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Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 1 Chapter 3 Quest for a Theory of Everything Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook Quest for a Theory of Everything Questions and Answers Unit 1 Chapter 3 (Profile)

Quest for a Theory of Everything (Profile) Textual Questions

Question 1.
How did Hawking startle the audience?
Answer:
He startled his audience by telling them that there was an end in sight for Theoretical Physics. He invited them to join him in a sensational escape through time and space.

Question 2.
Stephen Hawking did not appear to be a promising choice to lead any adventure. Why?
Answer:
He was sitting in a wheelchair while one of his students was reading his lecture to the audience. His appearance was not healthy and naturally he did not appearto be a promising choice to lead any adventure.

Question 3.
Can a person be judged by appearance alone? Justify your response.
Answer:
A person cannot be judged by appearance alone. Many great men in history did not have a great appearance. Napoleon Bonaparte was a very short person. Franklin Roosevelt, one of the greatest American Presidents, spent most of his working hours in a wheelchair, and he walked with leg braces and canes, usually with help. Mother Theresa did not appear a robust person but she was really great.

Question 4.
What do you learn about Stephen Hawking’s childhood?
Answer:
He was born on 8 January 1942 in Oxford, England. His parents were Frank and Isobel Hawking. They were not wealthy. Hawking attended the local St. Alban’s school. By the time he was 8, he was seriously thinking of becoming a scientist. His father wanted him to study medicine. But Stephen thought biology was too imprecise. He wanted a subject in which he could look for exact answers. He was just an ordinary school boy. He was slow in learning to read and his handwriting was horrible.

At 14, Stephen knew he would study maths and physics. But his father discouraged him from studying maths because he thought it offered no jobs, except as a teacher. Stephen’s father wanted him to attend Oxford where he had studied. Oxford had no mathematics. So Stephen studied chemistry and physics and only a little mathematics. At the age of 17, Hawking went to Oxford to study natural science and to specialise in physics.

Question 5.
Comment on Hawking’s life at 03(ford.
Answer:
For about one year and a half, Hawking was lonely and bored at Oxford. He also did not try hard at his academics. But halfway through the second year, he began to enjoy Oxford.

Question 6.
What opinion did Hawking’s peers at Oxford have about him?
Answer:
Hawking became popular and was well-accepted among his peers. They remember him as lively, buoyant and adaptable. He wore his hair long. He was famous for his wit. He liked classical music and science fiction. He took part in sports.

Question 7.
Cite an example to prove that Stephen Hawking was sharp-witted. Did his wit help him in any way?
Answer:
Stephen Hawking had applied to do a Ph.D. at Cambridge while he was a student at Oxford . He was accepted on condition that he got a ‘First’ from Oxford. Hawking thought he could get through successfully. But as the examination came, his confidence failed. Hawking got only borderline marks between a first and a second. As he had only a borderline result, his examiners called him for an interview and asked him about his plans. He told the examiners boldly, “If I get a first, I shall go to Cambridge. If I receive a second,

I will remain at Oxford. So I expect that you will give me a first.’ He got his ‘First’ and he went to Cambridge. His wit helped him here to get what he wanted.

Question 8.
Stephen’s first year at Cambridge was worse than that at 03dord. Why?
Answer:
His first year at Cambridge was worse than that at Oxford. His poor mathematical background troubled him. He found general relativity extremely tough. There was even a bigger problem. During his 3rd year, he had started getting a bit careless. He had fallen once or twice for no apparent reason. Soon he had trouble tying his shoes and sometimes he had difficulty in talking.

Question 9.
How did tragedy strike Hawking after his 21st birthday?
Answer:
Shortly after his 21st birthday, in 1963, tragedy struck him. He contracted a rare disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, for which there was no known cure. It caused a gradual disintegration of the nerve cells in the spinal cord and the brain. He went into a deep depression. He did not know what to do and what his future would be.

Question 10.
What drastic change came over Hawking after the diagnosis of the disease?
Answer:
A drastic change came over Hawking after the diagnosis of the disease. He had many dreams. He said that his dreams were at that time very confused. Before his condition was diagnosed he was bored with life. But after he came out of hospital, he dreamt that he was going to be executed. He realized then that there were a lot of important things to do if he was given a reprieve – time to live for some more time. Hawking was getting some more time to live and life was precious.

Question 11.
What was Jane’s impression ofHawking?
Answer:
Just before Hawking entered the hospital for tests, he met Jane Wilde at a New Year’s Party at St. Alban’s. She thought Hawking was very intelligent, eccentric and rather arrogant. But he was interesting and she liked his wit. She fell in love with him.

Question 12.
Write a note on the character of Jane.
Answer:
Jane was a shy teenager with a strong faith in God. This faith was ingrained in her by her mother. She believed that good can come out of any adversity. When she met Hawking after his discharge from the hospital, he was in a sad state. She felt that he had lost his will to live and he was very confused. She was not put off by his physical or mental condition. Hawking liked her optimism and their friendship grew. They thought that together they could make something good.

For Stephen, it made a big difference. He applied for a research fellowship at Caius, one of the colleges of Cambridge University. In 1965, when he was 23, he received his fellowship at Caius. In July 1965, he married Jane. They had 3 children. In fact, it was Jane who gave moral support to Hawking to overcome his adversities and do something great for mankind.

Question 13.
Is Stephen Hawking really a great mind on par with the likes of Einstein and Newton? Justify your answer.
Answer:
It is not yet time to make a verdict on the work of Stephen Hawking. Newton and Einstein are giants who rule the world of science. It is true that Hawking has said some significant things about the universe. He has asked significant questions but he has not provided adequate answers. Anybody can ask questions. Asking questions does not make a person a genius.

Hawking used to ask daring, unexpected and penetrating questions during the sessions involving some of the most famous and distinguished scientists in the world. That is how he earned his name as ‘a genius’ and as ‘another Einstein’. I don’t think his mind is on par with the likes of Newton and Einstein. Time may prove me wrong. But for the moment I stick to my answer.

Question 14.
List the interesting facts dealt with Hawking’s book.
Answer:
Where did the universe come from? Is it infinite? Does it have any boundaries? Will it come to an end? If so, how? Is there a complete theory of the universe and everything in it? Is there a beginning of time? Could time run back? The book begins by recounting the great theories of the cosmos from Newton to Einstein. His purpose in writing the book was to make science understandable to non-scientists.

Question 15.
What could have been the misgivings of Jane?
Answer:
While on a trip to Switzerland, Hawking contracted pneumonia and was left on a life-support system. The doctors treating him suggested a tracheotomy operation which would remove his windpipe. It might save his life but he would never again be able to speak or make a vocal sound. Jane thought her husband might die with this operation. That is why she said, The future looks very bleak.’ Hawking would no longer breathe through his mouth and nose, but through a permanent hole made in his throat.

Question 16.
How could he overcome his difficulties after the tracheotomy operation?
Answer:
Since Hawking could not speak, Walt Woltosz, a computer expert in California, sent him a programme he had developed. It was called the Equalizer. It would allow Hawking to select words from the screen and this way he could continue to do his work, although very slowly.

Question 17.
Mention some of the unique ideas and paradoxes put forward by Stephen Hawking.
Answer:
Some of the unique ideas and paradoxes put forward by Stephen Hawking are :

• In science and with people, things are often not what they seem.
• Pieces that ought to fit together refuse to do so.
• You will learn that beginnings may be endings.
• Cruel circumstances can lead to happiness, although fame and success may not.
• Two great scientific theories taken together seem to give us nonsense.
• Empty space is not empty.
• Black holes are not black.

Question 18.
What was Hawking’s attitude to his disability? How do you estimate it in a wider social context?
Answer:
He chose to ignore his difficulty. He expected others to adopt the same attitude. In the modern days, we call ‘disabled’ people ‘Differently Abled People’. A physical disability does not have to make you desperate and a victim of sympathy. People with physical disabilities have achieved marvels. Franklin D. Roosevelt, one of the most famous American Presidents spent most of his working hours in a wheelchair and walked with leg braces and a cane, supported by others.

Now we have a blind play-back singer Bhagyalaksmi. There is also a blind music director named Afsal. Handicaps need not be looked upon as excuses to be lazy. With hard work, one can overcome his handicaps. Helen Keller – blind, deaf, and dumb – became world-famous because of her determination to succeed. And she did.

Activity – I (Writing)

Question 1.
Attempt an assessment of the personality of Hawking in a short paragraph.
Answer:
Hawking was a man of determination and perseverance. When he was at Oxford, in his late teens, he was lively, buoyant, and adaptable. He wore his hair long. He was famous for his wit. He liked classical musical and was interested in sports. When he was in the 3rd year at Oxford he applied to do a Ph.D. at Cambridge. He was accepted on condition that he got a ‘First’ from Oxford. But during the examination he had only borderline marks between a first and a second.

The examiners summoned him and asked him about his plans. He told them bluntly, “If I get a first, I shall go to Cambridge. If I receive a second, I will remain at Oxford. So I expect that you will give me a first.” They gave him a First and he went to Cambridge. This shows how frank and open he was. When he was 21, he contracted a rare disease which caused disintegration of the nerve cells of his spinal cord and brain. He walked around with a cane, supporting himself against a wall.

