Prepare for your Class 10 English exams with this complete The Making of a Scientist study guide covering Richard Ebright’s inspiring journey from curious collector to accomplished scientist. This page provides detailed chapter summaries in English and Hindi, in-depth Richard Ebright character sketch, comprehensive explanations of his groundbreaking monarch butterfly experiments and gold spots hormone discovery, NCERT-style solutions, important questions with model answers, grammar exercises, and extract-based practice questions. Whether you need quick summaries or deep understanding of themes like curiosity and scientific method, find all answers and exam preparation materials in one place.

the making of a scientist summary

English summary

What turns a curious child into a scientist who changes how we see life? Here’s a true story that starts with butterflies and grows into big discoveries about cells and DNA.

Richard Ebright’s story shows how a small hobby becomes a big purpose: a boy collects butterflies, asks clear questions, does real experiments, and step by step reaches a new idea about how cells read DNA. It begins at home, with a caring mother and a hungry mind, and leads to awards, labs, and a paper in a top science journal.

You meet Richie in a quiet town near Reading, Pennsylvania, where he can’t play team sports, so he starts to collect—first butterflies, then rocks, fossils, coins, and even stars in the night sky; by second grade he has all 25 local butterfly species, and his mother keeps his curiosity alive with trips, tools like microscopes, and long evenings of learning at the dining table after his father dies when he’s in third grade. Yes, but the real spark comes when she brings home The Travels of Monarch X, a book that invites kids to help tag monarchs for Dr. Urquhart; Richie tags butterflies and even raises thousands in his basement, watching eggs turn into caterpillars, then pupae, then adults, and tagging them before release—no, and it’s still slow work, with only two of his tagged monarchs ever found again, less than 75 miles away. In seventh grade he loses at the county science fair with neat slides of frog tissues, and that sting teaches him a hard truth: winners do real experiments; so he writes to Dr. Urquhart for ideas and begins a run of projects. In eighth grade he tests if a beetle carries a virus that kills monarch caterpillars; the results are unclear, but he shows his method and wins. Next year he tests if birds avoid bad-tasting monarchs, finding a starling will eat monarchs it can get, placing first in zoology and third overall. Then comes the big question: what do the 12 tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa do? He builds a device and proves they make a hormone needed for full development, earning county firsts and entry to the International Science and Engineering Fair, plus summers in top labs. Yes, and he grows wing cells in culture and shows they divide into normal scales only when fed that hormone, wins more firsts, and then at Harvard sees X-ray photos that help him model how a cell might read its DNA; he works all night with his roommate James Wong, writes a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, graduates near the top of his class, and keeps testing the theory in medical school labs. In the end, his mind, curiosity, and the will to do the best work—plus debate club grit, outdoor skills, and careful photography—shape a scientist who never stops asking “why.”

Characters:

Richard H. Ebright: Curious, disciplined, and competitive in the right way; the student who becomes a scientist by doing real experiments.

Ebright’s mother: Supportive and wise; gives time, tools, books, and steady guidance that keep his curiosity alive.

Dr. Frederick A. Urquhart: Butterfly researcher; supplies research ideas and a path from tagging to real science.

James R. Wong: College roommate; collaborates on modeling and co-authors the DNA-reading theory paper.

Mr. Richard A. Weiherer: Teacher and club adviser; opens Ebright’s mind and pushes him to give extra effort.

Theme / Moral:

Real science grows from questions, careful experiments, and the courage to learn from failure; neat displays are not enough.

Curiosity, support at home and school, and the drive to do one’s best can turn a hobby into discovery that may help fight diseases.

the making of a scientist Hindi summary

क्या एक जिज्ञासु बच्चा सच में ऐसा वैज्ञानिक बन सकता है जो हमारी “ज़िंदगी को देखनेका तरीका” बदल दे? यह सच्ची कहानी तितलियों से शुरू होती है और कोशिकाओं औरडीएनए के बारे में बड़ी खोजों तक पहुँचती है.

रिचर्ड एब्राइट की कहानी दिखाती है कि कैसे एक छोटा-सा शौक एक बड़ा मकसद बनजाता है: एक लड़का तितलियाँ इकट्ठा करता है, साफ़ सवाल पूछता है, असली प्रयोगकरता है, और धीरे-धीरे इस नए विचार तक पहुँचता है कि कोशिकाएँ डीएनए को कैसे“पढ़ती” हैं। शुरुआत घर से होती है—एक देखभाल करने वाली माँ और एक भूखा दिमाग—और रास्ता बनता है पुरस्कारों, लैब्स, और एक टॉप साइंस जर्नल में छपे पेपर तक.

