How did a book become a turning point in Richard Ebright’s life?
It all begins with Richard Ebright’s interest in collecting butterflies. He also collected all the 25 species of butterflies which were found around his home town. This would have been the end of his butterflies collection until his mother got him a book called the travels of monarch X. This book told him about the monarch butterflies migration in the basement of his home and study them in different stage of their development.
What experiments and projects does he then undertake?
You must have read about cells and DNA in your science books. Discuss Richard Ebright’s work in the light of what you have studied. If you get an opportunity to work like Richard Ebright on projects and experiments, which field would you like to work on and why?
How can one become a scientist, an economist, a historian... ? Does it simply involve reading many books on the subject? Does it involve observing, thinking and doing experiments?
What lesson does Ebright learn when he does not win anything at a science fair?
How did his mother help him?
What are the qualities that go into the making of a scientist?
Why is Mrs Pumphrey worried about Tricki?
How is Ausable different from other secret agents?
What does Horace Danby like to collect?
How did the invisible man first become visible?
What kind of a person is Mme Loisel — why is she always unhappy?
Why is the lawyer sent to New Mullion? What does he first think about the place?
Why is Bholi’s father worried about her?
Why was the twentieth century called the ‘Era of the Book’?
Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?
What does she do to help him? Is she wise in this?
What does he get from Anil in return for his work?
Do you think the lawyer was gullible? How could he have avoided being taken for a ride?
After his first day’s experience with the hack driver the lawyer thinks of returning to New Mullion to practise law. Do you think he would have reconsidered this idea after his second visit?
Bholi’s real name is Sulekha. We are told this right at the beginning. But only in the last but one paragraph of the story is Bholi called Sulekha again. Why do you think she is called Sulekha at that point in the story?
Why do you think Lutkins’ neighbours were anxious to meet the lawyer?
Why did Bholi at first agree to an unequal match? Why did she later reject the marriage? What does this tell us about her?
If you were caught in a situation like this, how would you have dealt with it?
Lutkins openly takes the lawyer all over the village. How is it that no one lets out the secret? (Hint: Notice that the hack driver asks the lawyer to keep out of sight behind him when they go into Fritz’s.) Can you find other such subtle ways in which Lutkins manipulates the tour?
What would have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace?
Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school. What made her feel that she was going to a better place than her home?