The Making of a Scientist Class 10 English Extra Questions

Extract Based Questions: The Making of a Scientist


Q. Read the extract to attempt the questions that follow.

1. So, he did, and did he ever! Beginning in kindergarten, Ebright collected butterflies with same determination that has marked all his activities. He also collected rocks, fossils and coins. He became an eager astronomer, too, sometimes star-gazing all night. From the first he had a driving curiosity along with a bright mind. He also had a mother who 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. 

(i) What does ‘he did’ in the extract refer to?
(ii) What else did he collect other than butterflies?
(iii) Find a word from the extract which means ‘resoluteness’.
(iv) How did Richard’s mother encourage his interest in learning?
(v) How did Richard develop an interest in collecting things?

Answers:

(i) ‘He did’ refers to Richard’s habit of collecting various things.
(ii) He collected fossils, coins and rocks other than butterflies.
(iii) ‘Determination’ is a word from the extract which means ‘resoluteness’.
(iv) Richard’s mother encouraged his interest in learning. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials and other equipment.
(v) Since, Richard had no one to play with, he developed a habit of collecting things.


2. So, the next step for Ebright was to raise a flock of butterflies. He would catch a female monarch, take her eggs and raise 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. 

(i) Why did Ebright raise butterflies?
(ii) Find the word which has the same meaning as the word ‘rear’ from the extract given above.
(iii) Why did Ebright lose interest in tagging butterflies?
(iv) Why was he tagging butterflies?
(v) Whom did he have to send the tagged butterflies to?

Answers:

(i) Ebright raised butterflies as it was difficult to catch many butterflies one by one.
(ii) ‘Raise’ is the similar meaning word as ‘rear’ from the extract.
(iii) Ebright lost interest in tagging butterflies because he didn’t get much feedback and it was a tedious work.
(iv) He was tagging butterflies to study their migration pattern.
(v) He had to send the tagged butterflies to Dr. Urquhart.


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