Astronomy, Information Technology, Humour, Environment, Inspiration and Human Interest.

ASTRONOMY

Our Picture of Universe

Stephen William Hawking is a British theoretical physicist. Hawking is the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of Gonville and Caius college, Cambridge. He is known for his contribution to the fields of Cosmology and quantum gravity, especially in the context of black hole, and his popular works in which he discusses his own theories and Cosmology in general. These include the runaway popular science bestseller A Brief History of Time, which stayed on the British Sunday Times bestseller first for a record breaking 237 weeks. Our Picture of Universe has taken from his A Brief History of Time.

Old Belief

A quiet long time ago we believed that the world is really a flat plate supported on the back of a giant tortoise standing on the infinite tower of tortoises. Most people would find this picture of universe is ridiculous.

Thirst for knowledge: Aristotle and his Philosophy

Around 340 BC, the Greek Philosopher Aristotle in his book On the Heavens was able to put forward two good arguments for believing that the earth was a round sphere rather a flat plate.

First, he realized that the earth coming between the sun and the moon. It caused eclipse of moon. The earth’s shadow on the moon was round which would be true if the earth was spherical.

Second, the Greeks knew from their travel that the North Star appeared lower in the sky when viewed from the South. It appears to be directly above an observer at the North Pole.

Aristotle thought that the earth was stationary and the sun, moon, planets and the stars moved in circular orbits around the earth.

A change in Aristotle’s Theory

A simple model was proposed in 1514 by a Polish priest Nicholas Copernicus. His idea was that the sun was stationary at the center and the earth and the planets moved in circular orbits around the sun.

The German, Johannes Kepler and the Italian, Galileo Galilei supported the Copernican theory.

Johannes Kepler had modified Copernicus's theory suggesting the planets moved in ellipses not in circles.

Galileo Galilei’s Views

In 1609, he started observing the night sky with a telescope (which had just been invented). When he looked at the Jupiter, Galileo found that several small satellites or moons that orbited around it.

Sir Isaac Newton’s Theory

In 1687, Sir Isaac Newton published his Philosphiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, in which he not only put forward a theory of how bodies move in the space and time, but also developed the complicated mathematics needed to analyse those movements.

In addition, Newton postulated a law of Universal Gravitation. According to which each body in the universe was attracted toward every other body by a force which was stronger. The more massive the bodies and the closer they were each other. It was this same force that caused objects to fall to the ground. Newton went to show that, according to his law; gravity causes the moon to move in an elliptical orbit around the earth and causes the earth and planets to follow elliptical paths around the sun.

Theories Evolved in the Twentieth Century

When most people believed in an essentially static and unchanging universe, the question of whether or not it had a beginning was really one of the metaphysics or theology. Everyone thought that the universe had existed forever.

Edwin Hubble’s Observation

In 1929, Edwin Hubble made a landmark observation that wherever you look distant galaxies are moving away from us. In other words the universe is expanding.

Hubble’s observation suggested that there was a time, called the Big Bang. He believed that time had a beginning when there was a Big Bang. One can imagine that God created universe at literally any time in the past. God created the universe at the instant of Big Bang.

A Good Theory

The author (Stephen Hawking) believes that a good theory is one, which satisfies two requirements.

First, it must accurately describe a large class of observation on the basis of a model that contains only a few arbitrary elements.

Second, it must make definite predictions about the results of future observations.

For instance Aristotle’s theory did not make any definite predictions, on the other hand Newton’s theory of gravity was based on even simple model in which, bodies attracted each other with a force.

As a philosopher of science Karl Popper has emphasized, a good theory is characterized by the fact that it makes a number of predictions that could be disproved or falsified by observation. The theories will survive each time some new predictions are made.

Einstein’s general theory of relativity predicted a slightly different motion from Newton’s theory of gravity.

Goal of Science

The eventual goal of science is to provide a single theory that describes the whole universe. Scientist tries to separate the problem into two parts. First, there are laws that tell us how the universe changes with time. Secondly, there is the question of the initial state of the universe.

Many people believe that God being omnipotent could have created the universe and created the laws for the universe.

