Chapter 4: An Indian-American Woman in Space : Kalpana Chawla

WORKING WITH THE TEXT

A.Answer the following questions.

Question 1.Where was Kalpana Chawla born? Why is she called an Indian-American?

Answer:Kalpana Chawla was born in Karnal town, Haryana. She also had the citizenship of the United States of America as was married to an United States citizen and become its naturalised citizen. So, she was called an Indian-American.

Question 2.When and why did she go to the United States? Who did she marry?

Answer:After completing her Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering, Kalpana Chawla went to the United States of America for higher studies. She married an United States citizen Jean-Pierre Harrison.

Question 3.How did she become an astronaut? What gave her the idea that she could be an astronaut?

Answer:After qualifying as a pilot, Kalpana Chawla applied for NASA’s space programme. She was first taken as a research scientist at NASA and was trained as an astronaut. Her success as a pilot motivated her to become an astronaut.

Question 4.What abilities must an astronaut have, according to the journalist ?

Answer:An astronaut should know everything from biology to astrophysics to aeronautical engineering. An astronaut should have encyclopaedic knowledge.

Question 5.Describe Kalpana Chawla’s first mission in space.

Answer:Kalpana Chawla’s first mission in the space shuttle Columbia was 15 days, 16 hours and 34 minutes long. During her journey, she went around the Earth 252 times. There was a Japanese and a Ukranian astronaut in the crew and they conducted many experiments.

Question 6.What does Kalpana Chawla say about pursuing a dream? Do you agree with her that success is possible?

Answer:It was alway possible to realise one’s dreams if one had the courage and vision to find it one should have vision to find it. According to her, success is possible only.

B.Read the newspaper report to find the following facts about the Columbia’s ill-fated voyage.

1. Date and place of lift off: ………….
2. Number of astronauts on board : …………….
3. Number of days it stayed in space: ………….
4. Number of experiments done by scientists: …………….
5. Date of return journey: ………………….
6. Height at which it lost contact: ……………….

Answer:

1. 16th January, 2003
2. seven
3. 15 days, 16 hours, 34 minutes
4. 80 experiments
5. February 2003
6. 200000 feet

WORKING WITH LANGUAGE

Question A.Match the following.

Answer:

1. unprecedented space tragedy – a sad accident of a kind that has never happened before in space.
2. certified flight instructor – a person with the correct qualification to teach people to fly planes.
3. space mission – a set of jobs to be done in space by a group.
4. super-specialisation – great expertise in a limited field or a particular subject.
5. encyclopaedic knowledge – having knowledge of a wide variety of subjects.
6. awe-inspiring – something that causes feelings of respect and wonder.
7. in this age – nowadays, in these times.

Question B.Use these phrases in sentences of your own, after finding out their meanings.

1. broke apart
2. streaked over
3. spread across
4. lifted off
5. blast off
6. went on
7. cheered along
8. on board
9. carry on

Answer:

1. Broke apart: (separated, break up)-The coaches of the train broke apart on its own.
2. Streaked over: (a line, mark)-A plane was seen streaking over our town.
3. Spread across: (spread everywhere)-The news about their fight spread across the entire nation.
4. Lifted off: (to direct or carry from a lower to a higher position) – The rocket lifted off from a space station in Chennai.
5. Blast off: (of a rocket or spacecraft) take off from a launching site – The rocket blasted off in the morning.
6. Blast off: (of a rocket or spacecraft) take off from a launching site – The rocket blasted off in the morning.
7. Cheered along: (motivated, encouraged) – The performers were cheered along by their fans.
8. On board: (inside a ship, train and aircraft)
   There were 250 passengers on board in the aircraft.
9. carry on: (to continue) – She decided to carry on with her studies.

Question C.We add ‘un-’to make opposites.
Example:true – untrue
Add ‘un-’ to the words below to make their opposites. Then look up the meanings of the words you have formed in the dictionary.

1. Identified
2. Controlled
3. Attended
4. Successful
5. Important
6. Educated
7. Interesting
8. Qualified
9. Trained
10. Answerable

Answer:
Opposites -Meaning

1. Unidentified – not recognised or identified
2. Uncontrolled – unchecked, totally free
3. Unattended – not noticed or dealt with
4. Unsuccessful – failed
5. Unimportant – lacking in importance and significance
6. Uneducated – having a poor level of education not arousing curiosity and interest
7. Uninteresting – not having the required qualification
8. Unqualified – not having the required qualification
9. Untrained- not having been trained in particular skill
10. Unanswerable – unable to be answered

SPEAKING

A:In her message to students of her college, Kalpana Chawla said, “May you have the vision to find the path from dreams to success… Wishing you a great journey.”
Form pairs. Use “May you…” and “I wish you/Wishing you” to wish your partner good luck and success in

1. a sports event,
2. a quiz or a competition and
3. a test or examination.

Answer:

1. I wish you great success in the sports event.
2. May you succeed in the forthcoming quiz competition!
3. Wishing you to perform better in the examination.

B.Be sure to thank your partner when she/he wishes you in turn. You may also look up a telephone directory or go to a post office and get a list in English and Hindi of standard phrases that can be sent in greeting telegrams anywhere in India. Discuss which of these you might use and when. Compare the English and Hindi phrases for expressing good wishes. Do you know such phrases in any other language?

Answer:There is a conversation between Rita and Sunita.

(a) Rita: May this Diwali bring happiness and prosperity to you and your family.
Sunita: Thanks, for the wishes. Wish,you the same.

(b) Rita: I wish you success for your final examination.
Sunita: Thanks a lot!

(c) Rita: Best wishes for a safe and happy journey. Sunita: Thanks.

WRITING

A.Do you have a ‘dream’ or something you very much wish to do? Write a paragraph saying what you want to do. Then say (in another paragraph) how you think you can make your dream come true.

Answer: Everybody has some kind of dreams in his or her life. They want to lead a better life and be successful. It means people are ambitious and have a keen desire to have something in life.

I want to become a pilot and fly high in the sky. I had this dream since childhood and I want to achieve it in any case. Whenever, I see a plane in the sky, I wish to drive and handle it. It is not easy to become a pilot and one could achieve it only through hard work. One has to study a lot and be physically fit to control an aircraft. Besides, one needs to be patient while driving a plane. I have to work hard for its entrance test.

B.Given below are some words that are spelt differently in British and American English. Fill in the blanks accordingly:

Answer:British – American

1. Colour – Color
2. Labour – Labor
3. Traveller – Traveler
4. Counsellor – Counselor
5. Centre – Center
6. Theatre – Theater
7. Organise – Organise
8. Realise – Realise
9. Defence – Defense
10. Offence – Offense