The Making of a Scientist

Short Answer Type

Question 1.

Why did viceroy butterflies copy monarchs?

Answer:

Viceroy butterflies copied monarchs because monarchs do not taste good to birds.
Viceroy butterflies on the other hand taste good to birds. So, the more they look similar
to monarchs, the less likely they are to become a bird’s prey. Thus they protect
themselves.

Question 2.

Why did Richard Ebright give up tagging butterflies?

Answer:

Richard Ebright lost interest in tagging butterflies as it was tedious and there was not
much feedback. He could recapture only two butterflies in all the time he did it and they
were not more than seventy five miles away from where he lived.

Question 3.

What are the ingredients in the making of a scientist?

Answer:

The author gave examples from Richard Ebright’s life to show the ingredients to make a
scientist. Start with a first rate mind, add curiosity, and mix in the will to win for the right
reasons.

Question 4.
What was the common belief about the twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa?
What is the actual purpose of these tiny gold spots?

Answer:

These twelve tiny gold spots were believed to be ornamental only. The actual purpose
of these tiny gold spots is to produce a hormone necessary for the butterfly’s full
development.

Question 5.

“But there was one thing I could do-collect things”. What collection did Ebright make?
When did he start making collections?

Answer:

Ebright began collecting butterflies, rocks, fossils and coins. He began as early as when
he was in kindergarten. He collected with the same determination that had marked all
his activities.

Question 6.

What other interests besides science did Richard Ebright pursue?

Answer:

Richard Ebright was a champion debater and public speaker. He was a good canoeist
and all-around outdoor person. He was also an expert photographer, particularly of
natural and scientific exhibits.

Question 7.

How did Richard Ebright’s mother help him to become a scientist?

Answer:
Ebright’s mother was his only companion. She used to encourage the child to learn
whatever he wanted to learn. She took him on trips, brought him telescopes,
microscopes, cameras, mounting materials and other such equipment.

Question 8.

Which book did Ebright mother get for him? How did it change his life?

Answer:

Ebright’s mother got a children’s book called The Travel of Monarch X’ for him. The
book invited readers to help study butterfly migrations and actively participate in tagging
butterflies to help in the research being conducted by Dr Frederick A. Urquhart. Ebright
then went on to raise an entire flock of butterflies in the basement of his home. In this
way the book managed to keep his enthusiasm in the study of butterflies alive for
several years and opened the world of science to the young collector who never lost his
scientific curiosity. ,

Question 9.

Why did Richard Ebright raise a flock of butterflies?

Answer:

At the end of the book, “The travels of Monarch X’, readers were invited to help study
butterfly migrations. They were asked to tag butterflies for research by Dr Frederick A.
Urquhart. The butterfly collecting season around reading lasts six weeks in late
summary. If Ebright went to chase them one by one, he could not catch very many. So
he decided to raise a flock of butterflies.

Question 10.

Mention any two Ebright contributions to the world of science.

Answer:
Ebright made valuable contributions to the world of science. He discovered an unknown
insect hormone and also determined how the cell could read the blueprint of its DNA.

Question 11.

What lesson did Ebright learn when he did not win anything at the science fair?

Answer:

When Ebright did not win anything at the science fair, he learnt a lesson that he needed
to do real experiments, not simply make a neat display. His entry was slides of frog
tissues which he showed under a microscope.

Question 12.

What lesson does Ebright learn when he does not win anything at a science fair?

Answer:

Ebright realizes that the display of his collection does not mean science. To win at a
science fair he will have to do real experiments and prove his worth.

Question 13.

What experiments and projects does he then undertake?

Answer:

He then undertakes the projects and experiments to find out what actually causes the
viral disease that kills nearly all Monarch caterpillars. He then works on a project to test
the theory that viceroy butterflies copy monarchs to survive.

Question 14.

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—a first-rate
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 tried to put that extra effort in his work. He was
competitive, but for the right reasons. From the very beginning, 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.

The Making of a Scientist Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.

Although Richard does not win anything at the science fair but it was a stepping stone
for his success. With reference to the story ‘The Making of a Scientist’ of the above
statement, give your comments whether competitions are for winning sake or to give
your best at work.

Answer:

It is true, no one can deny the fact that every person wants to be a winner. Each has a
basic wish to reach ‘ at the top. For that many competitions are organised at various
levels. But still we must accept that all cannot be winners. Participation is more
important than winning. The participant should work hard to reach their level best.
Failures should not make us disheartened and the best way to overcome failure is to
learn through our mistakes. We cannot deny that experimentation and learning are
stepping stones to our success. So we should try to give our best.

Question 2.

Besides curiosity a number of other values are required to become a successful

scientist. Explain with reference to the chapter, ‘The Making of a Scientist’.

Answer:

From a very young age Richard Ebright was competitive and put in extra effort with
curiosity for the right reason to win. But his mother was always very dedicated and
made his spirits rise high. He did not lose heart even after losing when he was in
seventh grade. To him people around were very encouraging.
His mother’s encouragement was really an eye-opener. She took him on trips, bought
him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials and other equipment. Thus
constant support of each other opened a new world. This helps us to conclude that hard
work, parental guidance and keen observation are the qualities which help one to excel.

Question 3.

Ebright’s mother played a pivotal role in enabling him to become a successful scientist.
This is true for most of our lives. Our parents help us a lot in our education. Their
guidance is very important in what we become in later life. Based on your reading of the
story, how did Ebright’s mother help him in becoming a scientist?

