A TRULY BEAUTIFUL MIND (9th)

A Truly Beautiful Mind Summary in English

In 14th March 1879, Albert Einstein was born in the German city of Ulm. Until the age of two and a half years, he could not speak. And when he began speaking then he spoke every word twice. In childhood, his playmate considers him to be boring. His mother also thought that he was crazy because of the abnormally large size of his head.

The headmaster of his school regards him as stupid and good for nothing. But then he proved all of them wrong. When he was 6, on his mother insistence, he learned to play the violin and became a skilful violinist. His family shifted to Munich when he was 15. But there he feels uncomfortable with the strict discipline of the school so he left it.

After completing his schooling, he gets admission in the University of Zurich. Because the atmosphere in the university was more liberal and they accept new ideas and concepts. Besides, he has more interest in Physics and Mathematics. At the university, he met a fellow student Mileva Maric.

She was equally clever and intelligent. Afterwards, they married and had 2 sons but unluckily their marriage didn’t last and they split in 1919. Subsequently, after finishing his education, Albert worked as a technical expert in the patent office at Bern. Also, there he secretly worked on his idea on relativity.

He put out his paper on the special theory of relativity. Which follows by the world-popular equation E = mc². In addition, he also publicizes his paper on General Theory of Relativity in 1915. This gave an absolutely new definition to the concept of gravity. Also, this theory makes him a famous figure.

During the solar eclipse of 1919, his theory came out as accurate and changed physics. When Nazi came to power in Germany he immigrated to the USA. He does so because he did not want his research and findings to be used for destruction. Further, when Germany discover the principle of Nuclear Fission in 1938. He was the first person to write to the American President about the dangers of atomic bombs.

Moreover, in 1945, when America throw down the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki he was deeply hurt. Also, he writes a letter to the United Nations for the formation of a world government. So that it can prevent recurrence of such destruction.

In last days, he spent most of it in politics advocating world peace and democracy. The great scientist died at the age of 76 in the year 1955.

Extract Based Questions(3 marks each)

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1:

A headmaster once told his father thatwhat Einstein chose as a profession would not matter, because

“he will never make a success at anything”. Einstein began learning to play the violin at the age of six, because his mother wanted him to. He later became a gifted amateur violinist, maintaining this skill throughout his life.

What was the headmaster’s opinion about Einstein ?

Why did Einstein learn to play violin ?

Find a word from the passage that means “having great natural ability”.

Answer:

The headmaster’s opinion about Einstein was that he would never be successful in his life.

Einstein learnt to play the violin to fulfil the desire of his mother.

Gifted.

Question 2:

Einstein was deeply shaken by the extent of the destruction. This time he wrote a public missive to the United Nations. In it he proposed the formation of a world government. Unlike the letter to Roosevelt, this one made no impact.

What did Einstein write and to whom ?

Why did he write a letter to Roosevelt earlier ?

Find the word from the extract that means – “a long and official letter”.

Answer:

Einstein wrote a public missive to the United Nations proposing the formation of a world government.

He wrote a letter to Roosevelt earlier in which he warned him by saying, “a single bomb of

this type might very well destroy the whole part with some of the surrounding territory”, i.e., a letter warning him for a bomb blast.

Missive.

Question 3:

“The pair finally got married in January 1903, and had two sons. But a few years later, the marriage faltered”.

Name the “pair” referred to in the above lines.

What happened to their marriage ?

Which word from the extract means “became weak” ?

Answer:

The pair referred to in the above lines is of Albert Einstein and Mileva.

Their marriage was not successful.

Faltered.

Question 4:

He also felt a special interest in a fellow student, Mileva Marie, whom he found to be a “clever creature”. This young serb had come to Switzerland because the University in Zurich was one of the few in Europe where women could get degrees. Einstein saw in her an ally against the “philistines”- those people in his family and at the university with whom he was constantly at odds.

Who is “clever creature” and “young serb” in the passage ?

Why did the young serh come to Switzerland ?

What was the attitude of Einstein towards the young serb ?

Or

Who felt special interest in Mileva Marie and why ?

Why did Mileva Marie come to Switzerland ?

Which word in the passage means “softness”

Answer:

Mileva Marie, a fellow student with Einstein is referred to as a “clever creature” and “young serb”.

The young serb had come to Switzerland because the university in Zurich was one of the few in Europe where women could get degrees.

Einstein was attracted to her and he wanted to join her.

Or

Albert Einstein felt a special interest in Mileva Marie as he thought her to be a clever creature.

Mileva Marie came to Switzerland as the University of Zurich was one of the few places of Europe where women could get degrees.

Tenderness.

Thinking about the Text

Question 1.
Here are some headings for paragraphs in the text. Write the number(s) of the paragraph(s) for each title against the heading. The first one is done for you.

Answers:

Question 2.
Who had these opinions about Einstein?

1.      He was boring.

2.      He was stupid and would never succeed in life.

3.      He was a freak.

Answer:

1.      His playmates.

2.      A headmaster.

3.      His mother.

Question 3.
Explain what the reasons for the following are:

1.      Einstein leaving the school in Munich for good.

2.      Einstein wanting to study in Switzerland rather than in Munich.

3.      Einstein seeing in Mileva an ally.

4.      What do these tell you about Einstein?

Answers:

1.      Einstein left the school in Munich because he did not like the discipline of the school. He hated the school’s regimentation and often clashed with teachers.

2.      Albert’s parents moved to Milan and left their son with relatives. After prolonged discussion, Einstein got his wish to continue his education in German – speaking Switzerland. Actually, it was more liberal than Munich.

