A Visit to Cambridge
“A Visit to Cambridge” describes a memorable meeting between writer Firdaus Kanga and world-famous scientist Stephen Hawking. Both are differently abled and move in wheelchairs. When Kanga learns that Hawking lives in Cambridge, he requests to meet him. In their short conversation, Hawking speaks through his computer voice, explaining that he has “no choice” but to live with his disability. Kanga feels inspired by Hawking’s courage, brilliance, and inner strength. Hawking advises disabled people to focus on what they are good at. The meeting deeply moves Kanga, showing him the true meaning of determination and the beauty of the human spirit. The visit becomes a life-changing moment for him.
📌 हिंदी अनुवाद
“ए विज़िट टू कैम्ब्रिज” में लेखक फिरदौस कंगा की प्रसिद्ध वैज्ञानिक स्टीफन हॉकिंग से मुलाकात का वर्णन है। दोनों ही दिव्यांग हैं और व्हीलचेयर पर चलते हैं। कैम्ब्रिज पहुँचकर कंगा को पता चलता है कि हॉकिंग वहीं रहते हैं, तो वह उनसे मिलने की अनुमति लेते हैं। बातचीत के दौरान हॉकिंग अपने कंप्यूटर की मदद से बोलते हैं और बताते हैं कि वे अपनी स्थिति से बच नहीं सकते। कंगा उनके साहस, प्रतिभा और आंतरिक शक्ति से प्रेरित होते हैं। हॉकिंग दिव्यांग लोगों को सलाह देते हैं कि उन्हें उसी काम पर ध्यान देना चाहिए जिसमें वे अच्छे हों। यह मुलाकात कंगा के लिए अत्यंत प्रेरणादायक और जीवन बदल देने वाली साबित होती है।
Word Meanings with Hindi Translation
Here are some important words from the text with their meanings and Hindi translations:
Disabled (विकलांग): Having a physical or mental condition that limits movements, senses, or activities. (शारीरिक या मानसिक स्थिति होना जो गतिविधियों, इंद्रियों या क्रियाओं को सीमित करती है।)
Differently Abled (विशेष रूप से सक्षम): A term used to describe people with disabilities, focusing on their abilities rather than limitations. (विकलांग लोगों का वर्णन करने के लिए इस्तेमाल किया जाने वाला शब्द, उनकी सीमाओं के बजाय उनकी क्षमताओं पर ध्यान केंद्रित करता है।)
Paralysis (लकवा): The loss of the ability to move (and sometimes to feel anything) in part or most of the body. (शरीर के कुछ या अधिकांश हिस्से में हिलने-डुलने (और कभी-कभी महसूस करने) की क्षमता का नुकसान।)
Confines (सीमित करना): To keep or restrict someone or something within certain limits of space, scope, or time. (किसी व्यक्ति या वस्तु को स्थान, दायरे या समय की कुछ सीमाओं के भीतर रखना या प्रतिबंधित करना।)
Wheelchair (पहिये वाली कुर्सी): A chair fitted with wheels, used by people who cannot walk because of illness, injury, or disability. (पहियों से सुसज्जित कुर्सी, जिसका उपयोग बीमारी, चोट या विकलांगता के कारण चल न सकने वाले लोग करते हैं।)
Brittle bones (भंगुर हड्डियाँ): A condition where bones are unusually fragile and break easily. (एक ऐसी स्थिति जिसमें हड्डियाँ असामान्य रूप से नाजुक होती हैं और आसानी से टूट जाती हैं।)
Astrophysicist (खगोल भौतिक विज्ञानी): A scholar of astrophysics, a branch of physics dealing with stars, planets, etc. (खगोल भौतिकी का विद्वान, भौतिकी की एक शाखा जो सितारों, ग्रहों आदि से संबंधित है।)
Metaphor (रूपक): A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable. (एक अलंकार जिसमें एक शब्द या वाक्यांश को किसी ऐसी वस्तु या क्रिया पर लागू किया जाता है जिस पर वह शाब्दिक रूप से लागू नहीं होता है।)
Successor (उत्तराधिकारी): A person or thing that succeeds another. (एक व्यक्ति या वस्तु जो दूसरे के बाद आती है।)
Propelled (प्रेरित करना/धकेलना): To drive, push, or cause to move in a particular direction. (किसी विशेष दिशा में चलाना, धकेलना या गति देना।)
