CBSE Class 10 English The Making of a Scientist Worksheet

The Making of a Scientist

INTRODUCTION
Richard H. Ebright has contributed significantly to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. When Ebright was a little child, he used to collect butterflies, rocks, fossils and coins. He was an eager star-gazer also. But he was mainly interested in butterflies. During his school as well as college days, he did many experiments for which he was awarded many prizes. Most of his experiments were on butterflies. These experiments were a milestone in the world of science.

DETAILED SUMMARY
Richard H. Ebright is one of the leading scientists. He has contributed significantly to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He had been interested in science since his boyhood years. At the age of twentytwo. He excited the scientific world with a new theory. It was concerned with the working of cells. Ebright and his college room-mate explained the theory in an article. It was published in the journal entitled ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Science’. It was first of his many achievements in the field of science. It started with his studies on ‘butterflies’.

Ebright was the only child of his parents. They lived in the north of Reading, Pennsylvania. There was nothing for Ebright to do there. He had no companions. He was not a good player. But his hobby was collecting things. Ebright was fascinated by butterflies. He started collecting butterflies in kindergarten. He also collected rocks, fossils and coins. He also became a star-gazer and an eager astronomer. Ebright’s mother recognized his curiosity and encouraged him. She took him on trips. She also bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras and other equipment so that he could follow his hobbies. Ebright’s mother was his friend until he started school. She would bring home friends to him. He was her whole life after her husband’s death.

Ebright’s mother would find work for Richie if he had nothing to do. She found learning tasks for him. He had a great hunger for learning. He earned top grades in school. By the time he was in second grade. He had collected 25 species of butterflies. These were found around in hometown. One day his mother gave him a children’s book. It opened the world of science to Ebright.

That book was ‘The Travels of Monarch X’. It described how monarch butterflies migrate to Central America. This book fascinated him. At the end of the book, readers were invited to help study butterfly migrations. They were asked to tag butterflies for research by Dr Frederick A. Urquhart of Toronto University. Canada. Anyone who found a tagged butterfly was asked to send the tag to Dr Urquhart. Ebright started tagging monarch butterflies. The butterfly collecting season around Reading lasts only six weeks in late summer. He realized that chasing the butterflies one by one won’t enable him to catch many. So he decided to raise a flock of butterflies. He would catch a female monarch and take her eggs. He would raise them in his basement from egg to caterpillar to pupa to adult butterfly. Then he would tag the butterflies’ wings and let them go.

However, soon Ebright began to lose interest in tagging butterflies. The reason was that there was no feedback. He was a little disappointed as only two butterflies had been recaptured. And they had been found not more than seventy-five miles from where he lived. By the time, Ebright reached the seventh grade. He got busy with other scientific experiments. He entered a county science fair. His entries were slides of frog tissues. But he did not win any prize He realised that the winners had tried to do real experiments. So he decided to do further research in his favourite field, that is, insects on which he had already been doing work.

Ebright wrote to Dr Urquhart for ideas. In reply, the famous scientist gave him many suggestions for experiments. These experiments kept Ebright busy all through high school. He also won many prizes in the county and international science fairs. For his eighth grade project, Ebright tried to find the cause of a viral disease that killed all monarch caterpillars. He thought the disease might be carried by a beetle. He tried raising caterpillars in the presence of beetles. But he didn’t get any real results. But he showed his experiment in the science fair and won. The next year his science fair project was testing the theory that viceroy butterflies imitate monarchs. He said that viceroys look like monarchs because birds do not find monarchs tasty. By copying monarchs, the viceroys escape being eaten by birds. His project was to see if birds would eat monarchs. This project was placed first in the zoology division and third overall in the county science fair.

In his second year in high school, Ebright’s research led to his discovery of an unknown insect hormone. Indirectly, it led to his new theory on the life of cells. He tried to answer a very simple question: What is the purpose of the twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa? To find the answer Ebright and another student built a device that showed that the spots were producing a hormone. It was necessary for the butterfly’s full development. This project won Ebright first place in the county fair and entry into the International Science and Engineering Fair. There he won third place for zoology. He also got a chance to work in Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

Ebright’s interest in butterflies never abated. As a high school junior, he continued his advanced experiments on the monarch pupa. His project won first place at the International Science Fair. In his senior year, he grew cells from a monarch’s wing in a culture. He showed that the cells would divide and develop into normal butterfly wing scales only if they were fed the hormone from the gold spots. That project won first place for zoology at the International Fair. He also worked at the army laboratory and at the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s laboratory. The following summer Ebright went back to the Dept. of Agriculture’s lab and worked on the hormone theory. Finally, he was able to identify the hormone’s chemical structure.

