Lesson - 9

Kalpana: The Star

1.   Who was the first person to travel into space?
2.   Who was the first Indian to travel into space?
3.   Who was the first Indian woman to go into space?
 

Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian woman astronaut, was bold enough to make her career in aeronautics. She was a source of inspiration to her friends and colleagues. She is a role model for many young Indian women. This is an imaginary interview conducted in her own school.

Children
:
Good morning madam. We are from  Tagore  School,  Karnal. We would like to ask you a few questions before you leave for your space mission.
Kalpana
:
Good  morning.  Please  make
yourselves comfortable.
Rohan
:
Please tell us about your childhood.
Kalpana
:
Well, I was born on 1 July 1961 in Karnal, Haryana. I had always dreamt about flying when I was a child. In fact, I thought of going farther than the pilots and wanted to become an astronaut at the age of thirteen.
Kavita
:
Do tell us more about yourself.
Kalpana
:
(Laughing) Well, I am a strict vegetarian. I respect my teachers. I like reading, flying, hiking and bird-watching.
Aslam
:
What courses did you have to go through to become an astronaut?
Kalpana
:
After passing Higher Secondary Examination from Tagore School, Karnal  in  1976,  I  joined  the  Punjab  Engineering  College, Chandigarh, for my Bachelor’s Degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1982. I then moved on to the University of Texas, USA for my Master’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1984. I earned my Ph.D in the same subject from the University of Colorado, USA in 1988.
Jeetu
:
How did you join NASA*?
Kalpana
:
That's an interesting story. Initially I had joined NASA as a research scientist in 1995 and worked for them at the Ames Research Centre. But then , inspired by the pioneering Indian pilot, J.R.D. Tata, I tried hard and was ultimately selected for my first flight in 1996.
Rohan
How was your first space mission?
Kalpana
:
I took off for my first space mission in the Space Shuttle Columbia on 19 November 1997. The flight was called STS-87. I worked with my six-member space crew as a mission specialist and prime robotic arm operator. I enjoyed every moment of it.
Aslam
:
What are your further plans?
Kalpana
:
Well, my next mission will be in the same Space Shuttle Columbia. The flight is called STS-107. I will take off on 16 January 2003. It will be a mission dedicated to science and research. We hope to perform a number of scientific experiments in space.
Kavita
:
Thank you, Madam.
Kalpana
You’re welcome.

*   NASA : National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA is a US government organisation that carries out research into space and organises space travel.

The space shuttle Columbia Flight STS-107 took off as scheduled. The crew successfully performed eighty experiments in space. Unfortunately, 16 minutes prior to landing, their spacecraft developed a snag. Columbia perished with her crew on 1 February 2003. The whole world grieved at the loss.

Kalpana was awarded several honours after her death.

°        A heavenly body (Asteriod 51826) is renamed Kalpana Chawla.

°        A hill on the planet Mars is also named after her.

°        On her death, her brother Sanjay Chawla, remarked, “To me, my sister is not dead. She is immortal. She is a permanent star in the sky”.

°        The Prime Minister of India made an announcement on Feb. 5, 2003 to name the meteorological series of Satellites as Kalpana.

°        A dormitory was established in 2004 under the name 'Kalpana Chawla Hall' at the University of Texas.


°        A super computer was dedicated to Kalpana by NASA.



EXERCISES

Read and Learn


astronaut

aeronautics

inspiration

colleagues

imaginary

vegetarian

research

scientist

promising

specialist

dedicated

unfortunately

perished

grieved

meteorological

dormitory

established

immortal

permanent


robotic


Word Power

A)   The words given in the table are mis-spelt. Correct their spellings and also write their meanings with the help of a dictionary.
Ans. - 
 

B)         Match the columns:
 
Ans. - 
 

Comprehension

A)   Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.

Q.1   When and where was Kalpana Chawla born?
Ans. -  Kalpana Chawla was born on 1th  July 1961 in Karnal.

Q.2   What were her hobbies?
Ans. - Her haobbies were to fly, to become the pilot and also to become an astronaut.

Q.3   Who inspired her to fly?
Ans. - An Indian pilot J.R.D. Tata inspired her to fly.

Q.4   When did she first fly into space?
Ans. - She first flied into space on 19th November 1997.

Q.5   How many experiments did the crew of Flight STS-107 perform?
Ans. - They Performed 80 experiments.

B)    Answer the following questions in three to five sentences.
Q.1   What courses did Kalpana Chawla have to go through to become an astronaut?
Ans - She took her Bachelor degree, master degree and Ph.D in Aerospace Engineering.

Q.2   Describe the first space mission of Kalpana Chawla?
Ans - She took off her first space mission in the STS-107 on 19th November 1997. She took there with her six members space crew.

Q.3   Describe her last space mission.
Ans - Her last space mission was in STS-107. It took off on 1 February 2003. The crew successful performed eighty experiments. It took off on 1 February 2003 unfortunately, STS-107 perished with her crew before 16 minutes prior to landing.


Q.4   Mention some of the honours awarded to Kalpana Chawla after her heroic death.

Ans - After her heroic death, she had awarded many madels of honours - 
(a) A heavenly body (Asteroid 51826 ) is renamed Kalpana Chawla. 
(b) Ahill on the planet Mars is also named after her. 
(c) A super computer was dedicated to Kalpana by NASA.