His speech was impaired. But nothing stopped him from achieving what he wanted. It was this determination that attracted Jane Wilde whom he married. He lost his voice after a tracheotomy operation. But he continued working with an Equalizer, which helped him to choose words from a computer screen. He asked fundamental questions like where did the universe come from and whether it has boundaries. Is there a beginning of time? Could time run back? His book ‘A Brief History of Time’ contains a lot of paradoxes that will surprise us. He is often called another Einstein.

Activity – II (Timeline)

Question 2.
List the facts you have earned about Stephen Hawking, in chronological order, in the timeline given below:
Answer:

2005 Release of a Book ‘A brief History of time
1988 Published a Brief History of Time
1984 Completing the Draft of the Book
1980 Inaugural lecture at Cockcroft Lecture Room
1980 Started writing a book about universe
1965 Received research fellowship at Caius
1965 Married Jane Wilde
1963 Gets the rare disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
1959 Goes to Oxford
1950 Decides to become a scientist
1942 Birth

Question 3.
Now, look at the list you have made. What facts do the readers expect in a profile?

• Date of birth
• ……………………..
• ……………………..
• ……………………..
• ……………………..
• ……………………..
• …………………….. etc

Answer:

• Date of birth
• Parents and schooling
• Higher Education
• Turning Points in life
• Marriage
• Rare activities
• Achievements
• Things that make a person stand out
• The message he/she gives

Activity – III (Interview)

Question 4.
Read the excerpt from the interview of Stephen Hawking by Kitty Gail Ferguson. She interviews him to collect details for his biography. Find out Stephen’s responses from the profile and complete the interview.
Answer:
Interviewer: Shortly after your 21st birthday, your doctors diagnosed that you had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a rare disease for which there is no known cure. How did you react to the diagnosis? How did you manage to cope with the situation?

Interviewee: My initial reaction was shock and disbelief. I went into a depression. I did not know what to do and what my future would be. But then I told myself that there was no point in spending time worrying about something that we can’t change. In English, there is a saying “What can’t be cured must be endured.” So I decided to live with my disease and continue working as best as I could.

Interviewer: What made you think that life was precious? Can you recollect any particular instance in your life that has become crucial?

Interviewee: I dreamt that I was going to be executed. Suddenly I realized that there were a lot of worthwhile things to do, if I were given some more time to live.

I wanted to do some good things before I died so that people would remember me even after my death.

I started thinking that life was precious. My meeting with Jane Wilde was crucial. She liked me in spite of my eccentricity and disease. Her optimism helped me a lot.

Interviewer: It is said that you wrote a book to make science understandable to non-scientists. Is that so?

Interviewee: Yes, that was my plan, I wanted even non-scientists know something about cosmology and the quantum theory. Everybody has heard about Einstein’s theory of relativity and his famous equation E = me2. But how many people know what it means? So I decided to write about science in a language understandable by the common man. But of course, you will find a lot of seeming paradoxes in my writings. But then life is full of paradoxes, isn’t it?

Question 5.
Now, prepare a set of questions, and conduct an interview with a person who has become successful in any field in your locality. You can identify people who became successful in any walk of life such as farming/entrepreneurship/ the civil services/competitive examinations, etc.
Answer:
Mehboob Saithu, who is my neighbor, is a successful rice farmer. He produces around 50 tons of rice each year. Through his initiative, some uncultivated farms have been brought under cultivation. Here is an excerpt from an interview I had with him.

Interviewer: Mr. Mehboob, please tell us something about yourself.

Interviewee: You already know my name. My parents are Mr. Saithu and Mrs. Khadeeja. I am married and I have two children, a boy and a girl. My wife Kunjumol is a homemaker and she supports me in all my farming activities. My son is a student in Singapore, doing a degree in sound engineering and my daughter is studying for her MBA.

Interviewer: What are your educational qualifications?

Interviewee: I have only completed my Pre Degree Course. I was very reluctant to join college, although my father wanted m%Jo study further. But I refused to go to college. Instead, I started helping him in his electrical shop. The shop was running reasonably well at that time. I had a nice time in the shop as I could make some money for my needs.

Interviewer: Then how did you become a farmer?

Interviewee: I had an inborn desire to be a farmer. I love watching plants grow and produce. We had some fields which were not cultivated because my father thought agriculture was a loss because of high labour cost and low returns. Soon my father became very sick and a lot of money had to be spent on him. He was treated in different hospitals. As I was going round taking care of him, there was no proper supervision in the shop and slowly the business was running at a loss and those who bought things on credit did not pay up. The shop had to be closed down in due course. It was then that I turned my attention to farming.

Interviewer: Are you happy with farming?

Interviewee: It is a difficult question to answer. Indian agriculture, as you know, is a gamble on monsoons. A good harvest depends on many factors. Once we sow the seeds till the harvest is marketed we are worried. Questions like ‘Will there be enough rain?’, ‘Will there be too much rain?’ etc. keep worrying us. But once the harvest is in the barn, we are happy. On the whole, I would say I am happy. I am able to produce food for others. I am able to give jobs to many people and this way I am doing my part for the development of the nation.

Interviewer? What are your future plans?

Interviewee: I am not a very ambitious man. Soon my daughter will complete her MBA. I have to get her married. My son will have his engineering degree and he will have, hopefully, a good job. Then he too should get married. Then it would be time for me to rest a little and spend my time with my grandchildren. I hope, Insha Allah, to succeed in my plans.

Interviewer: Thank you Mr. Mehboob for talking to me.

Interviewee: Thank you, too!

Activity – IV : (Profile)

Question 6.
Using the responses you received from the person you interviewed, prepare his/her profile.
Answer:
Mehboob Saithu was born on 10 May 1963. His parents were Mrs. Saithu and Mrs. Khadeeja. When he was 5, he was sent to Little Flower Convent School Irinjakaluda. There he studied until class IV. Then he was sent to Don Bosco School, Irinjalakuda. From there he completed his SSLC in 1982. Later he went to Christ College, Irinjalakuda. He completed his Pre Degree Course there.

After his education, he joined his father in the Electrical Shop to assist him in the business. The shop did well for some years. When he was 27, he married Kunjumol, who comes from a wealthy family from Ernakulam. Their first child was born in 1990 and their daughter in 1992.

By the time Mehboob was 40, the shop ran into problems because of the grave illness of his father. His father had to be shuttled from hospital to hospital for better treatment. It took away a lot of time and also money. In the absence of proper supervision, the shop went into problems as those who got things on credit refused to pay up. Finally the shop had to be closed down.

It was then Mehboob turned his attention to farming. He had some agricultural fields which were lying uncultivated. He started cultivating them and now he is fully into farming. He derives satisfaction in two ways. He is producing food for many people and at the same time he is able to give jobs to some people. This way he is doing his bit in the development of the nation.

Mehboob is not a very ambitious man. Soon his daughter will complete her MBA. He wants to get her married. His son will have his engineering degree and he will have, hopefully, a good job. Then he also should marry. Then it would be time for Mr. Mehboob to rest a little and spend his time with grandchildren.

Activity – V: Speech

Question 7.
Read the following statements from the profile of Stephen Hawking:
Answer:
‘Shortly after I came out of hospital, I dreamt that I was going to be executed. I suddenly realized that there were a lot of worthwhile things I could do.’ Can you find out similar incidents that happened in the lives of other great people (such as Helen Keller, Wilma Rudolf, Valentina Tereshkova, etc.). Prepare a short speech on any one of them so as to deliver it before the school assembly.

My dear teachers and students,
Sometimes people lose their faith because they have some handicaps and they feel they can’t become famous because of their handicaps. But we have so many examples in history which prove that handicaps need not make people desperate. They can excel in some fields and become more famous than even normal people. Today I will talk to you about Helen Keller, who achieved international fame although she was deaf and blind. But she served as an inspiration for other people with disabilities.

Helen Keller (1880-1968) was born on June 27, 1880, in Tuscumbia, Alabama, the daughter of well-to-do parents. When 19 months old, Helen was stricken with an acute illness that left her deaf and blind. In a short time she forgot the few words she knew and became silent. She made use of signs to get what she wanted. On the advice of Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor, who was also a teacher of deaf people, Keller’s paints got a teacher named Anne Mansfield Sullivan (later Macy). Helen and Anne worked together until Anne’s death in 1936.

Anne taught Helen to read and write using the Braille system. When Keller was ten, she began to relearn how to speak. At first this seemed impossible, but Anne discovered that Keller could learn sounds by placing her fingers on her teacher’s larynx and sensing the vibrations. The moving account of how Anne taught her to speak is told in Helen Keller’s The Story of My Life (1902).

In 1900, Keller entered Radcliffe College. Four years later Keller graduated with honors to worldwide acclaim and decided to devote her life to helping blind and deaf people. Through her essays and articles in major magazines and newspapers, Keller explained the problems encountered by people who are deaf and blind and the responsibilities of society. In addition to The Story of My Life, she published Optimism, or My Key to Life (1903), The World I Live In (1908), and Out of the Dark (1913). Helen Keller achieved fame in spite of severe handicaps and she should be an inspiration to all of us.

Activity – VI: (Group Discussion)

The Group Discussion (GD) is an important tool for assessing a candidate’s personality. The GD has become a part of the selection process for admission to any reputed institution.

Skills judged in GDs :

• Your communication abilities
• Your behavior and interaction with others
• How open-minded you are
• Your listening skills
• The way you present your ideas.
• Your leadership and decision-making capacity
• Your knowledge of the subject and your analytical skills
• Problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• Your attitude and confidence

Here is a model for a Group Discussion:
Topic: “Commercialization of violence and sex in the media increases the crime rate.”

