, Richard Ebright kept on doing one scientific experiment after another to prove various theories revolving around butterflies. His curiosity, determination and perseverance led him to his most notable scientific discovery of an unknown insect hormone. It also led to his new theory on cell life.
Ebright, along with his friend, continued to research and experiment on the monarch pupa, which revealed that the twelve gold spots on the pupa produced hormones for the full development of the butterfly. He later went on to identify the hormone’s chemical structure, which led to his theory of how a cell reads the blueprint of its DNA, which controls heredity and determines the form and function of the cell. Needless to say, Richard Ebright used determination and perseverance throughout his life to achieve his aim of becoming a scientist.

Question 15. Give a brief character sketch of Ebright‘s mother. (Board Question)
Answer: Richard H. Ebright’s mother was an important driving force behind him who laid the foundation of his success . Ebright was her only child whom she affectionately called ‘Richie’. After her husband’s death, her son who was in third grade, was her whole life. She would encourage his interest in learning and would take him to trips, buy him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials, and other equipment. She was his only companion until he started school. After that, she would bring home his friends for him and at night be with him to do things together. She would spend almost every evening at the dining room table with her son ‘Richie’. When he did not have things to do, she would find work for him that would help him learn things. This support, guidance, care and concern of Ebright’s mother, helped the growth of a curious child into an accomplished scientist.

Question 16. Without the encouragement of his mother, Ebright would not have been the scientist he became. Discuss.
Answer: The support of parents has been one of the greatest strength in the lives of people who have achieved greatness in their fields of work. In the case of Ebright becoming a great scientist too, his mother contributed hugely. Ebright’s mother encouraged his interest in learning. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials and other equipment and helped him in many other ways. She would sit with him every night and help him learn new things by creating relevant work for him. She allowed his curiosity to learn to flourish. When his interest was beginning to wane, his mother got him a book called “The Travels of Monarch X.” That book opened the world of science to Ebright. Thus, without the encouragement of his mother, Ebright would not have reached the heights that he did.

Question 17. Richard Ebright had all the ingredients for the making of a scientist. Discuss.
Answer: Richard Ebright was bright and intelligent from childhood. Beginning in kindergarten, Ebright collected butterflies with the same determination that has marked all his activities. It is necessary for a scientist to be curious about the things around him, so that it may ignite a quest for further research and finding satisfactory answers to unanswered questions. He had a driving curiosity along with a bright mind. His competitive spirit led him to win many laurels at Science Fairs. The three most important qualities of a scientist are a first-rate mind, curiosity, and the will to win for the right reasons. A scientist has to be competitive but not in the bad way. All these qualities were there in Richard Ebright and so he was a great scientist.