A year-and-a-half later, one day, Ebright was seeing the X-ray photos of the chemical structure of cells. He got the idea for his new theory about cell life. Those photos provided him with the answer to one of biology’s puzzles: how the cell can ‘read’ the blueprint of its DNA. DNA is the substance in the nucleus of a cell that controls heredity. It is the blueprint for life. Ebright and his college room-mate James R. Wong drew pictures and constructed plastic models of molecules to show how it could happen.

No one was surprised when Richard Ebright graduated from Harvard with highest honours. He also became a graduate student researcher at Harvard Medical School. There he began experimenting to test his theory if the theory proves correct it will be a big step towards understanding the life processes. It might also lead to new ideas for preventing some types of cancer and other diseases. Ebright has many other interests also. He also became a champion debater and public speaker, a good canoeist and an all-around outdoor-Person. He was also an expert photographer of nature and scientific exhibits.

Ebright’s social studies teacher, Richard Weiherer had high praise for him. Ebright said about his teacher that he opened his mind to new ideas. Richard A. Weiherer also spoke highly of Ebright about his interests. He won because he wanted to do the best job. He said that Ebright was competitive, but not in a bad sense. In the end, the writer says Ebright possessed those traits which are necessary for the making of a scientist. These are: Start with a first-rate mind, add curiosity and mix in the will to win for the right reasons. Ebright had these qualities.

Main Characters

1.Richard H Ebright
- A multifaceted genius; a great scientist, debater, canoeist, etc.
- Collected butterflies since childhood
- Worked on monarch butterflies, the cell and its DNA
- Inspired by his mother, Dr Urquhart and his teacher RA Weiherer

2. Richard H Ebright’s Mother
- Encouraged and inspired Ebright’s interest in learning
- Bought him instruments, cameras; his only companions
- Got him the book The Travels of Monarch X that changed Richard Ebright’s life
-

3. Dr Urquhart
- Famous for work on monarch butterflies
- Taught at University of Toronto, Canada
- Helped Ebright with new ideas and suggestions
-

4. Richard A Weiherer
- Social Studies teacher of Ebright
- Respected and admired by Ebright
- Turned Ebright’s energy towards the Debating and Model United Nations clubs.

Read the given extracts to attempt the questions that follow:

1. From the first he had a driving curiosity along with a bright mind. He also had a mother who encouraged his interest in learning. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes,cameras, mounting materials, and other equipment and helped him in many other ways.
“I was his only companion until he started school,” his mother said. “After that I would bring home friends for him. But at night we just did things together. Richie was my whole life after his father died when Richie was in third grade.”

A. Multiple Choice Questions

Question. Richard Ebright’s research during his childhood focussed on
(a) Grasshoppers
(b) Butterflies
(c) Ants
(d) Birds
Answer. B

Question. During his early years, the person who promoted Ebright’s curiosity in science was:
(a) his father
(b) his mother
(c) his teacher
(d) his friend
Answer. B

Question. By buying Richard microscopes and telescopes, his mother promoted in him:
(a) scientific curiosity
(b) an interest in history
(c) an interest in sports
(d) an interest in psychology
Answer. A

Question. Which of the following statements is not true?
(a) In kindergarten, Richard collected butterflies.
(b) Richard collected coins, fossils and rocks.
(c) His father helped him in his research activities.
(d) He could not involve in sports as a child.
Answer. C

Question. Richard’s childhood activities helped him to become a/an:
(a) scientist
(b) historian
(c) actor
(d) sportsman
Answer. A

B. Very Short Answer Questions

Question. What two qualities did Richard Ebright possess?
Answer. He had a driving curiosity and a bright mind.

Question. How did his mother encourage his interest in learning?
Answer. She encouraged him by taking him on trips and buying scientific equipments like telescopes,
microscopes, cameras, etc.

Question. When did Richard’s father die?
Answer. Richard Ebright’s father died when he was in the third grade.

Question. Who motivated Richard to develop his scientific mind?
Answer. His mother was the person who helping his driving curiosity on scientific things.

Question. What did Richard enjoy collecting most?
Answer. He enjoyed collecting butterflies most of all.