A : Hello friends, we are going to talk about the issue of commercialization of violence and sex and how the media increases the crime rate in the society by sensationalizing things. You may have different views about it.

B : Friends, I do say that the media is helping in the increase of crime rates by making sensational reports of violence and sex. The front pages of many newspapers and magazines are full of gory details of violence and sex. Looking at the newspapers, someone may be forced to think that only two things happen in the country – violence and sex.

A : I agree with B. Look at some of the newspaper headlines. You see a headline: WAR BREAKS OUT. You are anxious to know where and why. And then you see it is just an ODI (One Day International) between India and Pakistan. Look at some of our cinemas. Most of them are a mixture of songs, dances, sex and violence. Even to sell a particular brand of the umbrella, they will show Sania Mirza in her tennis shorts! Money has become God.

C : The problem with the media is that they have a great effect on the youth. What they see in films and on TV influences them. Didn’t we hear the case of a boy who imitated Superman and jumped from the top of a building and died?

D : I’m afraid the media often misleads people. Biased reporting makes people take sides. Look at the Marad incident that happened in Kerala. One group of media supported one community and the other group supported the other. Truths are distorted. Media should be used to promote fellow-feeling, love and tolerance.

E : I’m afraid there is too much negative criticism against the media. In the media also we see the villain getting punished in the end. So actually there is no encouragement in the media to be villainous. In fact, it warns people not to do bad things. It reinforces our culture.

F : I believe that the media culture has a positive impact on society. The number of media users has increased greatly and the media make people aware of the things happening around them and also in the world. Thus it serves a good purpose.

G : We can’t think of a life without the media. The only thing is that we should use it positively. There is no point in criticizing the media for all the ills rampant in the society.

Activity – VII (Cohesive devices)

In the profile, we see the use of words like ‘n7oreover’, ‘never there ‘however etc. These words show the relationship between sentences. They hold the text together. Such words are known as ‘cohesive devices Identify a few such expressions/words and complete the following:

Here is a list of cohesive devices used for different functions.

Function	Cohesive devices
Reason/Cause & Effect	because of, as, since, due to, owing to, for, in order to
Result	so, as a result, therefore, consequently, so that
Purpose Contrast/Qualify	in order to, so, so that, so as to even though, but, however, while, nevertheless, yet, although, in spite of, despite, though, whereas, still
Contradicting Adding	on the contrary, even so, in spite of, despite and, too, moreover, also, furthermore, in addition to, besides
Illustrating	for instance, for example, in particular
Comparing	similarly, in the same way, likewise, like, equally
Generalising	on the hole, in some cases, in general, in all, many, most, broadly speaking
Sequencing/Structuring	Firstly, secondly, lastly, first of all, finally, to begin with, to start with, meanwhile, then, after, subsequently

Let’s Practise:

Choose the correct cohesive device from the box given to complete the sentences. Each one is to be used only once.

Question 8.
1. I had a terrible day at work and lost my umbrella too. _________ I spoke to that nice guy who works in the coffee shop at last!
2. Television turns people into lazy couch potatoes. _________, there are some educational programmes on.
3. _________, 1 would like to welcome you all to the conference today.
4. _________ the film was a little boring, we still had a nice evening out.
5. I’ve always known Caroline as a miser. _________, she lent me 1000 yesterday without my having to ask twice!
6. I got up at 9 o’clock yesterday and had a cold shower _________, I had breakfast and left for work.
7. My brother works ¡n a large office _________ I work on my own at home.
8. Why do you think I don’t want to go out tonight? _________ I would be delighted to get out of the house.
9. You should participate in the school youth festival as it gives you a chance to meet many people _________, It gives you an opportunity to showcase your talents.
10. I don’t want to go to the football game. Football bores me and don’t want to pay 40 fora ticket. _________, look at the weather! All that rain!
Answers
1. At least
2. On the other hand
3. Firstly
4. Though
5. However
6. Then
7. Whereas
8. Actually
9. Moreover
10. Besides

Activity – VIII:

Collocation “Stephen Hawking has overcome his crippling disease to become the supernova of world physics.” In this sentence the underlined words go together. In other words crippling collocates with the disease. In other words, we can say that words that are used together and have a special meaning are called collocations. For example ‘strong tea’.

Given below are a set of collocations that can be used to describe success.

Crowning achievement/dramatic improvement/’ made a breakthrough/brilliant success/enjoy the fruits of hard work/brought out the best/won the respect of/remarkable achievement

Let’s practice:

Arun’s teacher is talking about his merit and achievement to his parents while giving the end-of-term report. Imagine what the teacher would say, and complete the sentences using suitable collocations from those given in the box above. Arun has made a breakthrough in Maths this year, doing excellent work compared to last year. It is, of course, a remarkable achievement on his part. This year has seen a dramatic improvement in Arun’s English. His crowning achievement is his performance in the school’s staging of ‘Othello’. He has found some effective ways of working with natural materials this year, and his self-portrait is a brilliant success. He is now able to enjoy the fruits of hard work. Playing for the school team has certainly brought out the best in him and he rightly won the respect of all his teammates.

Read and Enjoy

Question 1.
We have read aboyt a few great personalities and identified some off the qualities of greatness. “If is a poem with a message. It suggests the idea of conditional fulfillment. Here the poet describes the qualities of the perfect man.

Quest for a Theory of Everything (Profile) About the Author:

Kitty Gail Ferguson is a science writer, lecturer and professional musician. She was written many science books and biographies. Her works are known for their details and accuracy. She is known for her simple explanation of complicated scientific principles.

Quest For A Theory Of Everything Summary

– Kitty Gail Ferguson

On 29 April 1980, in the Cockcroft Lecture Room, many scientists and university dignitaries were seated. The occasion was the inaugural lecture by a new Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, Stephen Hawking, who was a mathematician and physicist. He was 38 years old.

The title of the lecture was “Is the End in Sight for Theoretical Physics?’ His listeners were surprised when Hawkins said it was. He invited them to join him in a sensational escape through time and space to find the Holy Grail of science – the theory that explains the universe and everything that happens in it. (The Holy Grail is the cup used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper.)

Stephen Hawking sat silently in a wheelchair as one of his students read his lecture to the audience. Judging by his appearance, Hawking did not look the kind of person to lead any adventure. Hawking was bom on 8 January 1942, in Oxford, England. It was exactly 300 years after the death of Galileo, the father of modern science. Frank and Isobel Hawking, Stephen’s parents, were not wealthy. But they believed in the value of education. So they wanted to send Stephen to Westminster Public School, which is in the heart of London. Unfortunately, Stephen was ill at the time of the scholarship examination for Westminster. So, he attended the local St. Alban’s school.

By the time he was 8, he was thinking of becoming a scientist. His father encouraged him to study medicine, but Stephen found biology too imprecise. He wanted a subject that gave exact answers and so he could get into the root of things.

Stephen was not a miracle boy. He was just an ordinary English boy. He was slow in learning to read and his handwriting was bad. He was ranked somewhere in the middle of the class. In his defence Stephen Hawking now says, ‘It was a very bright class’, meaning he was not among the top students because all the students in the class were very bright!

At 14, Stephen decided to study mathematics and physics. His father was not happy because he said there were no jobs in mathematics except teaching. Moreover he wanted his son to attend Oxford where he himself had studied, but Oxford offered no mathematics. So Stephen followed his father’s advice and studied chemistry, physics and only a little mathematics in preparation for the entrance to Oxford. He did well in physics and was accepted there. In 1959, at 17, Hawking went to Oxford to study natural science and to specialize in physics. He joined University College, the oldest at Oxford, founded in 1249 AD. His father had studied there.

For about one year, Hawking was lonely and bored. He did not feel any inspiration to do well in his academics. But by the middle of 2nd year, he began enjoying Oxford. He became popular and was well accepted by his peers. He was lively, buoyant and adaptable. He had long hair. He was famous for his wit. He liked classical music and science fiction. He took part in sports.

By the end of the 3rd year, however, things were bad for Hawking. He selected theoretical physics as his specialty. He had then applied to do a Ph.D. at Cambridge. He was accepted on the condition that he got a ‘First’ from Oxford. Hawking thought he could get through successfully. But as the examination came, his confidence failed. Hawking got only borderline marks between a first and a second.

As he had only a borderline result, his examiners called him for an interview and asked him about his plans. He told the examiners boldly, “If I get a first, I shall go to Cambridge. If I receive a second, I will remain at Oxford. So I expect that you will give me a first.’ He got his ‘First’ and he went to Cambridge.

His first year at Cambridge was worse than that at Oxford. His poor mathematical background troubled him. He found general relativity extremely tough. There was even a bigger problem. During his 3rd year, he had started getting a bit careless. He had fallen once or twice for no apparent reason. Soon he had trouble tying his shoes and sometimes he had difficulty in talking.

In 1963, shortly after his 21st birthday, he got a rare disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, for which there was no known cure. It caused a gradual disintegration of the nerve cells in the spinal cord and the brain. He went into a deep depression. He did not know what to do and what his future would be.

He said that his dreams at that time were very confused. Before his condition was diagnosed he was bored with life. But after he came out of hospital, he dreamt that he was going to be executed. He realized then that there were a lot of important things to do if he was given a reprieve – more time to live.

