A Truly Beautiful Mind
Author: Based on the life of Albert Einstein
Summary (English)
"A Truly Beautiful Mind" is a biographical chapter about Albert Einstein, one of the greatest scientists in history. Einstein was born on 14 March 1879 in Ulm, Germany. As a child, he was not considered a brilliant student. He spoke very late and preferred playing alone.
Einstein disliked the rigid discipline of school and often clashed with his teachers. Later, he studied at the University of Zurich, where he met Mileva Maric, who became his wife.
In 1905, known as Einstein's "miracle year", he published his Special Theory of Relativity and the famous equation E = mc². In 1921, he received the Nobel Prize for Physics.
Einstein was not only a great scientist but also a humanitarian. He worked for peace, democracy and human rights. He opposed war and violence throughout his life. Thus, he was truly a beautiful mind because of both his intelligence and his concern for humanity.
সাৰাংশ (Assamese)
"এ ট্রুলি বিউটিফুল মাইণ্ড" অধ্যায়টো বিশ্ববিখ্যাত বিজ্ঞানী এলবাৰ্ট আইনষ্টাইনৰ জীৱনৰ ওপৰত আধাৰিত। আইনষ্টাইনৰ জন্ম ১৮৭৯ চনৰ ১৪ মাৰ্চত জাৰ্মানীৰ উল্ম চহৰত হৈছিল। শৈশৱত তেওঁ সাধাৰণ ছাত্ৰ হিচাপেই পৰিচিত আছিল। তেওঁ কথা ক'বলৈও যথেষ্ট দেৰি কৰিছিল।
আইনষ্টাইনে বিদ্যালয়ৰ কঠোৰ নিয়ম-শৃংখলা পছন্দ নকৰিছিল। পিছত তেওঁ জুৰিখ বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ত অধ্যয়ন কৰে আৰু তাতেই মিলেভা মেৰিকক লগ পায়, যিজনী পিছত তেওঁৰ পত্নী হয়।
১৯০৫ চনত তেওঁ বিশেষ আপেক্ষিকতা তত্ত্ব (Special Theory of Relativity) আৰু বিখ্যাত সমীকৰণ E = mc² প্ৰকাশ কৰে। ১৯২১ চনত তেওঁ পদাৰ্থ বিজ্ঞানৰ নোবেল বঁটা লাভ কৰে।
আইনষ্টাইন কেৱল এজন মহান বিজ্ঞানী নাছিল; তেওঁ শান্তি, গণতন্ত্ৰ আৰু মানৱ অধিকাৰৰ সমৰ্থকো আছিল। সেইবাবেই তেওঁক "এজন সত্যিকাৰৰ সুন্দৰ মনৰ মানুহ" বুলি কোৱা হয়।
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning (Assamese) |
|---|---|
| Genius | প্ৰতিভাশালী ব্যক্তি |
| Relativity | আপেক্ষিকতা |
| Humanitarian | মানৱতাবাদী |
| Democracy | গণতন্ত্ৰ |
| Citizenship | নাগৰিকত্ব |
| Academic | শিক্ষাবিষয়ক |
| Theory | তত্ত্ব |
| Patent | পেটেণ্ট |
| Refugee | শৰণাৰ্থী |
| Peace | শান্তি |
| Violence | হিংসা |
| Scientist | বিজ্ঞানী |
Textbook Solutions
Thinking About the Text
1. Here are some headings for paragraphs in the text. Write the number(s) of the paragraph(s) in front of each.
(i) Einstein's equation – Paragraph 9
(ii) Einstein meets his future wife – Paragraph 7
(iii) The making of a violinist – Paragraph 3
(iv) Mileva and Einstein's mother – Paragraph 8
(v) A letter that launched the arms race – Paragraph 12
(vi) A desk drawer full of ideas – Paragraph 10
(vii) Marriage and divorce – Paragraph 11
2. Who had these opinions about Einstein?
(i) He was boring.
Answer: Einstein's playmates.
(ii) He was stupid and would never succeed in life.
Answer: A headmaster.
(iii) He was a freak.
Answer: Einstein's mother.
3. Explain what the reasons for the following are.
(i) Einstein leaving the school in Munich for good.
Answer: Einstein disliked the strict discipline and regimentation of the school. He often clashed with his teachers and therefore left the school in Munich permanently.
(ii) Einstein wanting to study in Switzerland rather than in Munich.
Answer: Einstein preferred Switzerland because it was more liberal and democratic than Germany. He disliked the militaristic atmosphere of German schools.
(iii) Einstein seeing in Mileva an ally.
Answer: Einstein saw Mileva as an ally because she shared his interest in science and was equally intelligent and passionate about learning.
(iv) What do these tell you about Einstein?
Answer: These incidents show that Einstein was independent, thoughtful, freedom-loving and deeply interested in science.
4. What did Einstein call his desk drawer at the patent office? Why?
Answer: Einstein called his desk drawer "the bureau of theoretical physics" because he developed many scientific ideas and theories while working in the patent office.
5. Why did Einstein write a letter to Franklin Roosevelt?
Answer: Einstein wrote a letter to Franklin Roosevelt warning him that Germany might develop atomic bombs. He urged the United States to begin nuclear research.
6. How did Einstein react to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
Answer: Einstein was deeply shocked and saddened by the destruction caused by the atomic bombs. He became an advocate of world peace and nuclear disarmament.
7. Why does the world remember Einstein as a "world citizen"?
Answer: The world remembers Einstein as a world citizen because he worked for peace, democracy and human rights. He cared about humanity beyond national boundaries.
8. Here are some facts from Einstein's life. Arrange them in chronological order.
Answer:
- Albert Einstein is born in Ulm.
- He attends the school in Munich.
- He studies in Switzerland.
- He marries Mileva Maric.
- He works in a patent office.
- He publishes the Special Theory of Relativity.
- He receives the Nobel Prize for Physics.
- He writes a letter to Franklin Roosevelt.
- The atomic bomb is dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
- Einstein campaigns for peace and democracy.
Thinking About Language
I. Choose the Correct Word from the Brackets
1. A few years later, the marriage faltered.
Answer: became weak
2. Einstein was constantly at odds with people at the university.
Answer: in disagreement
3. The newspapers proclaimed his work as "a scientific revolution".
Answer: declared
4. Einstein got ever more involved in politics, agitating for an end to the arms buildup.
Answer: campaigning
5. At the age of 15, Einstein felt so stifled that he left the school for good.
Answer: permanently
6. Five years later, the discovery of nuclear fission in Berlin had American physicists in an uproar.
Answer: in a state of commotion
7. Science wasn't the only thing that appealed to the dashing young man with the walrus moustache.
Answer: interested
II. Complete the Sentences with Suitable Participial Phrases
1. Working round the clock, the firefighters finally put out the fire.
2. She watched the sunset above the mountain, noticing the colours blending softly into one another.
3. The excited horse pawed the ground rapidly, neighing continually.
4. Having taken the wrong train, I found myself in Bangalore instead of Benaras.
5. Not having 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.
- Faltered = became weak
- At odds with = in disagreement
- Proclaimed = declared
- Agitating = campaigning
- For good = permanently
- In an uproar = in a state of commotion
- Appealed to = interested
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please do not enter any spam link in the comment box.