Buoyant (उत्प्लावन/प्रफुल्लित): Able to float easily; cheerful and optimistic. (आसानी से तैरने में सक्षम; हंसमुख और आशावादी।)
Disembodied (अशरीरी): Existing without a body. (बिना शरीर के अस्तित्व में होना।)
Disintegrating (क्षय होना/टूट जाना): Breaking up into small parts as a result of impact or decay. (प्रभाव या क्षय के परिणामस्वरूप छोटे-छोटे टुकड़ों में टूट जाना।)
Anguish (पीड़ा/व्यथा): Severe mental or physical pain or suffering. (गंभीर मानसिक या शारीरिक दर्द या पीड़ा।)
Corpses (शव): A dead body, especially of a human being. (एक मृत शरीर, विशेषकर मनुष्य का।)
Chronically (पुरानी रूप से): In a persistent and recurring way. (लगातार और बार-बार होने वाले तरीके से।)
Patronise/Patronize (संरक्षण देना/कृपा करना): To treat with an apparent kindness that betrays a feeling of superiority. (स्पष्ट दया के साथ व्यवहार करना जो श्रेष्ठता की भावना को दर्शाता है।)
Torso (धड़): The upper part of the body. (शरीर का ऊपरी हिस्सा।)
Incandescence (प्रदीप्ति/चमक): Light produced by high temperature; inner glow or light. (उच्च तापमान द्वारा उत्पन्न प्रकाश; आंतरिक चमक या प्रकाश।)
Accessory (सहायक/गौण): A thing that can be added to something else to make it more useful, versatile, or attractive, but is not essential. (एक ऐसी चीज जिसे किसी और चीज में जोड़ा जा सकता है ताकि वह अधिक उपयोगी, बहुमुखी या आकर्षक लगे, लेकिन वह आवश्यक नहीं है।)
Inflection (स्वर-परिवर्तन): A change in the pitch or tone of a person’s voice. (किसी व्यक्ति की आवाज की पिच या स्वर में परिवर्तन।)
Exhilaration (उत्साह/प्रसन्नता): A feeling of great happiness and excitement. (बहुत खुशी और उत्तेजना की भावना।)
Cliché (घिसी-पिटी बात): A phrase or idea used so often that it loses its meaning. (एक वाक्यांश या विचार जिसका इतनी बार उपयोग किया गया है कि उसका अर्थ समाप्त हो गया है।)
Claustrophobic (संकुचित/घुटन भरा): Feeling distress from being in a confined or narrow space. (एक सीमित या संकीर्ण स्थान में होने से संकट महसूस करना।)
Gleefully (प्रसन्नतापूर्वक): With great delight. (बहुत खुशी के साथ।)
Embodiment (अवतार/प्रतिरूप): A tangible or visible form of an idea, quality, or feeling. (किसी विचार, गुण या भावना का मूर्त या दृश्यमान रूप।)
Extracted Questions with Answers
Comprehension Check (Page 5)
1. “Cambridge was my metaphor for England.” To the writer,
(i) Cambridge was a reputed university in England.
(ii) England was famous for Cambridge.
(iii) Cambridge was the real England.
Answer: (iii) Cambridge was the real England.
2. The writer phoned Stephen Hawking’s house
(i) from the nearest phone booth.
(ii) from outside a phone booth.
(iii) from inside a phone booth.
Answer: (ii) from outside a phone booth. (He almost tore the cord so it could reach him outside).
3. Every time he spoke to the scientist, the writer felt guilty because
(i) he wasn’t sure what he wanted to ask.
(ii) he forced the scientist to use his voice synthesiser.
(iii) he was face to face with a legend.
Answer: (ii) he forced the scientist to use his voice synthesiser.
4. “I felt a huge relief… in the possibilities of my body.” In the given context, the highlighted words refer to
(i) shifting in the wheelchair, turning the wrist.
(ii) standing up, walking.
(iii) speaking, writing.
Answer: (i) shifting in the wheelchair, turning the wrist. (The context is his appreciation of these small movements, contrasting with his inability to walk or stand).
Working with the Text (Page 5-6)
1. (i) Did the prospect of meeting Stephen Hawking make the writer nervous? If so, why?
