Plus One English Unit 1 Quest for a Theory of Everything Notes & Q&A | Savidya

QUEST FOR A THEORY OF EVERYTHING

Kitty Gail Ferguson

Stephen Hawking Biography

Presentation: Ms. Sajeena Shukkoor

Biography Summary

Stephen Hawking was born on January 8, 1942, in Oxford, England. Despite being diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) at age 21, he became one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists in history. He studied at Oxford and Cambridge, specializing in cosmology.

His reputation as a "Genius" began during his Cambridge days where he asked penetrating questions to distinguished scientists. Even after losing his voice due to a tracheotomy, he continued his research using the Equalizer computer program. His masterpiece, 'A Brief History of Time' (1988), remains a landmark in making science accessible to the public.

Prepared by Joy Peter, HSST English

📌 Important Questions & Answers

Q1. What was the rare disease Stephen Hawking contracted at age 21?

Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a motor neuron disease that eventually paralyzed him and left him without speech.

Q2. How did Jane Hawking view Stephen's personality?

Jane was attracted to Stephen’s intelligence, his eccentric and rather arrogant nature, and found him to be very interesting and witty.

Q3. What is the significance of the "Equalizer" in Hawking's life?

The Equalizer is a computer program that allowed Hawking to select words from a screen to communicate. It enabled him to continue his scientific work and complete his books after he lost his voice.

Q4. Mention the famous book written by Stephen Hawking in 1988.

In 1988, he published his famous work "A Brief History of Time", which became a global bestseller and explained complex cosmology to common people.

Q5. Why is Stephen Hawking compared to Albert Einstein?

Hawking is compared to Einstein because of his groundbreaking work in theoretical physics, particularly regarding Black Holes and the origins of the universe, which challenged existing scientific boundaries.

"Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change." — Stephen Hawking