Ch 2: Using the Scientific Methods : Book 2

 

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                                                                      h # 2         Using the Scientific Methods  

                                                                             (Darrell Barnard and Lon Edward)

Author Background:

 John Darrell Barnard (1905-1994) an, Lon Edward were physician and literary writer. They both wrote a book titled, “The New Basic Science”. This essay is an extract of the above mentioned book.

Significance of the Title:

In a nutshell, the scientific method teaches the brain to logically examine and process all the information it receives. It requires that one observes and tests before making a statement of fact.  Modern age inventions drastically changed the way of living. Scientific methods have helped the people to understand the reasons and logic behind every happening.

 

Word	Meaning	Synonyms
Benefit	receive an advantage; profit.	Profit, gain, aid
Garbage	rubbish or waste, especially domestic refuse	Rubbish, refuse, waste
Preserve	maintain (something) in its original or existing state.	Conserve, protect, maintain
Communication	exchanging of information	Transmission, talk, conversation
Demonstrate	give a practical exhibition and explanation	Reveal, show, bespeak, signify
Happenings	an event or occurrence.	Occurrence, event, activity
Mysterious	difficult or impossible to understand, explain, or identify	Puzzling, strange, queer, odd
Ancestors	from whom one is descended.	A forebear, forefather, predecessor, progenitor
Diversity	A state of being diverse	Variety, miscellany, mix, mixture
Cholera	a fatal bacterial disease of the small intestine,
Nutritious	Efficient as food; nourishing	Healthy, beneficial, nourishing
Sanitary	Hygienic and clean	Clean, germ-free, aseptic, salubrious
Garbage	Rubbish or waste	Rubbish, refuse, waste
Sewerage	A system by which waste matter is carried away in sewers	Gutter, septic tank
Leisure	Free time for enjoyment	Relaxation, respite, recreation, convenience
Thrifty	using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully.	Canny, economical, sparing, penny- pinching, parsimonious
Innate	Inborn, natural	intrinsic, congenital, inherit,
Charm	control or achieve by or as if by magic.	Ornament, magic
Superstition	a widely held but irrational belief in supernatural influences	Myth, belief, old wives’ tale, legend
Astrology	The study of stars as an influencing factor on human affairs and the natural world	Horoscopy, astrometry, stargazing

Answer the following questions:

Q1. Name some of the areas in which marked improvement has been seen after the use of scientific methods?

According to the writer, the use of scientific methods has brought about revolutionary changes in different fields, especially in control of diseases, in improving sanitary conditions, in the provision of more and better food and also in changing the attitude of the people.

Q1. How has the scientific method helped us in our fight against disease?

By using these methods, scientists have prepared medicines to cure diseases like typhoid, cholera, and malaria, and have protected people from deadly diseases through their vaccination. Easy and long life is possible because we know to prevent them through fine medical treatment.

Q2 Write a note on better sanitary conditions available in our cities today and compare them with what they were a hundred years ago?

Today our cities have suitable drainage systems. Sewerage from all sections of a city is carried through sealed. The streets are kept clean and clean water is available. A hundred years earlier our cities did not have proper sewerage systems. Indoor toilets were not available. People could not get clean water easily.

Q3. How are the sanitary conditions in our villages today?

We do not have proper drainage systems in our villages. The water supply is poor. Mosquitoes and germs on the dirty water in open drains cause malaria and other diseases. The drinking water obtained from wells, canal, and ponds is dirty and carries germs.

Q3 B. How can we improve the sanitary conditions in our villages?

We should have proper drainage systems and tube wells for drinking water. Drains for dirty water should be covered. Road, streets, and passages should be kept clean.

Q4. How has the scientific method helped us in the production and preservation of foods?

Before the use of scientific methods, thrifty housewives preserved their homegrown vegetables and fruits by canning, pickling, and drying. Modern techniques like selecting, grading and processing foods are being used commonly.

Q5. We are now generally less fearful than our ancestors. What were our ancestors afraid of??

Discoveries made by scientist have people in developing an attitude of open-mindedness. We are less fearful of hidden forces like ghosts and spirits. In the past, they believed that troubles and disease are caused by them. They were superstitious.

Q6. How has the scientific method enabled us to get over the old fears and superstitions?

By scientific methods, now believe that our fears have no sound basis. We look at the causes of all changes and happenings in nature and society and their results. We do not accept superstition like those of black cats, number 13, and broken mirrors.

