Here is a comprehensive study guide for the SEBA Class 10 English Supplementary Reader chapter, “The Making of a Scientist,” by Robert W. Peterson. This guide includes a summary, complete textual question answers, previous years’ HSLC questions, and a list of most important questions in both English and Assamese.
Chapter: “The Making of a Scientist”
by Robert W. Peterson
Summary Note (পাঠটোৰ সাৰাংশ)
In English: “The Making of a Scientist” is an inspiring story about the journey of the renowned scientist, Richard H. Ebright. From a young age, Ebright had a driving curiosity. Growing up as an only child in Pennsylvania, he spent his time collecting things like butterflies, rocks, fossils, and coins. His mother was his greatest supporter; she encouraged his interests, took him on trips, and bought him scientific equipment.
A turning point in his life came when his mother gave him a children’s book called “The Travels of Monarch X.” This book described how monarch butterflies migrate to Central America and invited readers to help study them by tagging them. This opened the world of science to him. Although he didn’t get much feedback from tagging butterflies, it taught him valuable lessons. When he lost at a county science fair in seventh grade, he learned that real scientists conduct experiments, not just make neat displays.
This realization pushed him to undertake real projects. He studied the cause of a viral disease in monarch caterpillars, tested the theory that viceroy butterflies copy monarchs to avoid being eaten by birds, and most importantly, discovered the purpose of the twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa. He found that these spots produce a hormone necessary for the butterfly’s full development. This research led him to his groundbreaking theory on how cells read their DNA blueprint. Ebright’s story shows that the key ingredients for becoming a successful scientist are a first-rate mind, intense curiosity, and the will to win for the right reasons.
In Assamese: “The Making of a Scientist” হৈছে বিখ্যাত বিজ্ঞানী ৰিচাৰ্ড এইচ. এব্ৰাইটৰ যাত্ৰাৰ এক প্ৰেৰণাদায়ক কাহিনী। সৰুৰে পৰাই এব্ৰাইটৰ এক প্ৰবল কৌতুহল আছিল। পেনচিলভেনিয়াত একমাত্ৰ সন্তান হিচাপে ডাঙৰ-দীঘল হৈ, তেওঁ পখিলা, শিল, জীৱাশ্ম আৰু মুদ্ৰা আদি সংগ্ৰহ কৰি সময় কটাইছিল। তেওঁৰ মাতৃ আছিল তেওঁৰ আটাইতকৈ ডাঙৰ সমৰ্থক; তেওঁ তেওঁৰ আগ্ৰহক উৎসাহিত কৰিছিল, তেওঁক ভ্ৰমণলৈ লৈ গৈছিল, আৰু তেওঁক বৈজ্ঞানিক সঁজুলি কিনি দিছিল।
তেওঁৰ জীৱনৰ এক পৰিৱৰ্তনৰ মুহূৰ্ত আহিছিল যেতিয়া তেওঁৰ মাতৃয়ে তেওঁক “The Travels of Monarch X” নামৰ এখন শিশুৰ কিতাপ দিছিল। এই কিতাপখনে বৰ্ণনা কৰিছিল যে কেনেকৈ মনাৰ্ক পখিলাবোৰ মধ্য আমেৰিকালৈ প্ৰব্ৰজন কৰে আৰু পঢ়ুৱৈসকলক টেগ লগাই সিহঁতক অধ্যয়ন কৰাত সহায় কৰিবলৈ আহ্বান জনাইছিল। এই ঘটনাই তেওঁৰ বাবে বিজ্ঞানৰ জগতখন মুকলি কৰি দিছিল। যদিও তেওঁ পখিলা টেগিং কৰি বিশেষ কোনো সঁহাৰি পোৱা নাছিল, ই তেওঁক মূল্যবান শিক্ষা দিছিল। যেতিয়া তেওঁ সপ্তম শ্ৰেণীত এখন কাউণ্টি বিজ্ঞান মেলাত হাৰিছিল, তেওঁ শিকিছিল যে প্ৰকৃত বিজ্ঞানীসকলে কেৱল পৰিপাটিকৈ প্ৰদৰ্শন নকৰে, বৰঞ্চ প্ৰকৃত পৰীক্ষা-নিৰীক্ষা কৰে।
