CBSE Class 10

Term-2

The Making of a Scientist

 

Summary :

‘The Making of a Scientist’ is a fascinating story of Richard Ebright, an only child who is curious and has a love for collecting things. With encouragement from his mother, he collects all the species of butterflies in the vicinity, learns to tag them and track their journey with the help of Dr. Urquhart. All through his high school, he participates in Science Fairs with increasing level of confidence and research and wins laurels. Along with his roommate, Richard then starts investigating the relevance of the gold spots on a pupa. They isolate the hormone present in these spots and win permission to work in prestigious laboratories. Then they use this information to try and decipher the form and function of a cell. His high school research on the purpose of the spots on a monarch pupa eventually leads him to his theory about cell life. Richard has the right attitude to be a great scientist. He not only spends time on his research but also becomes a great debater, public speaker and a canoeist.

 

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who is the writer of the story “The Making of a Scientist”?

(a) HG Wells

(b) Robert W. Peterson

(c) Ruskin Bond

(d) Guy De Maupassant

Ans. (b) Robert W. Peterson

 

2. What was Ebright fond of in his childhood?

(a) basketball

(b) collecting things

(c) baseball

(d) none of these

Ans. (b) collecting things

 

3. How did his mother help him?

(a) Took him on trips

(b) Bought him telescopes and microscopes

(c) Encouraged him to learn

(d) All of the above

Ans. (d) All of the above

 

4. “It was his fascination for _____ that opened the world of science to him.”

(a) cats

(b) dogs

(c) birds

(d) butterflies

Ans. (d) butterflies

 

5. How many species of butterflies had he collected till second grade?

(a) 20

(b) 21

(c) 24

(d) 25

Ans. (d) 25

 

6. What did he collect during his childhood?

(a) Coins

(b) Rocks

(c) Butterflies

(d) All of these

Ans. (d) All of these

 

7. Where did Ebright come from?

(a) Reading

(b) Oxford

(c) London

(d) None of these

Ans. (a) Reading

 

8. At what age did Ebright invent the theory on how cells work?

(a) twenty

(b) twenty one

(c) twenty two

(d) twenty four

Ans. (c) twenty two

 

9. When did he get a hint of real science?

(a) In the 7th grade

(b) When he entered a county science fair

(c) When he lost

(d) All of the above

Ans. (d) All of the above

 

10. When did he find the cause of a viral disease common among caterpillars?

(a) In the 7th grade

(b) In the 8th grade

(c) In college

(d) None of these

Ans. (b) In the 8th grade

 

11. “__________is the blueprint for life”.

(a) Cells

(b) DNA

(c) Both of these

(d) None of these

Ans. (b) DNA

 

12. He tried to grow____in the presence of betties.

(a) butterflies

(b) catterpillar

(c) rats

(d) snakes

Ans. (b) catterpillar

 

13. Which butterlies were not eaten by birds?

(a) Viceroy

(b) Monarch

(c) General

(d) None of these

Ans. (b) Monarch

 

14. What did he realise was necessary for winning a prize at the fair?

(a) Display

(b) Experiment

(c) All of these

(d) Creativity

Ans. (b) Experiment

 

15. Where did Ebright graduate from?

(a) Oxford

(b) Yale

(c) Harvard

(d) none of the above

Ans. (c) Harvard

 

16. Who did he write to get an idea for a real science experiment?

(a) His mother

(b) His friend

(c) Dr Frederick A. Urquhart

(d) None of the above

Ans. (c) Dr Frederick A. Urquhart

 

17. Which book did his mother give him?

(a) Travels of Monarch X

(b) Travels of Viceroy X

(c) Travels of Viceroy Y

(d) Travels of Monarch X

Ans. (a) Travels of Monarch X

 

18. Ebright was an excellent _____.

(a) debater

(b) scientist

(c) photographer

(d) all of these

Ans. (b) scientist

 

19. What ground breaking research did Ebright do?

(a) Working of body

(b) Working of DNA

(c) Working of heart

(d) None of these

Ans. (b) Working of DNA

 

20. The publishing of Ebright’s article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science was so special because:

(a) it was a new theory on the working of cells

(b) for the first time , it had published the work of college students.

(c) Ebright worked hard to get it published.

(d) Ebright and his friend had worked hard for this research.

Ans. (b) for the first time , it had published the work of college students.

 

21. Select the qualities which were possessed by the child Ebright:

1. inquisitive

2. clever

3. bright mind

4. naïve

5. interest in learning

(a) Option 1 and 2

(b) Option 3 and 4

(c) Option 3, 4 and 5

(d) Option 1, 3 and 5

Ans. (d) Option 1, 3 and 5

 

22. “That probably would have been the end of my butterfly collecting,” what could have possibly ended his butterfly collecting?

(a) his disinterest in collecting butterflies

(b) No butterfly was found in his area

(c) His mother did not like it.

(d) He had collected all species of butterflies of his area.

Ans. (d) He had collected all species of butterflies of his area.

 

23. Ebright decided to raise butterflies instead of catching them because:

(a) monarch butterflies were not found there.

(b) he wanted to study the life cycle of the butterflies

(c) monarch butterflies were found only for a limited time.

(d) he enjoyed raising the butterflies than catching them

Ans. (c) monarch butterflies were found only for a limited time

 

24. Choose the correct reason for Ebright to choose insect work for his research.

(a) he had been working on it for many years

(b) he was forced to do work in this field.

(c) he wanted win the prize in the county fair

(d) Dr. Urquhart suggested him to choose this field.

Ans. (a) he had been working on it for many years

 

25. What was the theory about viceroy butterflies?

(a) Viceroy butterflies resembles Monarch butterflies.

(b) Viceroy butterflies copy monarchs to escape being eaten by birds.