3.      Einstein saw in Mileva Marie an ally against the “Philistines”—those people in his family and at the university with whom he was constantly at odds. He found that she was a “clever creature”.

4.      These tell that Einstein was a genius and had the capabilities to achieve his targets. Moreover, he had his own view of life. He liked freedom too much.

Question 4.
What did Einstein call his desk drawer at the patent office? Why?
Answer:
Einstein called his desk drawer at the patent office the “bureau of theoretical physics”. Einstein was actually

developing his own ideas in secret and his drawer had all the evidences which could reveal the secret.

Question 5.
Why did Einstein write a letter to Franklin Roosevelt?
Answer:
With the emergence of Nazis in Germany,
Einstein emigrated to the United States. It was the fact that the Nazis had the ability to develop the atomic bomb. It could destroy the whole world. So he warned Franklin D. Roosevelt in his letter.

Question 6.
How did Einstein react to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
Answer:
The atomic bomb devastated the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He was deeply shaken by the extent of the destruction and wrote a public missive to the United Nations.

Question 7.
Why does the world remember Einstein as a ‘world citizen’?
Answer:
The world remembers Einstein as a ‘world citizen’ because he believed in universal peace. When there was the rat race for becoming atomic power, he was worried about the aftermaths of the bomb. He was really a world citizen who was concerned with humanity.

Question 8.
Here are some facts from Einstein’s life. Arrange them in chronological order.

[ ] Einstein publishes his special theory of relativity.
[ ] He is awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.
[ ] Einstein writes a letter to U.S. President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and warns against Germany’s building of an atomic bomb.
[ ] Einstein attends a high school in Munich.
[ ] Einstein’s family moves to Milan.
[ ] Einstein is bom in the German city of Ulm.
[ ] Einstein joins a University in Zurich, where he meets Mileva.
[ ] Einstein dies.
[ ] He provides a new interpretation of gravity.
[ ] Tired of the school’s regimentation, Einstein withdraws from school.
[ ] He works in a patent office as a technical expert.
[ ] When Hitler comes to power, Einstein leaves Germany for the United States.

Answers:

[1] Einstein is bom in the German city of Ulm.
[2] Einstein attends a high school in Munich.

[3] Einstein’s family moves to Milan.
[4] Tired of the school’s regimentation, Einstein withdraws from school.
[5] Einstein joins a University in Zurich where he meets Mileva.
[6] He works in a patent office as a technical expert.
[7] Einstein publishes his special theory of relativity.
[8] He provides a new interpretation of gravitation.
[9] He is awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.
[10] When Hitler comes to power, Einstein leaves Germany for the United States.
[11] Einstein writes a letter to U.S. President, Franklin D. Roosevelt and warns against Germany’s building of an atomic bomb.
[12] Einstein dies.

Thinking about language
(Page 51)

Question 1.
Here are some sentences from the story.
Choose the word from the brackets which can be substituted for the italicised words in the sentences.

1.      A few years later, the marriage faltered, (failed, broke, became weak)

2.      Einstein was constantly at odds with people at the university, (on bad terms, in disagreement, unhappy)

3.      The newspapers proclaimed his work as “a scientific revolution”, (declared, praised, showed)

4.      Einstein got ever more involved in politics, agitating for an end to the arms build up. (campaigning, fighting, supporting)

5.      At the age of 15, Einstein felt so stifled that he left the school for good. (permanently, for his benefit, for a short time)

6.      Five years later, the discovery of nuclear fission in Berlin had American physicists in an uproar, (in a state of commotion, full of criticism, in a desperate state)

7.      Science wasn’t the only thing that appealed to the dashing young man with the walrus moustache, (interested, challenged, worried)

Answers:

1.      failed

2.      in disagreement

3.      declared

4.      campaigning

5.      permanently

6.      in a state of commotion

7.      interested.

Question 2.
Study the following sentences:

·        Einstein became a gifted amateur violinist, maintaining this skill throughout his life.

·        Letters survive in which they put their affection into words, mixing science with tenderness.

The parts in italics in the above sentences begin with ing verbs, and are called participial phrases. Participial phrases say something more about the person or thing talked about or the idea expressed by the sentence as a whole. For example:

—Einstein became a gifted amateur violinist. He maintained this skill throughout his life.

Complete the sentences below by filling in the blanks with suitable participial clauses. The information that has to be used in the phrases is provided as a sentence in brackets.

1.      ……………. the firefighters finally put out the fire. (They worked round the clock.)

2.      She watched the sunset above the mountain, ……………. (She noticed the colours blending softly into one another.)

3.      The excited horse pawed the ground rapidly, ……………. (While it neighed continually.)

4.      ……………. ,I found myself in Bangalore, instead of Benaras. (I had taken the wrong train.)

5.      ……………., I was desperate to get to the bathroom. (I had not bathed for two days)

6.      The stone steps, ……………. needed to be replaced. (They were worn down).

7.      The actor received hundreds of letters from his fans, ……………. (They asked him to send them his photograph.)

Answers:

1.      Working round the clock the firefighters finally put out the fire.

2.      Noticing the colours blending softly into one another she watched the sunset above the mountain.

3.      Neighing continually the excited horse pawed the ground rapidly.

4.      Having taken the wrong train I found myself in Bangalore instead of Benaras.

5.      Having not bathed for two days I was desperate to get to the bathroom.

6.      The stone steps being worn down needed to be replaced.

7.      The actor received hundreds of letters from his fans asking him to send them his photograph.