तुम रिची से मिलते हो रीडिंग, पेंसिल्वेनिया के पास एक शांत कस्बे में, जहाँ वह टीम वालेखेल नहीं खेल पाता, तो कलेक्शन शुरू करता है—पहले तितलियाँ, फिर पत्थर, जीवाश्म, सिक्के, और रात के आकाश में तारे; दूसरी कक्षा तक उसके पास 25 स्थानीयतितली-प्रजातियाँ होती हैं, और उसकी माँ उसकी जिज्ञासा को ज़िंदा रखती है—ट्रिप्स, माइक्रोस्कोप जैसे औज़ार, और डाइनिंग टेबल पर लंबी पढ़ाई की शामें—खासकर तब, जब तीसरी कक्षा में उसके पिता का देहांत हो जाता है। हाँ, लेकिन असली चिंगारी तबलगती है जब माँ घर लाती हैं ‘द ट्रैवल्स ऑफ़ मोनार्क एक्स’—एक किताब जो बच्चों कोडॉ. उरकहार्ट के लिए मोनार्क्स को टैग करने का न्योता देती है; रिची तितलियों को टैगकरता है और अपने बेसमेंट में हज़ारों तितलियाँ पालता है—अंडे से कैटरपिलर, फिर पुपा, फिर वयस्क—और रिलीज़ से पहले टैग करता है—नहीं, और काम फिर भी धीमा रहता है: उसकी टैग की हुई तितलियों में से सिर्फ़ दो ही फिर मिलीं, वो भी घर से 75 मील से कमदूरी पर। सातवीं में वह काउंटी साइंस फेयर हार जाता है—मेढ़क के टिशू स्लाइड्स की“नीट” डिस्प्ले के साथ—और यह चुभन उसे सिखाती है: जीतते वही हैं जो असली प्रयोगकरते हैं; वह डॉ. उरकहार्ट को लिखता है और प्रोजेक्ट्स की एक लंबी दौड़ शुरू होती है।आठवीं में वह जाँचता है कि क्या कोई बीटल वह वायरस फैलाता है जो मोनार्क कैटरपिलर्सको मार देता है; नतीजे साफ़ नहीं, पर वह तरीका दिखाता है—और जीतता है। अगले सालवह परखता है कि क्या पक्षी खराब स्वाद वाले मोनार्क्स से बचते हैं—पता चलता है एकस्टार्लिंग जितने मोनार्क्स मिले, खा लेता है—ज़ूलॉजी में फ़र्स्ट, ओवरऑल थर्ड। फिर आताहै बड़ा सवाल: मोनार्क पुपा पर 12 छोटे सुनहरे धब्बे क्या करते हैं? वह एक उपकरणबनाता है और साबित करता है कि वे एक हार्मोन बनाते हैं जो पूरी ग्रोथ के लिए ज़रूरी है—काउंटी फ़र्स्ट, इंटरनेशनल साइंस एंड इंजीनियरिंग फेयर में एंट्री, और टॉप लैब्स में समर।हाँ, और वह विंग सेल्स को कल्चर में उगाता है और दिखाता है कि वे नॉर्मल स्केल्स में तभीबनते-बँटते हैं जब उन्हें वही हार्मोन खिलाया जाए—और फ़र्स्ट्स मिलते रहते हैं—फिरहार्वर्ड में एक्स-रे फ़ोटो उसे मॉडल बनाने में मदद करते हैं कि सेल अपना डीएनए कैसे पढ़सकता है; वह रूममेट जेम्स वॉन्ग के साथ रात भर काम करता है, ‘प्रोसीडिंग्स ऑफ़ दनेशनल एकेडमी ऑफ़ साइंसेज़’ में पेपर लिखता है, क्लास में टॉप के पास ग्रैजुएट होता है, और मेडिकल स्कूल लैब्स में थ्योरी टेस्ट करता रहता है। अंत में, उसका दिमाग, जिज्ञासा, और सबसे अच्छा काम करने की चाह—साथ में डिबेट क्लब की मेहनत, आउटडोर स्किल्स, और सटीक फोटोग्राफ़ी—मिलकर एक ऐसे वैज्ञानिक को गढ़ते हैं जो “क्यों?” पूछना कभीनहीं छोड़ता.

Characters:

Richard H. Ebright: जिज्ञासु, अनुशासित, सही तरह से प्रतिस्पर्धी; असली प्रयोग करकेवैज्ञानिक बनने वाला छात्र.

