4. Albert Einstein at School (Patrick Pringle)
Main points of the
Chapter:
· Albert Einstein was a great scientist.
· He is known for his theory of relativity.
· During his school days, he was considered a dull student.
· He did not like his school and the subjects taught there.
· He considered it useless to study subjects other Science.
· Only the math teacher, Mr. Koch liked him.
· One his history, Mr. Braun asked him, in which year the Prussians defeated the French at Waterloo.
· He told the teacher that the ideas were more important than facts.
· Albert lived in a small room in a poor locality of Munich.
· Albert’s cousin Elsha lived in Berlin. She often came to Munich.
· He was also interested in music. He played his violin regularly.
· Albert became fed up with his school.
· With the help of his friend, Yuri, he managed to get a fake medical certificate from Dr. Weil.
· That he was suffering from nervous breakdown.
· He told his future plan to Dr. Weil. He would go to Milan to get admission into an Italian college.
· At last, the school authorities expelled him from school.
4. Albert Einstein at
School (Patrick Pringle)
Very Short Type Q-Ans.
1. According to Albert
Einstein, what was more important in education?
Ans. Ideas
2. Who was Albert’s
best friend in school at Munich?
Ans. Yuri
3. Who was Elsha?
Ans. Albert’s cousin
4. Where did Elsha
live?
Ans. Berlin
5. Who was Mr. Koch?
Ans. Albert’s mathematics teacher
6. How was Einstein by
nature?
Ans. Rebellion
7. Who calls Albert
‘The world’s worst liar’?
Ans. Yuri
8. Did Albert like the tradition method of education?
Ans. No
4.
Albert Einstein at School (Patrick Pringle)
Short Type Q-Ans.
1. Do you think
Albert is being impolite while answering the history teacher’s questions?
Ans.
No, Albert was not impolite while
answering questions of history teacher. He just kept his point of view in front
of the teacher as he could know the reason why one should learn dates; one
could always look them up in book. It is a matter of personal choice and
depends on which subject a person is interested in.
2. Why did
Albert see no point in learning dates and facts?
Ans.
Albert thought that there was no
point in learning dates and facts. These can always be looked up in a
book. Dates and facts were not important education. According to Albert, ideas
were the basis of education.
3. Why did
Albert feel miserable when he left school that day?
Ans.
Albert was punished for his
'insolence' that day by his history teacher. He had to stay in for an extra period after
the school that day. Albert felt miserable because he hated the school and would have to return there the next day
as well.
4. What reasons
did the head teacher offer for expelling Albert from School?
Ans.
The head teacher told Albert that
he was expelling him from school because his presence in the classroom made it impossible for the teacher
to teach and other pupils to learn. No serious work could be done while he was in
the class. Albert refused to learn and he was” in constant rebellion.
5. Where did
Albert Einstein stay in Munich?
Ans. Einstein lived in a rented room in one of the poorest quarters
of Munich. He did not like the place because of the atmosphere of slum
violence. Albert was
forced to spend six months in Munich alone.
6. Who was
Elsha? What did she tell Albert about getting diploma from the school?
Ans.
Elsa was Albert Einstein's cousin
from Berlin whose dad had a business there. She advised Albert to just repeat the lesson in the examination.
She advised Albert to cram the subjects to get school diploma. She
believed that one must learn just enough to pass exams.
7. Describe
Albert’s meeting with Dr. Weil.
Ans.
Ernest Weil tells Albert that he is sure Albert is nervous
about his school. He asks Albert if he certifies that he is close to a nervous
breakdown, what he will do. Albert says that he will go to Italy and get
admission to some Italian college or institute.
8. Yuri calls Albert ‘the world’s worst liar’. Do you think
this is an insult or compliment to Albert? Why ?
Ans.
It is a compliment. Albert is honest and truthful. He can't tell a deliberate lie.
He can't deceive anyone. He is so simple hearted.
Long Answer
1. Write a
character sketch of Albert Einstein briefly.
Ans.
Albert had a frank and honest temperament and was quite sensitive and emotional. He was
considered a rebel by most of his teachers. He did not compromise and adjust to
the system of education which encouraged learning without understanding. For
him, ideas and enquiry were more important than facts or dates. Albert
Einstein was an intelligent
student but was against rote learning and especially he hated learning
dates and facts of history. He found memorizing facts and dates quite useless. He loves only two subjects - Maths and Science. He gives us many formulas in maths. He also loves to play
violin. Albert Einstein was a German born theoretical physicist who developed
the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars in modern physics.
2. How do you
distinguish between information gathering and insight information?