এই উপলব্ধিয়ে তেওঁক প্ৰকৃত প্ৰকল্প হাতত ল’বলৈ উৎসাহিত কৰিলে। তেওঁ মনাৰ্ক পলুৰ এক ভাইৰেল ৰোগৰ কাৰণ অধ্যয়ন কৰিলে, ভাইচৰয় পখিলাই চৰাইৰ পৰা বাচিবলৈ মনাৰ্কক নকল কৰে নেকি সেই তত্ত্ব পৰীক্ষা কৰিলে, আৰু আটাইতকৈ গুৰুত্বপূৰ্ণভাৱে, এটা মনাৰ্ক পিউপাৰ গাত থকা বাৰটা সৰু সোণালী দাগৰ উদ্দেশ্য আৱিষ্কাৰ কৰিলে। তেওঁ পালে যে এই দাগবোৰে পখিলাটোৰ সম্পূৰ্ণ বিকাশৰ বাবে প্ৰয়োজনীয় এক হৰম’ন উৎপন্ন কৰে। এই গৱেষণাই তেওঁক কোষবোৰে কেনেকৈ সিহঁতৰ DNA ব্লুপ্ৰিণ্ট পঢ়ে তাৰ ওপৰত তেওঁৰ যুগান্তকাৰী তত্ত্বৰ দিশে লৈ গৈছিল। এব্ৰাইটৰ কাহিনীয়ে দেখুৱায় যে এজন সফল বিজ্ঞানী হোৱাৰ মূল উপাদানবোৰ হ’ল এক উৎকৃষ্ট মস্তিষ্ক, তীব্ৰ কৌতুহল, আৰু সঠিক কাৰণত জিকাৰ ইচ্ছা।
Textual Question Answers (পাঠ্যপুথিৰ প্ৰশ্নোত্তৰ)
Read and Find Out (পঢ়া আৰু বিচাৰি উলিওৱা)
1. How did a book become a turning point in Richard Ebright’s life? (এখন কিতাপে কেনেকৈ ৰিচাৰ্ড এব্ৰাইটৰ জীৱনত এক পৰিৱৰ্তনৰ মুহূৰ্ত আনিছিল?)
Answer: The book “The Travels of Monarch X” became a turning point in his life because it opened the world of science to him. It described the migration of monarch butterflies and invited readers to participate in research by tagging them. This led him to conduct his own experiments and set him on the path to becoming a scientist.
2. How did his mother help him? (তেওঁৰ মাতৃয়ে তেওঁক কেনেকৈ সহায় কৰিছিল?)
Answer: His mother played a crucial role in his development. She encouraged his curiosity, took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, and other equipment. Most importantly, she gave him the book “The Travels of Monarch X,” which sparked his scientific journey. She was his only companion and a constant source of motivation.
3. What lesson does Ebright learn when he does not win anything at a science fair? (বিজ্ঞান মেলাত একো নজিকাত এব্ৰাইটে কি শিক্ষা লাভ কৰে?)
Answer: When he does not win anything at the science fair, Ebright learns that winners conduct real experiments, whereas he had simply made a neat display of frog tissues. He realized that to win, he needed to do a proper scientific experiment, not just show something.
4. What experiments and projects does he then undertake? (তাৰ পিছত তেওঁ কি কি পৰীক্ষা আৰু প্ৰকল্প হাতত লয়?)
Answer: He undertakes several projects. First, he tries to find the cause of a viral disease that kills monarch caterpillars. Next, he tests the theory that viceroy butterflies copy monarchs. His most successful project was finding the purpose of the twelve gold spots on a monarch pupa, which led to the discovery of an insect hormone.