Q7. What part did astrology play in the lives of men and women in the past? Give examples

Astrology is the study of the stars. The people in ancient times used to consult astrologers for their views on marriages, wars, the relationship between countries, and so on. Now the people think that every happening must have a proper cause and scientific reasoning. They do not believe anything happening without a scientific reason.

Q8. Describe some of the superstitions still current in our country. How do they affect the lives of those who believe in them?

Some superstitions still prevailed in Pakistan like fear of black cat and number 13. Superstitious people believe that when a black cat jumps across the road, something bad may happen. Walking in the shadow of trees invites the anger of ghosts. When the crow caws sitting on the wall, guests are expected. Superstitious people live in fear of unseen forces. They cannot live normal lives.

Ch 1 : The Dying Sun : Book 2

 

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h # 1         The Dying Sun

                                                                                    (Sir James Jeans)

Author Background:

Sir, James Hopwood Jeans (1877, 1946) was a great scientist and the writer.  He was an English physicist and mathematician who was the first to propose that matter is continuously created throughout the universe. He is best known as a writer for his astronomical works.

Significance of the Title:

"The dying sun" is an informative and scientific essay. In this essay, the writer informs us how our earth and the other planets were created. The title “The Dying Sun” has metaphorical meaning. It means that sun is a source of life in planets and carrying on many vital process in them. Due to fusion reaction, sun is becoming weaker and weaker.

 

Word	Meaning	Synonyms
Ailment	an illness, typically a minor one.	Illness, disease, affliction, sickness
Probably	as far as one knows or can tell.	Likely, possibly, presumably, doubtless
Contain	have or hold (someone or something) within.	Carry, Accommodate
Rare	(of an event, situation, or condition) not occurring very often	Infrequent, sparse, few
Crucial	Decisive or Critical,	Pivotal, critical, decisive
Substance	a particular kind of matter with uniform properties	Material, matter, stuff
Gradually	Slowly	Slowly, gently, moderately
Seldom	On very few occasions	Rarely, infrequently
Humble	Showing a modesty	Respectable, meek, modest
Radiation	the emission of energy as electromagnetic waves	Emission, rays
Preserve	maintain (something) in its original	Conserve, protect, maintain
Immense	Very large	Vast, gigantic, massive

Answer the following questions:

Q1. How is it that a star seldom finds another star near it?

According to the author, several stars move in space and there is millions of distance between these stars. They travel in complete loneliness likes ship in an empty ocean. This is the reason while moving through space, a star seldom finds another star near it.

Q2. What happened when, according to Sir James Jeans, a wandering star, wandering through space, came near the sun?

Q3. What happened when the wandering star came nearer and nearer?

Q4. What are the planets and how did they come into existence?

The author believes, a wandering star, wandering through space, happened to come near the sun. Because a strong gravitational pull, huge tides were produced on the surface of the sun. The same pieces, in the shape of planets, started revolving around the sun. These were our planets and the Earth is one of them.

Q5. Life does not exist on most of the stars. Why?

According to the author, stars are like a collection of fires in space. There is thousands of degrees’ temperature on them. Away from these stars, there is cold of hundreds of degrees. So outside them, life would be frozen.

Q6. Write a note on the beginning of life on the earth.

According to the author, the earliest living organisms were very small, i.e. unicellular. They had the ability to multiply before death. By this, a stream of life was produced which ultimately gave rise to present living organisms.

Q7. Why is the universe, of which our earth is a part, so frightening? Give as many reasons as you can?

According to Sir James Jeans, the universe is frightening because of its immense distances, because of extreme stretches of time, our extreme. This feeling of the littleness of our planet also makes us frightened.

Q8. What, in your opinion, should be the conditions necessary, for the kind of life we know to exist on other heavenly bodies? DO such conditions generally exist?

There are many solid reasons like Air, water, and moderate temperature are necessary for life. Most of the stars are not present in an ideal temperature belt. So, outside these temperatures belts, there is a very rare chance of human life.

Q9. What do you understand by absolute zero?

Absolute is 484 degrees of Frost on the Fahrenheit scale. It is the temperature before reaching which all the gases and liquids lose complete temperature and change into solids.

