Chapter 3.3 - Stephen Hawking
Early Life :
Stephen Hawking was born on January 8, 1942. Before the diagnosis, he was an average student and got very poor grades fighting with ALS. When he was 21, Stephen started tripping and dropping items, and his speech became unclear. After a series of tests, doctors concluded that Stephen was suffering from ALS. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a disease that paralyzed him and required a speech synthesizer-generating device to communicate. He, with the help of his friends, worked very hard to earn his PhD.
Famous works :
This lesson also highlights his great work and his theories from his books. His best seller was ‘A Brief History in Time’, which was a short, informative book on cosmology. A Brief History of Time and the Universe in a Nutshell. The Grand Design even proved a great success, challenging Sir Isaac Newton’s belief that the universe had to have been designed by God.
Hawking’s Health :
Hawking’s health remained a constant concern; his physical control over his body diminished, and he was forced to use a wheelchair. He lost his voice and also lost virtual control of his body, except for his cheek muscles.
Stephen Hawking Today :
Stephen Hawking is a physicist, cosmologist, author, and director of research at the center of theoretical cosmology at Cambridge University. He is an honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA).
A living legend :
Since 2009, Stephen has been completely paralyzed, but through a speaking program and with the help of his assistants, he still writes and gives several scientific lectures.
cosmology : the science of the origin and development of the universe.
catapulted : launched
core : central, basic
holy grail : (here) a thing which is eagerly pursued or sought after
dimensions : aspects, features, facts
multiple sclerosis : abnormal hardening of body tissue
atypical : very unusual
diagnose : detection of a medical condition
devastating : causing a severe shock
leukemia : a malignant progressive disease in which the bone marrow and the other blood forming organs produce increased numbers of abnormal white blood cells
tracheotomy : an incision in the windpipe made to relieve an obstruction to breathing.
peril : serious and immediate danger
sensor : a device which detects or measures a physical property and records, indicates or otherwise responds to it.
Warming up!
1. Get into pairs and match the prominent personalities with the disabilities they had :
Ans: (i – b), (ii – a), (iii – d), (iv – c), (v – f), (vi – e), (vii – h), (viii – g), (ix – j), (x – i)
2. Word Building.
(a) Reduplication : The root/stem of a word is repeated exactly the same or with a slight change.
For example, tweet-tweet, pitter-patter, chit-chat, bang-bang, riff-raff.
(b) Blending : Parts of two or more words combine to form a new one.
For example,
breakfast + lunch = brunch
smoke + fog = smog
motor + hotel = motel
(c) Clipping : Reducing a word to one of its syllables or a part of it.
For example,
Mathematics – Maths
Advertisement – Ad
Laboratory – Lab
(d) Acronym : Words formed from the first letter of each of the words involved.
For example,
radar, scuba, Unicef, Nasa
BBC, CID, USA, ATM, VIP
DOB, KYC, PM, GN, TY etc.
In your notebook, write five examples of each of the above types of word-building devices. (You may take the help of a Dictionary/the Internet)
Ans:
(i) Reduplication:
(a) ding + dong = the noise made by a bell
(b) flim + flam = dishonest behaviour / fraud
(c) hodge + podge = a confused mixture of different things
(d) hulla + baloo = a commotion
(e) itty + bitty = very small
(f) Zig + Zag = a shape which turns in an alternating direction.
(ii) Blending:
(a) bat + mash = bash
(b) biography + picture = biopic
(c) motor + pedal = moped
(d) global + english = globish
(e) work + alcoholic = workoholic
(iii) Clipping:
(a) Examination – Exam
(b) Gymnasium – Gym
(c) Influenza – Flu
(d) Gasoline – Gas
(e) Automobile – Auto
(f) Fundamental – Funda
(g) Photographs – Photo
(h) Refrigerator – Fridge
(i) Telephone – Phone
(j) Vegetarian – Veg
(iv) Acronym:
(a) LASER
(b) NATO
(c) SONAR
(d) FEMA
(e) UNESCO
In Between The LESSON
Q1. What was Hawking convinced of ?
Ans: Hawking is convinced that time travel is possible and that humans may indeed colonize other planets in the future.
Q2. When did Hawking first notice his health problems ?
Ans: Hawking first noticed his health problems while he was at Oxford university, on occasions he would trip and fall or slur his speech
Q3. In the mid 1970’s what did the Hawking’s family do ?
Ans: In the mid 1970’s, the Hawking’s family took the help of one of his graduate students to help manage his care and work.
Q4. Why was Hawking forced to use a wheelchair?
Ans: As physical control over his body diminished he was forced to use a wheelchair.
