Haryana State Board HBSE 10th Class English Solutions Footprints without Feet Chapter 6 The Making of a Scientist Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.
Haryana Board 10th Class English Solutions Footprints without Feet Chapter 6 The Making of a Scientist
HBSE 10th Class English The Making of a Scientist Textbook Questions and Answers
The Making Of A Scientist Important Questions HBSE
Read and Find Out (Page – 32)
1. How did a book become a turning point in Richard Ebright’s life?
Answer:
By the time Richard Ebright was in the second grade, he had collected all twenty-five species of butterflies found around his hometown. According to him, this would probably have been the end to his butterfly collecting. However, a book made him think otherwise. The book titled ‘The Travels of Monarch TC became a turning point in his life. The book was about how monarch butterflies migrated to Central America. This opened up the world of science to the eager young butterfly collector. At the end of the book, readers were invited to help study butterfly migrations. He actively participated in tagging butterflies to help in the research being conducted by Dr Frederick A. Urquhart. He went on to raise an entire flock of butterflies in the basement of his home. Thus, it can be said that the book had managed to keep his enthusiasm alive by making him aware of the never-ending possibilities in the world of science.
2. How did his mother help him?
Answer:
Richard Ebright’s mother helped him by encouraging his interest in learning. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials and other equipments, and helped him in many other ways. If he did not have anything to do, she found things for him to leam. Even the book that became a turning point in his life was given to him by his mother. Hence, it can be said that his mother played a crucial role in the making of the scientist.
Read and Find Out (Page – 34)
1. What lesson does Ebright learn when he does not win anything at a science fair?
Answer:
When Richard Ebright did not win anything at the science fair, he realized that the winners
had tried to conduct real experiments. He, on the other hand, had simply made a neat display. He had shown slides of frog tissues under a microscope. It was the first time that he got a hint of what real science was. This event served to develop the competitive spirit in him. Ultimately, it was this spirit of enthusiasm and competitiveness that drove him to achieve new heights in science.
The Making Of A Scientist Summary Class 10 HBSE
2. What experiments and projects does he then undertake?
Answer:
After losing out at the science fair, Richard Ebright undertook various experiments and projects. For his eighth grade project, he tried finding the cause of a viral disease that killed nearly all monarch caterpillars every few years. He tried raising caterpillars in the presence of beetles as he thought the disease might have been carried by a beetle. He did not get any results. However, he went ahead and showed that he had tried the experiment, and this time he won.
The next year, his science fair project was to test the theory that viceroy butterflies copied monarchs in order to prevent being eaten by birds. His project was to see whether birds would eat monarchs. He found that a starling would not eat ordinary bird food, but ate all the monarchs it could get. This project was placed first in the zoology division and third overall in the county science fair.
In his second year at high school, he did the research that led to the discovery of an unknown insect hormone. It also led to his new theory on the life of cells. He tried to find the purpose of the twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa. Along with another excellent science student, he built a device which showed that the spots were producing a hormone necessary for the butterfly’s full development. This project won the first place in the county fair and also an entry into the International Science and Engineering Fair, where it was adjudged the third best in zoology.
In his senior year, 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 the gold spots. That project won first place in zoology at the International Fair.
The summer after his freshman year at Harvard, Richard worked on the hormone secreted from the gold spots, and was able to identify the chemical structure of the hormone. During his junior year, he got the idea for his new theory on the life of cells. Along with his room¬- mate, James R. Wong, he worked on his theory and wrote a paper explaining the same.
HBSE 10th Class Chapter 6 The Making of a Scientist
3. What are the qualities that go into the making of a scientist?
Answer:
The author mentions three qualities that go into the making of a scientist, i. e., mind, curiosity, and the will to win for the right reasons. Richard Ebright was a very intelligent student. He was also a champion debater, a public speaker, a good canoeist and an expert photographer. He always gave that extra effort. He was competitive, but for the right reasons. From the first he had a driving curiosity along with a bright mind; and it was this curiosity that ultimately led him to his theory about cell life.
Chapter 6 The Making of a Scientist HBSE 10th Class
Think about It
1. How can one become a scientist, an economist, a historian… ? Does it simply involve reading many books on the subject? Does it involve observing, thinking and doing experiments?
Answer:
This question requires you to use your own perspective as well as your analytical skills. The answer to the question would vary from one person to another. It is suggested that you read the text carefully and try attempting it on your own.
2. You must have read about cells and DNA in your science books. Discuss Richard Ebright’s work in the light of what you have studied. If you get an opportunity to work like Richard Ebright on projects and experiments, which field would you like to work on and why?
