3.5. Great Scientists - My English Coursebook - Std 9 - Marathi and Semi-English Medium - Maharashtra Board

Section 1: Chapter Information / पाठ परिचय

मराठी टीप: हा पाठ MSBSHSE मार्गदर्शक तत्त्वांवर आधारित शालेय परीक्षेसाठी अत्यंत महत्त्वाचा आहे. यात महान शास्त्रज्ञ मायकेल फॅरेडे यांच्या जिद्दीची आणि संघर्षाची गाथा दिली आहे.

Section 2: About the Authors / लेखक परिचय

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was the 11th President of India, a pioneering aerospace scientist, and a deeply loved teacher. Known universally as the 'Missile Man of India', he dedicated his life to igniting young minds and inspiring students across the globe. Srijan Pal Singh is an Indian author, social entrepreneur, and public speaker who worked closely with Dr. Kalam as his advisor. This chapter is an extract from the introduction to their co-authored inspirational book, Reignited: Scientific Pathways to a Brighter Future.  

मराठी टीप: भारताचे माजी राष्ट्रपती आणि महान शास्त्रज्ञ डॉ. ए. पी. जे. अब्दुल कलाम आणि सृजन पाल सिंग यांनी मिळून 'Reignited' नावाचे पुस्तक लिहिले आहे. परीक्षेत लेखकांविषयी माहिती विचारल्यास डॉ. कलाम यांचे विज्ञानातील योगदान आणि विद्यार्थ्यांप्रती असणारे प्रेम नक्की नमूद करावे.  

Section 3: Summary / सारांश

The lesson chronicles the inspiring life of the distinguished scientist Michael Faraday, illustrating how extreme poverty, a childhood speech defect, and a lack of formal education could not stop him from achieving greatness. Starting as a humble bookbinder's apprentice, his obsession with reading introduced him to electricity. Inspired by the renowned chemist Humphry Davy, Faraday persistently sought to work under him. Despite Davy's initial rejections, class bias, and later jealousy, Faraday worked relentlessly. He went on to invent the first induction motor and the electrical generator. Even when faced with memory loss in his later years, his perseverance led to groundbreaking discoveries in polarization and magnetic fields, proving that conviction overcomes all obstacles.  

मराठी सारांश: हा पाठ महान शास्त्रज्ञ मायकेल फॅरेडे यांच्या जिद्दीची कथा सांगतो. गरिबी, बोलण्यातील दोष आणि अपूर्ण शिक्षण असूनही त्यांनी हार मानली नाही. पुस्तके बांधण्याचे काम करत असताना त्यांना विज्ञानाची आवड लागली. शास्त्रज्ञ हंफ्री डेव्ही यांच्या हाताखाली काम करताना डेव्ही यांचा हेवा आणि कठीण आव्हाने सहन करून त्यांनी 'इंडक्शन मोटर' आणि 'इलेक्ट्रिक जनरेटर' चा शोध लावला. स्मरणशक्ती कमी झाल्यावरही त्यांनी प्रकाशाच्या तरंगांवर मोठे संशोधन केले. जिद्द आणि चिकाटीच्या बळावर माणूस कोणतीही अशक्य गोष्ट शक्य करू शकतो, हा संदेश यातून मिळतो.  

Section 4: Characters / पात्रे

1. Michael Faraday

Michael Faraday is the central character of this narrative, representing ultimate perseverance, relentless curiosity, and resilience. Born into a poverty-stricken London suburb with a speech defect, he transformed his disadvantages into stepping stones. As an apprentice bookbinder, he stayed up all night reading books to gain knowledge. He displayed immense conviction by turning impossible tasks—like working with Bavarian glass—into revolutionary scientific discoveries such as the induction motor, electric generator, and polarization.  