Ebright’s mother: सहायक और समझदार; समय, औज़ार, किताबें और स्थिर मार्गदर्शनदेकर उसकी जिज्ञासा को जीवित रखती हैं.

Dr. Frederick A. Urquhart: तितली शोधकर्ता; आइडिया देते हैं और टैगिंग से असलीविज्ञान तक का रास्ता दिखाते हैं.

James R. Wong: कॉलेज रूममेट; मॉडलिंग में साथ देता है और डीएनए-रीडिंग थ्योरी परसह-लेखक है.

Mr. Richard A. Weiherer: शिक्षक और क्लब सलाहकार; एब्राइट का नजरियाखोलते हैं और अतिरिक्त मेहनत के लिए प्रेरित करते हैं.

Theme / Moral:

असली विज्ञान सवालों, सावधानी से किए गए प्रयोगों, और असफलता से सीखने के साहससे बढ़ता है; सिर्फ़ “नीट” डिस्प्ले काफ़ी नहीं.

जिज्ञासा, घर और स्कूल का सहयोग, और अपना सर्वश्रेष्ठ देने की चाह—एक शौक कोऐसी खोज में बदल सकती है जो बीमारियों से लड़ने में मदद करे.

the making of a scientist Keywords (with meanings):

Richard Ebright — a curious student who becomes a scientist

mother — his supportive guide and teacher at home

Reading, Pennsylvania — Ebright’s hometown setting

butterflies — his first and main research interest

monarch — the butterfly species he studied and raised

viceroy — look-alike butterfly used in mimicry study

tagging — putting ID labels on monarch wings for research

Dr Urquhart — scientist who guided Ebright’s projects

microscope — tool he used for slides and close study

pupa — stage before butterfly emerges; has gold spots

gold spots — tiny spots making a needed hormone

hormone — chemical signal for full development

science fair — contests where he presented projects

experiment — real test with methods and results

county fair — local level competition he first lost

International Science Fair — higher-level competition he won

laboratory — place he worked in summers on research

Harvard — college where he formed his cell theory

DNA — code in cells; the blueprint for life

cell — basic unit of life that “reads” DNA

theory — idea on how cells read DNA

Proceedings — journal that published his paper

tagging season — six-week late-summer collecting time

starling — bird used to test taste of monarchs

debate — activity that built his effort and thinking

curiosity — strong desire to learn and ask “why”

will to win — drive to do the best for right reasons

first place — top award he earned multiple times

slides — frog tissue slides from his first fair entry

culture — growing cells outside the body

model — plastic/diagram used to show molecules

blueprint — plan/image for how something is built

awards — Searle Scholar and Schering Plough recognitions

entomology — study of insects (his field as a student)

canoeist — shows his balanced, outdoor interests

the making of a scientist Phrases (exact from the text):

“At the age of twenty-two, a former ‘scout of the year’ astonished the scientific world with a new theory on how cells work.”

“It was the first time this important scientific journal had ever published the work of college students.”

“And it all started with butterflies.”

“There wasn’t much I could do there.”

“I could do — collect things.”

“From the first he had a driving curiosity along with a bright mind.”

“Richie was my whole life after his father died when Richie was in third grade.”

“He wanted to learn.”

“By the time he was in the second grade, Ebright had collected all twenty-five species of butterflies found around his hometown.”

“The Travels of Monarch X.”

“readers were invited to help study butterfly migrations.”

“light adhesive tags to the wings of monarchs.”

“The butterfly collecting season around Reading lasts six weeks in late summer.”

“raise a flock of butterflies.”

“from egg to caterpillar to pupa to adult butterfly.”

“only two butterflies I had tagged were recaptured — they were not more than seventy-five miles from where I lived.”

“a hint of what real science is.”

“winners had tried to do real experiments, not simply make a neat display.”

“a stack of suggestions for experiments.”

“the cause of a viral disease that kills nearly all monarch caterpillars.”

“viceroy butterflies copy monarchs.”

“a starling would… eat all the monarchs it could get.”

“the twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa.”

“producing a hormone necessary for the butterfly’s full development.”

“International Science and Engineering Fair.”

“grew cells from a monarch’s wing in a culture.”

“only if they were fed the hormone from the gold spots.”

“identify the hormone’s chemical structure.”

“how the cell can ‘read’ the blueprint of its DNA.”

“drawing pictures and constructing plastic models of molecules.”

