Class 10 English Chapter 6 Question Answers - The Making of a Scientist

Q1. ‘Success is failure turned inside out’. Prove the above statement with instances from the journey taken by Richard Ebright from losing at the science fair to winning at the international fair.

Ans: The statement 'Success is failure turned inside out' is clearly illustrated in Richard Ebright's journey. Initially, as a seventh-grader, Ebright faced disappointment at the County Science Fair when his project on frog tissue slides did not win. Instead of giving up, he used this failure as motivation to improve. In eighth grade, he shifted his focus to a project on viral diseases affecting monarch caterpillars, which earned him a win. The following year, although his project on butterfly mimicry placed third, he remained determined to succeed. Ebright then developed a device to study the gold spots on monarch caterpillars, demonstrating their role in the butterfly's development. This project secured him third place at the international fair. However, his persistence paid off the next year when his advanced research on monarch pupae won first place at the international science fair. Through his journey, Ebright transformed his setbacks into valuable lessons, proving that success often stems from learning and growing through failure. His competitive spirit and dedication to real experiments, rather than mere displays, paved the way for his achievements, showcasing that each failure can lead to greater success if one is willing to learn and adapt.

Q2. How does Richard Ebright become a scientist?
Ans: Richard Ebright's journey to becoming a scientist began early, fuelled by his curiosity and his mother's support. As a child, he collected rocks, fossils, coins, and butterflies, showing a strong interest in the natural world. His passion for science grew when Dr. Frederick A. Urquhart invited him to assist in collecting butterflies for research, igniting his interest in scientific inquiry. In seventh grade, Ebright entered a county science fair but did not win, which was disappointing. This experience taught him that science is about conducting meaningful experiments rather than just creating displays. Motivated by this lesson, he worked diligently and eventually won first place at a county fair, earning a spot in the international science fair. Although he placed third there, it only strengthened his determination. His research on the spots of the Monarch pupa led to a significant theory about cell life, establishing him as a renowned scientist and demonstrating the power of perseverance. Ebright's early fascination with butterflies opened the door to a successful scientific career, showcasing how curiosity and hard work can lead to remarkable achievements.

Q3. Ebright’s backbone was his mother. How did she contribute to his learning? What kind of work did she find for him even at the dining table? What values did Ebright imbibe from his mother?
Ans: Ebright's mother played a crucial role in his development as a scientist. She encouraged his curiosity by taking him on trips and providing essential tools like telescopes, microscopes, and cameras. Every evening, they worked together at the dining table, where she ensured he had engaging projects. If he lacked a task, she would find him work related to his studies. Her support included gifting him the book 'The Travels of Monarch X', which sparked his passion for science. Through her encouragement, Ebright developed a love for learning that helped him achieve top grades in school. She not only nurtured his interests but also instilled in him the values of dedication and perseverance. This strong foundation in science paved the way for his future achievements, demonstrating the profound impact of her support on his journey.

Q4. Which book proved to be a turning point in Ebright’s life?
Ans: One day, Ebright's mother gave him a book titled The Travels of Monarch X. This book fascinated him as it detailed the migration of monarch butterflies to Central America. At the end of the book, readers were invited to help study butterfly migrations by tagging butterflies for research conducted by Dr. Frederick A. Urquhart from the University of Toronto, Canada. Ebright's mother contacted Dr. Urquhart, and soon Ebright began attaching light adhesive tags to the wings of the butterflies. The butterfly collecting season in Reading lasts only six weeks in late summer. Ebright realised that chasing butterflies one by one would not yield many captures. Therefore, he decided to raise a flock of butterflies. He would catch a female monarch, collect her eggs, and nurture them through their life cycle in his basement, from egg to caterpillar to pupa to adult butterfly. After tagging the butterflies' wings, he would release them. Over the years, his basement became home to thousands of monarchs at various developmental stages. Eventually, Ebright lost interest in tagging butterflies, finding it tedious with little feedback. He remarked, "In all the time I did it, only two butterflies I had tagged were recaptured - and they were not more than seventy-five miles from where I lived." Despite this, his early experiences with butterflies opened the door to a lifelong passion for science.