Another recurring dream he used to have was sacrificing his life to save others. If he was going to die, he thought, he should do some good things. The doctors thought his condition would stabilize but it went from bad to worse. They told him that he had only 2 years to live.

Two years passed. The disease slowed down. He did not die. He said that although a cloud was hanging over his future, he was enjoying the present more than before. Hawking was getting some more time to live and life was precious.

Just before Hawking entered the hospital for tests, he met Jane Wilde at a New Year’s Party at St. Alban’s. She thought Hawking was very intelligent, eccentric and rather arrogant. But he was interesting and she liked his wit. When Jane met him after his discharge from the hospital, he was in a sad state. She felt that he had lost his will to live and he was very confused. She was not put off by his physical or mental condition. She was a shy teenager with a strong faith in God. This faith was ingrained in her by her mother. Jane believed that good can come out of any adversity.

Hawking liked her optimism and their friendship grew. They thought that together they could make something good. For Stephen it made a big difference. He applied for a research fellowship at Caius, once of the colleges of Cambridge University. In 1965, when he was 23, he received his fellowship at Caius. In July, 1965, he married Jane.

People remember Hawking moving about in the University with a cane, supporting himself against the wall. He spoke with a slight speech impediment. People remember his brashness in sessions in which some of the most distinguished scientist spoke. While other young researchers kept silent, Hawking daringly asked unexpected questions. He knew what he was talking about. His reputation as ‘a genius’ and ‘another Einstein’ began then.

In 1980, a practical need for funds made him start a new enterprise. It was to have a far-reaching impact on the Hawkings and others in the world. He thought of writing a book about the universe. He wanted to write about the most interesting questions that had made him study cosmology and quantum theory. Where did the universe come from? Is it infinite? Does it have any boundaries? Will it come to an end? If so, how? Is there a complete theory of the universe and everything in it? Is there a beginning of time? Could time run back? The book begins by recounting the great theories of the cosmos from Newton to Einstein. His purpose in writing the book was to make science understandable to non-scientists.

He completed the first draft in 1984. As he was revising it, he went to Switzerland. There he caught pneumonia and was on a life-supporting system. Doctors suggested a tracheotomy operation.’This would result in the removal of his windpipe. It might save his life, but he would never again speak or even make a vocal sound. Jane, with reluctance, consented to the surgery.

Hawking could no longer breathe through his mouth and nose. So, a permanent opening was made in his throat. After many weeks of intensive care, he went home to join Jane and their three children. He was too weak and ill to continue his research. Walt Woltosz, a computer expert in California, sent him a programme he had developed. It was called the Equalizer. It would allow Hawking to select words from the screen.

Hawking thought he would not be able to complete his book. With the support of his student Brian Whitt, ‘A Brief History of Time was published in 1988. In September 2005, an abridged version of the original book was published. This version was updated to include the new issues that had arisen due to further scientific developments.

In the book we can see a number of paradoxes:
a) In science and with people, things are often not what they seem.
b) Pieces that ought to fit together refuse to do so.
c) You will learn that beginnings may be endings.
d) Cruel circumstances can lead to happiness, although fame and success may not.
e) Two great scientific theories taken together seem to give us nonsense.
f) Empty space is not empty.
g) Black holes are not black.

It is a miracle that Hawking was able to achieve everything he has and he is still alive. When we experience his intelligence and humor, we tend to take his unusual mode of communication and his terrible physical problems very lightly. That is exactly what he wants. He chooses to ignore the difficulty and he expects others to have the same attitude. Hawking has overcome his crippling disease to become a shining star of world physics.

Quest For A Theory Of Everything Glossary

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 1 Chapter 2 I Will Fly Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook I Will Fly Questions and Answers Unit 1 Chapter 2 (Speech)

I Will Fly (Speech) Textual Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Why does Dr Kalam say that ‘No youth needs to fear about the future’?
Answer:
Dr Kalam says that ‘No youth needs to fear about the future’ because the ignited mind of the youth is the most powerful resource on the earth, under the earth and above the earth.

Question 2.
What was the mission of Sashtrayaan?
Answer:
The mission of Sashtrayaan was the preparation of about 2000 students from different schools to be engineers, doctors, scientists, qualified managers and civil servants. This would, in turn, empower 2000 families of the village.

Question 3.
Dr. Kalam’s talk was on the topic ‘Science Empowers the Nation’. How does science empower the nation?
Answer:
Science empowers the nation by making continuous progress in the fields of agriculture, medicine, nutrition, mining, industries of various kinds, architecture, space exploration, defense, transportation, communication and all such related matters that bring progress to the nation.

Question 4.
Why couldn’t the boy gather confîdence?
Answer:
The boy couldn’t gather confidence because he did not get it through his education all those years. One of the primary things education should do is to instill confidence in the students. The failure of the boy to gain confidence can be seen as the failure of the educational system and the teachers.

Question 5.
If yo u were there, would you dare to ask Dr. Kalam a question?
Answer:
Yes, I would. I would ask him to tell me ways to eradicate poverty from our country.

Question 6.
What was the boy’s concern?
Answer:
The boy wanted to be a marine engineer. He wanted to travel in a ship. He wanted to be the captain of the ship. He wanted to build the engine of the ship. He wanted to know if he would be able to do all this and how to achieve his mission and what he should do to achieve it.

Question 7.
Why did the audience look at Dr Kalam when the boy completed the question?
Answer:
The audience looked at Dr Kalam when the boy completed the question because it was a very tough question to answer. The boy was from a remote village and he himself admitted that he was nervous. He wanted to be a marine engineer, the captain of the ship and he wanted to build the engine of the ship. The audience was curious to know what reply Kalam was going to give to this young boy.

Question 8.
Why did Kalam value the boy’s question?
Answer:
Kalam valued the boy’s question because it was the most difficult question among the many questions he had reœived from millions and millions of students he had met. The boy was echoing the fear of many.

Question 9.
How can you unique?
Answer:
You can be unique by being yourself. The world around you wants you to be like others. At home, you parents will tell you to be like the children of the neighbors. At school, the teacher will tell you to be like the first 5 rankers of the class. All the people tell you to be somebody else. But Kalam tells you to be ‘YOU’. You should not try to be somebody else. You should not be a copycat. Be you and thus you can be unique.

Activity – I (Think and respond)

Question 1.
Are you confident enough to ask questions or express your views in public?
Answer:
Yes, I am confident enough to ask questions and express my views in public.

Question 2.
Have you ever felt inferior to others in any way?
Answer:
Yes, I have sometimes felt inferior to others in some ways.

Question 3.
How can you overcome your fear or inhibition?
Answer:
I will try to build self-confidence, telling me I learned to walk after falling many times. If you are afraid, you will not be able to do anything good and people will despise you.

Question 4.
What is your ambition in your life?
Answer:
My ambition in life is to become a good teacher and help the students to become competent persons and lovers of humanity.

Question 5.
Are you confident that you can fulfill your dream?
Answer:
Yes, I am confident that I can fulfill my dream.

Question 6.
How do you think you can attain your goal?
Answer:
I can attain my goal through hard work, self¬confidence and perseverance. I will also need the support of my family and well-wishers.

Activity – II (Speech)

Question 7.
Imagine that you get the opportunity to address Class X students before their public examination. On the basis of Dr Kalam’s message, prepare a speech to motivate and prepare them for the examination.
Answer:
My dear students,
You are soon going to appear for the SSLC Examination which is considered to be a big turning point in your life. Some students get panicky before the examination and spoil their chances to do well. There is no need to fear. The examinations are simply to test your understanding of the things that you have been taught in the class. Millions of students before you have taken this kind of examination. So this is nothing new or terrifying.

Be confident. Don’t be nervous. Be optimistic. Be cool, calm and composed. Fear will not help you. It will only make you forget what you already know. You have been reading your lessons regularly and doing the assignments. The teachers have been testing your knowledge every now and then. You already know what types of questions are coming in the examination and the time you have to answer them. So read the instructions and questions carefully and make a plan to answer them in the most appropriate manner.

You have read the story ‘His First Flight’ by Liam O’Flaherty. The seagull was reluctant to take his first flight. But goaded by his mother, he takes his flight and then he finds it is smooth and he experiences no problem. In a similar fashion, you go courageously and confidently to take your examination and everything is going to be fine. Keep your mind happy with encouraging thoughts. Be optimistic. You are not the first or the only one going to write this examination.

Life is full of examinations. The people who face them with confidence and courage will succeed in life. You don’t have to compare yourself with others. Kalam has told you to be unique, to be you. You know you have done your best during the preparation time. Now you simply have to do your best as you write the examination without being unduly worried about the result. Do your best and leave the rest to God.

I wish you all the resounding success in the forthcoming examinations!

Activity – III (E-mail)

Question 8.
You get inspired by Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s message and decide to communicate your thoughts and ideas to your friend who is studying abroad. Draft an e-mail to your friend.
Answer:
Dearest Raj, I was greatly inspired by a speech of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in one of the English text books. In that speech, Kalam tells students to be unique. He says that the world around you wants you to be like others. At home, you parents will tell you to be like the children of the neighbors. At school the teacher will tell you to be like the first 5 rankers of the class. All the people tell you to be somebody else. But Kalam tells you to be ‘YOU’. You should not try to be somebody else. You should not be a copycat. He says “Be you and thus you can be unique”. I think this is a wonderful idea. This will release everybody from his inferiority complex. It is when you compare yourself with others you feel inferior. Kalam wants people to be confident, self-reliant and hardworking. He wants everyone to believe he was born with some potential, ideas and dreams. Everybody is born with wings and so nobody needs to crawl because he can fly. And as he has confidence he will fly. I really enjoyed this speech and it has given me a new insight.