It is very difficult to devise a theory to describe the universe all in one go. We try to split up the problems into bits and try to explain them, but it may be that this approach is completely wrong. It may be impossible to find a solution by investigating parts of the problem in isolation.

Conclusion

Today scientists describe the universe in terms of the basic partial theories - the general theory of relativity and quantum mechanics, the great intellectual achievement of the first half of this century.

The general theory of relativity describes the force of gravity and the large-scale structure of the universe (eg. nuclear energy).

Quantum mechanics deals with phenomena on extremely small scales (microelectroncis revolution and nano technology).

Unfortunately, however, these two theories are known to be inconsistent with each other. They both cannot be correct. Today we are searching for a theory, which will incorporate both the above theories.

Hence, scientists are trying to put forward a unified theory, which will describe everything in the universe. But the search for ultimate theory of the universe seems difficult to justify on practical grounds. It may not aid the survival of our species. It may not even affect our life styles. But ever since the dawn of civilization, people have not been content to see events as unconnected and inexplicable. Today we still yearn to know why we are here and where we came from. Our desire for knowledge makes us explore the universe. And we would like to know a complete description of the universe we live in.

Comprehension

1. What was Aristotle's basis for believing that the earth was spherical?

Shadow cast by the earth coming between the sun and the moon during lunar eclipses always round; the North Star to be lower in the sky when viewed from the equator or further down south.

2.What were Aristotle's and Copernicus's models of the universeand how was the latter supported by Galilieo?

Aristotle's model - the sun, the moon, the planets and stars move round in circular orbits round stationary earth; Copernicus's model - sun stationary at the centre with the earth and other planets moving in circular orbits round it; Galileo proved Aristotle wrong and Copernicus right by his obeservation of Jupiter with satellite orbiting around it.

3.What was the gist of Newton's theory of gravity?

According to Newton's theory of gravity each body in the universe attracted to every other body by a force directly proportional to their mass and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them; gravitional force causes planets and their moons to move in elliptical orbits round the sun.

4.Why does Stephen Hawking think there is need to develop a completeunified theory of the universe? Has it been done at all?

The universe in terms of two basic partial theories available useful in describing different sets of phenomena but inconsistent with each other; hence, need to develop a unfied theory to explain the universe as a whole; has not been done so far.

5.Which human yearning is justification enough for the continued search for this complete unified theory of the universe and why?

Human beings yearning to understand how everything in the world is interconnected because of which there is an underlying order in the universe; because the longing for knowledge about themselves and thier world is a deep desire that human beings have always had.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

A Very Short History of Computer Ethics

Terrell Ward Bynum is Professor of Philosophy at Southern Connecticut State University. He has published articles and books, created conferences and workshops, given speeches and addresses. And also he developed an internationally influential web site. This article had adapted from 'From the Internet' published in the summer 2000 issue of the American Philosophical Association's Newsletter on philosophy and computing.

Norbert Wiener , a professor in the MIT was founded Computer ethics as field of study in the early 1940. At the same time he was helping to develop an anti-aircraft cannon capable of shooting down fast warplanes. Wiener created a new branch of science called cybernetics. Cybernetics is the science of information feedback systems.

The cannon he was helping to develop had two parts. One part would track the enemy warplane and ‘talk’ to the other part. This is an Engineering challenge. At that time digital computers were being created.

Norbert Wiener expressed his concern over this combination of moral consequences in his book, Cybernetics: or control and communication in the animal and machine, published in 1948. He thought that this combination of cybernetics and digital computer had the potential for good and for evil.

Norbert Wiener published his great book, The Human Use of Human Beings in 1950, in which he laid down a complete computer ethics foundation. This ethics foundation is now a powerful basis for further research and analysis in this field. Wiener made it clear that, in his opinion, the integration of computer technology into society would constitute its remarking - the second industrial revolution – destined to affect every major aspect of life. The computer revolution would be a multi-faceted, ongoing process that would take decades of effort and would radically change everything. Such a vast undertaking would necessarily include a wide diversity of tasks and challenges for workers, governments, professional organizations, sociologists, psychologists and philosophers to deal with.

Computer ethics is a complex and important new area of applied ethics, which Wiener founded in the 1940s. It was remained undeveloped and unexplored until the mid 1960s. By then the good and bad consequences of computer technology became manifest everywhere. However, credit goes to Norbert Wiener for conceiving the applied ethics. These ethics would soon be taken up by other scientists and turned into a universal code of conduct.