मराठी टीप: मायकेल फॅरेडे हे अत्यंत मेहनती, जिद्दी आणि संकटांना न घाबरणारे व्यक्तिमत्त्व होते. परीक्षेत त्यांच्या स्वभावाची वैशिष्ट्ये लिहिताना 'persevering' (चिकाटी असणारे), 'relentless' (सतत प्रयत्नशील) आणि 'never-give-up attitude' (कधीही हार न मानण्याची वृत्ती) हे इंग्रजी शब्द नक्की वापरावेत.  

2. Humphry Davy

Humphry Davy was a renowned, celebrated chemist at London's Royal Institution and Faraday's role model. While he was a brilliant scientist known for his work on chemicals and electrical lighting, his character reveals deep human flaws. He was class-conscious, initially discouraging Faraday due to his low social status. Later, he became intensely jealous of his pupil's fame and deliberately assigned him impossible tasks to make him fail.  

मराठी टीप: हंफ्री डेव्ही हे मोठे शास्त्रज्ञ असले तरी शिक्षक म्हणून ते अयशस्वी ठरले. फॅरेडेच्या यशामुळे त्यांना हेवा (jealousy) वाटत असे. डेव्ही यांचे वर्णन करताना ते 'class-conscious' आणि 'jealous' होते, हे उत्तरामध्ये स्पष्ट दिसायला हवे.  

Section 5: Central Theme and Values / केंद्रीय भाव आणि मूल्ये

5A. Theme Table / विषय सारणी

5B. Values / मूल्ये

• Perseverance (चिकाटी): Michael Faraday never gave up despite Humphry Davy dismissing his scientific aspirations and mocking his social background.  

• Humility and Respect (नम्रता आणि आदर): Even when Davy treated him unfairly out of jealousy, Faraday respected him as his mentor and diligently executed every assigned task.  

• Conviction (आत्मविश्वास / दृढ निश्चय): When diagnosed with severe memory loss at age forty, Faraday did not stop; he courageously pioneered experiments connecting light and magnetism.  

5C. Central Message / केंद्रीय संदेश

The chapter delivers a powerful message that social status, wealth, and formal education do not determine one's destiny; true success requires intense desire, courageous effort, and an indomitable spirit that fears no failure.  

मराठी टीप: तुमच्या परिस्थितीपेक्षा तुमची इच्छाशक्ती मोठी असली पाहिजे, हा या पाठाचा मुख्य संदेश आहे. परीक्षेत 'Central Message' विचारल्यास फॅरेडेचे प्रसिद्ध वाक्य "your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure" उत्तरामध्ये नक्की लिहा.  

Section 6: Vocabulary in Context / शब्दसंग्रह

Section 7: Extract-Based Questions / उताऱ्यावर आधारित प्रश्न

Extract 1

Q.(A)(i) State True or False: (2 Marks)

1. Faraday's teachers supported him to overcome his speech defect. — False

     

2. Faraday started working with a bookbinder at the age of twelve. — False

     

3. Reading became an obsession for young Michael Faraday. — True

     

4. Faraday pronounced his own name correctly as a child. — False

     

मराठी टीप: True किंवा False ठरवताना उताऱ्यातील वाक्य काळजीपूर्वक वाचा. उदा. फॅरेडे १३ वर्षांचे असताना (twelve नाही तर thirteen) बुकबाइंडरकडे काम करू लागले.  

Q.(A)(ii) Choose the correct alternative: (2 Marks)

1. When Faraday was twelve, his formal education ended because ________.  

   (a) he got a job as a scientist

   (b) his mother was forced to take him out of school  

   (c) he wanted to bind books

   (d) he loved reading at home

   Answer: (b)

2. The phrase 'poverty-stricken' means ________.

   (a) extremely rich

   (b) hit by a disease

   (c) suffering from extreme poverty  

   (d) living in a palace

   Answer: (c)

Q.(B)(i) Answer in 2-3 sentences: (2 Marks)

What childhood difficulties and odds did Michael Faraday face?

Answer: Michael Faraday was born into an extremely poor family in a dirty London suburb. As a child, he suffered from a speech defect and pronounced 'rabbit' as 'wabbit'. Consequently, other children mocked him, teachers offered no support, and his formal education ended abruptly at the age of twelve.  

