Chapter 2.6
Question 2.
Given below are some incomplete Quotes. Complete them choosing from the words SCIENCE /RELIGION /SPIRITUAL and make them meaningful:
………………………….. without religion is lame; without science is blind. ………………………….. has outrun our power, we have guided missiles, but misguided man.
On a ………………………….. journey, we all have the same destination.
………………………….. is meant to awaken man’s love for his Source – God!
………………………….. provides a means of with the Creator of Heaven and Earth, in the language of your heart and soul.
………………………….. is a beautiful gift to humanity; we should not distort it.
Answer: Science, Religion
Science, Spiritual
Spiritual
Religion
Religion
Science
Question 3.
What’s the difference between science and technology? Discuss in pairs and tell your answer to the class.
Answer: Science and technology are often thought to be the same, but they are different. Science is mainly concerned with gaining knowledge and understanding the natural world. On the other hand, technology uses this scientific knowledge to create tools, machines, and systems that make our life easier. In short, science explains “why” things happen, while technology shows “how” we can use that knowledge in real life.
Question 4.
Do you think that science and faith are both important in our lives? Why? Discuss in your group and give a small presentation in front of the class.
Answer: Yes, I believe both science and faith are important in our lives. Science helps us to understand the physical world, discover new facts, and improve our daily life through technology. Faith, on the other hand, gives us inner strength, moral values, and hope in difficult times. Science answers questions about “how things work,” while faith guides us about “how we should live.” Therefore, they do not oppose each other; instead, they support and complete each other in making life meaningful.
Question 6.
Refer to a dictionary to find out the meanings of the following words.
Spirit- a person’s mind or feelings or soul.
Spiritual
Spirituality
Spiritualism
Spiritualist
Answer: Spiritual – relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul, as opposed to material or physical things
Spirituality – the quality of being concerned with the human spirit, or soul, as opposed to material or physical things
Spiritualism – a system of belief or religious practice based on supposed communication with the spirits of the dead, especially through mediums
Spiritualist – an advocate of the doctrine that the spirit exists as distinct from matter, or that spirit is the only reality
(B) Read ‘Part II’. Go through the given statements and say whether you agree or disagree to each of them.
(a) The Space Research set up facility was planned at Allapi, Kerala – …………………………..
(b) The person who could help and can be contacted was the Bishop – …………………………..
(c) It was quite easy to relocate so many people and destroy religious institutions for space-research centre – …………………………..
(d) Dr. Kalam joined ISRO in 1970 – …………………………..
(e) Science and spirituality seeks prosperity of the human life – …………………………..
Answer: (a) Disagree
(b) Agree
(c) centre Disagree
(d) Disagree
(e) Agree
(C) Go through ‘Part III’ and complete the following statements.
(a) The essence of a happy life and a peaceful society lies in one sentence – …………………………..
(b) To keep this planet liveable and the human race thriving, we have to …………………………..
(c) Mahaswamiji’s greatest contribution is the …………………………..
(d) We can remove the our souls by …………………………..
(e) The narrator, Srijan, realised that through Dr. Kalam’s words of wisdom …………………………..
(f) Mahaswamiji possesses powers that kept him so strong were ………………………….. or
Answer: (a) The essence of a happy life and a peaceful society lies in one sentence – ‘What can I give’.
(b) To keep this planet liveable and the human race thriving, we have to replace this attitude of ‘what can I take’ with the goodness of
(c) Mahaswamiji’s greatest contribution was the establishment of a free residential education system for more than nine thousand children in the ashram.
(d) We can remove the impurities obscuring our souls by living pure and ethical lives and by serving humanity.
(e) The narrator, Srijan, realized that through Dr Kalam’s words of wisdom he was getting to learn from countless great minds.
(f) The narrator (Srijan) said this to Dr Kalam ‘ while discussing the Mahaswamiji’s 102nd birthday i celebrations.
2. Choose the correct alternative for the given statements.
(A) Dr. Kalam’s father was an …………………………. .
(a) teacher
(b) scientist
(c) farmer
(d) imam.
Answer: (d) imam.
(B) Dr. Kalam’s friends discussed on …………………………. .
(a) science and technology
(b) discoveries and inventions.
(c) science and spirituality
(d) community’s problems and solutions.
Answer: (c) science and spirituality
(C) According to Dr. Kalam, the need that is felt more than ever is ………………………….. .
(a) a laboratory to conduct experiments.
(b) a new technology to find results.
(c) a dialogue among cultures, religions and civilizations.
(d) a dialogue between people of different professions.
Answer: (c) a dialogue among cultures, religions and civilizations.
(D) Dr. Kalam’s father was a symbol of ………………………….. .
(a) trust and faith.
(b) simplicity and divinity
(c) teacher and disciple.
(d) father and friend.
Answer: (b) simplicity and divinity
(E) Spirituality takes care of ………………………….. .
(a) education, teaching and learning.
(b) science, technology and sci-fi.
(c) confusion, misery or failure.
(d) crime, illiteracy and child labour.
Answer: (c) confusion, misery or failure.
(F) How can academic brilliance diminish?
(a) by disturbance and frustration.
(b) by going off track
(c) by a coating of dust.
(d) by losing focus and seriousness.
Answer: (d) by losing focus and seriousness
(G) What was most astonishing about 102 year old Swamiji?
(a) He was a great speaker and orator.
(b) He was a great scientist.