“graduated from Harvard with highest honours, second in his class of 1,510.”

“for the right reasons, he wants to be the best.”

“Start with a first-rate mind, add curiosity, and mix in the will to win for the right reasons.”

the making of scientist question answer

Text based questions and answers

Q1. How did a book become a turning point in Richard Ebright’s life?

Answer:A book about butterflies sparked Richard Ebright’s deep interest in science. It opened his mind to the natural world and made him curious to learn more. This inspired him to explore scientific ideas beyond just reading, which marked the start of his journey as a scientist. His fascination with butterflies showed the power of books to change how we see the world.

Q2. How did his mother help him?

Answer:Richard Ebright’s mother supported his interest in science by providing encouragement and opportunities to learn. She helped him explore his curiosity by giving him books and materials needed for his studies. Her belief in his potential motivated him to pursue science passionately. This shows how family support can boost a young learner’s confidence.

Q3. What lesson does Ebright learn when he does not win anything at a science fair?

Answer:When Richard Ebright did not win at a science fair, he learned that failure is a part of learning and growth. It taught him to keep trying hard and improving his work rather than giving up. This experience strengthened his determination to succeed through persistence, an important lesson for every student.

Q4. What experiments and projects does he then undertake?

Answer:Richard Ebright began conducting many different experiments, especially related to butterflies and cells. He studied how cells work and explored theories that helped him understand biology better. His projects showed creativity and deep thinking, which are key to scientific discovery.

Q5. What are the qualities that go into the making of a scientist?

Answer:The making of a scientist requires curiosity, patience, hard work, and the ability to learn from mistakes. A scientist should be brave enough to explore new ideas and persistent in solving problems. Richard Ebright’s story shows how these qualities help a person achieve success in science and life.

the making of a scientist End-of-Chapter Questions

 Think about it 

Q1. What is DNA fingerprinting? What is it used for?

Answer:DNA fingerprinting is a method to identify a person using their unique DNA pattern.

It is used to catch criminals, find real parents, and identify dead bodies.

Q2. How do honeybees identify their own honeycombs?

Answer:Honeybees recognise their honeycomb by its special smell and by remembering its exact position.

Q3. Why does rain fall in drops?

Answer:Rain falls in drops because water in clouds joins together into small round droplets, and gravity pulls them down.

• Talk About It

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 (NCERT, 2006).

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

Answer:DNA fingerprinting is a method used to identify a person by studying their DNA pattern.

Everyone has a unique DNA pattern, just like a unique fingerprint.

Uses:

To identify criminals from blood, hair, or other body cells.

To find real parents in paternity cases.

To identify dead bodies.

To study family relationships and ancestry.

(ii) How do honeybees identify their own honeycombs?

Answer:Honeybees identify their own honeycomb mainly by smell and memory.

Each hive has a special smell, and bees recognise it.

They also remember the exact position of their hive using the sun, landmarks, and directions.

(iii) Why does rain fall in drops?

Answer:Rain falls in drops because water in clouds joins together to form small round droplets.

As they become heavy, gravity pulls them down.

The round shape forms because water molecules stick together and create surface tension, which makes the drops round.