CH 6 : "The Man Who Was a Hospital" : Book 2

 CH # 6     The Man Who Was a Hospital

                                                                                          (Jerome K. Jerome)

Word	Meaning	Synonyms
Symptoms	indications	Manifestation, indication, sign
Extra- Ordinary	Remarkable	Amazing, astonishing, stunning
Impelled to	Force or urge to do something	Compel, require, drive
Fanciful	Unrealistic	Imaginative, unrealistic
Virulent	Extremely harmful or severe	Poisonous, toxic, lethal, deadly
Diagnosis	The identification of the nature of an illness	Detection, recognition, identification
Devastating	Highly destructive	Ruinous, catastrophic, calamitous
Scourge	Whip someone	Flog, whip, beat, lash
Severe	Very great; intense	Acute, critical, terrible, dire
Conscientiously	Thorough, in responsible way	Thorough, careful, diligent
Malady	A disease	Ailment, illness, infection
Malignant stage	Very virulent	Infectious, uncontrolled, virulent
Ponder	Think about	Consider, evaluate
Acquisition	The learning of a skill	Gain, addition, purchase
Chum	Friend	Buddy, pal, mate, friend
Hamper	Basket for storage	Basket, pannier

 Introduction to the essay:

Jerome K Jerome, a famous humorous writer of our times, presents his experiences of imaginary diseases. Men like Jerome are difficult to find. However, when we find them we laugh at them with sympathy.

The title & Theme of the essay:

The story is about a strange man who began thinking that he had several of his diseases that people going to a hospital suffer from. He began feeling that he was a hospital. By looking at or reading about this man we begin feeling as if we are in some hospital.

Answer the Questions:

Q1. How did Jerome K. Jerome come to suspect that his liver was out of order? What were the diseases he thought he was suffering from on reading a book on the treatment of diseases?

According to the writer, Jerome K. Jerome, he began feeling that he had a liver disease when he read about its symptoms (sign) in an advertisement. He thought that he had other diseases like typhoid, St. Vitus’s Dance, Cholera, etc.

Q2. What was the disease he discovered he didn’t have?

According to the writer, Jerome K. Jerome, he found in the British Museum library that he had every disease except housemaid’s knee (swelling at the knee joint). He was disturbed and somewhat unhappy to find that he was not suffering from this disease. Now, psychologically, he wanted to have this disease as well.

Q3. Was he pleased to find he didn’t have it?

“Housemaid’s knee” is a swelling at the knee joint. According to the writer, Jerome K. Jerome, he could himself examine his knee’ joint. He must have done it. But he was unhappy to find that he did not have this disease.

Q4. What was his first reaction?

When, the writer, Jerome K. Jerome, read an advertisement of a patent medicine about a disease, he began thinking that he had it. When he read about the symptoms (signs) of other diseases, in a book, he felt that he had them, too. He felt this when he read the book on disease in the library of the British Museum.

Q5. Why should he be an acquisition to the medical class?

According to the writer, Jerome K. Jerome, he thought that he was a valuable asset (a thing or person of value) for the medical profession. He thought he had so many diseases that medical students could learn much by looking at and examining him. They could research on him and find new cures for his diseases. But this was all humor and fun.

Q6. Describe his visit to the medical man.

According to the writer, Jerome K. Jerome, he went to his medical man who was his old chum. The doctor felt his pulse and looked at his tongue. He examined him by holding his wrist tightly., hitting over his chest and striking him on the chest. Then he wrote a prescription from him, which was about proper food and exercise only.

Q7. He thought he was doing the doctor a good turn by going to him. Why?

 Jerome K. Jerome thought that the doctor would get a lot of knowledge and practice by getting him as an ideal patient. The doctor would gain more experience and get practice of hundreds of patients as he thought he had the disease of all of them.

Q8. What was the prescription given to him by the doctor?

According to the writer, Jerome K. Jerome, the prescription given to him was as follows “1 lb. Beefsteak, every 6 hours. Ten miles walk every morning, Bed at 11 sharp every night. And don’t stuff your head with things you don’t understand.”

Q9. Describe his visit to the chemist?

According to the writer, Jerome K. Jerome, he went to the chemist who was surprised and shocked. The chemist told him that he, being a chemist, did not have that cooperative store and a family hotel combined, he might able to oblige him.  He did not want his time to be wasted by the writer.

Q10. What is the significance of the doctor’s advice: don’t stuff your head with things you don’t understand?

The moral is that we should not try to learn or remember whatever we read or hear. We should not fill our minds with stuff that we cannot understand well. SO the doctor advised the writer not to have any worries about his health. He asked him not to think about matters that he did not understand. He really kept healthy when he acted on the doctor’s advice.