The Night I Met Einstein
Chapter 3.2 • Standard Ten • English • Author: Jerome Weidman
Summary of the Lesson
The writer is invited to dine at the house of a wealthy businessman. After dinner there is a concert in which a pianist performs. The writer, who thinks of himself as tone-deaf, feels bored and restless because he knows nothing about classical music or its composers.
His neighbour at the concert is the great scientist Albert Einstein. Einstein senses the writer’s discomfort and, though the writer is a stranger, takes a genuine interest in him. He leads him to another room with a gramophone and plays music the writer already knows and likes. Step by step, through simple examples, Einstein helps him listen, sing and finally appreciate music sincerely.
Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| dine | have dinner |
| hostess | a woman who invites guests to a social event |
| concert | a performance of music by players or singers |
| pianist | someone who plays the piano |
| tone-deaf | unable to hear the difference between high and low notes of music |
| Bach | Johann Sebastian Bach, a German organist and composer (1685–1750) |
| gramophone | a machine for playing recorded music |
| nodded | moved the head up and down to show agreement |
| Bing Crosby | an American singer and actor |
Warming Up!
1. With your bench-mate, prepare a profile of Albert Einstein.
Ans:
| ALBERT EINSTEIN | |
|---|---|
| Profession | German-born scientist and theoretical physicist |
| Field of Science | Physics |
| World famous theory proposed | Theory of Relativity |
| Awards | Nobel Prize in Physics (1921) |
| Difficulty in childhood | He began to speak late and was thought to be a slow learner |
| Books written | (a) The World as I See It (b) Relativity: The Special and the General Theory (c) Ideas and Opinions |
2. Look at the pictures of musical instruments and write their names; what the player of the instrument is called and a famous player of the instrument.
Ans:
| Instrument | Name of the instrument | One who plays is called | A famous player |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tabla | Tabla player | Zakir Hussain, Alla Rakha | |
| Shehnai | Shehnai player | Ustad Bismillah Khan | |
| Piano | Pianist | Anil Srinivasan, Utsav Lal | |
| Drum | Drummer | Ranjit Barot, Gino Banks | |
| Violin | Violinist | Kala Ramnath, Balabhaskar | |
| Sitar | Sitar player / Sitarist | Ravi Shankar, Vilayat Khan, Anoushka Shankar | |
| Trumpet | Trumpeter | Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis |
3. Separate the words in the columns they belong to. (chorus, ballet, melody, swar, kathak, raga, salsa, symphony, mudra, serenade, choreography, tune, audience, tango, allegro, duet, odissi, choir, concert, performance, hip-hop)
Ans:
| Music | Common to both arts | Dance |
|---|---|---|
| melody, swar, raga, chorus, symphony, serenade, tune, allegro, choir, concert | duet, audience, performance, hip-hop | ballet, kathak, salsa, mudra, tango, odissi, choreography |
In Between the Lesson
Q1. What was the entertainment arranged for by the hostess?
Ans: The entertainment arranged was a concert to be performed by a pianist.
Q2. What was the writer’s reaction to classical music?
Ans: The writer could not understand classical music because he thought he was tone-deaf. As a result he felt bored and forced to pay attention.
Q3. What do you learn from Einstein’s treatment to the young man?
Ans: Einstein did not get frustrated with the writer’s lack of knowledge. He listened, accepted him and patiently taught him to enjoy music. From this I learn that we should be friendly, helpful and empathetic, and that we should listen to others without prejudice.
Q4. Do you think the comparison between music and arithmetic was a good one? In what ways?
Ans: Yes, it was a good comparison. A maths teacher begins with simple things and moves step by step to harder ones like division and fractions. In the same way, the writer had never learnt the basics of music and was hearing complex classical pieces. Once he learnt the basics of listening, he could appreciate music and clap sincerely.
Q5. As far as listening is concerned, what difference do you notice between the writer and Einstein?
Ans: The writer did not understand classical music at all and felt he was tone-deaf. Einstein, on the other hand, was fond of classical music and Bach was his favourite composer, which is why he had come to the concert.
Q6. How did Einstein help the narrator appreciate music?