A. Multiple Choice Questions

Question. Ebright started raising:
(a) a flock of ants
(b) a flock of moths
(b) a flock of butterflies
(d) a flock of houseflies
Answer. C

Question. Ebright would tag the butterflies:
(a) legs
(b) feelers
(c) wings
(d) body
Answer. C

Question. What was the aim of tagging butterflies?
(a) To study growth of butterflyies
(b) To study migration of butterflyies
(c) to collect various samples of butterflies
(d) None of these
Answer. B

Question. The life cycle of butterflies starts from:
(a) eggs
(b) cells
(c) pupa
(d) adult
Answer. C

Question. In the extract the collective noun ‘flock of butterflies’ has been used. Which of these options DOES NOT indicate a valid collective noun.
                     (1) Birds
                          ↑
(4) People ←   FLOCK OF →  (2) Sheep
                          ↓
                     (3) Wheat
(a) Option (1)
(b) Option (2)
(c) Option (3)
(d) Option (4)
Answer. C

B. Very Short Answer Questions

Question. Name the book which kept Ebright’s interest in butterflies alive.
Answer. The book called ‘The Travels of Monarch X’ rekindled his interest in butterflies.

Question. Why did Ebright want to raise a flock of butterflies?
Answer. He started helping Dr. Fredrick A. Urquhart in his research by tagging butterflies.

Question. How did Ebright raise the butterflies?
Answer. He raised them from eggs to caterpillars to pupa to adult butterflies.

Question. How did he tag the butterflies?
Answer. He tagged them by attaching light adhesive tags to the wings of the Monarch butterfly.

Question. What was anyone who found a monarch butterfly with a tag asked to do?
Answer. Anyone who found a butterfly with a tag was asked to send the tag to Dr. Urquhart.

3. Beginning in kindergarten, Ebright collected butterflies with the same determination that has marked all his activities. He also collected rocks, fossils and coins. He became an eager astronomer too, sometimes star-gazing all night.

A. Multiple Choice Questions

Question. Ebright started collecting butterflies when he was in:
(a) high school
(b) kindergarten
(c) middle school
(d) primary school
Answer. C

Question. He also became an eager:
(a) astrologer
(b) biologist
(c) astronomer
(d) zoologist
Answer. C

Question. Who encouraged Ebright in learning?
(a) His father
(b) His mother
(c) His friend
(d) None of them
Answer. B

Question. What quality of his character is reflected in the above extract?
(a) His curiosity
(b) His carelessness
(c) His love for books
(d) Obedience to mother
Answer. C

Question. What is the meaning of ‘astronomer’?
(a) A book lover
(b) A sky lover
(c) An animal lover
(d) A star gazer
Answer. C

B. Very Short Answer Questions

Question. When did Ebright start collecting butterflies?
Answer. Ebright started collecting butterflies when he was in kindergarten.

Question. What other things did he collect besides butterflies?
Answer. He collected rocks, fossils and coins besides butterflies.

Question. As an eager astronomer what did he do on some nights?
Answer. As an eager astronomer Ebright star-gazed sometimes all night.

Question. Who encouraged this curiosity and learning in him?
Answer. His mother encouraged this curiosity and learning in him.

Question. With what determination did Ebright collect his butterflies?
Answer. He collected the butterflies with the same determination that marked all his activities.

Multiple Choice Questions 

Question. What opened the world of science of Ebright?
(a) His fascination for birds
(b) His fascination for dinosaurs
(c) His fascination for butterflies
(d) His fascination for cats
Answer. C

Question. How old was Ebright when he discovered the theory on how cells work?
(a) Twenty-two
(b) Thirty-two
(c) Forty-two
(d) Fifty-two
Answer. A

Question. What was Ebright’s hobby as a child?
(a) Playing basketball
(b) Collecting things
(c) Reading books
(d) Watching cartoons
Answer. B

Question. What is the blueprint for life?
(a) Cells
(b) Blood
(c) Nerves
(d) DNA
Answer. D

Question. Where did Richard Ebright grow up?
(a) Seattle
(b) Washington
(c) Reading
(d) Austin
Answer. C

Short Answer Questions :

Question. What were the factors which contributed to making Ebright a scientist?
Or
What are the essential qualities for becoming a scientist, according to Albright’s teacher?
Answer. Sharp brain, d y observant, anal tic mind, driving curiosity, the keen interest in the subject and strong will for the right cause are some of the essentials for the making of a scientist. He should not run after prizes, have a competitive spirit but not in a bad sense.

Question. Which project of Ebright won first prize in the county science fair?
Answer.Ebright didn’t win anything at his first science fair, thereby realizing that actual experiments alone worked. Later, he started winning prizes. Ebright with his scientist friend first built a device that showed that the tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa were producing a hormone necessary for the butterfly’s full development. This project won the first prize in the county science fair and third prize in zoology in the International science fair.