Also in the mid 1960s, computer-enabled invasions of privacy by ‘big-brother’ government agencies became a public worry and led to books, articles, government studies, and proposed privacy legislation.

By the mid 1970s, new privacy laws and computer crime laws had been enacted in America and in Europe. Organizations of computer professionals were adopting codes of conduct for their members. At the same time, MIT computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum created a computer program called ELIZA intended to crudely stimulate a Rogerian Psychotherapist engaged in an initial interview with a patient. Weizenbaum wrote the classic book Computer Power and Human Reason (1976), in computer ethics concerned by the ethical implications.

Walter Maner had dubbed 'computer ethics' . Maner defined computer ethics as the branch of applied ethics, which studies ethical problems 'aggravated, transformed or created by computer technology'. He also offered guidelines for dealing with the subject in the classroom.

Terrell Ward Bynum developed curriculum materials and a university course 1979. In the 1980s he gave speeches and conducted workshops at a variety of conferences across America. In 1983 as editor of the journal ‘metaphilosophy’, he launched as essay competition to generate interest in computer ethics and to create a special issue of the journal. Entitled ‘Computer and Ethics’, it was published in 1985 and its lead article which won the essay competition, was James Moor’s essay, ‘What is Computer Ethics?’

The year 1985 was a watershed year for computer ethics. Deborah Johnson published her text book, Computer Ethics, in which she defines computer ethics as a field in which computers deal with new versions of standard moral problems and dilemmas. She thinks that computers did not create new ethical problems, but only gave a new twist to already familiar issues such as ownership, power, privacy and responsibility.

On the other hand, in her 1995 ETHICOMP paper, Krystyna Gorniak predicted that computer ethics, which will evolve into a system of global ethics applicable in every culture on earth. Just as the major ethical theories of Bentham and Kant were developed in response to the printing press revolution, so new ethical theory is likely to emerge from computer ethics in response to the computer revolution. The newly emerging field of information ethics, therefore, is much more important than even its founders and advocates believe.

The very nature of the computer revolution indicates that the ethic of the future will have a global character. It will be global in a spatial sense, since it will encompass the entire globe. It will also be global in the sense that is will address the totality of human actions and relations. Computers do not know borders. Computer networks have a truly global character. Hence, when we are talking about computer ethics, we are talking about the emerging global ethic.

But Johnson’s hypothesis is the opposite of Krystyna’s. The current ethical theories and principles, according to Johnson, will remain the source of ethical thinking and analysis, and as such, the computer revolution will not lead to a revolution is ethics.

Simply, Krystyna’s point of view is that the ethically revolutionary computer technology will make human beings re-examine the foundations of ethics and the very definition of human life. But Johnson’s stand is that fundamental ethical theories will remain unaffected with no change in the ethical questions. This would make applied computer ethics disappear.

Comprehension

1. What do you understand by 'cybernetics'?

   Cybernetics is science of information feedback systems.

2. Why does the computer have 'another social potentiality of unheard-of importance for good and for evil?

   The computer has revolutionised every aspect of our lives, given us many advantages. However, it also has the potential for evil such as computer-aided crimes, scope for invasions of privacy, etc.

3. How did Wiener think of computer technology as remaking society?

   He believed that the integration of computer technology would be a second industrial revolution that would affect every major aspect of life. It would spread over a long period of time and would include new tasks and challenges.

4. How did the term 'computer ethics' catch on and why?

   'Computer ethics' coined by Walter Maner in 1976. He caught on because the term suited the study of computer-related ethical issues in which there had been increasing interest since 1940s. Inspire by maner's work, Bynum developed teaching materials, conducted workshops and also launched an essay competition, the winner of which was James Moor's now-classic essay on computer ethics.

5. How is the nature of the computer revolution global and how does it affect the global ethic?

   Computer revolution is global in the sense that it is spread across the world and also in that it affects all aspects of our lives including our actions and relations. All the ethical problems created, aggravated and transformed by computer technology will hence be global in nature.