(c) Birds do feed on Viceroys.

(d) Monarchs are liked by the birds.

Ans. (b) Viceroy butterflies copy monarchs to escape being eaten by birds.

 

26. ‘It also led to his new theory on the life of cells.’ What could have led him to his new theory on the life of cells?

(a) his discovery of unknown insect hormone.

(b) the cause of viral disease among monarch caterpillars

(c) his study on viceroy butterflies

(d) his showing slides of frog tissues under microscope

Ans. (a) his discovery of unknown insect hormone.

 

27. What was the real purpose of the twelve tiny gold spot on a monarch pupa?

(a) they were only ornamental

(b) they were very essential for the butterfly’s wings.

(c) they produced hormones needed for the growth of the butterfly.

(d) they formed the wing of the butterfly.

Ans. (c) they produced hormones needed for the growth of the butterfly

 

28. ‘he got a hint of what real science is’ means Ebright got an idea that real science is ____.

(a) doing real experiment

(b) displaying of models

(c) showing slides under the microscope

(d) displaying any experiment

Ans. (a) doing real experiment

 

29. Ebright was perhaps expected to shout ‘Eureka!’ because

he had:

(a) realised that he needed a partner to work with to finalise his findings.

(b) discovered something new and ‘Eureka!’ was a cry to announce it.

(c) worked hard and was relieved at nearing the end of his project.

(d) given shape to the teachings of his teachers by choosing this field of science

Ans. (b) discovered something new and ‘Eureka!’ was a cry to announce it.

 

30. DNA is called the blueprint of life because it.

1. helps in the respiration of living beings.

2. controls heredity

3. determines the form and function of the cell.

4. Helps in the life cycle of butterflies.

5. is a substance in the nucleus of a cell.

(a) Option 1 only

(b) Option 2 and 5 only

(c) Option 2 and 3 only

(d) Option 2, 3 and 5

Ans. (c) Option 2 and 3 only

 

31. When Mr. Weiherer said, “Richard would always give that extra effort,” he highlighted that Richard was a/an__________

boy.

(a) brilliant

(b) inquisitive

(c) diligent

(d) careful

Ans. (c) diligent

 

32. Select the most appropriate option for (1) and (2)

(1) Richard Ebright has been interested in science since his childhood.

(2) He hasn’t time for other interests and activities.

(a) (1) is true and (2) is false.

(b) (2) is true and (1) is false.

(c) (2) is the result of (1).

(d) Both (1) and (2) cannot be understood from the story.

Ans. (a) (1) is true and (2) is false.

 

33. Choose the correct word to describe Ebright’s mother.

(a) dutiful

(b) concerned

(c) strange

(d) manipulative

Ans. (b) concerned

 

34. “There wasn’t much I could do there,” state the reason for it.

(a) Ebright did not want to do any work.

(b) The house was too small to get any work there.

(c) Ebright did not have much company in Reading.

(d) His mother did not allow him to do any work.

Ans. (c) Ebright did not have much company in Reading

 

35. What made Ebright win first prize in county fair and an entry into International Science and Engineering fair?

(a) tagging of Monarch butterfly

(b) cause of viral disease among the Monarch caterpillars

(c) Viceroys do copy monarchs

(d) hormones produced by the golden spots helped in the

growth of butterfly.

Ans. (d) hormones produced by the golden spots helped in the growth of butterfly.

 

36. Select the qualities that go into making of a scientist like Richard Ebright:

1. first-rate mind

2. curiosity

3. stubborn

4. will to win for the right reason

5. clever

(a) 1, 2, and 4

(b) 2, 3 and 4

(c) 1,2 and 3

(d) 3, 4, and 5

Ans. (a) 1, 2, and 4

 

37. How can one become a scientist, an economist, and historian…..?

(a) by reading many books

(b) by being observant and curious

(c) only by doing experiments

(d) only by learning the facts

Ans. (b) by being observant and curious

 

38. Who did Ebright write to get an idea for a real science experiment?

(a) his mother

(b) James R. Wong

(c) Dr Frederick A. Urquhart

(d) Mr. Weiherer

Ans. (c) Dr. Frederick A. Urquhart

 

39.Richard Ebright is a leading scientist who has contributed significantly to the ____________ branch/branches of science.

(a) Biochemistry

(b) Molecular Biology

(c) Zoology

(d) Both (a) and (b)

Ans. (d) Both (a) and (b)

 

40. Select the most appropriate option for (1) and (2)

1. Starling feeds on viceroys.

2. Starling does not eat seeds and insects.

(a) Both (1) and (2) are clearly mentioned in the text.

(b) (1) cannot be clearly inferred from the text but (2) is true.

(c) (1) is false and (2) cannot be clearly inferred from the extract.

(d) Both (1) and (2) are false.

Ans. (c) (1) is false and (2) cannot be clearly inferred from the

extract.

 

41. When he invented the theory on how cells work, his age was _______.

(a) Twenty

(b) twenty one

(c) twenty two

(d) twenty four

Ans. (c) twenty two

 

42. The book The Travels of Monarch X is about:

(a) migration of Monarch butterflies to Central America

(b) Life cycle of Monarch butterflies

(c) the characteristics of Monarch

(d) Species X of monarch butterflies

Ans. (a) migration of Monarch butterflies to Central America

 

43. The foundation of Ebright’s scientific temperament lay in his hobby of_________.

(a) studying science

(b) collecting things

(c) reading books

(d) writing in science journals

Ans. (b) collecting things

 

44. Ebright’s eighth grade project was to _______.

(a) find the cause of the death of monarch caterpillars

(b) show the slide of frog tissues under the microscope

(c) find the purpose of gold spot on a monarch pupa

(d) show the chemical structure of DNA

Ans. (a) find the cause of the death of monarch caterpillars