Question. What idea did Ebright get when he was looking at the X-ray photos of cells?
Answer. One day, Ebright was seeing the X-ray photos of the chemical structure of cells. He got the idea for his new theory about cell life. Those photos provided him with the answer to one of biology’s puzzles: how the cell can ‘read’ the blueprint of its DNA.

Question. How did Richard Ebright excite the scientific world at the age of twenty- two?
Answer. Richard Ebright was just twenty-two when he ‘excited’ the scientific world with a new theory. It was on how cells worked. Ebright and his college room-mate explained the theory in an article in the ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Science’. It was the first time that this famous scientific journal had ever published the work of college students.

Question. How was Richard Ebright’s mother a source of inspiration and encouragement in his quest for learning?
Answer. Richard Ebright was fortunate enough to have a highly helping and encouraging mother. She compensated the early loss of his father. She encouraged his interest in learning. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials and other equipments. She found work for him and helped him in learning things and in many other ways.

Question. Why do viceroy butterflies copy monarch butterflies? What reasons did Richard Ebright give in this regard?
Answer. One of Richard Ebright’s projects was to test the theory that viceroy butterflies copied monarch butterflies. Viceroys looked like monarchs because monarchs didn’t taste good to birds. Viceroy butterflies, on the other hand, tasted good to birds. So, they try to copy and look like them to protect themselves from birds.

Question. How and where did Richard Ebright identify the hormone’s chemical structure?
Answer. After his freshman year at Harvard University, Ebright went back to the laboratory of the Department of Agriculture. He did more work on the hormones of the gold spots. Using sophisticated instruments there, he was able to identify the hormone’s chemical structure.

Question. Why did Richard Ebright admire his teacher Richard A Weiherer?
Answer. Richard Ebright had great respect and admiration for his Social Studies teacher. He was Richard’s adviser to the Debating and Model United Nations Clubs. Richard A Weiherer was the perfect person for Ebright who opened his minds to new ideas.

Short Answer Type Questions-II

Question. 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?
Answer. The lesson The Making of a Scientist describes in detail the essential ingredients that are necessary in the making of a scientist. We need many more things than observing, thinking and doing experiments.
The first thing is the scientific attitude and temperament. To be competitive and to be the best is another ingredient. A first rate mind and scientific curiosity are the two other necessary traits. The will to win for the right reasons is another trait.
The making of an economist and a historian may demand some other virtues. However, the basic ingredients are not much different.

Question. “... There was one thing I could do – collect things.” What did Richard Ebright do in his childhood?
Answer. Richard Ebright was the only child. “There wasn’t much I could do there … . But there was one thing I could do – collect things,” said he. So he did. While still in kindergarten, he started collecting butterflies. By the time he was in the second grade, he had collected all 25 species of butterflies found around his hometown. He also collected rocks, fossils and coins. He sometimes did star-gazing all night.

Question. What book opened the world of science to the eager young collector, Richard Ebright?
Answer. Richard Ebright was fond of collecting things. By the time he was in the second grade, he had collected all twenty-five species of butterflies found around his hometown. But the book that opened the world of science to the eager young collector was The Travels of Monarch X. It was a children’s book gifted to him by his mother. The book described how monarch butterflies migrated to Central America.

Question. How did Ebright’s basement became a home to thousands of monarch butterflies?
Answer. Richard Ebright used to send tagged monarch butterflies to Dr Urquhart for his research work.Chasing butterflies one by one was difficult and he couldn’t catch many. So, he decided to raise some of the butterflies in his basement. He would catch a monarch butterfly, take her eggs and raise them. Then, he would tag the butterflies’ wings and let them go. So, his basement became a home to thousands of monarch butterflies.

Question. When and how did Richard Ebright get a hint of what real science is?
Answer. Richard Ebright was in the seventh grade when he got a hint what real science was. Actually, he entered a county science fair — and lost. He didn’t get anything while everybody else had won.
It was a very sad feeling for young Ebright. His entry was slides of frog tissues. He showed them under a microscope. He realised that winners had tried to do real experiments. On the other hand,he failed because he simply made a neat display.

Question. Were twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa just ornamental? What did Richard Ebright prove in this regard? What honours did this project bring to Richard Ebright?
Answer. Many thought that the twelve gold spots on a monarch pupa were just ornamental. But Dr Urquhart didn’t believe it. Richard built a device that showed that the spots were producing a very important hormone. That hormone was necessary for the butterfly’s full development.
This project won Ebright first place in the county fair and an entry into the International Science and Engineering Fair.

