Finish Line & Beyond

The Comet

1. Why does Indrani Debi dislike Duttada’s “hobnobbing” with Dibya?

Answer: Since the time Duttada acquired his Dibya he was always engrossed in it. It
was a telescope which Duttada cherished to have throughout his life. He was ad-
dicted of looking at stars for hours. It certainly reduced his attention on other as-
pects of his life and more so on his wife Indrani Debi. That is why Indrani Debi dis-
liked his continuous engagement with Dibya.

2. She is complaining and smiling. Why is she smiling?

Answer: Indrani Debi knew that her husband never gave a damn care to household
issues. But on that night he did not forget to shut the door before leaving for star-
gazing. She was smiling for his rare carefulness.

3. (i) What was Duttada’s secret ambition?

(ii) What did he do to achieve it?

Answer: Like every amateur astronomers Duttada wanted to discover some new
comet. He would keep on making complex observations and recording them.

4. What is the difference between a planet and a comet, as given in the

story?

Answer: Planets encircle the sun in circular paths hence are visible throughout the
year. On the other hand comets move in an eccentric path hence are visible once in
several years and even once in a century.

5. Why was Duttada hopeful that he would discover a new comet soon?

Answer: Duttada knew that professional astronomers have to follow their organiza-
tion’s guidelines to look for faint stars and nebulae. They don’t pay attention to insig-
nificant things like comet. All the comets had been discovered by amateur astro-
nomers till date. So Duttada was hopeful of discovering a new comet.

6. Why does Duttada say — “I almost wish I had not discovered this
comet.”?

Answer: Duttada was an introvert person. He was disturbed by all the attention he
started to get after his discovery. That is why he was ruing the fact that he dis-
covered the new comet.

7. Why is his wife unhappy about the discovery?

Answer: The wife was having faith on the belief that comets bring bad luck with
them. She did not like her husband’s name associated with a comet.

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 Finish Line & Beyond

8. How did Sir John get hold of James’ original manuscript?

Answer: The editor of the magazine ‘Nature’ was Sir John’s friend. Utilizing his rela-
tion with the editor he got hold of James’ original script.

9. What is the important point the paper makes?

Answer: The paper made a prediction that Dutta’s Comet would collide with the
earth in 10 months time leading to the end of all living things on the earth.

10. Why does Sir John say that James’ paper should not be published?

Answer: Sir John wanted no panic to be created among people. He was confident of
finding a solution to this problem with help of the world’s scientists.

11. What do the two men finally decide to do?

Answer: They decided to call a secret meeting of experts within a week’s time to
think over and find the solution to the imminent problem.

12. “For a moment James wondered if he had done his sums right.” Why
was James doubtful about his sums and calculations?

Answer: James was not doubtful about his calculations. He wished to find some
wrong calculations so that he could heave a sigh of relief that the world would not
end. Deep in his mind he, like all others did not want the life on the earth to end.

13. What did the scientists at the conference say about James’s ‘sums’?

Answer: After rechecking James’ sum for the umpteenth time the scientist arrived
at the horrifying conclusion that James was right. There was just a feeble chance of
the comet scraping through the earth’s atmosphere. Even then also it would have
caused great damage.

14. Immediate action was needed, the scientists decided. Give one example
each of ‘defensive’ and ‘offensive’ action mentioned in the text.

Answer: The Defensive Option: It was planned to prepare underground bunkers to

hide everybody for safety.

The Offensive Option: To deflect the path of the comet by using nuclear explosion.
This was preferred as nobody was sure about the size of the comet.

15. “I am not buying any Christmas presents till December 15.” What did Sir
John mean by that?

Answer: There is a saying that the Earth is like a small speck of dust in this universe
and we are a minute part of that small speck. Against the powers of the universe hu-
man beings are simply powerless. Sir John was aware of this fact and, like everybody

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 Finish Line & Beyond

else, was not hundred percent sure of the success of the offensive measure planned
in the meeting. So he was postponing all celebrations till the D-day.

16. What is Duttada expected to do on his return from London?

Answer: After his return from London he discovered that Indrani Debi had arranged
for a yajna to be performed. She, along with other family members, planned it to
ward off the evils of the comet’s visit.

17. What is his reaction to the proposal?

Answer: Duttada did not believe in such superstitions. So he refused to participate I

the yajna.

18. (i) What does ‘Project Light Brigade’ refer to?

(ii) What does Sir John say about the Project in his letter to Duttada in Oc-
tober?

Answer: ‘Project Light Brigade’ referred to the plans to deflect the comet’s path by
nuclear explosion.

In October Sir John wrote about the timely launch of the spaceship which was carry-
ing nuclear materials for explosion near the comet.

19. Did Sir John buy Christmas presents on December 15? How did Duttada
get to know about it?

Answer: When the scientific community observed that the comet started going away
from the earth they were relieved that it did not do any harm. So Sir John decided to
buy Christmas present on 15th December. He sent an urgent message in this regard
to Duttada through the British High Commission in India.

20. Why, according to Indrani Debi, had the comet not been disastrous? Do
you agree with her?

Answer: According to Indrani Debi it was the effect of the yajna which did not allow
the comet to create disaster on the earth. For somebody who is a s rational as Dut-
tada this impossible to believe. I belong to that category. For those who believe in
comets bringing bad luck this is believable.

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