Q5. Guess the meaning of : predicament
Ans: a difficult situation or an unpleasant situation.
Q6. What do Stephen Hawking works include?
Ans: Stephen Hawking’s works include numerous scientific papers and also information for the non-scientific community.
Q7. What remains a constant anxiety?
Ans: Hawking’s health remains a constant concern.
ENGLISH WORKSHOP
1. Observe the time line and search the occurrences according to it. Prepare a chart.
Ans:
Ans:
2. Make a list of books written by Stephen Hawking.
Ans:
3. Make a list of Hawking’s physical inabilities after 1963.
Ans:
(a) Diagnosed with ALS
(b) Physical Control over his body diminished
(c) Use of wheelchair
(d) Speech became slurred
(e) He lost his voice
(f) Chest infection
4. Shape your mind. Complete the network of cluster diagram with the name of great personalities and their contribution.
Ans:
(a) Fine arts –
(1) Leonardo da Vinci – Leonardo’s Sketches and paintings depict a Scientific phenomenon. His anatomical drawings were used in Medical Schools in 19th century.
(2) Rabindranath Tagore – He wrote our National Anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’
(3) Michelangelo – He created the statue of David Pieta
(b) Mathematics –
(4) Pythagoras – He created Pythagorean theorem
(5) Archimedes – He provided exact Numerical value of pi.
(6) Euclid – He is known as father of Geometry.
(c) Science –
(7) Sir Isaac Newton –
(a) Law of gravitation / gravity
(b) Theory on tides
(8) Albert Einstein – Theory of relativity
(9) Louis Pasteur – Pasteur Contributed greatly towards the advancement of medical science developing cures for rabies, anthrax and other infectious diseases
(d) Literature –
(10) William Shakespeare – He was an English poet, play wright and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist.
Notable work – Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Ceasar.
(11) Rabindranath Tagore –
(i) Tagore was a Bengali Polymath who reshaped Bengali literature, Music and Indian art.
(ii) Nobel Prize in Literature
Notable work – Gitanjali, Gora, Jana Gana Mana, Rabindra Sangeet.
(12) Khushwant Singh – Journalist, editor and novelist.
Notable work – His outstanding Novels are Train to Pakistan, (1956) The company of women (1999), Truth, Love and a Little Malice (2002) The Good the Bad and the Ridiculous (2013)
5. Complete the following web.
Ans:
6. Explain how the life of Stephen Hawking proves the proverb ‘Every cloud has a silver lining’. Write it down in your notebook.
Ans: The proverb ‘Every cloud has a silver lining means every bad situation has a good aspect to it. One should never feel hopeless because difficult times always lead to better days like in the case of Stephen Hawking’s.
Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 21 years. It was devastating news for him and his family but he did not give up and lost hope; eventually he lost all the control of his body. He directed the program through a cheek muscle attached to a sensor, the darkness and sorrows of his life did not affect him. He remained optimistic and hopeful, carrying his work ahead without getting tired. Thick and dark clouds sometimes obstruct the sun but as the time passes the clouds move off and the sun comes out from behind it. These types of calamities are only momentary. Whenever there is shadow, light is always hereby. So we should never give up and face the situation positively with a big hope ahead.
7. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements ? Justify your stand/ answer by quoting a line from the text.
(a) Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Ans: Disagree
Statement – Hawking was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
(b) Hawking believed that man cannot live on other planets in the future.
Ans: Disagree
Statement – He convinced that time travel is possible and that humans may indeed colonize other planets in the future.
(c) Though Hawking lost control over his body, he wrote with a prolific rate with the help of assistants.
Ans: Agree
Statement – Through the program and help of assistants, Stephen Hawking has continued to write at a prolific rate.
(d) Hawking has written or co-written more than 25 books.
Ans: Disagree
Statement – Stephen Hawking has written or co-written a total of 15 books.
8. Following incidents in Stephen Hawking’s life are given in jumbled order. Arrange the incidents in proper sequence as per their order of occurrence in Hawking’s life.
(a) Hawking’s book ‘The Universe in a Nutshell’ offered an illustrated guide to cosmology’s big theories.
(b) Hawking published the book ‘A Brief History of Time’ that offered an overview of space and time.
(c) Hawking was unable to attend a conference in Arizona.
(d) Hawking was diagnosed with ALS while studying cosmology at the University of Cambridge.
(e) Hawking published ‘A Brief History of Time’ that contained the newest development.
Ans:
(b) Hawking published the book ‘A Brief History of Time’ that offered an overview of space and time.
(a) Hawking’s book ‘The University in a Nutshell’ offered an illustrated guide to cosmology’s big theories.