Question. How did Richard Ebright grow cells from a monarch butterfly’s wing? What did that project win for Ebright?
Answer. Richard Ebright continued his journey further. He grew cells from a monarch’s wing in a culture.
He showed that cells could divide and develop into normal butterfly wing scales. They must be
fed from the hormone received from the gold spots. This project won first place of zoology at the
International Fair.

Question. Richard Ebright was a famous scientist but he had time for other interests too. What were the other interests and hobbies of Ebright?
Answer. Richard Ebright’s journey as a scientist started since he first began collecting butterflies. However, he found time for other interests and hobbies too. He became a champion debater and public speaker.He was a good canoeist. He was also an expert photographer. He excelled in photographing nature and scientific exhibits.

Question. Did Richard Ebright have all the ingredients that are necessary in the making of a scientist? Give a reasoned answer.
OR
Assess Richard Ebright as a scientist.
Answer. Fortunately, Richard Ebright had all the essential ingredients that are necessary in the making of a great scientist. He had a first rate mind and always got first grades in schools. At Harvard, he was second in his class of 1510. He had the curiosity of knowing ‘why’ and ‘how’ of things. Last but not the least, he was competitive and wanted to be the best. He had the will to win for the right reasons.

Long Answer questions :

Question. Which book proved to be a turning point in Ebright’s life?
Answer.One day, Ebright’s mother gave him a book. That book was ‘The Travels of Monarch X’. It described how monarch butterflies migrate to Central America. This book fascinated him. At the end of the book readers were invited to help study butterfly migrations. They were asked to tag butterflies for research by Dr Frederick of Toronto University, Canada. Anyone who found a tagged butterfly was asked to send the tag to Dr Frederick. Ebright started tagging monarch, butterflies. The butterfly collecting season lasts only six weeks in late summer. He realized that chasing the butterflies one by one won’t enable him to catch many. So he decided to raise a flock of butterflies.

Question.’Success is failure turned inside out’. Prove the above statement with instances from the journey taken by Richard Albright from losing at the science fair to winning at the international fair.
Answer. Success is the fruit of failure. It never comes straight but through failure. This can be seen in the life of Richard Albright. Although he earned top grades in school, on everyday things he was just like every other kid. He faced many failures in his life but every failure strengthened his will to succeed. When he was in seventh grade he participated in County Science Fair with his slides of frog tissues. But he could not win a prize. This made him determined to win the prize and in his eighth grade, he again participated in the science fair with the experiment of viral disease in monarch caterpillars and won the prize. The very next Year he participated with his experiment of whether viceroy butterflies copy the monarch butterflies in order to save their life from the birds and this project won Albright, third prize in overall county science fair.
His experiment regarding gold spots of monarch liar which he built a device that showed. That the spots produced hormones necessary for the full development of butterflies won third prize in international science and engineering fair.
Next year his advanced experiments on the monarch pupa won him first place at the international science fair. Thus, for Richard Albright, we can say that success is failure turned inside out.

Question. What other interests, besides science did Richard Ebright pursue? Why did Ebright respect and praise his Social Studies teacher so much?
Answer. No doubt, first and foremost, Richard Ebright was a scientist. He was interested in science, he first began to collect butterflies. But this scientist found time for other interests too. He was a man of many parts — a multifaceted genius. Not only did he collect butterflies but also took a deep interest in other activities. He collected rocks, fossils, and coins. He became an eager astronomer. He would indulge in star-gazing sometimes all night. Ebright also became a champion debater and public speaker. In this field, his Social Studies teacher turned Ebright’s tremendous energy towards the Debating and Model United Nations Clubs. He was a good canoeist and all-around outdoors-person. He was also an expert photographer. He excelled in nature and scientific exhibits. In brief, besides being a remarkable scientist, Richard Ebright enjoyed all pleasures, adventures, hobbies and entertainments that a happy and civilised living provided to him.