Answer:
This question requires you to use your own perspective as well as your analytical skills. The answer to the question would vary from one person to another. It is suggested that you read the text carefully and try attempting it on your own.
Talk about It
1. Children everywhere wonder about the world around them. The questions they ask are the beginning of scientific inquiry. Given below are some questions that children in India have asked Professor Yash Pal and Dr Rahul Pal as reported in their book, Discovered Questions (NCERT, 2006).
(i) What is DNA fingerprinting? What are its uses?
(ii) HOW do honeybees identify their own honeycombs?
(iii) Why does rain fall in drops?
Can you answer these questions? You will find Professor Yash Pal’s and Dr Rahul Pal’s answers (as given in Discovered Questions) on page 75.
Answer:
(i) DNA fingerprinting is a method used to identify an individual from a sample of DNA
by looking at unique patterns in their DNA.
Uses of DNA fingerprinting:
- It is widely used to find out the real biological parent in paternity-maternity disputes.
- It is used to identify the real culprit involved in crimes, such as murder, rape etc.
- It is also used to find the original background and historical migration of a particular racial group.
- It is also used in gene therapy.
(ii) Honeybees have an incredible sense of direction and smell. They are guided by the queen pheromone which is unique to the hive. Bees smell their pheromone secreted by them on their own hive and identify their hive combs.
(iii) Water remains suspended in the clouds and when the force of gravity exceeds the force of updraft, it starts falling.
Because of surface tension of water, it forms spherical or round drops, as a sphere has the minimum surface area for a given volume.
2. You also must have wondered about certain things around you. Share these questions with your class, and try and answer them.
Answer:
Do it yourself.
HBSE 10th Class English The Making of a Scientist Important Questions and Answers
Very Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1.
Richard became a collector at an early age. How?
Answer:
Richard was the only child of his parents. He had no company at home to play with. So, he started collecting things in his spare time. He would collect coins, fossils, rocks and butterflies as a hobby.
Question 2.
Comment on the role played by Richard’s mother in his success.
Or
How did Ebright’s mother help him in becoming a scientist?
Answer:
Richard’s mother made his son the centre of her life. She would buy microscopes, telescopes and books for him. She arranged trips for him and would also prepare difficult tasks for him. This helped him to learn a lot.
Question 3.
How did ‘The Travels of Monarch X’ prove a turning point in his life?
Answer:
Richard was bored with collecting butterflies. At this time, his mother got the book ‘The Travels of Monarch X for him. After reading the book, he studied the migration of butterflies and it opened the world of science to him.
Question 4.
Which project did Richard undertake in the eighth grade?
Answer:
Richard undertook the project to find the cause of a viral fever that had killed thousands of butterflies. He thought that a beetle might carry the virus although he was not able to prove it.
Question 5.
Richard’s project on the purpose of the twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa was highly valuable in two ways. List the two ways.
Answer:
This project had a huge impact. First, he discovered a hormone that was necessary for the growth of the pupa. Secondly, he got a chance to work at a famous laboratory.
Question 6.
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 contributions proved to be his study of how cells read their DNA.
Question 7.
In addition to science, what were the other interests of Richard?
Answer:
In addition to science, Richard was a good debater and a public speaker as well as a canoeist and an all-around-outdoor person. He loved photography as well.
Question 8.
Hobbies play a very important role in one’s life. Elaborate this with reference to “The Making of a Scientist”.
Answer:
Richard Ebright started collecting butterflies as a hobby. This led him to research and discover many things. Hence, hobbies play an important role in one’s life.
Question 9.
What were the factors which contributed in making Ebright a scientist?
Answer:
Three qualities of Ebright which contributed in making him a scientist were; a first rate mind, a sense of curiosity and a will to win for the right reason.
Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1.
What rare achievement did Richard manage at the age of twenty-two?
Answer:
Richard had a rare honour at the age of twenty-two. He wrote an article with his friend about a theory of how cells work. The article was published in the scientific journal ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Science’. No one had this achievement at such a young age before him.
Question 2.
Why did Richard lose interest in tagging butterflies?
Answer:
Richard raised thousands of butterflies, tagged them and released them to study their migration. But soon, he lost interest because only two of his tagged butterflies returned to him and they had travelled only seventy-five miles.
Question 3.
Mr. Weiherer pays a glowing tribute to Richard. What did he say?
Answer:
Mr. Weiherer was Ebright’s social studies teacher. He praised him for his brilliant mind, his curiosity and a will to win for the right reason. He also admired Richard for his spirit to do his very best all the time.
