‘The Making of a Scientist’ is lesson from ‘Footprints without Feet’ Class 10 English. Here some important extra questions are given for practice. More questions are added from time to time, so, keep visiting here.
CBSE Last Years’ Questions
Q. The book, ‘The Travels of Monarch X’ ignited Richard’s curiosity in butterflies further. Do you think sometimes, people or things around us can act as catalysts to shape our lives? Explain how. [QB 2021]
Ans. Richard’s were bored with butterflies so his mother bought him a book “The travels of Monarch X” to read and enjoy from himself. After reading a book, he studied the migration of butterflies and it opened the world of science to him. Truly, some people can be a source of inspiration to us because they play the role of catalyst to ignite our inner fire to reach our goal in life.
Q. Richard’s mother was his companion and spent a lot of time with him. A parent should try to be a companion to a child. Justify. [QB 2021]
Ans. Yes, Richard’s mother was his true friend who helped him in all steps of life to become the world’s greatest scientist. It is necessary to be a friend to a child than be parents. As a friend, we can understand his problems better that he is facing because we have also gone through all this in our teenage years.
Q. Suggest any two ways by which you feel scientific temperament can be developed in a child. [QB 2021]
Ans. Scientific temperament in a child is already there, the need is to cultivate scientific attitude in child right from his childhood. His curiosity to know about strange things and will to learn new things should always be encouraged.
Q. Do you think Richard’s mother was too indulgent when she bought him things like cameras, telescopes, microscopes? Give two reasons to support your answer. [QB 2021]
Ans. I don’t think that Richard’s mother was too indulgent when she bought him things like cameras, telescopes, etc. due to the following reasons
(a) She knew that Richard was highly curious and had a bright mind.
(b) He wanted to learn things. Thus, Richard’s mother was justified in providing him the appropriate equipment to help him in the process.
Q. Do you think we always need sophisticated instruments for all science experiments? Why/ Why not? [QB 2021]
Ans. No, not really. We have seen many a times that the great scientist have led to great discoveries and inventions using crude and raw instruments which have brought changes all over the world. So, it is not necessary that we need sophisticated instruments to create wonders.
Q. The will to win, for the right reasons, was a quality that Richard had. Do you think this quality alone can help us accomplish great feats? Why/ Why not? [QB 2021]
Of course, the will to win for the right reason can alone help us accomplish great feats. Determination, perseverance and the urge to learn something new even after failing at it, make us achieve the aim finally.
Richard Ebright was a bright student in his school days, who always wanted to reach heights in his chosen field. Though many people through his journey of life helped him to achieve this extraordinary feat; but it was his own strong will and determination to sail through this hard journey all alone by himself and achieved him recognition and awards.
Q. Give a brief character sketch of Ebright‘s mother. [CBSE Delhi, 2020]
Ans. Richard H Ebright’s mother was a gentle and kind lady who encouraged and inspired Ebright’s interest in learning. It was she who laid the foundation of his success as a scientist. After her husband’s death, her son, who was studying in the third grade, became her life. She encouraged her son’s keen interest in learning. She understood that her son had a curious and a bright mind.
She recognised his son’s scientific temper, so she made sure that her son had everything that he needed. She took him on trips and bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting material and all other equipment.
She was his only companion before Richard started going to school. When Richard’s school started it was, she who encouraged him to make friends. She would invite his friends to their house. She would sit with him at night.
Even when Richard did not have any work to do, his mother made sure that she finds something to engage her son. It was she who got him the book “The Travels of Monarch X” and opened the world of science for him.
She knew that her son had a passion and did all things possible to fulfil them. This support, guidance, care and concern of Ebright’s mother made him into the prodigal and successful scientist.
Q. What other interests, besides science, did Richard Ebright pursue? What did Mr. Kleiherer, his Social Studies teacher, tell us about Ebright? [CBSE 2020]
Ans. Richard Ebright was interested in science since childhood and had won many competitions but he also had many other interests. He was a passionate public speaker and was an important part of Debating Society and Model United Nations Club. He was an enthusiastic photographer, especially interested in nature and scientific exhibits. He was also a canoeist and enjoyed the outdoors. Mr. Kleiherer said that Ebright would always put extra effort. Not only did he put in three or four hours at night engaging himself in debate research but would also do all his research with butterflies and deal with his other areas of interest. Mr. Kleiherer was of the opinion that Ebright was competitive in a true sense. He didn’t want to win just for the sake of winning but to accomplish his ambition and contribute the best that he could in this field. In fact, Mr. Kleiherer always said, “For the right reasons, he wants to be the best.”
Q. ‘Richard Ebright had all the ingredients required for the making of a scientist.’’ Elaborate [CBSE 2019]
Ans. Ebright was a keen observer and a hardworking child. He was sharp-minded and had great curiosity. He started working when he was very young, i.e. in kindergarten. He collected all 25 species of butterflies found around his hometown by the time he was in second grade. He raised a flock of butterflies and tagged them to help Dr. Fredrick to study their migration. In the seventh grade, when he lost in county science fair he learnt that actual science was about real experiments which give results. His competitive spirit derived him to perform real experiments. In his high school, he led to the discovery of new theory on the life of cells. With his perseverance, dedication and continuous hard work to achieve his aim, he could determine that DNA is the blueprint for life. This discovery helped him to become a renowned scientist all over the world. Thus, Richard Ebright had all the ingredients required for the making of a scientist-analytical mind, providing ideas through experiment, a strong will to win and work for the benefits of others.