    

6. What is your view of the future of computer ethics as derived from this lesson?

   It will continue to have relevance in a world making increasing use of computer technology. It will help study and deal with ethical problems associated with computers.

 

ENVIRONMENT

WATER: THE ELIXIR OF LIFE

• C.V. Raman

Bharat Ratna Sir Chandrashekhara Venkata Raman is an Indian physicist. He was awarded the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on molecular scattering of light & for the discovery of the Raman Effect.

In this lesson Raman tried to bring about the importance of water, which has a unique power of maintaining animal and plant life.

Water, the elixir of life, is the commonest of all liquids, without water the land will be barren like the deserts in Egypt. On one side it is a sea of sand on the other side laid one of the greatest, most fertile, densely populated areas the valley of Nile. It is separated by the river Nile flowing down thousands of miles away. The entire soil is the creation of river Nile. Egypt, in fact was made by its river.

Water in the country side, which flows in serenity is the most beautiful sight. The rain fed tanks are neglected in south India. However, these tanks play a vital role in South Indian agriculture. Some of these tanks are large and it is beautiful sight to see the sun rise or sun set over them –water in a landscape compared to the eyes in a human face. It reflects changing moods of the day, bright and gray sometimes and dark and gloomy at other times.

Water carries silt and finely divided soil and deposit in low lying areas. The colour of water varies according to the place, swiftly flowing water can carry fairly large and heavy particles. Large amounts of solid particles can be transported. Silt deposited land is very fertile.

The flow of water has played a great part on the earth’s surface. The flow of water can play a destructive part and wash away the soil, which is the foundation of all agriculture. The problem of soil erosion is one of the major problems we face today.

Soil erosion occurs when soil on the earth’s surface is carried away by wind or water, heavy rain, sloping land, absence of vegetation, ruts through which water can flow down rapidly and absence of checks in the course of its flow.

The necessary measure are terracing of the land, building bunds to check the flow of water, contour cultivation, planning of right types of vegetation.

Water is the basis of all life. Every animal and plant contains water in its body. Water is essential for the body, moisture in the soil is equally important for the life and growth of plants and trees. The conservation and utilization of water is fundamental for human welfare. Much of Indian agriculture depends on monsoon. It is clear that the adoption of techniques preventing soil erosion would help to conserve and keep the water where it is wanted.

In India, where we depend on seasonal rainfall, an immense quantity of rain water runs off the ground. The collection of rain water and utilizing them is very important. Vast areas of land which at present are scrub jungle. By courageous and well-planned action, it could be turned into fertile and prosperous country.

The problem of afforestation closely connected with conservation of water supplies. The planning of trees in every possible way and the development of forest is one of the most urgent needs of India. Such plantation would check soil erosion and provide cheap fuel.

The measures necessary to conserve water serves as a purpose of value to the life of countryside. The cheapest means of transport is by boats and barges through canals and rivers. There is development of rail, road transport but a few measures are taken to improve waterways. The harnessing of water supplies usually makes possible the development of hydroelectric power. This would make a big difference in country life. If would also help to the top underground water.

Water is though a commonly found liquid, unique because of its power to sustain plant and animal life. The investigation of the nature and properties of water is therefore should be of the highest scientific field of interest.

Questions

1. Why water is considered the true elixir of life?
   It has made life and vegetation possible on the earth.

2. C. V. Raman says that water in a landscape may be compared to the eyes in a human face. Why?

It reflects changing moods of the day, bright and gray sometimes and dark and gloomy at other times.

3. How does soil erosion occur and what are the chief factors that cause it?
   
   Soil erosion occurs when soil on the earth’s surface is carried away by wind or water, heavy rain, sloping land, absence of vegetation, ruts through which water can flow down rapidly and absence of checks in the course of its flow.

4. What are the usual measures used to check soil erosion?

The necessary measure are terracing of the land, building bunds to check the flow of water, contour cultivation, planning of right types of vegetation.

5. What is the measure suggested by C. V. Raman and control the movement of water in order to harness if for useful purposes?

One of the most important measures suggested of C. V. Raman is widespread planting of trees.

6. Why is the study of the nature and properties of water of the highest scientific interest?

Water is though a commonly found liquid, unique because of its power to sustain plant and animal life.