Let's Learn
A)   Read the following sentences carefully. 

Santa writes neatly.
The boys are waiting outside. She left early.

The underlined words tell you how, where or when an action takes place. These words are called adverbs. The adverbs add something to the meaning of a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.


Now underline the adverbs in the following sentences:

1.    She behaved foolishly.
Ans. - She behaved foolishly.

2.    We looked for her everywhere.
Ans. - We looked for her everywhere.

3.   The children laughed loudly.
Ans. - The children laughed loudly.

4.   The school will open tomorrow.
Ans. - The school will open tomorrow.

5.    The soldiers fought bravely.
Ans. - The soldiers fought bravely.

6.     She wrote to me yesterday.
Ans. - She wrote to me yesterday.

7.     He lives here.
Ans. -  He lives here.

8.    The old man walked slowly.
Ans. - The old man walked slowly.

9.    She ran fast.
Ans. - She ran fast.

10.  The bus stops there.
Ans. - The bus stops there.


B)    Tick ( ) the correct preposition to complete each sentence:

1. Do not agree about/with/to his proposal.
Ans. - Do not agree with his proposal.

2. Rohan is popular with /among/to / his classmates.
Ans. - Rohan is popular among his classmates.

3. They congratulated the team about / on /from /its success.
Ans. - They congratulated the team on its success.

4. Hari takes interest about / in / over /his studies.
Ans. - Hari takes interest in his studies.

5. Beware from / about/of /the dog.
Ans. - Beware of  the dog.
  
6. Mr. Das was late for his work by / in / of /an hour.
Ans. - Mr. Das was late for his work in an hour.

7. Jeetu is taller to/than /by /Aslam.
Ans. - Jeetu is taller than Aslam.

8. He is senior to / than /by / me in service.
Ans. - He is senior to me in service.

9. Good health is necessary for /with/of /success in life.
Ans. - Good health is necessary for success in life.

10. I prefer milk than /to/from/ tea.
Ans. - I prefer milk to tea.



Let's Talk

Imagine that you are a reporter of a famous magazine for children. You have to interview one of the children (of your class) as you have come to know that he/she has attained first place in the District Middle Board Examination.

Talk to your partner. Complete the interview with the help of the clues

given below:

Reporter
:
Congratulations, Master Deepak. I am from the Daily Times. I would like to ask you a few questions on your brilliant success.
Deepak
:
Thank you, Sir. Please have a seat.
Reporter
:
Please tell me about yourself.
Deepak
:
I am 14 years old. I am a strict vegetarian. I live in Mhow.
Reporter
:
How are you feeling on your success.
Deepak
:
I am very happy. I have taken this inspiration by my parents and teachers. I am highly obliged to them.  

Let's Read

Read the following passage carefully:

The first computer was built in the early nineteenth century by Charles Babbage . He called it a 'difference engine'. It could carry out long calculations and print the results. Later he invented a better machine called an 'analytical engine'. The computer that you use has been developed by several scientists working independently or as a team. It is being improved everyday.

The computer can work out calculations and provide answers to complicated problems in a flash. A man would take days, or even months, to work the same thing out. But a computer cannot do things on its own. All the information it needs to do something is fed into it. This information is called data. Then it must be given clear and precise instructions about what to do with this data. These instructions have to be in a language that the computer understands. The information and the instructions make up a computer programme . If a computer gives an incorrect answer, something must be wrong with the programme and not with the machine.

The computer also has a memory. It can store information and use it later. It can, therefore, be compared to the human brain. But it can solve problems much faster and more accurately than the human brain. It can be made to play games like chess and translate words from one language to another. (If you like, it can correct your spelling mistakes.) But it cannot take decisions or think up new ideas. That is where it cannot compete with the human brain.


A)              Now answer the following questions:

1.   What two things could the first computer developed by Charles Babbage do?
Ans. - It could carry out long calculation and print results.

2.  What is data?
Ans. - All the information fed in computer is called data.

3.   What is a computer programme?
Ans. - The information and the instructions make up a computer is call computer programme.

4.  In what way is a computer like a human brain?
Ans. - The computer can store information and use it later. So computer is like the human brain.

5.  In what way is the computer better than the human brain?
Ans. - Computer can solve problems much faster and more accurately than human brain. So it is better.

6.  In what way is the human brain better than the computer?
Ans. - Computer cannot take decisions or think up new ideas. So brain is better than the computer.

B)               Match words and phrases from column 'A' with their meanings in column 'B'.
 
Ans. -
 
Let's Write

You are Ashok, residing at 3 Ashok Vilas, Indore. Write a letter to your friend, Vinit, telling him that you have been inspired by Kalpana Chawla and want to be an astronaut like her. Take the help of the clues given:

the great astronaut, work hard, study Maths, Science, engineer, reputed institute, fly high, etc.

Ans. -

_3 Ashok, Vilas,
Indore
5.8.07
      My dear friend,
      yesterday, I met with Kalpana Chawla. She is the great astronaut. When I was talking with her, she impressed me. I have a deep desire to become an astronaut like her. I shal do hard work. For it I shall study maths and science. I shall become an engineer. I shall take admission in a reputed school and College. I shall fly high.
    With this hope,  
Your loving friend 
Ashok

Let's do it

Collect pictures and information about Kalpana Chawla and Rakesh Sharma from newspapers and magazines and paste them in your scrap book. Read the information in your class.