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
|
:
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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.
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Kalpana
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:
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Good morning.
Please make
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yourselves comfortable.
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||
Rohan
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:
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Please tell us about your
childhood.
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Kalpana
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:
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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.
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Kavita
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:
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Do tell us more about yourself.
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Kalpana
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:
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(Laughing) Well, I am a strict
vegetarian. I respect my teachers. I like reading, flying, hiking and
bird-watching.
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Aslam
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:
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What courses did you have to go
through to become an astronaut?
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Kalpana
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:
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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.
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Jeetu
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:
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How did you join NASA*?
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Kalpana
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:
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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.
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Rohan
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How was your first space mission?
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Kalpana
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:
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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.
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Aslam
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:
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What are your further plans?
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Kalpana
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:
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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.
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Kavita
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:
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Thank you, Madam.
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Kalpana
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You’re welcome.
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* 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:
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
|
:
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Congratulations, Master Deepak. I
am from the Daily Times. I would like to ask you a few questions on your
brilliant success.
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Deepak
|
:
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Thank you, Sir. Please have a
seat.
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Reporter
|
:
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Please tell me about yourself.
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Deepak
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:
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I am 14 years old. I am a strict vegetarian. I live in Mhow.
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Reporter
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:
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How are you feeling on your success.
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Deepak
|
:
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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'.
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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.