Question 4.
Why do viceroy butterflies copy the monarch butterflies?
Answer:
Birds eat viceroy butterflies because they taste good to them, whereas monarch butterflies do not taste good to the birds. So the viceroys try to copy the monarchs to protect themselves from the birds.
Question 5.
Ebright’s basement became a home to thousands of monarch butterflies. How?
Answer:
Ebright’s basement became a home to thousands of monarch butterflies because he raised some of the butterflies in his basement. He catched a monarch butterfly, took her eggs and raised them. He also taggled the wings of butterflies and let them go.
Essay Type Questions
Question 1.
Richard’s mother had a great influence on him. Discuss.
Or
Discuss the role of Ebright’s mother in making him a scientist. [CBSE 2011]
Answer:
Richard’s mother played an important role in making him a great scientist. She would take him on trips to encourage learning. He was a single child. After the death of his father his mother made him the focus of her life. She would buy him all kinds of microscopes, telescopes and other equipment. After dinner, she gave him problems to solve. This helped Richard to learn a lot. She was his only companion for a long time. It was his mother who got him the book ‘The Travels of Monarch N. 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 2.
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 honours. 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 many cancers and diseases.
Question 3.
Richard Ebright displayed a well-rounded personality. Do you agree? Elucidate in the
context of the given text. [CB SE 2016]
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 school’s 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- rounded personality.
Question 4.
Dr Urquhart contributed significantly to Ebright’s growth as a scientist. Explain.
Answer:
Richard had become bored with collecting butterflies. His mother got him a book on the
migration of butterflies. Richard came in contact with Dr Urquhart through the book. Dr Urquhart directed him to study the migration pattern of butterflies.
When he did not win any prize in the science fair in seventh grade, he again wrote to Dr Urquhart to guide him. The scientist gave him many suggestions for new experiments. Richard performed these experiments throughout his high school and won many prizes. Later, he worked on why bright spots are found on a monarch pupa, motivated by Dr Urquhart. It led to the discovery of a new hormone. The discovery of this new hormone further led to an important theory. The theory was about how cells read their DNA. In this way Dr Urquhart proved to be his true mentor.
Question 5.
What are the values required to become a successful scientist like Richard Ebright? Elaborate with reference to the lesson ‘The Making of a Scientist’.
Answer:
Curiosity to know more and a motivation to find reasons for existence of anything or any phenomenon are necessary for becoming a successful scientist. The urge to know more develops the scientific aptitude in a person. At a very young age, Ebright became competitive by participating in various county fairs. He never lost hope and kept on trying to do better. In addition to curiosity and motivation, Ebright displayed the qualities of hard work, sincerity, determination and patience. He also accepted failure and success in the right spirit. Thus, he became a successful scientist.
Question 6.
What role did Ebright’s mother play in his life? Discuss it on the basis of the lesson.
Answer:
After the death of Ebright’s father, her mother played an instrumental role in his life. She also
stood behind him. Every evening they spent together at the dining table. She also developed
his interest in learning. She took him on trips, bought him microscopes, telescopes, cameras and other instruments. She worked as a bridge between her son and Urquhart. Ebright was mainly interested in collecting things. When he was in third, her mother gave him a children’s book called ‘The Travels of Monarch X. It aroused his curiosity in collecting butterflies. This way we can say that Ebright’s mother was a source of inspiration for him. Through her inspiration, he could become a great scientist.
The Making of a Scientist Summary
‘The Making of a Scientist’ Introduction
About the Author
• Robert W. Peterson (1925 – February 11,2006 Warren, Pennsylvania) was an American newspaper writer who later became a freelance author of magazine articles and books, mainly on the topics of sports and Scouting. His 1970 chronicle of Negro league baseball titled Only the Ball Was White was hailed by The New York Times as having “recaptured a lost era in baseball history and a rich facet of black life in America”.
• He was raised in Warren, Pennsylvania Peterson played baseball while attending Upsala College. He was a writer and editor with the old New York World-Telegram newspaper, which folded in 1966. Peterson died of lung cancer on February 11,2006, in Salisbury, Pennsylvania. At the time of his death, he was on a committee selecting Negro league players for the Hall of Fame.
• Peterson’s book, The Boy Scouts: An American Adventure, was written in 1984 on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Peterson also wrote numerous articles for Scouting magazine between 1970s -1990s, such as a tribute to William Hillcourt in 1985, acclaiming the influential BSA leader as “the foremost influence on development of the Boy Scouting program”. He subsequently wrote another article for Scouting magazine about Hillcourt in 2001. Among the articles Peterson penned for the BSA’s Scouting magazine was an account of Scouting activities in the Japanese-American internment camps during World War II.