Q5. What experiments did Ebright do about monarch butterflies?
Ans: Richard Ebright conducted several significant experiments on monarch butterflies during his school years. Initially, he sought guidance from Dr. Frederick Urquhart, a prominent scientist, who provided him with numerous experimental ideas. One of Ebright's early projects aimed to identify the cause of a viral disease that severely affected monarch caterpillars. He hypothesised that the disease might be transmitted by a beetle and attempted to raise caterpillars alongside beetles, but he did not achieve significant results. Nonetheless, he presented his findings at a science fair, where he won an award. In the following year, Ebright explored the theory that viceroy butterflies mimic monarchs to evade predation by birds, as monarchs are unpalatable. His project demonstrated that birds, such as starlings, preferred to eat viceroys over monarchs. This research earned him first place in the zoology division and third overall at the county science fair. As he progressed through high school, Ebright continued his research, ultimately discovering an unknown insect hormone linked to the gold spots on monarch pupae. To investigate the purpose of these spots, he and another student built a device that showed the spots produced a hormone essential for the butterfly's full development. This innovative project won him first place at the county fair and entry into the International Science Fair, where he secured third place for zoology. He demonstrated that these cells would only divide and develop into normal butterfly wing scales when fed the hormone from the gold spots. This project won first place at the International Science Fair and provided him with further opportunities to work at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

Q6. How did Ebright get the idea for his new theory about cell life? How can this theory be beneficial?
Ans: Richard Ebright developed his new theory about cell life while examining X-ray photos of the chemical structure of a hormone. These images, along with his research on insect hormones, helped him tackle a major question in biology: how cells can ‘read’ their DNA blueprint. DNA, found in the nucleus of a cell, controls heredity and determines the cell's form and function, serving as the blueprint for life. Alongside his college roommate, James R. Wong, Ebright spent a night creating drawings and plastic models of molecules to illustrate their ideas. They later published a paper explaining their theory. Ebright graduated from Harvard with the highest honours, coming second in his class of 1,510, and became a graduate researcher at Harvard Medical School, where he began conducting experiments to test his theory. If proven correct, this theory could greatly enhance our understanding of life processes and may lead to new methods for preventing certain types of cancer and other diseases. Ebright's scientific curiosity, sparked by his early interest in butterflies, has driven his research and discoveries.

Q7. Give a character sketch of Richard Ebright highlighting his achievements and his added interests.
Ans: Richard H. Ebright was a brilliant and curious student with a passion for science from an early age. He began collecting butterflies in childhood and, by second grade, had collected all 25 species found in his hometown. Inspired by the book Travels of Monarch X, he began real scientific research, leading to a project that showed viceroy butterflies mimic monarchs to avoid predators. This won him first prize at a science fair. As he grew, Ebright continued to make significant discoveries, including finding that DNA controls heredity and that certain spots on monarch pupae produce important hormones. At just 22, he co-authored a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a rare achievement for a college student.

Beyond science, Ebright was a straight-A student, champion debater, skilled canoeist, and nature photographer. His competitive spirit and drive to learn made him successful in every field he pursued. His journey reflects not only scientific brilliance but also a well-rounded personality with many interests.

Q8. How did Richard Ebright 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?
Ans: Richard Ebright's fascination with butterflies began in his childhood; by second grade, he had collected all twenty-five species in his hometown. However, a crucial lesson about real science emerged in seventh grade when he entered the County Science Fair with a project on frog tissues. Despite his hard work, he did not win any awards, while others did. This experience was a turning point for Ebright, as he realised that genuine science involves conducting experiments rather than merely creating attractive displays. Although he felt disheartened, he recognised the need for improvement. Determined to succeed, Ebright sought guidance from Dr. Urquhart, who provided him with several experimental ideas. This marked a significant shift in his approach, leading to extensive research and experimentation throughout high school. His dedication bore fruit, resulting in numerous awards at both local and international science fairs. For instance, in eighth grade, he investigated a viral disease affecting monarch caterpillars, which ultimately won him first place in the county fair and entry into the International Science and Engineering Fair. Through these experiences, Ebright learned that failure can be a powerful motivator, driving him to pursue authentic scientific inquiry. This journey not only shaped him into a respected scientist but also instilled in him the understanding that true achievement comes from hard work and a commitment to scientific inquiry.