Read And Reflect

Question 1.
Dr. Kalam exhorts everybody to be unique in his/her own way There are any people who have proved their uniqueness even while fighting adversities and limitations. Stephen Hawking’s profile shows how he overcame his disabilities to become a shining star in physics.

I Will Fly (Speech) About the Author:

– DR. APJ Abdul Kalam

DR. APJ Abdul Kalam was a former President of India. He is a distinguished scientist. He is famous for his contribution to the field of space research. His vision is to make India a developed nation by 2020.

He was born on 15 October 1931 at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. He specialized in Aeronautical Engineering from the Madras Institute of Technology. He became a Professor of Technology and Societal Transformation at Anna University. He is actively involved in teaching and research.

I Will Fly (Speech) Summary in English

Dear friends,

The youth of the past have continuously contributed to the world of today in many fields. Today the youth does not have to fear about the future. The flamed mind of the youth is the most powerful resource on earth. The topic I will talk to you today is “I am born with wings’.

Last year I went to a village to inaugurate a programme called ‘Sashtrayaan’ which means the propagation of Science’. It was to ensure the preparation of about 2000 students from different schools to be engineers, doctors, scientists, qualified managers and civil servants. This would, in turn, empower 2000 families of the village. My inaugural address to the audience of about 5000 people was on ‘Science Empowers the Nation’.

After my talk, hundreds of hands were raised for asking questions. Because of the lack of time, I chose 12 students at random from the last row to the first to ask questions. One question impressed me greatly and I want to share it with you.

The question was from a teenager who came from a remote village. He was nervous and a typical representative of the youth of India. He began like this, “Sir, I don’t know what I should ask. I am nervous. I have not asked any question in class. I need to have confidence, but I have not gained any confidence through my education all these years. I am afraid to talk to my teachers, and even to my friends. Whenever I talk I compare myself with other students and their elegant dress. I want to become a marine engineer. I want to travel in a ship. I want to be the captain of the ship. I want to build the engine of the ship. Shall I be able to do all this, Sir? How can I achieve this mission? What should I do?” The entire audience and the dignitaries on the dais, including the Chief Minister, looked at me wondering how I would answer this sincere question from a village boy.

I replied, “You have put the most difficult question I have received from millions and millions of students I have met. I know you are echoing the fear of many. Let me recite a beautiful ancient poem named ‘I will fly’.

I am born with potential.
I am born with goodness and trust
l am born with ideas and dreams.
I am born with greatness.
I am born with confidence.
I am born with wings.
So, I am not meant for crawling,
I have wings, I will fly
I will fly and fly.

Let me tell you how you can be unique. I have met some 15 million youth in a decade’s time. Every youth wants to be unique, that is YOU! But the world all around you is doing its best to make you just ‘everybody else’. In your home, you are asked by your parents to be like the neighbors’ children for scoring good marks. At school, your teacher asks you to be like the first 5 rankers in the class. Wherever you go people tell you to be somebody else or everybody else. But you should be unique – yourself.

The challenge is that you have to fight the hardest battle which any human being can ever imagine, and never stop fighting until you arrive at your destined place, that is a UNIQUE YOU.

I Will Fly (Speech) Glossary

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 1 Chapter 1 His First Flight Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook His First Flight Questions and Answers Unit 1 Chapter 1 (Story)

His First Flight (Story) Textual Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Why was the seagull afraid to fly?
Answer:
The seagull was afraid to fly because below him was the vast sea and he thought his wings would never support him and he would fall into the sea and die.

Question 2.
What did the parents do to motivate the young bird when it failed to muster up enough courage to fly?
Answer:
They came around calling to him loudly. They scolded him and even threatened to starve him.

Question 3.
How did the parents support and encourage the young seagull’s brothers and sister?
Answer:
They flew about wilfi them, trying to perfect them in the art of fiight. They taught them how to skim the waves and how to dive for fish.

Question 4.
Cite an instance which shows the pathetic condition of the young bird.
Answer:
When the sun was shining hot, the young bird felt the heat all the more because he had not eaten anything since yesterday night. He searched everywhere but not a scrap of food was found. He even gnawed at the dried pieces of eggshell, from which he and his brothers and sister were hatched. It was like eating a part of himself.

Question 5.
How did the bird try to reach its parents without having to fly?
Answer:
He trotted back and forth from one end of the ledge to the other, trying to find some means of reaching his parents without flying. But on each side of him the ledge ended in a sheer fall of a precipice with the sea under. There was a deep, wide crack between hi.m and his parents.

Question 6.
Why could the seagull not succeed in its attempt?
Answer:
The seagull could not succeed in its attempt because there was nothing to walk on that would bring him to his parents. A deep, wide crack separated him from his parents and there was no way for him to reach them except by flying to them.

Question 7.
Do you think that the young seagull’s parents were cruel?
Answer:
No, I don’t think so. They were not cruel, but they were wise.

Question 8.
Can you justify the attitude of the parents?
Answer:
The parents were right in what they did. They wanted to teach him the importance of confidence and self¬reliance. One can’t depend on his parents all his life for his livelihood. He should learn to find food for himself once he reaches a certain stage of his life. We see the mother hen pecking and driving away her chicks once they are grown.

Question 9.
Your parents sometimes behave in the same manner. They may seem cruel and unrelenting. Does it mean that they do not love you?
Answer:
The parents sometimes behave in this cruel and unrelenting manner to make you self-reliant. It doesn’t mean they do not love you. It means they love you and that is why they train you to be independent and self-reliant. If they treat you as a helpless baby all the time, you will remain a helpless baby. So it is their love that forces them to be seemingly cruel and unrelenting at times.

Question 10.
What prompted the young seagull to fly finally?
Answer:
It was his hunger that prompted the young seagull to fly finally. He was very hungry and the mother would not give him the fish she had brought with her. She wanted him to fly to her to get it.

Question 11.
Why was the young bird terrified? How did it overcome its fear?
Answer:
The young bird dived at the fish his mother was carrying. When he dived he fell outwards and downwards into space. The wind rushed against his breast feathers and his stomach and wings. He could feel the tips of his wings cutting through the air. He was not falling how. He was soaring. He thus overcame his fear.

Question 12.
How did the family support the seagull?
Answer:
The mother flew past him, making joyful sounds. His father flew over him, screaming with joy. His two brothers and sister were flying around him, soaring and diving. In this way the family supported him.

Question 13.
Why could not the young seagull stand on the green sea?
Answer:
The young seagull could not stand on the green sea because the legs would go down the water. But when his belly touched the water, he did not sink further.

Question 14.
Do you think the bird’s parents loved him? Why?
Answer:
Of course, the bird’s parents loved him. They wanted to teach him howto be courageous and self-confident. The mother even came with a piece of fish to tempt him to attempt the flight. And when finally he flew, all the family members showed their joy by flying with him-and making happy noises.

Activity -I (Read and Respond)

Question 1.
What is the theme of the story?
Answer:
The theme of the story is building confidence and self-reliance in youngsters.

Question 2.
What do you think is the real crisis faced by the young bird?
Answer:
The real crisis faced by the young bird is his lack of confidence and his fear of going out of the protective shelter of his home.

Question 3.
What is your impression of the reaction of the parents in the story?
Answer:
The parents are wise and clever. They want the young bird to be independent and self reliant. The mother brings a piece of fish very close to the young bird and forces him to leap forward to get it. That leap forces him to use his wings and fly. Initially he is terrified but soon he enjoys flying. The reaction of the parents was quite appropriate. They too are happy to see their child confident and self-reliant. That is why they fly with him cackling joyously.

Question 4.
Identify the words and expressions used in the story to express the thoughts, attitudes, movements, sounds, emotions, appearances, descriptions of the birds/places etc.
Answer:
Places :

• The great expanse of the sea stretched down beneath.
• The rough, dirt-caked straw nest.
• The ledge ended in a sheer fall of a precipice, with the sea beneath.
• A deep wide crack.
• A little high hump on the plateau.
• He saw a vast green sea beneath him, with little ridges moving over it.

Birds :

• He had taken a little run to the brink of the ledge and attempted to flap his wings.
• He failed to muster up the courage.
• His father and mother had come around calling to him shrilly, scolding him, threatening to let him starve.
• He had watched his parents flying about with his brothers and sister, perfecting them in the art of flight, teaching them how to skim the waves and how to dive for fish.
• He had seen his older brother catch his first herring and devour it.
• He then trotted back…, his long gray legs stepping daintily.
• Standing on one leg with the other leg hidden under his wing.
• He saw his two brothers and his sister lying on the plateau dozing, with their heads sunk into their necks.
• His father was preening the feathers on his white back.
• He uttered a low cackle.
• She halted, her legs hanging limp, her wings motionless.
• Then maddened by hunger, he dived for the fish.
• Then a monstrous terror seized him and his heart stood still.
• He uttered a joyous scream and flapped his wings again.
• They were beckoning to him, calling him shrilly.
• He was floating on it.

Question 5.
Do you think such expressions make the narrative more effective and engage your interest and attention?
Answer:
Yes, I do. Such expressions make the narrative more effective and engage our interest and attention.

