Lesson 1.1 From Zero to Infinity
Lesson 1.1> From Zero to Infinity
Glossary
- absurd (adj.) – stupid and unreasonable, silly in a humorous way
- infinity (n) – unlimited space, time, amount, a number large beyond any limit
- intriguing (adj.) – very interesting because of being unusual or mysterious
- prodigy (n) – a child who shows a great ability at a young age
- dingy (adj.) – a dark and dirty place
- Physiology (n) – the scientifi c study of the way in which the bodies of animals and plants work
- unkempt (adj.) – not neat or cared for
- uncouth (adj.) – behaving in an unpleasant way
- conjecture (n) – an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information.
- discrepancy (n) – an illogical or surprising lack of compatibility or similarity between two or more facts
- distinguished (adj.) – used to describe a person, respected and admired for excellence
- devouring (adj.) – destructively consuming
- disembark (v) – to leave a ship, aircraft, etc. after a journey
- emaciated (adj.) – very thin and weak, usually because of illness or extreme hunger
- agonising (adj.) – causing extreme physical or mental pain
A. Questions within the lesson
1. What was the reaction of the classmates to Ramanujan’s question?
There was a roar of laughter in the class.
2. What did the Indian mathematician Bhaskara prove?
Bhaskara proved Zero divided by Zero gives infinity.
3. Where did Ramanujan get “Loney’s Trigonometry” book from?
Ramanujan got “Loney’s Trignometry” book from his college library.
4. Where did Ramanujan do his mathematical problems?
Ramanujan used to do problems on loose sheets of paper or on a slate.
5. What were the subjects neglected by Ramanujan in college?
Ramanujan neglected History, English and Physiology.
6. Which University granted him a fellowship of R75 a month?
The University of Madras granted him a fellowship of R75 a month.
7. What did Ramanujan send to G.H. Hardy?
Ramanujan sent a letter in which he set out 120 theorems and formulae. It included the Reimann series, a topic in the definite integral of calculas.
8. Who discovered a rare mathematical genius in Ramanujan?
Hardy and his colleague J.E. Littlewood discovered a rare mathematical genius in Ramanujan
B. Answer the following questions in a sentence or two
1. Why did the students laugh at Ramanujan?
Ramanujan asked, “If no banana is distributed among no one, will everyone still get one banana?” So the students laughed at him.
2. Why did the teacher compliment Ramanujan?
Ramanujan had asked a question that had taken mathematicians several centuries to answer. So the teacher complimented him.
3. What did Ramanujan do after reading the book on Trigonometry?
After reading the book on Trigonometry, Ramanujan began his own research and came forth with theorems and formulae that was not given in that book.
4. What disappointed Ramanujan’s father?
Ramanujan neglected other subjects such as History, English, and Physiology. So he failed twice in his first-year arts examination in college. This disappointed his father.
5. How did Ramanujan manage his paper crisis?
Ramanujan managed his paper crisis by using even scraps of paper which he found lying on the streets. Sometimes he used a red pen to write over what was written in blue ink
6. Why were Ramanujan’s application for jobs rejected?
Ramanujan’s application for jobs were rejected as no one could understand what was written in his frayed notebooks.
7. Why was Ramanujan sent back to India?
Ramunujan was suffering from the then uncurable disease Tuberculosis. So he was sent back to India.
B. Match the words with correct Synonym and Antonym from the table:
| Word | Synonym | Antonym |
| 1. distribute | boundless | trivial |
| 2. infinite | commence | sorrow |
| 3. significant | joy | collect |
| 4. delight | guess | clean |
| 5. unkempt | circulate | conclude |
| 6. initiate | messy | fact |
| 7. conjecture | important | measurable |
| Ans : 1 – e – C , 2 – a – G , 3 – g – A , 4 – c – B , 5 – f – D , 6 – b – E , 7 – d – F | ||
Connectors
Complete the following sentences using appropriate Connectors from the box.
| moreover | although | although | therefore | because |
| as long as | thus | above all | for instance | except |
1. She felt cold ______________ she was wearing a winter coat.
Ans : although
2. This restaurant has some of the best chefs in the town. _____________ their service is excellent.
Ans : moreover
3. I’m not going to the party tonight _______________ I didn’t get an invitation.
Ans : because
4. You can set the table. ________________, I’ll start making dinner.
Ans : Meanwhile
5. I can play quite a few instruments.______________, the fl ute, the guitar and the piano.
Ans : for instance
6. The store was out of chocolate chips; ______________ they would need to make a different type of cookies.
Ans : thus
7. The stores are open daily ____________ Sundays.
Ans : except
8. I’ll stay ________________ you need me.
Ans : as long a
9. This detergent is highly concentrated and ____________ you will need to dilute it.
Ans :
10. It was the thing he prized _____________.
Ans : above all
Active Voice and Passive Voice
A. Convert the following active sentences into passive sentences by supplying an appropriate passive verb form.
1. She will not recognize us. / We ____________ by her.
- will not recognize
- will not being recognized
- will not be recognized
Ans : will not be recognized
2. They didn’t invite me, but I went anyway. / I ________________ but I went anyway.
- wasn’t invited
- wasn’t being invited
- wasn’t inviting
Ans : wasn’t invited
3. They broke up the table for firewood. / The table ____________ up for firewood.
- broke
- had broken
- was broken
Ans : was broken
4. She has won the first prize. / The first prize ______________ by her.
- has won
- has been won
- had been won
Ans : has been won
5. A friend of mine is repairing the car. / The car _______________ by a friend of mine.
- is repairing
- is repaired
- is being repaired
Ans : is being repaired
6. Begin the work tomorrow. / Let the work ____________ tomorrow.
- be begun
- begin
- is beginning
Ans : be begun
7. They speak English in New Zealand. / English _______________ in New Zealand.
- is speaking
- is spoken
- is being spoken
Ans : is spoken
8. His attitude shocked me. / I _______________ by his attitude.
- had shocked
- had been shocked
- was shocked
Ans : was shocked
9. She had already sent the parcel. / The parcel _______________ by her.
- has already been sent
- had already been sent
- was already sent
Ans : had already been sent
10. Her silence worries me. / I _______________ her silence.
- am worrying by
- am worried by
- have worried by
Ans : am worried by
C. Match the following Active voice sentences with Passive voice
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
| 1. I will never forget this experience | A novel has been written by her. |
| 2. Mother made a cake yesterday. | The deer was being chased by the tiger. |
| 3. Have you finished the report? | A cake was made by mother yesterday. |
| 4. The tiger was chasing the deer. | Has the report been finished by you? |
| 5. She has written a novel. | This experience will never be forgotten by me. |
| Ans : 1 – e, 2 – c, 3 – d, 4 – b, 5 – a | |
C. Change the following into passive voice
1. Stanley will inform you later.
You will be informed by Stanley later.
2. People speak Portuguese in Brazil.
Portuguese is spoken in Brazil. *(by the people)
3. My grandfather built this house in 1943.
This house was built in 1943 by my grandfather.
4. Do not hurt the animals.
Let not the animals be hurt.
5. You must not drop littler in the streets.
Litter must not be dropped in the streets. *(by you)
6. Carry it home.
Let it be carried home.
7. They are decorating the wall.
The wall is being decorated by them.
8. He has already mended the TV set.
The TV set has already been mended by him.
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