मराठी टीप: उत्तरामध्ये फॅरेडे यांच्या गरिबीचा (poverty-stricken family), बोलण्याच्या दोषाचा (speech defect) आणि शाळा सुटल्याचा (end to formal education) उल्लेख इंग्रजीत अचूक आला पाहिजे.  

Q.(B)(ii) Answer in 3-4 sentences (Personal Response): (2 Marks)

How can reading books transform a person's life according to you?

Answer: Reading books opens the doors to vast knowledge, new ideas, and boundless inspiration. Just as reading introduced Faraday to the fascinating world of electricity despite his lack of schooling, books can act as silent mentors for anyone. They build character, enhance vocabulary, and give individuals the courage and vision to overcome difficult real-life circumstances.  

मराठी टीप: हा 'Personal Response' (स्वमत) प्रश्न आहे. पुस्तके आपल्याला नवीन विचार आणि ज्ञान देतात. फॅरेडेचे उदाहरण देऊन पुस्तके कशी मार्गदर्शक (mentors) ठरू शकतात, हे स्वतःच्या शब्दांत इंग्रजीत लिहा.  

Extract 2

Q.(A)(i) State True or False: (2 Marks)

1. The induction motor converted electrical current into continuous mechanical motion. — True

2. Faraday took several years to solve the electromagnetism problem given by Davy. — False

    

3. The induction motor was born out of mockery directed at Faraday. — True

     

4. People continued to judge Faraday by his social status even after his invention. — False

     

मराठी टीप: डेव्ही यांनी चेष्टा म्हणून दिलेले काम फॅरेडे यांनी काही दिवसांतच (within a few days) पूर्ण केले, त्यामुळे दुसरे वाक्य चुकीचे (False) आहे.  

Q.(A)(ii) Choose the correct alternative: (2 Marks)

1. Which of the following machines did NOT grow out of the induction motor?  

   (a) Sewing machines  

   (b) Power tools  

   (c) Wicker baskets  

   (d) Aeroplane engines  

   Answer: (c)

   
   

2. The word 'mockery' in the passage means ________.

   (a) appreciation

   (b) teasing or making fun of someone  

   (c) secret process

   (d) financial help

   Answer: (b)

Q.(B)(i) Answer in 2-3 sentences: (2 Marks)

What revolution was spurred by Faraday's creation of the induction motor?

Answer: Faraday created the first induction motor, which successfully converted electrical current into continuous mechanical motion. This groundbreaking invention spurred a massive industrial revolution. Everyday appliances and complex machines like fans, air conditioning, sewing machines, power tools, cars, trains, and aeroplane engines evolved directly from this device.  

मराठी टीप: इंडक्शन मोटरमुळे कशा प्रकारे क्रांती घडली हे सांगताना उताऱ्यात दिलेल्या सर्व उपकरणांची (fans, cars, trains, etc.) नावे उत्तरामध्ये क्रमाने लिहा.  

Q.(B)(ii) Answer in 3-4 sentences: (2 Marks)

How did society's attitude towards Faraday change after he invented the induction motor?

Answer: Before his groundbreaking invention, society and fellow scientists like Davy looked down upon Faraday due to his impoverished background and lack of formal education. However, after inventing the induction motor out of pure mockery, he became a celebrity scientist overnight. Society's bias vanished instantly, as nobody cared about his social status anymore; they solely respected the young man who created a scientific revolution.  

मराठी टीप: यश मिळाल्यावर समाजाचा दृष्टिकोन कसा बदलला हे स्पष्ट करा. आधी लोक त्याच्या गरिबीकडे आणि अपूर्ण शिक्षणाकडे पाहायचे, पण शोधानंतर तो 'celebrity scientist' बनला आणि सामाजिक भेद संपला.  

Section 8: Short Answer Questions / लघु उत्तरे

(2-3 marks · 3-5 sentences)

Q1. Why did Davy choose Faraday as his secretary initially?