Q. How did Ebright use determination and perseverance to achieve him aim of becoming a scientist? [CBSE 2019]
Ans. Richard Ebright had been a curious child since he was in kindergarten. His curiosity prompted him to collect rocks, fossils, coins and butterflies. His mother’s encouragement and his bright mind also contributed to making him a successful scientist. His mother got him all that he needed to develop his scientific bent of mind. His response to Dr Fredrick A. Urquhart to collect butterflies for his research gave him an opportunity in his endeavours. Then in the seventh grade, he got a hint of what real science is when he entered a country science fair and lost. He realised that winners had tried to do real experiments, not simply made a neat display. Thereafter, Ebright worked sincerely on every science project he got every year in school. Then he stood first in a county fair that gave him entry into international science and engineering fair where he won third place. He then went on to win the highest honours and graduated from Harvard. His High School research into the purpose of the spots on a monarch pupa eventually led him to his theory about cell life and DNA. He never lost his perseverance and determination and thus always kept on moving in life keeping all his failures aside and thus, he became a renowned scientist.
Q. How did Ebright’s mother help him in becoming a scientist? [2020, 19]
Ans. Richard’s mother made Richard 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.
Q. Why did Richard lose interest in tagging butterflies? [2020]
Ans. 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 were returned to him and they had travelled only 75 miles.
Q. How did Ebright’s mother help him in becoming a scientist? [CBSE 2019, 17, 14]
Ans. Ebright’s mother motivated him to learn. She was his only childhood friend and a companion. She used to take him on trips, buy scientific equipment like microscopes, telescopes, cameras, etc., and help him in many ways. She introduced him to Dr. Fredrick A. Urquhart of the University of Toronto, Canada. She found many interesting things for him to learn.
Q. What lesson did Ebright learn when he could not win a prize at the science fair? [2016]
OR What lesson did Ebright learn when in the seventh grade he entered a country science fair? [2020, 17]
Ans. When Ebright could not win a prize at the science fair, he learnt that winners do real experiment, they don’t simply display slides. Then he started conducting experiments. It was definitely a stepping stone towards his success. His competitive nature, his extra efforts and the will to win for the right reasons made him a successful scientist.
Q. Which book did Ebright‘s mother get for him? How did it change his life? [CBSE 2017]
Ans. Ebright‘s mother got him a children‘s book titled ‘The Travels of Monarch X’. The book described how Monarch butterflies migrate to Central America. This opened the world of science to young and enthused collector, Ebright.
Q. How did Richard Ebright‘s mother help him? [CBSE 2017]
Ans. Richard Ebright was curious as well as bright. His mother played a pivotal role in encouraging his interest to learn. She took him on trips. She also brought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials as well as other equipment. She pushed him to learn more and explore the environment around him.
Q. Hobbies play a very important role in one’s life; elaborate this with reference to “The Making of a Scientist”. [2016]
Ans. It is true that hobbies play a very important role in one’s life. It was Richard Ebright’s hobbies that led him into the field of science. His hobbies were encouraged by his mother who always motivated him to learn new things. Further, it is because of his hobbies that he became a curious all-rounder, always ready to participate in things that he loved to do.
Q. Richard Ebright displayed a well-rounded personality. Do you agree? Elucidate in the context of the given text. [CBSE 2016]
Ans. Richard Ebright displayed a well-rounded personality from his childhood. His genius was obvious by the time he was in second grade. He not only collected butterflies but also collected rocks, fossils and coins. He had managed to collect all the twenty-five species of butterflies that were found in his hometown and had classified them. Science was not his only passion. He was an active member of his school’s debating club and Model United Nations Clubs and was also an effective debater and public speaker. He was an enthusiastic canoeist and an all-round outdoor person with a keen interest in photography. Because of his interest and hobbies, it was simple for him to devote time and energy to many other interests. He was a champion, not because of his desire to win for the sake of winnings but for attempting to do his best. All of these qualities make him a well-rounded personality.
Q. Why did Richard Ebright raise a flock of butterflies? [2014]
Ans. Richard Ebright as a child had developed a keen interest for collecting things like rocks, fossils, coins and
butterflies. By the time he reached his second grade, he had collected all the twenty-five species of butterflies
found in Pennsylvania. He also started tagging the Monarch’s at the behest of the author Dr. Tredrick A. Urgu
Hart.
Q. Mention any two of Ebright’s contributions to the world of science. [CBSE 2011]
Ans. The two contributions of Ebright to the world of science were ● Ebright built a device that showed that the spots on monarch butterflies wings produce a hormone that is necessary for the growth of the butterfly. ● His other important contribution was his study of how cells read their DNA.
