Hi Everyone!! This article will share A Visit To Cambridge Questions & Answers.
In my previous posts, I have shared the questions and answers of This is Jody’s Fawn, The Summit Within and The School Boy so, you can check these posts as well.
A Visit To Cambridge Questions & Answers
Question 1: Which is the right sentence?
(a) “Cambridge was my metaphor for England.” To the writer,
i. Cambridge was a reputed university in England.
ii. England was famous for Cambridge.
iii. Cambridge was the real England.
(b) The writer phoned Stephen Hawking’s house
i. from the nearest phone booth.
ii. from outside a phone booth.
iii. from inside a phone booth.
(c) Every time he spoke to the scientist, the writer felt guilty because
i. he wasn’t sure what he wanted to ask.
ii. he forced the scientist to use his voice synthesiser.
iii. he was face to face with a legend.
(d) “I felt a huge relief… in the possibilities of my body.” In the given context, the highlighted words refer to
i. shifting in the wheelchair, turning the wrist.
ii. standing up, walking.
iii. speaking, writing.
Question 2: Did the prospect of meeting Stephen Hawking make the writer nervous? If so, why?
Answer: Despite being differently abled Stephen Hawking was a renowned and brilliant astrophysicist. He had authored one of the biggest best sellers ever – A Brief History of Time. Certainly, it was a moment of great honour for the writer and this thought made the writer nervous.
Question 3: Did he at the same time feel very excited? If so, why?
Answer: Yes, the writer Firdaus Kanga was feeling excited as the thought of meeting Stephen Hawking who is somebody like him and achieved something huge, made him stronger. This gave a sense of belief in him that he knew how much is possible for him to reach out further than he ever thought he could.
Question 4: Guess the first question put to the scientist by the writer.
Answer: The writer might have asked the scientist that does he feel satisfied or brave for achieving such greatness despite being disabled.
Question 5: Stephen Hawking said, “I’ve had no choice.” Does the writer think there was a choice? What was it?
Answer: The writer thought that there was a choice. Stephen Hawking could have chosen to leave everything, and be sad and depressed. He could have sulked. However, he chose to live creatively knowing the reality of his disintegrating body.
Question 6: “I could feel his anguish.” What could be the anguish?
Answer: Stephen Hawking was such a brilliant scientist who brought to light various laws of science. His mind was always receptive to new ideas and he always wanted to express the different thoughts in his mind. He was dependent on a voice synthesizer for expressing his thoughts, his thoughts came out in phrases, without reflecting his feelings or emotions. The writer could understand Hawking’s anguish for his helplessness and felt that there were in numerous things which he wanted to express, but was unable to do so.
Question 7: What endeared the scientist to the writer so that he said he was looking at one of the most beautiful men in the world?
Answer: During the discussion, when the writer asked Stephen Hawking, if he find it annoying when someone like him (the writer) comes and disturbs him in his work. To this, Stephen immediately gave an affirmative response. However, at the next moment gave his one-way smile, and this endeared the scientist to the writer. The writer instantly felt that he was indeed looking at one of the most beautiful men in the world.
A Visit To Cambridge Questions & Answers
Question 8: Read aloud the description of ‘the beautiful’ man. Which is the most beautiful sentence in the description?
Answer: The most beautiful sentence in the description of ‘the beautiful’ man is – “Before you, like a lantern whose walls are worn so thin you glimpse only the light inside, is the incandescence of a man.”
Question 9: If ‘the lantern’ is the man, what would its ‘walls’ be?
Answer: If ‘the lantern’ is the man, its ‘walls’ would be the man’s body.
Question 10: What is housed within the thin walls?
Answer: The glow of the eternal soul of the man is housed within the thin walls of his body.
Question 11: What general conclusion does the writer draw from this comparison?
Answer: The writer implies that inside the human body there is an eternal soul which is the glow of a man, the outer physical structure is nothing more than just an accessory.
Question 12: What is the scientist’s message for the disabled?
Answer: Stephen Hawking emphasized on the fact that every person irrespective of his capacity or disability should try to focus on enhancing or working towards what they are good at.
Question 13: Why does the writer refer to the guitar incident? Which idea does it support?
Answer: When Stephen Hawking mentioned to the writer that Olympics for the disabled was a complete waste of time, this reminded the writer about the years he spent trying to play the Spanish guitar which was considerably larger than him and how happy he was when he unstringed the guitar one night. The writer was able to relate Hawking’s message for the disabled which mentions that a person should try to concentrate on what he is good at, rather than trying to compare himself or imitate others.
Question 14: The writer expresses his great gratitude to Stephen Hawking. What is the gratitude for?
Answer: Stephen Hawking inspired the writer to an extent that he was grateful to the scientist. He saw how Hawking was brave enough to achieve such big things in life despite his disability. The scientist was indeed an embodiment of his courageous self. This optimistic aspect of Hawking inspired the writer so much that he felt a deep sense of gratitude for the scientist and showed him a new way of leading life without complaining of the disability all the time.
Question 15: Complete the following sentences taking their appropriate parts from both the boxes below.
Column A
tapping at a little switch in his hand
and I told him
that there are people
as if you have a courage account
and they are saying something huge and urgent
Column B
trying to find the words on his computer.
I had come in a wheelchair from India.
on which you are too lazy to draw a cheque.
smiling with admiration to see you breathing still.
it is hard to tell what.
i. There was his assistant on the line and I told him I had come in a wheelchair from India.
ii. You get fed up with people asking you to be brave, as if you have a courage account on which you are too lazy to draw a cheque.
iii. There he was, tapping at a little switch in his hand trying to find the words on his computer.
iv. You look at his eyes which can speak, and they are saying something huge and urgent – it is hard to tell what.
v. It doesn’t do much good to know that there are people smiling with admiration to see you breathing still.
So, these were A Visit To Cambridge Questions & Answers.