5. What are the qualities that go into the making of a scientist? (এজন বিজ্ঞানী হোৱাৰ বাবে কি কি গুণৰ প্ৰয়োজন?)
Answer: According to the chapter, the qualities that go into the making of a scientist are a first-rate mind, a driving curiosity, and the will to win for the right reasons—that is, to do the best job possible.
Think about it (ভাবি চোৱা)
1. How can one become a scientist, an economist, a historian…? Does it simply involve reading many books on the subject? Does it involve observing, thinking and doing experiments? (এজন কেনেকৈ বিজ্ঞানী, অৰ্থনীতিবিদ, বা ইতিহাসবিদ হ’ব পাৰে…? ইয়াৰ বাবে কেৱল বহুতো কিতাপ পঢ়িলেই হ’বনে? নে ইয়াৰ বাবে পৰ্যবেক্ষণ, চিন্তা আৰু পৰীক্ষা-নিৰীক্ষাৰ প্ৰয়োজন?)
Answer: Becoming a scientist, economist, or historian involves more than just reading books. While reading provides foundational knowledge, it must be combined with observing the world around us, thinking critically about problems, and, especially in science, conducting experiments to test hypotheses. True expertise comes from applying knowledge practically.
2. You must have read about cells and DNA in your science books. Discuss Richard Ebright’s work in the light of what you have studied. (তুমি নিশ্চয় তোমাৰ বিজ্ঞানৰ কিতাপত কোষ আৰু DNA-ৰ বিষয়ে পঢ়িছা। তুমি পঢ়াখিনিৰ আধাৰত ৰিচাৰ্ড এব্ৰাইটৰ কামৰ বিষয়ে আলোচনা কৰা।)
Answer: Richard Ebright’s work on insect hormones led him to a new theory about cell life. He discovered how cells can ‘read’ the blueprint of their DNA. DNA is the substance in the nucleus of a cell that controls heredity and determines the form and function of the cell. Ebright’s theory explained this fundamental biological process, which was a major step towards understanding the processes of life.
Previous Year HSLC Question Answers
1. What was the turning point in Richard Ebright’s life? (HSLC 2023)
(ৰিচাৰ্ড এব্ৰাইটৰ জীৱনৰ পৰিৱৰ্তনৰ মুহূৰ্তটো কি আছিল?)
Answer: The turning point in Richard Ebright’s life was the book “The Travels of Monarch X,” which his mother gave him. It opened the world of science to him and inspired him to start his research on butterflies.
2. Where did Ebright grow up? (HSLC 2023)
(এব্ৰাইট ক’ত ডাঙৰ-দীঘল হৈছিল?)
Answer: Ebright grew up north of Reading, in Pennsylvania.
3. What did Richard Ebright collect during his childhood? (HSLC 2022)
(ৰিচাৰ্ড এব্ৰাইটে তেওঁৰ শৈশৱত কি সংগ্ৰহ কৰিছিল?)
Answer: During his childhood, Richard Ebright collected butterflies, rocks, fossils, and coins.
4. What was Ebright’s project for his eighth-grade science fair? (HSLC 2022)
(অষ্টম শ্ৰেণীৰ বিজ্ঞান মেলাৰ বাবে এব্ৰাইটৰ প্ৰকল্পটো কি আছিল?)
Answer: For his eighth-grade project, Ebright tried to find the cause of a viral disease that killed nearly all monarch caterpillars every few years.
5. How did Ebright’s mother help him to become a scientist? (HSLC 2020)
(এব্ৰাইটৰ মাতৃয়ে তেওঁক এজন বিজ্ঞানী হোৱাত কেনেকৈ সহায় কৰিছিল?)
Answer: Ebright’s mother helped him by encouraging his interest in learning. She took him on trips, bought him scientific equipment like telescopes and microscopes, and gave him the book “The Travels of Monarch X,” which became a turning point in his life.
6. What are the qualities needed for making a scientist? (HSLC 2019)
(এজন বিজ্ঞানী হ’বলৈ কি কি গুণৰ প্ৰয়োজন?)
Answer: The qualities needed for making a scientist are a first-rate mind, a high level of curiosity, and the will to win for the right reasons.
