Solutions of chapter 4. An Indian-American Woman in Space: Kalpana Chawla

1

Where was Kalpana Chawla born? Why is she called an Indian – American? (3)

1

When and why did she go to the U. S.? Who did she marry? (2, 3)

1

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

1

What abilities must an astronaut have, according to the journalist? (6)

1

Describe Kalpana Chawla’s first mission in space. (5)

1

What does Kalpana Chawla say about pursuing a dream? Do you agree with her that success is possible? (7)

2

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

1. Date and place of lift off: _________________________

2. Number of astronauts on board: ___________________

3. Number of days it stayed in space: _________________

4. Number of experiments done by scientists: ___________

5. Date of return journey: ___________________________

6. Height at which it lost contact: _____________________

1

Match the following

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

2

Use these phrases in sentences of your own, after finding out their meanings:

1. broke apart

2. streaked over

3. spread across

4. lifted off

5. blast off

6. went on

7. cheered along

8. on board

9. carry on

3

Add ‘un’ – to the words below to make their opposites. Then look up the meanings of the words you have formed in the dictionary.

1. identified ______________

2. controlled ______________

3. attended ______________

4. successful ______________

5. important ______________

6. educated ______________

7. interesting ______________

8. qualified ______________

9. trained ______________

10. answerable ______________

1

In her message to students of her college, Kalpana Chawla said, “May you have the vision to find the path from dreams to success … Wishing you a great journey.”

Form pairs. Use “May you …” and “I wish you / Wishing you” to wish your partner good luck and success in

(i) a sports event,

(ii) a quiz or a completion, and

(iii) a test or examination.

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

1

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

2

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

*British*	*American*
1. colour	___________
2. __________	labour
3. ___________	traveler
4. counselor	___________
5. centre	___________
6. ___________	theater
7. __________	organize
8. realise	___________
9. ___________	defense
10. offence	________

1

The poet says, “Beauty is heard in…”

Can you hear beauty? Add a sound that you think is beautiful to the sounds the poet thinks are beautiful.

The poet, Keats, said:

Heard melodies are sweet.

But those unheard are sweeter.

What do you think this means? Have you ever ‘heard’ a song in your head, long after the song was sung or played?

2

Read the first and second stanzas of the poem again. Note the following phrases.

corn growing, people working or dancing, wind sighing.

rain falling, a singer chanting

These could be written as

● corn that is growing

● people who are working and dancing

Can you rewrite the other phrases like this? Why do you think the poet uses the shorter phrases?

3

Find pictures of beautiful things you have seen or heard of.

4

Write a paragraph about beauty. Use your own ideas along with the ideas in the poem.

(You may discuss your ideas with your partner)

1

A space shuttle is a spacecraft that is made for repeated space travel (unlike a rocket), for example, between earth and a space station.

2

Use a dictionary to do the tasks below.

Find out the meaning of the following words and phrases (look up the words underlined in the phrases).

(a) Naturalized U. S. citizen ___________________________

(b) space __________

(c) frontiers of space ______________

(d) aboard _______________

(e) Lift off (How is it different from ‘take off’ ?) __________________

(f) crew ________________

2

Use a dictionary to do the tasks below.

Notice the spellings of these words in this lesson: airplane, program. This is how these words are spelt in American English. How are they spelt in British English?

Solution of Chapter 4. An Indian-American Woman in Space: Kalpana Chawla (NCERT English - Honeysuckle Book)

Chapter Exercises

Working with the text

Working with Language

Speaking

Writing