Answer: Humphry Davy suffered a severe chemical explosion inside his laboratory, which left him temporarily blinded. He urgently needed a reliable assistant with an excellent memory to help him write and record his scientific work. Being reminded of young Faraday's dedication and his comprehensive notes, Davy decided to hire him as his secretary.  

मराठी टीप: प्रयोगशाळेत झालेल्या स्फोटामुळे डेव्ही तात्पुरते आंधळे झाले होते (temporarily blinded). त्यांना उत्तम स्मरणशक्ती असलेल्या सहाय्यकाची गरज होती, म्हणून त्यांनी फॅरेडेची निवड केली हे मुद्दे इंग्रजी उत्तरात यावेत.  

Q2. Why did Humphry Davy give Faraday the task of reverse engineering Bavarian glass?

Answer: When Faraday invented the induction motor, he became celebrated overnight, causing Davy to feel intensely jealous of his pupil's fame. To deliberately keep the young scientist out of his way, an angry Davy assigned him an impossible task. He handed Faraday a piece of Bavarian glass—manufactured by a secret process—knowing well that Faraday would never be able to accomplish it with the lab's available equipment.  

मराठी टीप: फॅरेडेच्या यशामुळे डेव्ही यांना हेवा (jealousy) वाटत होता. फॅरेडेला कामात अडकवून ठेवण्यासाठी आणि त्याला अपयशी ठरवण्यासाठी डेव्ही यांनी 'Bavarian glass' चे अशक्य काम दिले होते.  

Q3. How did Faraday react to his failure in the Bavarian glass assignment?

Answer: Despite toiling relentlessly for four long years, Faraday failed to uncover the secret manufacturing process of Bavarian glass. However, displaying a positive, never-give-up attitude, he did not let this failure demoralize him. Instead, he permanently kept a single glass brick on his library shelf as a souvenir to remind himself of difficult times and to inspire him to keep working.  

मराठी टीप: ४ वर्षे मेहनत करूनही फॅरेडे अपयशी ठरले. पण निराश न होता त्यांनी ती काचेची वीट आपल्या कपाटात एक 'souvenir' (प्रेरणादायी आठवण) म्हणून ठेवली, जेणेकरून कठीण काळात त्यांना प्रेरणा मिळेल.  

Q4. What obstacle did Faraday face while proving the magnetic fields experiment using iron filings?

Answer: Faraday successfully demonstrated that invisible magnetic fields disturbed iron filings to form circular patterns around a magnet. However, his major lack of formal education became a severe hurdle at this stage. Because he did not know advanced mathematics, he could only hand-draw hundreds of patterns but could not support them with formal mathematical equations, leading scientific authorities to reject his correct drawings.  

मराठी टीप: फॅरेडे यांनी लोखंडाच्या भुशाचे (iron filings) वर्तुळाकार आकृतीबंध हाताने काढले. परंतु औपचारिक शिक्षणाच्या अभावामुळे त्यांना प्रगत गणित येत नव्हते. गणिताच्या समीकरणांशिवाय (without mathematical equations) शास्त्रज्ञांनी त्यांचे आकृतीबंध नाकारले.  

Section 9: Long Answer Questions / दीर्घ उत्तरे

(4-5 marks · 8-10 sentences)

Q1. Write a detailed character sketch of Michael Faraday highlighting his qualities and textual evidence.

Answer: Michael Faraday stands as one of the most inspirational and distinguished icons in the history of modern science. Born into an impoverished family in a dirty London suburb, his early life was plagued by hardship, a severe speech defect, and the loss of formal schooling at age twelve. However, his defining personality traits were his relentless curiosity and an obsession for knowledge. Working as a bookbinder's apprentice, he spent his nights reading the very books he bound, which sparked his lifelong fascination with electricity.  