the making of a scientist Grammar

• The Making of a Scientist — Do as directed Grammar
• Tenses (fill in the blanks) — Do as directed:
• Richie usually (collect) ______ butterflies, but this year he ______ (focus) on experiments.
• By second grade, he ______ (gather) all 25 local species.
• When his mother brought the book, he ______ (start) tagging monarchs at once.
• Tenses (correct the verb form) — Do as directed:
• He raise thousands of butterflies in his basement.
• Only two tagged monarchs was found again.
• He see X-ray photos at Harvard that help him model DNA reading.
• Voice Change (Active → Passive) — Do as directed:
• Richie tagged the monarchs before release.
• A starling ate the monarchs it could get.
• His mother kept his curiosity alive.
• Voice Change (Passive → Active) — Do as directed:
• The hormone was produced by the gold spots.
• A paper was written in a top science journal.
• The theory was tested in medical school labs.
• Reported Speech — Do as directed:
• Change to indirect: “Why do the gold spots matter?” Richie asked.
• Change to direct: Ebright said that winners do real experiments.
• Change to indirect: “Tag the monarchs carefully,” Dr Urquhart advised.
• Articles & Prepositions — Do as directed:
• He lived in ______ quiet town near Reading, Pennsylvania. (Fill in a/an/the)
• He worked ______ night with his roommate. (Fill in the correct preposition)
• He wrote a paper ______ the Proceedings ______ the National Academy of Sciences. (Fill in suitable prepositions)
• Modals — Do as directed:
• Richie ______ (must/should/can) ask clear questions to begin real science. (Choose the best modal)
• Only two monarchs were found; tagging ______ (may/must) be slow work. (Choose the best modal)
• The device ______ (can/must) show whether gold spots make a hormone. (Choose the best modal)
• Sentence Transformation — Do as directed:
• Combine using “because”: He lost the fair. He had only neat slides.
• Change to comparative: His curiosity was strong. His resources were limited.
• Make a question: He entered the International Science and Engineering Fair.
• Change to negative without changing meaning: He always asked “why.”
• Sentence Transformation (degree/change form) — Do as directed:
• Rewrite using “the most”: Debate club was a very helpful activity for him.
• Combine using “which”: He built a device. It proved the role of gold spots.
• Begin with “Only after”: He saw X-ray photos. He modeled how a cell might read DNA.
• Editing — Do as directed:
• Read the passage and identify one error in each line; write the incorrect and the correct word.
• Richie and his mother was closely working at the dining table. (i)She bring books and tools to keep his curiosity alive.
• (ii)They spends long evenings learning after his father’s death.
• (iii)Omission — Do as directed:
• In the passage, one word is missing in each line. Insert the missing word with a slash mark.
• He raised thousands butterflies in his basement, (i)
• watching eggs turn caterpillars, then pupae, then adults. (ii)
• He tagged them release and sent reports Dr Urquhart. (iii)
• Gap Filling (Cloze) — Do as directed:
• Fill in each blank with one suitable word.
• Richie built a ______ to test the role of the ______ spots on the pupa. The results ______ that they produced a ______ needed for full development.

• Reported Speech (mixed) — Do as directed:
• Change to indirect: “I will write to Dr Urquhart for ideas,” Richie said.
• Change to direct: His mother advised him to keep learning at the dining table.
• Change to indirect: James Wong said, “We are working all night on this model.”
• Voice/Tense Mix — Do as directed:
• Change to passive: He grew wing cells in culture.
• Change to past perfect: He (win) ______ county firsts before entering the international fair.
• Change to passive: They recaptured only two tagged monarchs.
• Articles/Prepositions/Modals Mix — Do as directed:
• He studied at ______ Harvard and worked ______ top labs. (Fill in article and preposition)
• Students ______ (should/may) learn from failure as Ebright did. (Choose)
• He presented his findings ______ the county science fair ______ neat methods and results. (Fill in prepositions)
• collects, is focusing b) had gathered c) started
• raised b) were c) saw
• The monarchs were tagged before release (by Richie). b) The monarchs were eaten (by a starling). c) His curiosity was kept alive (by his mother).
• The gold spots produced the hormone. b) He/They wrote a paper in a top science journal. c) They tested the theory in medical school labs.
• Richie asked why the gold spots mattered. b) “Winners do real experiments,” Ebright said. c) Dr Urquhart advised tagging the monarchs carefully.
• a b) through/at/all (acceptable: all night) c) in; of
• should b) may c) can
• He lost the fair because he had only neat slides. b) His curiosity was stronger than his resources. c) Did he enter the International Science and Engineering Fair? d) He never stopped asking “why.”
• Debate club was the most helpful activity for him. b) He built a device which proved the role of the gold spots. c) Only after he saw X-ray photos did he model how a cell might read DNA.
  • was → were (ii) bring → brought (iii) spends → spent
  • thousands of butterflies (ii) turn into (iii) them before release / to Dr Urquhart
• device; gold; showed; hormone
• Richie said that he would write to Dr Urquhart for ideas. b) “Keep learning at the dining table,” his mother advised. c) James Wong said that they were working all night on that model.
• Wing cells were grown in culture (by him). b) had won c) Only two tagged monarchs were recaptured.
• a)at/—; in/at b) should c) at; with

the making of a scientist Short Answer Questions (30–40 words each)

 Q1. How did Ebright’s mother shape his early learning?

Answer:Ebright’s mother helped him learn by taking him to museums and nature trips, giving him books and a microscope, studying with him at the dining table, and encouraging his curiosity after his father’s death.

Q2. What was Ebright’s first major setback and what did he learn from it?

Answer:His first setback was losing at the county science fair with only neat slides. He learned that real science needs experiments and proper research, not just displays.

Q3. Why did Ebright start tagging monarch butterflies, and what were the results?