Most Important 10 Questions and Answers
1. What was Ebright’s achievement at the age of twenty-two?
(বাইশ বছৰ বয়সত এব্ৰাইটৰ কৃতিত্ব কি আছিল?)
Answer: At the age of twenty-two, Richard Ebright and his college room-mate excited the scientific world with a new theory on how cells work, which was published in the prestigious journal, “Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.”
2. Why did Ebright lose interest in tagging butterflies?
(এব্ৰাইটে পখিলা টেগিং কৰাত কিয় আগ্ৰহ হেৰুৱাইছিল?)
Answer: He lost interest in tagging butterflies because it was a tedious job and there was not much feedback. In all the time he did it, only two of his tagged butterflies were ever recaptured.
3. What was the common belief about the gold spots on a monarch pupa? What did Ebright discover?
(মনাৰ্ক পিউপাৰ সোণালী দাগবোৰৰ বিষয়ে সাধাৰণ বিশ্বাস কি আছিল? এব্ৰাইটে কি আৱিষ্কাৰ কৰিছিল?)
Answer: The common belief was that the twelve gold spots were just ornamental. However, Ebright discovered that the spots produced a hormone that was necessary for the butterfly’s full development.
4. Who was Dr. Frederick A. Urquhart?
(ড° ফ্ৰেডেৰিক এ. আৰ্কহাৰ্ট কোন আছিল?)
Answer: Dr. Frederick A. Urquhart was a scientist at the University of Toronto, Canada, who was researching butterfly migrations. He invited readers of the book “The Travels of Monarch X” to help him by tagging butterflies.
5. What was Ebright’s theory about why viceroy butterflies copy monarchs?
(ভাইচৰয় পখিলাই কিয় মনাৰ্কক নকল কৰে, সেই বিষয়ে এব্ৰাইটৰ তত্ত্ব কি আছিল?)
Answer: Ebright’s project tested the theory that viceroys copy monarchs because monarchs do not taste good to birds. By looking like monarchs, viceroys are less likely to be eaten by birds.
6. Who was Richard A. Weiherer, and how did he influence Ebright?
(ৰিচাৰ্ড এ. ৱেইহেৰাৰ কোন আছিল, আৰু তেওঁ এব্ৰাইটক কেনেকৈ প্ৰভাৱিত কৰিছিল?)
Answer: Mr. Richard A. Weiherer was Ebright’s social studies teacher and adviser to the debating and Model United Nations clubs. He admired Ebright’s dedication and competitive spirit, and he opened Ebright’s mind to new ideas.
7. Apart from science, what were Ebright’s other interests?
(বিজ্ঞানৰ বাহিৰে, এব্ৰাইটৰ আন কি কি আগ্ৰহ আছিল?)
Answer: Apart from science, Ebright was also a champion debater, a public speaker, a good canoeist, and an expert photographer, especially of nature and scientific exhibits.
8. What does “winning for the right reasons” mean in the context of the story?
(কাহিনীটোৰ প্ৰসংগত “সঠিক কাৰণত জিকা”ৰ অৰ্থ কি?)
Answer: It means that Ebright was not interested in winning just for the sake of winning prizes or for fame. Rather, he was competitive because he wanted to do the best job he could and be the best in his field. His motivation was excellence, not just victory.
9. What was Ebright’s theory about cell life?
(কোষৰ জীৱনৰ বিষয়ে এব্ৰাইটৰ তত্ত্ব কি আছিল?)
Answer: Ebright’s theory explained how a cell can ‘read’ the blueprint of its DNA. DNA is the substance that controls heredity, and his theory provided an answer to one of biology’s biggest puzzles.
10. What is the central message of the story “The Making of a Scientist”?
(“The Making of a Scientist” কাহিনীটোৰ কেন্দ্ৰীয় বাৰ্তা কি?)
Answer: The central message is that success, especially in science, requires not just a sharp mind, but also relentless curiosity, hard work, and a competitive spirit driven by the desire to be the best. It also highlights the crucial role of encouragement from parents and teachers.