Question 6.
What is the message of the story?
Answer:
The message of the story is that we have to be courageous, confident and self-reliant if we are to succeed in life.

Activity – II (review)

Question 7.
Based on the discussion, prepare a review of the story.
Answer:
Review:
Liam O’Flaherty’s story ‘His First Flight’ is about a young seagull taking his first flight. The young seagull has two brothers and a sister. The parents of the seagull are very loving and caring and they train their children diligently to develop confidence and self-reliance in them. While the two older brothers and the sister fly away, the young seagull is reluctant to fly. His parents shout at him, scold him and even threaten him with starvation. But the young seagull prefers to stay in his rough, dirt-caked nest. But the excessive heat on the following day and hunger have troubled him.

He begs his mother who is on another cliff to give him some food. She comes with a piece of fish and forces her son to leave the ledge. Maddened by hunger, he dives at the fish which is close to him and he leaves the safety of the rock behind him. He is terrified. He then flaps his wings and finds they can carry him. He then lands on the sea. His feet sink and once again he is afraid. But when his belly touches the water he does not sink any further. He has now gained confidence. His parents and his brothers and sister join him in congratulating him on his successful first flight.

O’Flaherty has shown how good and sensible parents should behave. They train their children. When one of them is showing weakness, they shout at him, scold him and even threaten him with starvation. They do that with the welfare of the child in their mind. Then they help him to embark on his first flight. When he succeeds they are also happy.

O’Flaherty has used very simple and clear language to tell his story. There are many dramatic situations in the story. The descriptions of the places and the birds are excellent and the images we get are lively. He has used the figure of speech of personification extensively and powerfully injjis story. He has given a good message to all – To be successful we have to be courageous, confident and self-reliant. No pain, no gain. We can’t achieve anything without taking risks.

Activity – III (Tree Diagram)

Answer:

Activity – IV (Think and Respond)

Question 8.
Do you believe that you also can fly high in your life?
Answer:
Yes, I do believe that I also can fly high in my life. With determination and hard work I can do it.

Question 9.
What sort of support do you expect from your family?
Answer:
I expect moral, financial and psychological support from my family. They should have faith in me.

Question 10.
Can their support alone help you in fulfilling your ambition?
Answer:
No, their support alone will not help. I need to work hard and I should be courageous and self-confident. I will also need support from my teachers and my well-wishers.

Question 11.
What do you think are the requirements to attain success in life? Write them below:
Answer:
a) Determination
b) Hard work and perseverance
c) Support of different kinds
d) Motivation
e) Faith in self
f) Adequate material and intellectual resources

II. Read and Reflect

Question 1.
Let’s examine what Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam has to tell us about being successful and unique.

His First Flight (Story) About the Author

– Liam O’Flaherty

Liam O’Flaherty (1896-1984) was an Irish novelist and short-story writer. His books are famous for their psychological vision into the problems of life and the ways of overcoming them. ‘His First Flight’ shows the importance of independence and self-confidence. It also shows the need to remain involved in family life. Throughout the story, the writer stresses the importance of self-esteem and self-reliance.

His First Flight (Story) Summary in English

– Liam O’Flaherty (1896-1984)

The young seagull was alone on his ledge. His two brothers and his sister had already flown away the day before. He had been afraid to fly with them. He had taken a little run forward to the edge of the ledge and tried to flap his wings. But he was afraid when he saw the vast sea under him. The sea was miles down. He thought his wings would not support him. So he ran back to the little hole under the ledge and he slept there at night.

His brothers and sister had shorter wings than him. Even when he saw them running to the end of the ledge, flapping their wings and flying away, he did not have the courage to fly. His father and mother shouted at him, scolded him and threatened to starve him. But he did not move.

This was yesterday. Since then nobody had come to him. The day before, all day long, he had watched his parents flying about with his brothers and sister. They were teaching them the art of flight. They taught them to skim the waves and to dive for fish. He saw his older brother catching his first herring and eating it, standing on a rock. His parents were happy to see their son catching his first fish. They circled around making a proud cackle. All the morning the whole family had walked about on the big plateau on the opposite cliff, laughing at the cowardice of one of their members.

The sun was now climbing the sky and it became very hot on the ledge. He felt the heat more because he had not eaten anything since yesterday night. He found a dried piece of mackerel’s tail at the far end of the ledge. There was no food left. He had searched everywhere, even in the rough, dirt-caked, straw nest where he and his brothers and sister were hatched. He even tried to get something from the dried pieces of eggshell. It was like eating a part of himself.

He then ran back and forth from one end of the ledge to the other. He wanted to reach his parents without having to fly. But at each side of him, the ledge ended in a sheer fall of precipice, with the sea under it. Between him and his parents there was the deep, wide crack.

He wanted to reach his parents by walking towards them. But there was no ledge to walk on. The only way to reach them was by flying to them.

He stepped slowly out to the very end of the ledge. He stood on one leg, hiding the other leg under his wing. He closed one eye. Then he closed the other eye. He pretended to be falling asleep. But his parents took no notice of him. He saw his brothers and sisters lying on the plateau dozing. His father was preening the feathers on his white back. Only his mother was looking at him.

She was standing on a high hump on the plateau. Her white breast was thrust forward. Now and again, she tore at a piece of fish at her feet, and then scraped each side of her beak on the rock. The sight of the food maddened him. He loved to tear food that way, scraping the beak to sharpen it. He made a low sound. His mother also made a similar sound and looked at him.

He cried ‘ga, ga, ga’, begging her to bring some food to him. She screamed back mockingly at him. He kept on making his sorrowful sounds and then suddenly uttered a joyful scream. His mother had picked up a piece of fish and was flying towards him. He leaned out eagerly, tapping the rock with his feet, trying to get nearer her. But when she was just opposite to him, she halted, her legs hanging limp, her wings motionless. The piece of fish was almost within the reach of his beak.

He waited a moment wondering why she is not coming nearer. Then, maddened by hunger, he dived at the fish. With a loud scream, he fell outwards and downwards into space. His mother had swooped upwards. As he passed under her, he heard the sound her wings were making.

He was terrified for a moment and his heart froze. He could hear nothing. It lasted only a moment. The next moment he felt his wings spreading outwards. He felt the wind under his stomach and against his wings. He could feel the tips of his wings cutting through the air. He was not falling now. He was now flying. He was no longer afraid. He just felt a little dizzy. Then he flapped his wings and soared upwards.

He made a joyful sound and flapped his wings again. He climbed higher. He raised his breast and banked against the wind. ‘Ga, ga, ga. Ga, ga, ga,’ he cackled. His mother also made a sound and flew past him, her wings making a loud noise. He answered her with another shout of joy. Then his father flew over him screaming. Then he saw his brothers and sister flying around him, soaring and diving.

He forgot he had not been able to fly. He started diving and soaring, making loud noises of joy.

He was near the sea now, flying right over it. He saw the vast green sea under him and little waves moving on it. He turned his beak sideways and crowded in a funny way. His parents and his brothers and sister had landed on this green floor in front of him. They were signaling to him, calling him. He dropped his legs to stand on the green sea. His legs sank into it. He screamed with fear and tried to rise again, flapping his wings. He was tired and weak with hunger and he could not rise, exhausted with the exercise. His feet sank into the green sea, and then his belly touched it and he sank no more.

He was floating on it. Around him his family was screaming with joy, praising him and they were offering him scraps of dog-fish.

He had made his first flight.

His First Flight (Story) Vocabulary

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 1 Chapter 4 If Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook If Questions and Answers Unit 1 Chapter 4 (Poem)

If (Poem) Textual Activities Questions and Answers

Activity -1 (Read and Respond)

Question 1.
The first stanza of ‘If’ speaks about the need for self-confidence. Do you agree? Why?
Answer:
Yes, I agree. Without self-confidence, nothing worthwhile can be achieved.

Question 2.
What does the poet say about patience?
Answer:
Successful people exercise patience. Without patience, nothing can be got. In English they say, “Slow and steady wins the race’ and ‘Haste makes waste’.

Question 3.
Explain the poet’s views on honesty and fortitude of character.
Answer:
The poet says that even if people tell lies to you, never follow their examples and start telling lies. A liar is not respected in the society. A liar may succeed temporarily but in the long run he is bound to fail and will be put to shame.

Question 4.
Lines 5-7 speak about the need for righteous behavior in the face of unrighteousness. How far do you agree?
Answer:
I fully agree with the view that in the face of unrighteous behavior, we should face it with righteous behavior. If somebody is bad, we don’t have to become bad and follow his ways. We should learn to conquer hatred with love.

Question 5.
What is the poet’s approach to dreams and longings?
Answer:
It is good to dream but we should not let dreams become our master. We can have longings, but we should never take crooked paths achieve them. We can think — but thinking is not ouraim. Our aim is to act and achieve.

Question 6.
The poet believes that success comes from self control and a true sense of the value of things. Express your views on this.
Answer:
I fully agree with the poet’s views on these aspects. Success comes from self-control and a true sense of the value of things. We should know that all that glitters is not gold. Without self-control we will go astray. Unless we know the true value of things, we may spend our time and energy trying to get things that have no true value. Appearances can be deceptive.

Question 7.
‘Never breathe a word about your loss. ’ What impression do you get about the poet when you read this?
Answer:
I feel that the poet is a strong-willed person. He can keep his secrets. He does not want people’s sympathies. He has fortitude and courage to suffer his adversities without sharing them with others.