Answer:He began tagging monarchs because the book The Travels of Monarch X asked students to help Dr Urquhart study migration. He tagged thousands, but only two tagged butterflies were ever found again.

Q4. What question did Ebright ask about the gold spots on a monarch pupa?

Answer:He wondered, “What do the gold spots do?” His experiments showed that the gold spots produce a hormone needed for the butterfly’s growth.

Q5. How did Ebright’s work at Harvard help him develop his theory?

Answer:At Harvard, he studied X-ray photos and worked with James R. Wong to create a model of how cells read DNA. This led to a research paper in a top journal.

Q6. What skills besides science helped Ebright become successful?

Answer:He was disciplined from debate, good at outdoor activities and photography, and always tried to do his best for the right reasons.

the making of a scientist Long Answer Questions (100–120 words each)

 Q1. Write the character sketch of Richard H. Ebright.  

Answer:

Richard H. Ebright was a bright and hard-working boy who became a successful scientist. His character can be described as follows:

Very curious child – He always wanted to learn new things and understand how they worked.

Loved collecting things – He collected butterflies, rocks, fossils, and coins from a young age.

Learned from failure – When he lost at the county science fair, he realised he must do real experiments, not just show collections.

Hard-working and disciplined – He raised thousands of monarch butterflies and kept careful notes and records.

Asked important questions – He tried to find answers to problems like:

How do monarchs migrate?

Do birds eat monarchs?

Are monarchs virus carriers?

Did real scientific work – He built devices, performed lab experiments, and grew butterfly wing cells to study them.

Made a big discovery – He proved that the gold spots on a pupa release a hormone needed for a butterfly to grow.

Excellent student at Harvard – He helped create a model of how cells read DNA using X-ray photos.

Balanced personality – Besides science, he was good at debate, sports, and photography.

Always tried to do his best – He never stopped asking “why” and always aimed to work honestly and perfectly.

In short: Ebright was curious, sincere, and dedicated, and these qualities made him a great young scientist.

Q2. How does Ebright’s story show how real science grows? (Point-wise, simple language)

Answer:Ebright’s life clearly shows how real science develops step by step.

Starts with curiosity – He began with a simple hobby of collecting butterflies.

Asking questions – He wondered why and how things happened, which is the first step in science.

Learning from failure – His loss in the county fair taught him that real science needs experiments and research.

Doing experiments – He planned, tested, observed, and recorded results carefully.

Using scientific method –

He identified problems

Formed ideas (hypotheses)

Did experiments

Recorded results

Made conclusions

Finding evidence – Every project he did was based on real proof, such as:

Bird and butterfly taste experiment

Virus-carrying experiment

Gold spots hormone experiment

Making discoveries – His work on monarch pupae helped prove the role of hormones in growth.

Advanced scientific work – At Harvard, he studied DNA using X-ray photos and made an important model.

Never stopping curiosity – His habit of asking questions and working hard helped him grow as a real scientist.

In short: Real science grows from curiosity, careful experiments, patience, and learning from mistakes—just as shown in Ebright’s journey.

the making of a scientist Extract Based Questions

Extract 1: “And it all started with butterflies.”

Questions:

a) What activity with butterflies did Ebright first try? (Tagging monarchs for Dr Urquhart.)

b) Where did he raise them and in what numbers? (In his basement; thousands.)

c) What was the outcome of tagging? (Only two were ever found again.)

Answers:

a) He tagged monarchs as part of a migration study.

b) He raised thousands in his basement, from egg to adult.

c) Only two tagged monarchs were recovered, less than 75 miles away.

Extract 2: “Then comes the big question: what do the 12 tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa do?”

Questions:a) What device-related action did Ebright take? (He built a device to test the spots.)

b) What did he prove about the spots? (They produce a hormone for full development.)

c) What recognition did this work bring? (County firsts and entry to the International Science and Engineering Fair.)

Answers:

a) He constructed a device to study the gold spots.

b) He proved the spots make a necessary hormone.

c) He won at the county level and entered the international fair.

Extract 3: “Winners do real experiments.”

Questions:

a) What event led to this lesson? (Losing the county science fair.)

b) How did he change his approach after this? (He wrote to Dr Urquhart and began testing real questions.)

c) Name one later project that showed this change. (Birds and bad-tasting monarchs; or beetle and virus; or gold spots and hormone.)

Answers:

a) His loss with neat slides taught him this.

b) He focused on experiments with methods and results.

c) For example, he tested if birds avoid monarchs or if gold spots make a hormone.

FAQs