Question. Give a character sketch of Richard Ebright highlighting his achievements and his added interests.
Answer. Richard H Ebright was a many faceted genius. He was a competent scientist, a lovable son, a respecting pupil and above all, a man with varied interests and hobbies. But first and foremost, he was a scientist. His fame rests on his wonderful works and achievement on butterflies. By the time he was in the second grade, Ebright collected all twenty-five species of butterflies found around in his hometown. Ebright was a great learner. He learnt an important lesson at his first county science fair. He learnt that winners do real experiments than making a neat display. The book, Travels of Monarch X, opened the world of science to the eager young collector. One of his famous projects was based on theory that viceroy butterflies copied monarch butterflies to escape being eaten by birds. This project was placed first in the zoology division. Later, Ebright showed that the spots on a monarch pupa produced a hormone necessary for the butterfly’s development. He also proved that DNA controls heredity and is the blueprint for life.
Richard Ebright got all his encouragement, help and inspiration from his mother. He was her only companion and they spent almost every evening at the dining table. She encouraged his interest in learning. She bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras and other instruments for him. Dr Urquhart helped him with new suggestions and ideas. His Social Studies teacher, Richard A Weiherer, opened his mind to new ideas and made him competitive.
Richard Ebright was more than a scientist. He found time for other interests and hobbies. He was a champion debater and public speaker. He was a good canoeist and an expert photographer. He had a first rate mind, competitive spirit and scientific curiosity.

Question. Describe Richard Ebright’s various achievements in science, particularly his great work on the monarch butterflies. Who did Ebright look to for getting fresh ideas and suggestions?
Answer. Richard Ebright had all the necessary ingredients that are required in the making of a scientist. He had a first rate mind, was competitive and had the will to win. Above all, he was a great collector and never lost his scientific curiosity. His scientific journey started very early. While he was still in the second grade, he had collected all the species of butterflies found around his hometown. The Travels of Monarch X was the book that changed his life. It opened the world of science to the eager collector. His failure at his first county science fair taught him an important lesson. He learnt that winners do real experiments. One of the most important projects of Richard Ebright was to prove that viceroy butterflies try to look like monarch butterflies. They do so to avoid being eaten by birds. Ebright also proved that twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa produced a hormone that was necessary for the butterfly’s full development. His another project won first place for zoology at the International Fair. It showed that if cells are fed the hormone from the gold spots, they can develop into normal butterfly wing scales.
The crowning achievement of Ebright’s brilliant scientific career was his work on the chemical structure of a hormone. He proved that a cell can read the blueprint of its DNA and thus DNA controls heredity and is the blueprint for life.
Richard Ebright looked to Dr Urquhat for fresh ideas and suggestions. The book, The Travels of Monarch X, opened the world of science to him. He sent tagged butterflies to Dr Urquhart for his research works. Dr Urquhart’s new ideas and suggestions helped Ebright to achieve prizes and honours in county and International Science Fairs.

Question. Describe the contribution of his mother in Richard Ebright’s life. What role did she play in making Ebright a scientist?
Answer. They say that behind the success of a man stands a woman. And in Richard Ebright’s success as a scientist and also as a man, solidly stood his mother. Richard Ebright’s father had died when he was just in the third grade. “Richie was my life after his father died …,” said his mother. He was her only companion and they spent almost every evening at the dining table. Ebright’s mother encouraged his interest in learning. She knew that her son had a driving curiosity along with a bright mind. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials and other equipments. She helped Ebright in many ways. She was an important link between Dr Urquhart and her son. She wrote to Dr Urquhart and after her advice, Ebright sent tagged butterflies to him in Canada. She knew that her son had a passion for collecting things. By the time he was in the second grade, Ebright had collected all twenty-five species of butterflies found around his hometown. His interest in his butterfly collecting would have ended had she not got him a children’s book called.
The Travels of Monarch X. That book told how monarch butterflies migrated to Central America.
It opened the world of science to the eager collector.

Question. How did Richard Ebright’s 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?
Answer. Richard Ebright had started the work of butterflies and insects from a very early age. His main work was based on butterflies, particularly monarch butterflies. By the time he was in the second grade, he had collected all twenty-five species of butterflies found around his hometown. But he learnt the lesson of his life when he was in the seventh grade. He got a hint of what real science was. He entered the County Science Fair with a project. His project was slides of frog tissues, which he showed under a microscope. In the fair, he failed miserably. He didn’t get anything while everybody else had won something. It was really a very sad feeling for him.
From his first county science fair, Ebright came to know what real science was. He also learnt a lesson of knowing what made a winner. He realised his mistakes. He had only made a neat display of frog tissues under a microscope. He realised that winners had tried real experiments. From then onwards, he looked to Dr Urquhart for new ideas and suggestions. Dr Urquhart gave him number of suggestions for experiments. Continuous research and experimentations won him great honours and prizes locally as well as internationally.