Meanings for difficult words

Elixir – a sweet flavored liquid ; a substance believed to cure all ills

Barren – infertile

Silt – sand

Soil erosion – the washing away of soil by the flow water

Terracing – to form into terrace

Contour agriculture – used in a system of plowing, cultivating, sowing, etc., along the contour lines of the land in order to trap water runoff and prevent erosion

Scrub – low trees or shrubs collectively.

Afforestation – the conversion of bare or cultivated land into forest

Barges – A large, open pleasure boat used for parties or ceremonies

Harnessing – To bring under control and direct the force of:

Ruts – A sunken track or groove made by the passage of vehicles.

 

 

 

INSPIRATION

Reaching For The Stars

India’s first woman astronaut, Kalpana Chawla, was born on 1^st of July 1961 at Karnal in Haryana. Her parents were Banarasi Lal Chawla and Sanjyoti. She was the youngest of the four children. She was fondly called as Montu at home. She grew up on accounts of the remarkable hard work and perseverance. She brought up in Karnal, which was full of social restrictions. Banarasi Lal Chawla’s family gave importance to academic excellence to all their children.

Kalpana went to a school, the Tagore Bal Niketan. Her childhood life was similar to those of hundreds of other children growing up in India. She was a shy, but cheerful girl with boundless energy and a strong inclination for adventure. She impressed all with her determination and commitment to work. She was an introvert, fun-loving. She enjoy organizing picnics and outings with her friends. She learnt to drive a car when she was only fourteen years old. As a child, Kalpana was fascinated by aircraft. She loved making models of aircraft. As she slept on hot summer nights on the open on coir cot; she would lose herself in the endless dark sky scattered with twinkling stars/

By the time Kalpana left school, she had an impressive academic record. She joined Punjab Engineering College (PEC) in Chandigarh. By then she decided that she will be a flight engineer and design aircraft. So, she took up aeronautical engineering. Then she was the only girl student. Every time she had to make a choice she selected the more challenging one. At college, she was very enthusiastic, pleasant and unassuming who could take to everybody. She spent most of her time in the classroom, the library or the laboratory.

After completion of her undergraduate course, she decided to continue her studies in the United States of America. She decided to attend the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), in 1982, she left her small home town to travel to Texas.

Once in Arlington, Kalpana plunged into the tightly packed routine of the American MS programme.

In December 1983, Kalpana married French-American Jean-Pierre Harrison.

After completing her mater’s programme, Kalpana moved with her husband to Colorado, where she completed her Ph.D. Programme.

In 1988, Kalpana joined the NASA Ames Research Center in California. She also applied to NASA Space Center to become an astronaut. In 1993, she was given a job as vice president and research scientist with Overset Methods, Inc. in the Silicon Valley. She was put in charge of development and implementing techniques for aerodynamic optimization.

Finally, Kalpana was informed by NASA that she was to appear for an interview and medical evaluation that could lead her to the job of an astronaut. She was chosen from a total of 2962 applications. She had worked hard for interview. Eventually she was one of the nineteen candidates to be selected by NASA’s fifteenth batch of astronauts. It was an honour beyond her wildest dreams. The young woman was a pride to the nation and her family.

In March 1995, Kalpana moved to Houston with her husband, to begin her tough journey. She had to spend months in high-fidelity simulators and under zero-gravity conditions.

In November 1997, Kalpana was given a chance, which she had dreamed all her life. She was one of the six crew members on board the Columbia Shuttle’s STS – 87 Mission. She was assigned the job of the prime robotic arm operator. Being mission specialist, she had to monitor experiments conducted on board and perform Extra-Vehicular Activities.

Kalpana was never to forget her first sight of the earth from the shuttle thousands of miles in space. She realized that our planet is really only a very small part of the vast universe. She was a nature enthusiast and never missed a chance to speak about the urgent need to take care of our habitat.

In spite of her hectic schedule at NASA and the pressures of her life, she never forgot her friends or the institutions, she had been associated with. She was a loyal friend who believed in lasting relationships. She stood by her people in different times of her life. She got involved with a programme allowing two students from her school, the Tagore Bal Niketan, to visit the NASA facilities every year. Before her last journey, she had made careful plans to sponsor a young student to a University in South Africa.

