An Indian-American Woman in Space:Kalpana_Chawla - English_6th - Lesson-6_Tulip-Series

Lesson 6: An Indian-American Woman in Space: Kalpana Chawla

(Adapted from Span)

FROM THE TEXT

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

2. Use a dictionary to do the tasks below:

(i). Find out the meanings of the following words and phrases:

(a) Naturalized U.S. citizen One who is born in another country and is allowed the citizenship of U.S. or Native of U.S Nation.

(b) Space It is the region beyond the earth’s atmosphere or beyond the solar system.

(c) Frontiers of space It is the border of the space.

(d) Abroad Out of the country or beyond the countries border.

(e) Liftoff (How is it different from ‘take off’?) The upward movement from the ground by a rocket.

(f) Crew The group of people who operate the spacecraft.

(ii) 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?

Ans.

Airplane-American English

Aeroplane-British English

Program-American English

Programme-British English

WORKING WITH THE TEXT

A. Answer the following questions:

Q1. Where was Kalpana Chawla born? Why is she called an Indian – American?

Ans. Kalpana Chawla was born in Karnal, Haryana. She was a naturalized U.S. citizen as she married flight instructor, Jean-Pierre Harrison. Therefore, she is called an Indian – American.

Q2. When and why did she go to the U.S.? Whom did she marry?

Ans. After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Science in aeronautical engineering she went for a master’s degree to the United States of America. She later earned Ph.D. in aerospace engineering. Kalpana Chawla married to a flight instructor, Jean-Pierre Harrison.

Q3. How did she become an astronaut? What gave her the idea that she could be an astronaut?

Ans. After pursuing higher studies she earned a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering. She was a certified flight instructor. She applied for NASA and was selected for training as an astronaut. She had always a dream, and her friends, fortunately, people around her encouraged her to be an astronaut.

Q4. What abilities must an astronaut have, according to the journalist?

Ans. According to the journalist, an astronaut should have the knowledge of everything, from biology to astrophysics to aeronautical engineering. An astronaut must have the knowledge of encyclopedia.

Q5. Describe Kalpana Chawla’s first mission in space.

Ans. Kalpana Chawla’s first space mission in the space shuttle, the Columbia, was 15 days, 16 hours, and 34 minutes long. During that time, she went around the earth 252 times, travelling 10.45 million kilometers. With her crew, she performed many experiments in space.

Q6. What does Kalpana Chawla say about pursuing a dream? Do you agree with her that success is possible?

Ans. Kalpana Chawla in her message from space said that the path from dreams to success does exist. A person could only achieve success if he had the vision to find and the courage to get onto it. I agree with the words she said from the space. She is herself, an example for us.

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

1. Date and the place of the lift-off: 16^th January 2003, Kennedy Space Centre, Florida

2. Number of Astronauts onboard: Seven

3. Number of days it stayed in space: 16 Days

4. Number of experiments done by the scientists: Eighty

5. Date of return journey: February 1, 2003

6. Height at which it lost control: 200,000 feet

LANGUAGE WORK

A. Match the following:

Ans.

1. Unprecedented space tragedy – a sad accident of a kind that has never happened before in space.

2. Certified flight instructor – a person with correct qualification to teach people to fly planes.

3. Space mission – a set of jobs to be done in space by a group.

4. Super specialisation – great expertise in a limited field or a particular subject.

5. Encyclopedic knowledge – having knowledge of a variety of subjects.

6. Awe-inspiring – something that causes feelings of respect and wonder.

7. In this age – nowadays; in these times.

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

1. Broke apart – The Space Shuttle broke apart in flames.

2. Streaked over – The shuttle streaked over Texas towards its landing strip.

3. Spread across – The news about the Kalpana’s shuttle crash spread across India.

4. Lifted off – Columbia had lifted off on 16 January.

5. Blast off – Satellite blasts off last week.

6. Went on – The teacher went on delivering his lesson while some students ran away.

7. Cheered along – He cheered along with his friends on his success.

8. Onboard – The whole crew on board died in the crash.

9. Carry on – The principal ordered the teacher to carry on his work.

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

Ans.

1. Identified – Unidentified

2. Controlled – Uncontrolled

3. Attended – Unattended

4. Successful – Unsuccessful

5. Important – unimportant

6. Educated – Uneducated

7. Interesting – Uninteresting

8. Qualified – Unqualified

9. Trained – Untrained

10. Answerable – Unanswerable

GRAMMAR WORK

I. The verbs whose conjugated form usually end in -ed are called Regular Verbs. Some verbs do not take -ed. Such verbs are called Irregular Verbs. Find more irregular verbs and write heir conjugation as per the examples given below:

Present	Past	Past Participle
Teach Come Hear Know See Bring Fly Say Sit Go Sing Buy Sell Think Eat Read Write Feel	Taught Came Heard Knew Saw Brought Flew Said Sat Went Sang Bought Sold Thought Ate Read Wrote Felt	Taught Come Heard Known Seen Brought Flown Said Sat Gone Sung Bought Sold Thought Eaten Read Written Felt

II. Use the present continuous form of the verbs given in the brackets in each of the following sentences:

a. Do you want anything from the market? Mother is going (go) there.

b. I don’t think we should disturb him. He’s working (work) on his project.

c. ‘Do you know where Mohan is?’ ‘Yes. He’s writing (write) a letter to his uncle in his room.

d. I am selling (sell) my bike next week. It is very old.

e. She is planning (plan) to visit Delhi next month. Do you want anything from there?

f. I don’t think they are joining (join) us for dinner.

g. ‘What’s Akbar doing?’ ‘He is having (have) a bath.’

h. You can turn off the television. I am not watching (watch) it.

i. Please be quiet. I am Working (work).

j. ‘Is she playing (play) the game?’ ‘No, she isn’t.’

LET’s WRITE

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

British English	American English
1. Colour 2. Labour 3. Traveller 4. Counsellor 5. Centre 6. Theatre 7. Organise 8. Realize 9. Defence 10. Offence	Color Labor Traveler Counselor Center Theater Organize Realize Défense Offense