Gist of the Story
Richard H. Ebright published the theory of how cells work in an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science at the age of twenty two.
Richard H. Ebright grew up in north of Reading in Pennsylvania. There he was not able to do anything. He was not able to play football or baseball too. But he collected things only.
In kindergarten, Ebright collected butterflies. He also collected rocks, fossils, and coins. He would observe sky at night too. His mother developed his interest in learning. She took him on trips, bought him telescope, microscope, cameras, mounting materials, and other materials required for learning. He lost his father when he was in third grade. Her mother always discussed with him every night and gave him mental exercise instead of physical exercise, which he wanted to learn. Ebright had also collected all twenty five species of butterflies found around his hometown.
Richard’s mother gave him a children’s book called “The Travels of Monarch A” which discussed how monarch butterflies migrate to Central America.
At the end of the book, readers were asked to tag butterflies for research by Dr. Frederick A. Urquhart of the University of Toronto, Canada. Anyone who found a tagged butterfly was asked to send the tag to Dr Urquhart.
Richard rose a flock of butterflies. Caught a female monarch, took her eggs, and raised them in his basement through their life cycle, from egg to caterpillar to pupa to adult butterfly. Then he would tag the butterflies’ wings and let them go. For several years, his basement was home to thousands of monarchs in different stages of development.
He got a hint of what real science is when he entered a county science fair. He lost there and said that that was a sad feeling to sit there and not to get anything while everybody else had won something. He realized that winners had tried to do real experiments.
Ebright also tried to find the cause of a viral disease that killed nearly all monarch caterpillars every few years. Ebright thought the disease might be carried by a beetle. So he rose caterpillars in the presence of beetles. But he didn’t get any real result. But he went ahead and showed that he had tried the experiment.
His science fair project also tested the theory that viceroy butterflies copy monarchs. 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. Ebright’s project was to see whether, in fact, birds would eat monarchs. He also found that a starling would not eat ordinary bird food. It would eat all the monarchs it could get. This project was placed first in the zoology division and overall third in the county science fair.
Richard Ebright also 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. The question he tried to answer was simple: What is the purpose of the twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa?
Ebright and other science students built a device that showed that the spots were producing a hormone necessary for the butterfly’s full development to find the answer.
This project won Ebright first place in the county fair and entry into the International Science and Engineering Fair. Richard Ebright continued his advanced experiments on the monarch pupa.
‘The Making of a Scientist’ Summary
Brief Introduction: In this lesson, the author has presented the views of a scientist on the scientific world with a new theory.
Article published in the magazine: Richard H. Ebright and his college roommate explained the theory in an article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science when he was barely twenty-two years of age. He excited the scientific world with a new theory on how cells work. His first experiment started with butterflies.
Fascination for collecting butterflies: Ebright did not play football or basketball. He had fascination only for collecting butterflies. He also collected rocks, fossils and coins.
Mother – a driving force: His mother was a driving force in his career. She also encouraged his interest in learning. She helped him in many ways. She provided him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials and also took him on trips. After the death of his father, he was the only ray of hope for her. Every evening at the dining room table she made him leam many things. When he was in the second grade, Ebright had collected twenty-five species of butterflies around his hometown.
The Travels of Monarch X: Ebright’s mother gave him the book The Travels of Monarch X which discussed how monarch butterflies migrate to central America. It also opened the world of science to the young collector. Readers were also invited to help them study butterfly migrations. They were asked to tag butterflies for research by Dr Frederick A. Urquhart of Toronto University. Ebright also attached light adhesive tags to the wings of monarchs. He also made an experiment on female monarch, took her eggs, raised them in his basement through their life cycle. The life cycle was like this:
egg → butterfly → pupa → adult butterfly
His basement was home to thousands of monarchs in different stages of development.
Finding the cause of viral disease: While in eighth grade, Ebright tried to find the cause of a viral disease which killed all monarch caterpillars every few years. According to him, the disease might be carried by a beetle. He was also testing the theory that viceroy butterflies copy monarchs. Ebright’s project was also placed first in the zoology division. In the county science fair, it also stood third.
Continuing his advanced experiments: Richard Ebright continued his advanced experiments on the monarch pupa when he was in his high school junior. He went ahead and grew cells from a monarch’s wing in a culture. It showed that the cells would divide and develop into normal butterfly wing scales only if they were fed the hormone from the gold spots. This project gave him first place for zoology at the International Fair.