Ans: The writer told Einstein that he was tone-deaf. Einstein took him to a room with a gramophone and played music the writer already knew and enjoyed. Then, with simple examples, he led him step by step to listen and understand.
Q7. What does the last line tell you about Einstein?
Ans: The last line shows Einstein’s genuine interest in a stranger and his kindness. He opened the door to the beauty of music for the writer, which left the writer in his endless debt. It also teaches us to stay open to new experiences and not to be afraid to try new things.
English Workshop
1. Complete the following sentences.
Ans:
- (a) The narrator was not happy about the concert because he did not understand classical music and thought he was tone-deaf.
- (b) When the narrator turned to look at his neighbour, he saw a very famous face.
- (c) Einstein was surprised to hear that the writer did not know anything about Bach.
- (d) The narrator’s memory has an image of Einstein as a music lover, a mentor and a good human being.
- (e) The greatest act towards human beings is to make them realise their own capability.
2. Who said to whom?
Ans:
| Statement | Who | To whom | Effect on the listener |
|---|---|---|---|
| “We are going to listen to a very good pianist.” | The hostess | The writer | Unhappy, but polite |
| “I do not know anything about Bach.” | The writer | Einstein | Surprised, amazed |
| “You are not tone-deaf.” | Einstein | The writer | Happy and confident |
| “Just allow yourself to listen; that’s all there is to it.” | Einstein | The writer | Appreciated the music and clapped sincerely |
3. List all the words from the story related to ‘Music’.
Ans: Pianist; Gramophone; Trumpeter; Concert; Tone-deaf
4. Rewrite the following sentences inserting the appropriate phrases in their proper form. (to get out of, to come up, to turn on, to give in, to get into, to come down, to work out, to turn off, to give off, to give out, to work in)
Ans:
- (a) He got out of bed and came down to the living room, to see if the door was closed.
- (b) To enjoy the music and relax, he turned on the music and turned off the lights.
- (c) Smita gave in to her desire and gave out her favourite toys to the poor.
- (d) You should work in Mathematics so that you can work out the problem.
5. (A) Give two points of difference between: Instrumental Music and Vocal Music.
Ans:
| Instrumental Music | Vocal Music |
|---|---|
| (i) It is composed and played using only instruments. | (i) It is performed by one or more singers. |
| (ii) It has no lyrics. | (ii) It has lyrics and may be sung with or without instruments. |
(B) Light music, Classical music, Folk music
Ans:
| Light music | Classical music | Folk music |
|---|---|---|
| (i) It is easy, pleasant music for light orchestra and everyday listening. (ii) It does not follow strict rules. |
(i) It is serious music that follows established, strict principles. (ii) It is regarded as a traditional art form that needs training. |
(i) It is a traditional form of art handed down in a community. (ii) It uses simple tunes, easy language and the local dialect. |
6. Prepare a word list of occupations in alphabetical order from the letters A upto T. (You may skip ‘K’ and ‘Q’)
Ans:
| A – Actor | B – Banker | C – Carpenter / Cook | D – Doctor / Dancer |
| E – Engineer | F – Farmer | G – Goldsmith / Gardener | H – Historian |
| I – Interior designer | J – Judge / Jeweller | L – Lawyer / Lecturer | M – Manager / Musician |
| N – Nurse | O – Optician | P – Photographer / Painter | R – Radiographer |
| S – Singer | T – Teacher |
7. Rewrite the following in indirect narration.
Ans:
- (a) He told me that I was not tone-deaf.
- (b) Einstein asked whether I could have done it.
- (c) He ordered me to sing that back.
- (d) He asked what kind of music I liked.
- (e) She told Dr. Einstein that she was very sorry.
8. (A) Degrees of Comparison (Positive / Comparative / Superlative). Insert the appropriate expressions for the positive degree.
Ans:
- (1) I am not just as tall as my friend.
- (2) They are as helpful as their neighbours.
- (3) No other desert in Africa is nearly so big as the Sahara Desert.
- (4) Very few animals in the wild are exactly as huge as an elephant.
- (5) Some snacks are at least as tasty as a pizza.