Faraday possessed supreme perseverance and humility. When his role model, Humphry Davy, mocked his aspirations and hired him merely to clean lab equipment, Faraday remained relentless and learned everything he could. His genius shone through when he solved Davy's electromagnetism challenge within days, inventing the revolutionary induction motor. Even when a jealous Davy tried to ruin his confidence by assigning him the impossible task of reverse engineering Bavarian glass, Faraday toiled for four years. Although he failed, he courageously kept the glass brick as a souvenir of his failure.  

His indomitable spirit was proven once again in his later years. Despite suffering from severe memory loss at age forty and lacking formal mathematical training, he persevered to discover electrical generators and the polarization of light. Partnering with James Maxwell to translate his drawings into equations, Faraday proved that conviction and hard work triumph over wealth, status, and educational privilege.  

मराठी टीप (दीर्घ उत्तर कसे रचावे):

1. सुरुवात: फॅरेडे हे विज्ञानातील महान शास्त्रज्ञ होते. त्यांचे बालपण गरिबीत आणि संघर्षात गेले.  

2. मुख्य मुद्दे:

   • पुस्तके बांधताना विज्ञानाची आवड लागली.  

   • डेव्ही यांनी अपमान करूनही प्रयोगशाळा स्वच्छ करण्याचे काम स्वीकारून ज्ञान मिळवले.  

   • 'इंडक्शन मोटर' चा शोध लावून क्रांती घडवली.  

   • बव्हेरियन काचेच्या अपयशाला कपाटात प्रेरणा म्हणून सजवून ठेवले.  

   • स्मरणशक्ती गेल्यावरही संशोधन सुरू ठेवले आणि जेम्स मॅक्सवेलच्या मदतीने सिद्धांत सिद्ध केले.  

3. शेवट: जिद्द आणि कठोर मेहनतीसमोर परिस्थिती हरते, हे फॅरेडे यांनी सिद्ध केले.  

Q2. "Difficulties become opportunities for the brave." Explain this statement with reference to Michael Faraday's inspiring life story.

Answer: The life story of Michael Faraday perfectly exemplifies the proverb that brave individuals do not surrender to adversities; instead, they transform every stumbling block into a stepping stone. From his childhood, odds were stacked heavily against him. He fought against extreme poverty, a humiliating speech defect, and an abrupt halt to his formal schooling. Yet, young Faraday seized the humble job of bookbinding as a glorious opportunity to read science books and educate himself.  

When Humphry Davy initially rejected his request for mentorship and later hired him merely as a secretary and lab cleaner, a common man would have felt dejected. However, Faraday viewed cleaning labs as a golden opportunity to witness leading chemical experiments up close. Furthermore, when Davy frustratedly mocked him to solve an unsolved electromagnetism problem, Faraday accepted the taunt as a challenge. Within days, he created the world's first induction motor, sparking an industrial revolution.  

Perhaps his greatest act of bravery was converting his biggest failure into his most profound success. He failed to reverse engineer Bavarian glass after four years of toil. Decades later, while battling debilitating memory loss, he used that exact same failed glass souvenir to discover the polarization of light. Faraday's life teaches us that when met with perseverance and conviction, impossible roadblocks inevitably turn into historic triumphs.  

मराठी टीप (दीर्घ उत्तर मार्गदर्शन):  

1. सुरुवात: शूर माणसे संकटांना घाबरत नाहीत, तर संधीमध्ये बदलतात. फॅरेडे याचे जिवंत उदाहरण आहेत.  

2. मुख्य स्पष्टीकरण:

   • शाळा सुटली तरी बुकबाइंडिंगच्या कामातून स्वतःचे शिक्षण पूर्ण केले.  

   • प्रयोगशाळा पुसण्याच्या कामाला डेव्ही यांचे प्रयोग पाहण्याची संधी मानले.  

   • डेव्हीच्या हिणवण्याला (mockery) आव्हान मानून 'इंडक्शन मोटर' तयार केली.  

   • अपयशी ठरलेल्या बव्हेरियन काचेचा वापर करून पुढे 'Polarization' चा मोठा शोध लावला.  

3. शेवट: आत्मविश्वास असेल तर संकटे हीच यशाची पायरी ठरतात.  

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