(c) He was a great admirer of technology.
(d) He looked as steady and alert as any other youngster.
Answer: (d) He looked as steady and alert as any other youngster.
(H) What Dr. Kalam gathered while swimming in silence at the shores of Mahapragyaji?
(a) beautiful sea shores
(b) tree lined beaches
(c) sands of conscience
(d) beautiful sun-set.
Answer: (c) sands of conscience
Write the significance of the following years, as given in the text.
1960 ……………………………
1970 ……………………………
1980 ……………………………
2009 ……………………………
2012 ……………………………
Answer: 1960 → Is significant as Dr Kalamoined ISRO that year.
1970 → Dr Kalam made his first unsuccessful launch.
1980 → Dr Kalam made his first successful launch.
2009 → The writer graduated from IIMA and met Dr Kalam
2012 → The writer was discussing with Dr Kalam the number of Ph.D’s he (Dr Kalam) had received.
Question 5.
Who said to whom and when?
(a) “Can we give up God’s abode for such a great scientific mission ?”
…………………………………………………………………..
Answer: Reverend Father Pereira said this to „the people in the Church, one Sunday. On the previous day, Dr Sarabhai and Dr Kalam had approached him to request the people to give up the church land for the building of a space research centre.
(b) “And then God will shine through us.”
…………………………………………………………………..
Answer: Professor Satish Dhawan to Dr Kalam when ‘ they were talking about academic brilliance.
(c) “I wonder what power Mahaswamiji possesses, that keeps him so strong.”
…………………………………………………………………..
Answer: Reverend Father Pereira said this to „the people in the Church, one Sunday. On the previous day, Dr Sarabhai and Dr Kalam had approached him to request the people to give up the church land for the building of a space research centre.
Question 6.
Answer the following in your own words, and write in your notebook.
(a) What makes Dr Kalam a humble personality?
Answer: Even though Dr Kalam was indisputably a great scientist, he had deep faith and espoused the cause of the betterment of humanity. This shows that he was indeed a humble personality.
(b) How were different virtues inculcated in Dr Kalam?
Answer: Dr Kalam inculcated the virtue of humility from his father who was a boatman. He learnt from his father how simplicity and divinity could go together.
(c) How did the Reverend relate and compare the work that he and Dr Sarabhai did for people?
Answer: The Reverend said that Dr Sarabhai was a scientist. We benefit from the devices that science has developed in many ways – in our homes and in the fields of medicine and technology. A priest prays for the peace and well-being of his people. Thus both science and spirituality seek the Almighty’s blessing for the prosperity of the human mind and body. In short, both are doing the sameob.
(d) What was so remarkable about Dr Sri Sri Shivakumar Mahaswamiji?
Answer: The remarkable aspect about Dr Sri Shivakumara Mahaswamiji was that he had dedicated his life to the service of humanity.
(e) Why is there an urgent need to replace ‘What can I take’ with ‘What can I give?
Answer: There is an urgent need to replace ‘What can I take’ with ‘What can I give’ for the very survival of humanity. Unless we realize the gravity of the message, this planet will become a hub of environmental degradation, social evils, inequity and corruption. If we do not take up the challenge, our planet will not be liveable and the human race will not prosper.
Question 7.
In your notebook, write a short paragraph on each of the following covering up their profession and personality traits with examples.
(a) Rev. Peter Bernard Pereira
(b) Dr Sri Shivakumar Mahaswamiji
(c) Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Answer: (a) His interactions with the great scientist Professor Vikram Sarabhai and the Reverend Peter Bernard Pereira shaped Dr Kalam’s thoughts on religion.
(b) The 102nd birthday celebrations of His Holiness Dr Sri Sri Shivakumara Mahaswamiji.
(c) Dr A P Abdul Kalam was the past President of India. By the way, he was a great scientist, orator and a humanitarian.
8. Write in your own simple words what the following expressions convey in the context they occur in the text.
(a) Faith and fact can, together, create a better planet.
Answer: If people have belief in a greater power! as well as understand the truth of things that exist around them, this world will become a better place for all of us to live in harmony.
(b) Dr Kalam’s own life was nourished by multiple faiths.
Answer: This means that the life of Dr Kalam improved in quality because of the discussion he had with people of different faiths, such as the head priest of a temple who was a Vedic scholar, and a Christian priest.
(c) But there was a major roadblock.
Answer: This expression conveys the fact that something was being planned, but there were serious issues that hindered its progress.
(d) Only when the dust is removed, does the mirror shine and the reflection becomes clear.
Answer: This expression is a comparison between the mind and the mirror. The brilliance of both can be diminished by many factors that act like coatings of dust. However, when that coating is removed, both shine and radiate brilliance.
(e) Through his (Kalam’s) words of wisdom, I was getting to learn from countless great minds.
Answer: This expression first of all conveys the information that Dr Kalam himself was a very well- read person who had acquired his knowledge from innumerable great minds of the past. Further, it conveys that the speaker (Narrator; Srijan) himself received an education from Dr Kalam by association with him.
(f) He gathered the sands of conscience to be our guide, our best friend.
Answer: These words convey the idea that Dr Kalam realized that our own conscience is our guide and! best friend.
(g) ‘What can I take?’ is the thought which is responsible for all the wrong, seen around us.
Answer: These words convey the idea that when people think only in terms of what they can get S from others, it leads to every possible illegal or bad behaviour.