(B) Change the Degree of Comparison, as directed, and rewrite without changing the meaning.
Ans:
- (1) No one in the class is as brilliant as Tanvi. (Superlative) — Tanvi is the most brilliant student in the class.
- (2) A diamond is one of the most precious of all stones. (Comparative) — A diamond is more precious than most other stones.
- (3) Her handwriting is better than that of her sister. (Positive) — Her sister’s handwriting is not as good as hers.
- (4) Jupiter is the largest of all planets. (Comparative) — Jupiter is larger than all other planets.
- (5) He is not the greatest of all leaders. (Positive) — Some other leaders are at least as great as he is.
- (6) This painting is better than any other painting in the palace. (Superlative) — This is the best painting in the palace.
9. Prepare a word chain. (The last letter of each word is the first letter of the next.)
Ans:
Pianist→Trainee→end→danger
Rubber→rich→hay
yellow→wizard→dancer
10. Pick out words that refer to the following:
Ans:
- (1) A musical performance in public — concert
- (2) A lady who invites and looks after guests — hostess
- (3) A device used to play recorded music — gramophone
- (4) One who is poor at deciphering musical notes — tone-deaf
- (5) Boundaries or limits of a field — frontiers
11. ‘Music is the medicine of the mind’. Narrate an experience that leads to the above conclusion. Write it in your own words, in your notebook.
Ans: Most of us think of music only as entertainment, but it also has healing power. Studies on music therapy show that it can reduce stress, ease pain and improve concentration and mood. I have felt this myself: after a tiring day, listening to my favourite songs calms my mind and I can study with a fresh focus. Doctors, too, report patients with stress-related problems who improved when they listened to music they loved every day. This is why music is truly the medicine of the mind.
12. You will come across many famous personalities in the story. Go to library or search on internet the following names and write a few lines about the personalities given below.
(a) Albert Einstein: Albert Einstein (1879–1955) was one of the greatest physicists of all time, famous for the theories of relativity. He was also a fine amateur violinist and pianist. He began violin lessons at the age of five and loved the music of Mozart and Bach. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921.
(b) Johann S. Bach: Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period, born in 1685 in Eisenach into a famous family of musicians. He is known for his organ and instrumental compositions and is regarded as one of the greatest composers ever.
(c) Bing Crosby: Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby was an American singer and actor. He was a leading star of records, radio and films from the 1930s to the 1950s and sold millions of records.
(d) John McCormack: John Francis McCormack was an Irish tenor, famous for his opera and popular songs and admired for his clear diction and breath control. He made hundreds of recordings and later became a citizen of the United States.
(b) Johann S. Bach: Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period, born in 1685 in Eisenach into a famous family of musicians. He is known for his organ and instrumental compositions and is regarded as one of the greatest composers ever.
(c) Bing Crosby: Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby was an American singer and actor. He was a leading star of records, radio and films from the 1930s to the 1950s and sold millions of records.
(d) John McCormack: John Francis McCormack was an Irish tenor, famous for his opera and popular songs and admired for his clear diction and breath control. He made hundreds of recordings and later became a citizen of the United States.
13. Imagine you are the monitor of the class. You are asked to conduct an interview of a famous scientist who is in your city/village. Frame 8 to 10 interview questions with the help of the given points.
Ans:
- (i) Where did you do your schooling?
- (ii) What was your favourite subject in school?
- (iii) How did you develop an interest in this field?
- (iv) Why is your research important?
- (v) Who was your guru or mentor?
- (vi) What are your most important inventions, and how did it feel to receive your awards?
- (vii) What was the most challenging part of your career?
- (viii) Was there an inspirational incident that became a turning point in your life?
- (ix) What are your future plans?
- (x) What is your advice to young people who want to build a career in science?
14. Project: Divide the class into four groups. Collect pictures or draw images of various musical instruments of the following categories: (a) Stringed Instruments (Guitar) (b) Wind Instruments (Flute) (c) Percussion Instruments (Tabla) (d) Solid Metal Instruments (Cymbals). Paste and decorate pictures on separate sheets of paper. Give proper headings and names. Compile into a file with a cover and suitable file-title.
Ans: Students should do this on their own.