Updated on 20/06/2026
Ch.-6. The Making of a Scientist (Robert W. Peterson)
1. Who is the author of the lesson, ”The Making of a Scientist”?
Ans. Robert W. Peterson
2. In which major scientific field did Richard H. Ebright achieve international fame?
Ans. Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.
3. What was Richard Ebright’s fascination for?
Ans. His fascination for collecting and studying butterflies.
4. What did Ebright start collecting in his childhood?
Ans. Coins, rocks and butterflies
5. Which was Ebright’s home town in Pennsylvania, USA?
Ans. Reading
6. At what age did Ebright shock the scientific world with his new cell theory on how cells work?
Ans. 22 years old
7. Who encouraged Ebright’s interest in learning?
Ans. His mother
8. How many species of butterflies had Ebright collected by the time he was in the second grade?
Ans. 25 species
9. What qualities of Ebright made him a scientist?
Ans. First-rate mind, deep curiosity and to win for the right reasons
10. Which theory was discovered by Ebright?
Ans. How cells work
11. From where did Ebright graduate?
Ans. From Harvard University (America)
12. According to Ebright, what was required for winning a prize in the science fair?
Ans. Real and practical experiment
13. Which are two types of butterflies, studied in this chapter?
Ans. The Monarch and the Viceroy butterflies
14. Which science book did Ebright’s mother give him to which became the turning point in his life?
Ans. The Travels of Monarch X
15. What are the major stages in the life cycle of a butterfly mentioned in the text?
Ans. Egg, caterpillar (larva), pupa and butterfly
Textual Questions
1. What are the essential qualities that the author believes go into the making of a true scientist?
Ans. According to the author, three core qualities are necessary to make a scientist. First, an individual must possess a first-rate mind with high intelligence. Second, they must have a deep, driving curiosity to find answers. Finally, they must have a strong competitive spirit to work hard and win for the right reasons, rather than just for fame or a prize.
2. How did a single children’s book become a turning point in Richard Ebright's life?
Ans. By the second grade, Ebright had collected all local butterfly species and was growing bored. His mother then gifted him a book titled The Travels of Monarch X. This book detailed how monarch butterflies migrate to Central America. It opened up a fascinating new world of science to him and led him to start tagging butterflies for research under Dr. Fred A. Urquhart.
3. How did Ebright's mother encourage him to become a scientist?
Ans. Ebright's mother was his constant companion and teacher. She helped him by encouraging his interest in learning. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials and other equipment, and helped him in many other ways. If he did not have anything to do, she found things for him to learn.
4. What lesson does Ebright learn when he does not win anything at a science fair?
Ans. When Richard Ebright did not win anything at the science fair, he realized that the winners had tried to conduct real experiments. On the other hand, he had simply made a neat display. He had shown slides of frog tissues under a microscope. So, after not winning any prize at the science fair, that thing motivated him to become a bright scientist.
5. Why did Ebright soon lose interest in tagging butterflies?
Ans. Ebright used to tag butterflies' wings and let them go. In fact, the basement of his house was home to thousands of monarch butterflies. He started losing interest in it because it was a tedious job and there wasn't much feedback. Out of all the thousands of butterflies he carefully tagged, only two were ever caught and returned, and they were found only seventy-five miles away.
6. Describe Ebright’s childhood environment and his alternative hobbies outside of collecting butterflies.
Ans. Richard Ebright was the only child of his parents and he had no friends to play with him. So he started to collect things such as butterflies, coins, rocks and fossils. He used to enjoy sky-gazing. His mother encouraged him in his hobbies and used to buy all the necessary things for him such as a telescope, camera, etc.
Long-Answer
1. How did Ebright get the idea of his new theory about cell life? How important was it and how will it be useful for humanity?
Ans. During junior year, Ebright got the idea for his new theory about cell life. He was looking at X-ray photos of the chemical structure of a hormone. Seeing the photos, he believed that the photos gave him the answer to the puzzle—how the cells can read the blueprint of its DNA. He initiated his research on the monarch pupa by studying the purpose of the twelve gold spots on its body. He discovered that these spots produced a hormone which helped in butterfly's full development. He cultured the hormones and identified its chemical structure. His theory on how cells work is proved to be correct; it could assist scientists a great deal in presenting various types of cancer and other diseases. It is a big step towards understanding the biological processes of life.
2. What qualities of a person help in making him a scientist? Does Ebright have all these qualities? What other interests does he have?
Ans. The author mentions three qualities that go into the making of a scientist—a first-rate mind, curiosity, and the will to win for the right reasons. Richard Ebright was a very intelligent student. He was also a champion debater, a public speaker, a good canoeist and an expert photographer. He should work for the right reasons. He should be intelligent and full of curiosity. To become a good scientist one needs to be a keen observer, a deep thinker and a diligent student. All these qualities go into the making of a scientist.