Read the following passages and answer the questions given below them:
On the Saturday night when the news about the Columbia disaster broke, there was shock and disbelief. The town of Karnal spent a sleepless night as thousands of households stayed glued to their television sets in the hope that Kalpana and the crew had some how survived. A journalist wrote : She was a heroine. It takes enormous ability to become an astronaut. You need to know a lot about everything, from biology to astrophysics to aeronautical engineering. In this age of superspecialisation, you must have encyclopaedic knowledge to be an astronaut. Her achievement is awe-inspiring.
For millions of young Indians, the story of Kalpana Chawla, a girl from a small town who touched the skies, had become an inspiration. In a message that she sent from aboard the space shuttle, Columbia, to students of her college in Chandigarh, Kalpana said, “The path from dream to success does exist. May you have the vision to find it, the courage to get onto it. Wishing you a great journey.” There will surely be many who start off on this journey to fulfill their dreams.
1. Why did the town of Karnal spend a sleepless night the day the Columbia disaster broke out?
2. Why was Kalpana’s achievement ’awe-inspiring’, according to the journalist?
3. Why did Kalpana’s story become an inspiration for millions of young Indians?
4. What did Kalpana tell the students to do in order to achieve their dreams?