Identifying hormone’s chemical structure: Through the sophisticated instruments of laboratory, Ebright identified the chemical structure of the hormone. He also got the idea for his new theory about cell life. He also knew how the cell can read the blueprint of its DNA, the substance in the nucleus of a cell that controls heredity. It also determines the form and function of the cell. DNA is also the blueprint for life.
Extra-curricular activities: Richard Ebright was also interested in other extra-curricular activities. He became a champion debater, public speaker, a good canoeist and an all-around outdoors-person. He had much fascination for photography particularly of nature and scientific exhibits. Richard A. Weiherer was the most important person for him. He opened his mind to new ideas.
Qualities of a scientist: Ebright had all the qualities which a scientist should have. He did not believe in the dictum.
Winning for winning’s sake: He just wanted to be the best. He had a scientific bent of mind. He never lost his scientific curiosity.
Lesson at a Glance
- Richard H. Ebright and his college roommate published the theory on how cells work in an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
- Ebright grew up in the north of Reading, Pennsylvania.
- He could not play football or baseball but he could only collect things.
- Ebright collected butterflies in kindergarten. He also collected rocks, fossils and coins.
- He was a curious astronomer who gazed at stars throughout night.
- His mother encouraged his interest in learning.
- She often took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials and other equipment.
- His father died only when he was in third grade.
- He earned up top grades in school.
- When he was in the second grade, Ebright had collected twenty-five species of butterflies found around his hometown.
- A children’s book, “The Travels of Monarch X’ told how monarch butterflies migrated to Central America and opened the world of science to Ebright.
- Readers were also invited to help study butterfly migration.
- Dr Frederick A. Urquhart of the University of Toronto, Canada told them to tag butterflies for research.
- Around Reading, the butterfly collecting season went on for six weeks.
- Ebright raised a flock of butterflies, caught a female monarch, took her eggs, and raised them in his basement through their life cycle. This cycle ranged from egg to caterpillar to pupa to adult butterfly.
- His basement was home to a number of monarchs in different stages of development.
- In the seventh grade, he got a hint of what real science is.
- He was only concerned with the subject of insects.
- Dr. Urquhart gave Ebright suggestions for experiments which gave him prize in country and international science fairs.
- Ebright tried to find the cause of a viral disease which kills all monarch caterpillars every year.
- The next year his science fair project was testing the theory that viceroy butterflies copy monarchs.
- Ebright found that a starling would not eat ordinary bird food.
- Richard Ebright also led to his discovery of an unknown insect hormone.
- He wanted to know the purpose of the twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa.
- It was the assumption of everyone that the spots were just ornamental.
- To get its answer, Ebright and his colleagues built a device that showed that the spots were producing a hormone that is essential to the full development of the butterfly.
- This experiment gave him a new recognition into the International Science and Engineering Fair.
- When he was in his senior level, he grew cells from a monarch’s wing in a culture. It also showed that the cells would divide and develop into normal butterfly wing scales only if they were fed the hormone from the gold spots. This project won him first place for zoology at the International Fair.
- Ebright also did more work on the hormone from the gold spots.
- Now, he was able to identify the hormone’s chemical structure.
- DNA is the substance in the nucleus of a cell that controls heredity. It determines the form and function of the cell. Thus DNA is the blueprint for life.
- Richard Ebright did his graduation from Harvard with the highest honours.
- Richard Ebright was also a champion debater and public speaker and a good canoeist.
- He was very competitive.
- He was not interested in winning for winning’s sake.
- He just wanted to do the best job he could.
- Ebright had all the qualities of a scientist prevalent in him.
Character Sketch
Richard H. Ebright: Richard H. Ebright was a great scientist and debater. He was really a genius. He created a sensation in the scientific world with a new theory on how cells work. He did his experiments on butterflies. Since childhood, he had the fascination of collecting butterflies. He also did a lot of work on monarch butterflies, the cell and its DNA. It determines the form and function of the cell. It is also the blueprint for life. His mother was a source of inspiration for him.
Dr Urquhart: Dr Urquhart played an instrumental role in Ebright’s life. He taught at the University of Toronto, Canada. He was famous for his work on monarch butterflies. He moulded the career of Ebright with new ideas and suggestions.
Richard A. Weiherer: Richard A. Weiherer taught social studies to Ebright. Ebright respected and admired him most. He turned Ebright’s energy towards the Debating and Model, United Nations clubs. He also played an important role in his life.
‘The Making of a Scientist’ Word-Meanings