Question 8.
What is the message conveyed in the last stanza of the poem?
Answer:
You can talk with the .crowds, but you should not become one of.them and lose your virtue. Even when you walk with kings, you should not lose sight of the ordinary people. You should be beyond getting hurt by your enemies or friends. All kinds of people should be able to count upon you for help. You should forgive and never rush to punish the offender. If you can do all these things you can enjoy on this earth as if you are its master.

Activity – II (Read and Reflect)

Question 9.
What is the central theme of the poem?
Answer:
The central theme of the poem is the qualities of greatness or the traits of a perfect man.

Question 10.
What, according to the poem, are the two impostors of life?
Answer:
According to the poem the two impostors of life are Triumph and Disaster.

Question 11.
What, according to the poet, should be one’s attitude to unexpected loss?
Answer:
According to the poet one’s attitude to unexpected loss should be one of indifference. Triumphs and Tragedies are part of life. Don’t be overjoyed at the successes and don’t be dejected at the failures. If you happen to have a loss, don’t tell anyone. Accept it with fortitude.

Question 12.
What is the poem about? (Consider the speaker, theme, symbols, comparisons, contrasts and conflicts.)
Answer:
The speaker here is a father. He is speaking to his son about the qualities that are needed to become a successful man, a perfect man. The theme is the attainment of perfection. To make his ideas clear, the speaker has used many symbols. There are symbols like ‘pitch-and-toss’ (suggesting gambling), ‘force heart, nerve and sinew’ (suggesting gathering of strength) and ‘sixty seconds worth of distance run’ (suggesting delayed reaction). There are fine contrasts in ‘triumph and disaster’, ‘kings and common people’ and ‘friends and foes’. There are conflicts in ‘risking it on one turn of pitch-and-loss’ and ‘loving friends hurting you’.

Question 13.
Identify the poetic form, figurative language and poetic structure.
Answer:
It is a lyrical poem with four stanzas consisting of four octaves (a group of eight lines). The poem is in rhyme although the rhyming scheme is different in various stanzas. In the first stanza it is aaaa, bcbc. The poet has figurative language with a lot of metaphors, personification, parallelisms, climaxes, etc. It is a didactic poem telling us what to do and what not to do to enjoy life and to be a perfect man.

Question 14.
When the poet says, ‘If you can dream – and not make dreams your master, he is personifying dreams, i.e. dreams are spoken of as masters who can control our lives. In this case, dreams assume a human role/qualjfy.
Answer:
Pick out other expressions where the poet uses personification.
a) Triumph and disaster treated as impostors.
b) Will which says ‘Hold on’.

‘Unforgiving minutes’ is a metaphoric expression as it refers to time that waits for no man; it is like a race where every second is important.

Now, identify other metaphoric expressions used in the poem.

Deal in lies, twisted by knaves, one heap of all your winnings, breathe a word, unforgiving minute, sixty second’s worth of distance

Question 15.
What do knaves represent?
Answer:
Knaves represent dishonest people.

Question 16.
What other symbols are used in the poem ‘If’?
Answer:
a) Deal in lies
b) Making one heap of all your winnings
c) Risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss
d) Breathe a word
e) Force your heart, nerve and sinew

Notes:

1. Personification : Speaking of things and animals as if they are persons with human traits and qualities. Example: Death steals our life; he is very cruel.
2. Metaphor: A metaphor is a figure of speech in which one thing or person is spoken as another. Example: K.S. Chitra is a nightingale.
3. Symbol : A symbol is an object that represents an idea, image or an action. We see different symbols on our roads to warn us. Example: Red Light is the symbol of danger.

Activity – III (Appreciation)

Question 17.
Based on the responses you have got, prepare an appreciation of the poem ‘If ’ (Consider theme, language, style, figures, symbols, relevance)
Answer:

The poem ‘If is written by Rudyard Kipling. Kipling is an English short-story writer, poet and novelist. He is chiefly known for his stories and poems about the British soldiers in India. He also wrote stories for children.

In the poem a father tells his son how to be happy and how to be a perfect man. So many conditions have to be fulfilled if one is become perfect man. He should not lose his head, even when others around him have lost theirs. He has to trust himself when all people doubt him. He should wait and shouldn’t be tired of waiting. When people tell him lies, he should not follow their example. People may hate him but he should not hate them. He should not try to look too good and try to talk too wise.

He should dream, but should not make dreams his master. He should think but shouldn’t make thoughts his aim. He should view Success and Failure equally. Even when the results of his hard work are destroyed, he should get ready to build them. He should not tell others about his losses. He should persevere, always being optimistic. He should keep talking with the crowds but maintain his virtue. He can walk with kings but shouldn’t lose the common touch. Neither his friends nor his enemies should be able to hurt him. All men should be able to count on his help. He should forgive people who have offended him. If he can do all these things the Earth and everything in it is his and he will then be a man.

The poem is in rhyme and it has good sound effects. It has fine imagery, The mood is one of joy and optimism. The language used is simple. There are a lot of symbols and figures of speech in the language, especially personification.

The message of the poem is to be happy and successful in life. The poem talks of conditional fulfilment. If certain conditions, as specified in the poem, are fulfilled, one can be a perfect man, enjoying his life. ‘If is the most famous poem of Kipling. It attracted nation-wide attention. It soon became a very popular qnthem.

Activity – IV (Conditionals/lf Clause)

In the poem ‘If we find so many ‘If clauses. ‘If clauses are called conditional clauses.

If clause (Subsidiary clause)	Main clause
If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs ………………………………………….	• Yours is the earth and everything that is in it. …… You’ll be a man, my son.
……………………………………………………………….	……………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………….	……………………………………………………………….

Answer:
Here is the list of ‘If Clauses in the poem:
If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you, ….
if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
If you can wait and not be tired of waiting,
If you can dream,…
If you can think, …
If you can meet with triumph and disaster, ….
If you can bear to hear the truth, …”
If you can make one heap of all your winnings, …
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew,…
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, ….
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, ….
If all men count with you, ….
If you can fill the unforgiving minute

Usually, there are three common patterns with ‘If which are often called first, second, and third conditionals.

Conditional clauses	Tense		Nature	Example
	If clause	Main clause
First conditional	If+ present	Will / shall / can / may + infinitive	Open condition	If you work with confidence, you will succeed. If you get here before eight, we shall catch the early train.
Second conditional	If + past	Would / should / could / might + infinitive	Unlikely to be fulfilled	If I worked with confidence I would succeed. If I knew her name, I would tell you.
Third conditional	If + past perfect	Would / should / could / might + have + past participle	Unreal past situation	If you had gone there, you could have met him. If I had worked with confidence, I would have succeeded.

Answer:
The first type is called Probable or Likely or Open condition.
The second type is called Improbable or Unlikely or Imaginary condition.
The third type is called Impossible or Unreal Past condition.
We make these conditions by changing the tenses in the clauses.

→ Let us take one example:
a) If you call, I will come. (Probable) (If clause Present tense, Main Clause Future)
b) If you called, I would come. (Improbable) If clause Past, Main Clause Conditional).
c) If you had called would have come (Impossible) If Clause – Past Perfect, Main clause Conditional Perfect.

→ Here is the formula:
If – present, Main Clause Future (Probable)
If – past, MC Conditional (Improbable)
If- past perfect, MC Conditional Perfect (Impossible)
Now Look at the examples given in the Text on p. 33.

Let’s Practise

Question 18.
Complete the conditional sentences to get the full story.

Once upon a time, a cat bit a mouse’s tail off. ‘Give me back my tail,’ said the mouse. And the cat said, ‘Well, I would give (give) your tail back, if you fetched me some milk. But that’s impossible for a little mouse like you.’

The mouse, however, went to a cow. ‘The cat will only give (give/ only) me back my tail if I fetch her some milk.’

And the cow said, ‘Well, I would give you some milk, if you ______________ (get) me some hay. But that’s impossible for a little mouse like you.’

The mouse, however, went to a farmer. ‘The cat will only give my tail back if the cow ______________ (give) me some milk. And the cow ______________ (only/ give) me some milk if I get her some hay.’ And the farmer said, ‘Well, I would give you some hay if you ______________ (bring) me some meat. But that’s impossible for a little mouse like you.’

The mouse, however, went to a butcher. ‘The cat will only give my tail back if the cow ______________ (give) me some milk. And the cow will only give me some milk if she ______________ (get) some hay. And the farmer ______________ (only/ give) me some hay if I get him some meat.’ And the butcher said, ‘Well, I would give you some meat if you ______________ (make) the baker bake me a loaf of bread. But that’s impossible for a little mouse like you.’

The mouse, however, went to a baker. ‘The cat ______________ (give/ only) my tail back if I fetch her some milk. And the cow ______________ (give/ not) me some milk if I don’t get her some hay. And the farmer will only give me some hay if the butcher ______________ (have) some meat for him. And the butcher will not give me some meat if you ______________ (bake/ not) him a loaf of bread.’

And the baker said, ‘Well, I ______________ (give) you a loaf of bread if you promise never to steal my corn or meal.’