She was once again selected as a crew member for the STS-107 launch. The purpose of the 16-day mission was mainly to conduct research on micro-gravity. It was a perfect launch; the members began the work that had been assigned to them. Kalpana conducted a lot of experiments on earth sciences. She even heard to her favourite music CD’s.

On February 2003, Columbia was ready to re-enter the earth’s atmosphere. Kalpana’s family and friends were watching at Cape Canaveral where the shuttle was to land. Suddenly all communication with the Columbia snapped. When it was at a height of 207,135 feet in the sky. The Columbia burst leaving no survivors.

Kalpana was a truly remarkable woman with a rare combination of brilliant mind and intensely humane spirit. She had left behind a legacy of faith in the ability of human beings. She will remain a part of the world’s heritage for the extraordinary will power and daring that she showed in her attempt to reach for the stars.

Questions

1. How did Kalpana Chawla’s family background contribute to the shaping of her personality?

Kalpana Chawla had heard accounts of the problems faced by her immigrant parents, of their courage and hard work, learnt that it is important to believe in one’s dreams and to realize them through grit and determination.

2. What was the first barrier that Kalpana as a child came up against?

She came up with low value attached to education for girls.

3. Write a brief not on early indications in Kalpana’s life of the future that awaited her.

Her immense energy and enthusiastic response to adventure, her determination and commitment to work, fascination for aircraft, her favourite pastime of watching the star-strewn sky.

4. What lasting effect did the view of the earth from space have on Kalpana?
Kalpana struck by the thought that our planet is only a small part of the universe, realised that the earth is vulnerable to destruction unless we take care of our environment and conserve our natural resources.

5. According to those who knew her, when faced with options, Kalpana always chose the more difficult and challenging one. Give two instances from her life to substantiate this option.

Kalpana gave up a comfortable and well- paid job in the Silicon Valley to become an astronaut, after her first voyage aboard the Columbia shuttle, could have chosen to be ground crew instead of deciding to go into space a second time.

6. Kalpana Chawla was 'a rare combination of a brilliant mind and an intensely humane spirit '. Discuss.

Kalpana maintained an impressive academic record right from her school days. She did not ever shy away from challenges and hard work, proved herself as a student and later as a scientist and researcher in the Silicon Valley as well as in the NASA, fine human being as well – a loyal friend. She always willing to listen to others and respect them for themselves, longed to pay back what she saw as her debts to her school and society able to convince any unpleasantness, showed humility rare in one so accomplished, ect.

 

Meanings

Inspiration - supposed power which stimulates the mind

Reach for the stars – achieving something even though it’s difficult to achieve

Astronaut – a person’s job involves traveling and working in a spacecraft

Perseverance – the quality of continuing to try to achieve an aim in spite of difficulties

Inclination – tendency to do some thing

Adventure – an unusual, exciting or dangerous experience

Outing – a trip that you go on for pleasure or education

Picnic – when people pack a meal and take it to eat outdoors

Fascinated – very interested

Scattered – spread for apart over a wide area for a long time

Twinkling – to shine with light

Plunged – to move up and down suddenly and violently

Legacy – money or property that is given to you by somebody when they die

Snap – lose control or to break something with a sharp noise

 

HUMAN INTEREST

A SERVICE OF LOVE

                                                                                                                                                                                   - O. Henry

O Henry is the pen name of American writer William Sydney Porter. Porter’s 400 short stories are known for their wit, word play, characterization and the clever use of twist endings. O Henry stories are famous for their surprise endings, to the point that such an ending is often referred as an “O Henry ending”.

A service of Love is based on one’s love (one loves one’s Art no services seems too hard) for his best love story.

Joe Larrabee came from the Middle West. He was a genius in painting. When he was six years old child, he drew a picture of the town pump with an important person passing in a hurry. At twenty with a small amount of money, he left for New York to learn painting.

Delia Caruthers came from the South. She was a promising singer. Her relatives colleted a small amount for Delia to go to New York and to music.

Joe and Delia met at a studio, they fell in love and in a short time they were married. They began to live in a flat and were very happy as they had their art.