Answer:

Parents play a pivotal role in determining not just our behaviour but also our future in
most cases. They are the ones who teach us wrong from right. For most of us, parents
are our role models. Ebright’s mother supported her son in becoming a scientist. She
gave him intensive training. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes,
cameras, mounting materials and other equipment.

She used to keep her son busy. If she found him sitting idle, she would find work for
him-not physical work, but learning things. His mother was very supportive. She wrote
to Dr Urquhart also so that her son could be busy in research activity. She helped her
son a lot. She inspired him to explore new things and instilled a sense of discovery into
her child.

Question 4.

To participate in the competition is more necessary than to win a prize. Explain this
statement in the light of Ebright’s participation at the country science fair.

Answer:

We know very well that winning is human nature. Everyone wants to get a winning place
everywhere. Our life is full of different competitions at different levels. In these
competitions everyone of us wants to become a winner. But it is always not possible.
When we enter any competition, we feel a great zeal. We try our best to get the top
position there. But if we don’t get or achieve our goal, we feel disappointed.
Great thinkers have said that participation is more important than winning. The same is
proved in Ebright success. Richards Ebright participated in the country science fair, but
he lost. There he showed slides of frog tissues. He realised that he should have done
some real experiments to be a winner. If he did not participate in that competition, the
result might have been different.

Question 5.

How can one become a scientist, an economist, a historian…? Does it simply involve
reading too many books on the subject? Does it involve observing, thinking and doing
experiments?

Answer:

Reading books is just one aspect of learning. This is an exercise in information

gathering. It is how your brain processes the information that affects the degree of
learning. The first and the foremost criteria to become a genius in one’s chosen field is
to have great curiosity and unending hunger to discover more. Next criteria is a sense of
closely observing the things, which further helps you to correlate your findings with what
you see or experience in the real world. Experiments are must to test your findings
against possible variables and in real life situations. And last but not the least, it is an
urge, a strong desire to work really hard on your area of interest.

Question 6.

You must have read about cells and DNA in your science books. Discuss Richard
Ebright’s work in 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:

Ebright’s work is directly related to Biology. Discovery of a cell’s structure has helped
the scientific community ! to understand how the organisms function and grow. This has
also helped other scientists to discover how disease causing organisms attack us and
grow inside our; body. DNA fingerprints help police to pinpoint to the real culprit. This
could not have been possible until DNA was discovered. Monarch I butterflies present
an amazing example of a tiny creature migrating thousands of miles from North America
to the rainforests of Amazon. Someday we can be in a position to develop as a sturdy
and reliable navigation system as that of the Monarch butterflies.

Question 7.

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?

(i) What is DNA fingerprinting? What are its uses?

(ii) How do honeybees identify their own honeycombs?

(iii) What does rainfall drop?

Can you answer these questions? You will find professor Yash Pal and Dr Rahul Pal’s
answers

(as given in Discovered Questions) on Page 75.

Answer:

Classroom activities and self attempt. You may try to find answers to these questions.
However Prof. Yash Pal’s answers are given below.

(i) DNA exists as strands of bases that carry genetic information specific to each living
thing. The sequence of bases of DNA in each of our cells is the same, but differs from
that of any differences that make the DNA break at different places when certain
proteins called enzymes are added to it, resulting in smaller DNA fragments of different
sizes. These fragments migrate at different rates in an electric field, resulting in a unique
pattern: This pattern is referred to as a DNA fingerprint.

Our DNA is inherited from our parents. Some parts come from the father and some from
the mother. DNA fingerprinting can help identify percentages, since a son or a daughter
would always exhibit a pattern identifiable as coming from both parents. DNA
fingerprinting analysis is very useful in forensic science: from a single hair or tiny spot of
blood. It is possible to prove the innocence or guilt of a murder suspect.

Similarly, it is also possible to identify human remains after violent accidents have
caused disfigurement. It has been suggested that in the not-so-distant future, a DNA
fingerprinting profile of the individual will have to accompany applications for an ID card,
a bank account and a driving license. Human right groups say this type of “genetic
profiling” constitutes an invasion of privacy. As with a lot of new technology, DNA
fingerprinting also has a potential for abuse.

(ii) Honeybees are very sophisticated at position, location and navigation. It is known
that they use the sun as a guide. They also appear to have a good memory. They
convey the information of finding food to the hive through an amazingly clever dance
language. The dance indicates the direction and distance of the food source with
respect to the direction of the sun in the sky! If it is dark inside the hive and a light bulb
is switched on the dance is modified to include the light bulb as a new reference
direction! Since bees have pictorial memory of some sort, a direction-finding mechanism
and a way of reckoning distance, they are probably better equipped for getting back
home than any of us!

(iii) Rain is the result of condensation of vapour when the air is cooled below the dew
point. All the vapour in a cloud cannot condense at the same time and turn into a large
pool of water. Pockets of air move up independently and slowly cool till condensation
begins and water droplets form. It is believed that most raindrops start out as tiny ice
crystals so tiny that they float down, slowly accreting more moisture on the way; at lower
altitudes, the crystals melt into water droplets. In colder climates, the crystals reach the
ground as snowflakes.

Question 8.

You also must have wondered about certain things around you. Share these questions
with your class, and try to answer them.

Answer:

Classroom activities and self-attempt

Yes, I also must have wondered about certain things around me. These questions are:

● How does a fruit ripe?

● How do trees give us oxygen etc?
● How does the sky colour change as soon as the sunsets.
(to answer these questions, you may discuss with your science teacher).