The mouse promised not to steal, and so the baker gave the mouse a loaf of bread; the mouse gave the butcher the bread. The butcher gave the mouse some meat; the mouse gave the farmer the meat. The farmer gave the mouse some hay; the mouse gave the cow the hay. The cow gave the mouse some milk; the mouse gave the cat the milk. And the cat gave the mouse her tail back. But imagine what would have happened otherwise: If the mouse had not promised (promise/ not) never to steal the corn or meal, the baker would not have given (not/give) the mouse the bread.

If the baker ______________ (not/ give) the mouse the bread, the butcher ______________ (refuse) to give her the meat for the farmer.

If the butcher ________________ (refuse) her any meat, the farmer ________________ (not be) willing to give the mouse the hay. If the farmer ________________ (not/ be) willing to give the mouse the hay, the mouse ______________ (not/ receive) the milk from the cow. If the mouse ______________ (not/ receive) the milk from the cow, she ______________ (not/ get) back her tail.
Answer:
got, gives, will only give, brought, gives, gets, will only give, made, will only give, will not give, has, don’t bake, will give.
had not given, would have refused, had refused, would not have been willing had not been, would not have received, had not received, wouldn’t have got

Extended Activities

Activity -1 (Read and Respond)

Question 19.
Read the extract from the newspaper article:

Teacher’s Pride

Many of the old teachers of the University College in the city would have felt a thrill of pride and joy, on reading in the newspapers the news that their old student Arun M. Kumar has been selected by President Obama to a very important post in his government. Arun is now Assistant Secretary and Director-General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service, International Trade Administration, in the Department of Commerce. The President has spoken appreciatively of the new team he has chosen.

A rare honour, indeed, and well-deserved recognition of merit. Arun did his three-year undergraduate course in Physics in the University College. I taught that class their English prose. It was a very bright class, with some of the students brilliant without any self-consciousness of their brilliance. And Arun was among the most brilliant. Well-read in many subjects, keen in understanding, quick, sensitive, and cultured beyond his years in his responses, it was a privilege and a pleasure to have him in my class, and sometimes, to discuss things with him outside the class. Over the years, as his mind matured, his sense of language had become fine – a sure pointer to deeper changes. Confined to my academic pursuits, I know little about the wider world of Arun’s enterprises. To see him trusted with the intricate problems of international finance is enough to make me feel that his choices and decisions were right.

Arun and his friends were responsible for starting the Science Society of Trivandrum for the benefit of school children. It has done a lot of good to school students, both in terms of financial help and academic training.

List out the special qualities you have noticed in one of your classmates:
Answer:
Brilliant, cheerful, sociable, hardworking, well read, sensitive, generous, sociable, humble, cultured, has initiative, humorous, optimistic My friend John is liked by all the students in the class. He is brilliant and he always gets the top marks and the teacher is never tired of praising him.

John comes from a wealthy family. His father is a magistrate and his mother is a lecturer in a college. But he is very humble and he never shows off to others. He is always cheerful and has a smiling face. He is well-read and hardworking. His general knowledge is great. He is a voracious reader and he seems to know about all things underthe sun, and even beyond! He is very generous and is always willing to help the weak.

He is very sociable. He is polite and respectful to teachers and elders. He always greets them when he meets them. He is cultured in his behaviour. He is very humorous and he has the knack of telling very amusing stories. He is optimistic and a strong believer in God. He has many leadership qualities and he takes initiatives in many things. John is an ideal student.

Activity – II (Cohesive Devices – Practice)

Question 20.
Fill in the blanks using the appropriate cohesive device from the ones given in brackets.
1. All the assignments should be submitted on time, …………………, they wilt not be evaluated.
2. The price of petrol has gone up considerably in the last few years …………………, the sale of cars has not seen any decrease.
3. Cycling is a good exercise …………………, it helps you to save money, (however, moreover, consequently)
4. Desktop computers are cheaper and more reliable than laptops; …………………, they last longer. (whereas, furthermore, alternatively)
5. There is a stiff competition between mobile phone companies to win customers …………………, they are slashing prices to attract customers, (as a result, in contrast, in conclusion)
Answer:
1. Otherwise
2. However
3. Moreover
4. Furthermore
5. As a result

Activity – III (Documentary):

Question 21.
Prepare a presentation on the life and works of an eminent person who has overcome many obstacles/difficulties and become successful in life.
Answer:
Helen Keller : She was an American lecturer and writer who overcame severe physical disabilities, inspiring many other people to similar accomplishments. Deaf and blind from the age of 19 months, Keller learned to communicate with the help of her teacher, Anne Sullivan. Sullivan taught Keller to read Braille and to “listen” by feeling a speaker’s face. Keller graduated from Radcliffe College in 1904 and authored a number of books about her experiences.

Helen Keller (1880-1968 was born on June 27, 1880, in Tuscumbia, Alabama, the daughter of well-to-do parents: Arthur Keller, a former officer in the Confederate army, and Kate Adams. When 19 months old, Helen was stricken with an acute illness that left her deaf and blind. In a short time, she forgot the few words she knew and became silent. She made use of signs to get what she wanted, but when her parents or the family servants did not understand her, her frustration found an outlet in screaming and tantrums. In the 1880s people who were both deaf and blind were classified in law as idiots.

A doctor who examined Keller, however, thought that her intelligence could be developed. On the advice of Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor, who was also a teacher of deaf people, Keller’s parents got a teacher for the Blind. The teacher’s name was Anne Mansfield Sullivan (later Macy). Thus began an association that lasted until Sullivan’s death in 1936.

Sullivan’s first task was to break through the barrier of darkness and silence that surrounded the child.

She succeeded in that. Two years later she was reading and writing fluently using the Braille system. When Keller was tert, she begged to relearn how to speak. At first this seemed impossible, but Sullivan discovered that Keller could learn sounds by placing her fingers on her teacher’s larynx and sensing the vibrations. The moving account of how Sullivan taught her to speak is told in Helen Keller’s The Story of My Life (1902).

In 1900, Keller entered Radcliffe College. Four years later she graduated with honors to worldwide acclaim and decided to devote her life to helping blind and deaf people. Through her essays and articles in major magazines and newspapers, Keller explained the problems encountered by people who are deaf and blind and the responsibilities of society. In addition to The Story of My Life, she published Optimism, or My Key to Life (1903), The World I Live In (1908), and Out of the Dark (1913).

In her desire to help people like her, Keller also began to travel and lecture throughout the world, enlisting the aid of many famous people she met. Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie gave her an annual income, writers Mark Twain and Robert Louis Stevenson sang her praises, and nearly every U.S. president of her time invited her to the White House. She received many honors. Helen Keller is one of the best examples of people who have overcome severe handicaps and become world-famous.

Activity – IV (Collection):

Question 22.
Collect inspiring speeches of great persons like Martin Luther King, Swami Vivekanda, Winston Churchill, Jawaharlal Nehru, etc. Make a presentation based on the common factors in the speeches.
Answer:
Standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered what is regarded today as one of the greatest speeches in American history. Here is an excerpt from his speech: “I Have a Dream”.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of ‘interposition’ and ‘nullification—one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; ‘and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.’

In all the speeches of the above great people, we can find some common factors. One is patriotism. Patriotism is the love of one’s motherland. The country of one’s birth is his mother and he should love her and work for her progress. In case of a need, he should be even ready to sacrifice his life for this motherland.

Another common factor is the love for liberty, freedom. Man is born free and he should have his freedom to enjoy his life. Political freedom, economic freedom, and religious freedom are essential for the proper growth of a person. No country should be ruled by other countries.

Another factor that is common among the speeches of these great men is a fraternity and universal brotherhood. In the pledge, we assert, “All Indians are my brothers and sisters”. This pledge should not be limited to words. In deeds, we must show that we are true to our words.

All great men preach internationalism and universal brotherhood Even as we preach nationalism, we must be internationalists. We all know that we may have different colors. The Europeans may be white, the Africans may be black, the Asians might be brown or yellowish, but all of them have red blood! Whether you are Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, or Jew, your emotions are the same. That is why we say, “Tickled we laugh; pricked we cry”. So we must love humanity. Gandhi is the Father of our nation, but he was also a great internationalist.

If (Poem) About the Author:

– Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) is an English short-story writer, poet, and novelist. He is chiefly known for his stories and poems about the British soldiers in India. He also wrote stories for children. “If” is the most famous poem of Kipling. It attracted nationwide attention. It soon became a very popular anthem.

IF (Poem) Summary

Here a father is advising his son:
Stanza 1: Maintain your coolness when people around you have lost it and blame you for the situation. Trust yourself when all people doubt you, but give allowance for their doubting. Wait and don’t be tired of waiting. When people tell you lies, don’t follow their example. People may hate you but don’t hate them. Don’t try to look too good and don’t try to talk too wise.

Stanza 2: You should dream, but do not make dreams your master. You should think but don’t make your thoughts your aim. You should view Success and Failure equally. You may say truths but dishonest people may twist them and use them to trap fools. You worked hard to get certain things done, but you find them broken. Then you get ready to build them up using old tools.

Stanza 3: Collect all your winnings and risk them on one turn of the dice. You may lose the entire thing. But start again without telling anybody about your loss. Continue doing your work even when others have abandoned theirs. Continue to hold on even you have nothing left except your will.

Stanza 4: Keep talking with the crowds but maintain your virtue. Walk with kings but don’t lose the common touch. Neither your friends nor your enemies should be able to hurt you. All men should be able to count on your help. But nobody should expect too much from you. You should forgive people who have offended you. If you can do all the above things the Earth and everything in it is yours and you will then be a man.