Joe was painting in the class of the great Magister and Delia was studying under Rosenstock, a famous musician. Their aims were clear. Joe would learn to paint old gentle man with side whiskers and thick purses. Delia was going to master the piano and fell concert halls all over the country.

After a while art became weak. They had spent all their money. They did not pay the fees to Mr Magister and Mr Rosenstock. Delia felt that she must give music lessons to buy their food. One evening she came with high hopes. She had found a pupil General A.B.Pikney’s daughter, Clementia. She is eighteen years old. Delia had to give three lessons a week. For that she would get fifteen dollars per week. Joe did not happy with it. He wanted to earn some money. But Delia insisted that Joe should not give up his studies.

During all the next week Joe had an early breakfast. Joe was very must interested in morning-effect sketches. He was doing in the central park. Delia lived at 7’O clock and he would return at 7’O clock in the evening.

At the end of the week, Delia proudly threw five-dollar bills on the center table. She complained about Clementia, trying her patience. She commented on their house, their drawing room and the rugs that covered the floor. And they Joe, with pride, drew forth a ten a five, a two and one dollar and laid them beside Delia’s earnings. He said Delia that he had sold one of his paintings and had ordered another an oil sketch of Lackwanna goods yard. Both of them were very happy that they had thirty two dollars on hand.

On next Saturday evening Joe reached home first. He washed his hands which had a great deal of paint .Half an Hour later, Delia arrived her right hand tied up in a shapeless bundle of wraps and bandages. Joe was concerned.

Delia told the story of Clementia who wanted Welsh rabbit at five in the afternoon. The general had the dish prepared. Clementia was so nervous that she poured it hot on Delia’s hands and wrist. But general Pinkney was concerned and sent someone out a drugstore for some oil and things to bind it up with.

Joe pulled out some white threads beneath the bandages and asked what this is?

Delia replied that the bandage had some oil on it. Joe asked what time in the afternoon had she been burn. Delia said five o’clock. Joe drew her to the sofa, sat beside her and put his arm across her shoulders. He asked her “what have you been doing for the last two weeks. She could not lie any longer. She put her head down and started crying. She said that she worked at a place where ironing shirts in twenty four street laundry. But she was happy that at least Joe could sell his paintings.

Delia asked him that what made him suspect that she wasn’t giving music lessons to Clementina. Joe replied that he did not suspect till that night. It was he who had sent up cotton waste and oil from the Engine-room that afternoon to a girl who had her hand burned with an iron. Joe had been working the Engine in that laundry for the last two weeks.

Joe’s buyer from Peoria and Delia’s General Pinkney were both the creations of the same art. They were creations of imaginations.

Both of them began to laugh and said when one loves ones art no service seems too hard-when one loves.

Comprehension

1. How did Delia earn the fifteen dollars that she threw on the table at the end of the week?

Delia earned the fifteen dollars by ironing shirts in a laundry.

2. How did Joe earn his eighteen dollars?

Joe earned his eighteen dollars by working in the engine room in the same laundry.

3. Why did Joe need to wash his hands so hard before Delia returned?

Joe needed to wash his hands so hard to wash off the grease and dirt from the engine he worked.

4. At what point in the story did Delia and Joe guess the truth about the other?

When the day Delia came home with a burnt hand tied up in bandages.

5. Why was Delia’s laughter not very joyous when she tried to explain the fact that her hand was in a bandage?

Delia’s laughter is not very joyous, because she was in pain and in a situation where she could not tell Joe the truth.

6. Is this a story about great art or great love?

It is a story about great love between two people who think nothing of making sacrifices for the sake of each other’s happiness.

Meanings

Human interest – in newspaper articles or broadcast ect. reference to people lives and their emotions

Genius - someone who has outstanding creative or intellectual ability

Promising – talented

Hung about –to move things slowly

Praised the sky – praised a lot

Side whiskers – the lines of short hair growing down in front of each of a man's ears

Concert halls - a musical performance given before an audience by singers or players.

Mistress – controlling position

Wearily – make some one very tired

Oysters – a large sea fish

Champagne – a white wine made in France

Welsh rabbit - dish consisting of melted cheese, usually with butter, ale and seasoning mixed in, served on toast

Awfully – extremely bad or unpleasant

Tenderly – gentle, caring or sympathetic