Question

Read the given extract and answer the following questions.

The question he tried to answer was simple: What is the purpose of the twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa? “Everyone assumed the spots were just ornamental,” Ebright said. “But Dr Urquhart didn’t believe it.” To find the answer, Ebright and another excellent science student first had to build a device that showed that the spots were producing a hormone necessary for the butterfly’s full development. This project won Ebright first place in the county fair and entry into the International Science and Engineering Fair. There he won third place for zoology. He also got a chance to work during the summer at the entomology laboratory of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

i. State any one inference about Dr Urquhart from the given context:   (1)

Everyone assumed the spots were just ornamental,” Ebright said.
“But Dr Urquhart didn’t believe it.”

ii. State TRUE or FALSE.    (1)

None of the terms (a) -(d) below, can be applied to the question - What is the purpose of the twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa?

1. A hypothesis - a proposed explanation for a phenomenon
2. An assumption - something that is taken for granted or assumed to be true without proof
3. A premise - a proposition that forms the basis of an argument
4. A theory - a well-substantiated explanation for a natural phenomenon

iii. Ebright's approach towards finding the purpose of the gold spots on a monarch pupa was highly effective. Elaborate in about 40 words with reference to the extract.   (2)

iv. Which phrase would correctly substitute 'a chance' in the given sentence from the extract.   (1)

He also got a chance to work during the summer at the entomology laboratory of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

Answer 1

i. We can infer that -

• Dr Urquhart was a scientist who questioned assumptions.
• He was willing to investigate alternative explanations for phenomena.
• Dr Urquhart was a curious/open-minded scientist.
• He was not content to simply accept conventional wisdom.

ii. This statement is True.

iii. Ebright's approach was highly effective in finding the purpose of the gold spots on a monarch pupa. By building a device that showed that the spots produced a hormone necessary for the butterfly’s full development, he could provide evidence that contradicted the prevailing assumption that the spots were purely ornamental. This earned him recognition in science fairs and provided him with opportunities to work at research laboratories.

iv. An opportunity