(e) Hawking published ‘A Brief History of Time’ that contained the newest development
(d) Hawking was diagnosed with ALS while studying cosmology at the University of Cambridge
(c) Hawking was unable to attend a conference in Arizona.
9. Fill in the blanks with the proper form of the Verbs as per the Subject :
(1) Mother _____ a good meal. (cook/cooks)
Ans: Mother cooks a good meal.
(2) Mother and her daughter _____ a good meal. (cook/cooks)
Ans: Mother and her daughter cook a good meal.
(3) The rise and fall of the Empire _____ recorded in History. (is/are)
Ans: The rise and fall of the Empire is recorded in History.
(4) Neither Ritesh nor Alok _____ well. (play/plays)
Ans: Neither Ritesh nor Alok play well.
(5) Either of the two _____ guilty. (is/are)
Ans: Either of the two is guilty.
(6) Everyone _____ mistakes. (make/makes)
Ans: Everyone makes mistakes.
(7) That news _____ published today. (is/are)
Ans: That news is published today.
(8) Eight lakh rupees _____ a big amount. (was/were)
Ans: Eight lakh rupees is a big amount.
(9) The Committee _____ approved of it. (has/have)
Ans: The Committee has approved of it.
(10) The cost of all the goods _____ risen. (has/have)
Ans: The cost of all the goods have risen.
10. From the following sentences, underline the Nouns and encircle their Determiners that specify the noun in a noun phrase.
(articles / possessive pronouns / demonstratives or quantifiers)
(1) He lost his voice for good.
Ans: his – possessive pronoun
voice – noun
(2) Over the years, Hawking has written 15 books.
Ans: 15 – quantifier
books – noun
(3) These three books articulate his search for science’s Holy Grail.
Ans: these – Demonstrative
books – noun
(4) A few events prevented him from despondency.
Ans: A – article
event – noun
(5) That dream made him realize it.
Ans: That – demonstrative
dreams – noun
11. Complete the information from the following graphic organiser and prepare a summary.
Summary Maker
Title of the text :
(a) Name of the personality :
(b) Age :
(c) Books (As Author) :
(d) Field of Excellence :
(e) Achievements :
Ans:
Summary Maker
Title of the text : “The Discovered light of Knowledge”
(a) Name of the personality : Ruskin Bond.
(b) Age : 83 years
(c) Books :
(i) The Blue Umbrella. (As Author)
(ii) A flight of Pigeons.
(iii) The Room on the Roof
(iv) Rusty, the Boy from the Hills.
(v) A Handful of Nuts.
(d) Field of Excellence : Excelled as an author with his five priceless enchanting stories of childhood, friendship, family, love and nature.
(e) Achievements :
(i) Sahitya Akademi Award (1992)
(ii) Padma Shri Award (1999)
(iii) Padma Bhushan Award (2014)
(iv) Lifetime Achievement Award (2017)
12. You have come to know from the text that ‘The Theory of Everything’ is a film describing the life and work of Stephen Hawking. Watch the film on internet and write a complete review of it. You can take help of the following points while writing the review of the film.
(1) Title
(2) Characters
(3) Story
(4) Dialogues
(5) Picturisation
(6) Music
(7) Special features (if any)
(8) Opinion / Views
(9) Message/Moral values.
Ans:
(1) Title : The Theory of Everything
(2) Characters :
(i) Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking
(ii) Feliaty Jones as Jane Hawking
(iii) Charlie cox as Jonathan Jones
(iv) David Thewlis as Dennis Sciama
(v) Simon McBurney as Frank Hawking Stephen’s father.
(vi) Emily Watson as Beryl Wilde Jane’s Mother.
(vii) Maxine Peak as Elaine Mason Stephen’s second wife.
(viii) Harry Lloyd as Brian, Hawking’s roommate.
(3) Story : The movie, The theory of Everything tells the true story of when stephen Hawking met his first wife Jane, fell in love and dealt with a devastating Medical condition.
(4) Dialogues : Dialogues are heart touching, inspirational and emotional.
(5) Picturisation : A well picturised, sensitively directed inspirational biopic by James Marsh
(6) Music : Soft musical backing and appealing music by Johann Johan
(7) Special features : The theory of Everything is a sensitively inspirational biopic centered about the great physicist Stephen Hawking and his mind over body struggle.
(8) Opinion / views : It is a combination of Biography, Drama and Romance, its designed lovingly. Well made movie.
(9) Message / Moral values : “There should be no boundaries to human endeavor. However bad life may seem, where there is life there is hope” By Stephen Hawking Despite his struggle in life, his battle with a motor neuron disease, Stephen keeps a positive attitude on life.