Answer: Yes, the prospect of meeting Stephen Hawking made the writer feel “weak all over.” This was not nervousness in a conventional sense, but rather an overwhelming feeling of awe and the weight of the moment, as he was about to meet someone who had achieved something monumental despite a similar physical condition. He was perhaps also nervous about how to interact without burdening him.
1. (ii) Did he at the same time feel very excited? If so, why?
Answer: Yes, he definitely felt very excited. He expresses that seeing somebody like Hawking, who achieved “something huge,” made him realize “how much is possible” and pushed him to “reach out further than you ever thought you could.” This anticipation of inspiration and connection caused immense excitement.
2. Guess the first question put to the scientist by the writer.
Answer: Based on the text, the writer first asked Stephen Hawking about his perspective on living with a disability. The text states, “A lot of people seem to think that disabled people are chronically unhappy,” I said. “I know that’s not true myself. Are you often laughing inside?” This appears to be his initial line of questioning, trying to understand Hawking’s inner world.
3. Stephen Hawking said, “I’ve had no choice.” Does the writer think there was a choice? What was it?
Answer: Yes, the writer initially thought there was a choice. He wanted to say, “living creatively with the reality of his disintegrating body was a choice?” He believed that facing such immense challenges with creativity and resilience was a conscious decision, rather than a lack of options.
4. “I could feel his anguish.” What could be the anguish?
Answer: The anguish Kanga felt could be Stephen Hawking’s deep-seated frustration and suffering from his severe physical limitations, particularly his struggle to communicate. Kanga observed him “tapping at the little switch in his hand, trying to find the words on his computer with the only bit of movement left to him, his long, pale fingers. Every so often, his eyes would shut in frustrated exhaustion.” This daily, arduous effort to express his brilliant thoughts clearly caused immense mental and emotional pain, which Kanga sensed.
5. What endeared the scientist to the writer so that he said he was looking at one of the most beautiful men in the world?
Answer: The scientist endeared himself to the writer through his sharp wit, honesty, and the sheer brilliance of his mind, which shone through his physical limitations. When Kanga asked if he found it annoying when someone like him disturbed him, Hawking’s immediate and truthful “Yes,” followed by his “one-way smile,” revealed his genuine personality beyond the public image. Kanga recognized the “incandescence of a man,” where the body was irrelevant, and it was the incredible spirit and intellect that made him “one of the most beautiful men in the world.”
6. Read aloud the description of ‘the beautiful’ man. Which is the most beautiful sentence in the description?
Answer:
The description of ‘the beautiful’ man (Stephen Hawking) is:
“A first glimpse of him is shocking, because he is like a still photograph – as if all those pictures of him in magazines and newspapers have turned three-dimensional. Then you see the head twisted sideways into a slump, the torso shrunk inside the pale blue shirt, the wasted legs; you look at his eyes which can speak, still, and they are saying something huge and urgent – it is hard to tell what. But you are shaken because you have seen something you never thought could be seen. Before you, like a lantern whose walls are worn so thin you glimpse only the light inside, is the incandescence of a man. The body, almost irrelevant, exists only like a case made of shadows. So that I, no believer in eternal souls, know that this is what each of us is; everything else an accessory.”
7. (i) If ‘the lantern’ is the man, what would its ‘walls’ be?
Answer: If ‘the lantern’ is the man (Stephen Hawking), its ‘walls’ would be his physical body, which was frail and affected by paralysis.
7. (ii) What is housed within the thin walls?
Answer: Within the thin walls (his body) is housed the “light inside,” which represents his brilliant mind, spirit, and intellect.
7. (iii) What general conclusion does the writer draw from this comparison?
Answer: The writer draws the conclusion that for every person, the body is merely a “case made of shadows,” and what truly defines us, the “light inside,” is our inner self, our mind, and our spirit. “So that I, no believer in eternal souls, know that this is what each of us is; everything else an accessory.”
8. What is the scientist’s message for the disabled?
Answer: Stephen Hawking’s message for disabled people is: “They should concentrate on what they are good at.” He also stated, “I think things like the disabled Olympics are a waste of time,” implying that their focus should be on utilizing and developing their unique talents rather than participating in activities that highlight physical limitations.
9. Why does the writer refer to the guitar incident? Which idea does it support?
Answer: The writer refers to the guitar incident (“I remembered the years I’d spent trying to play a Spanish guitar considerably larger than I was; and how gleefully I had unstringed it one night”) to support Stephen Hawking’s idea that disabled people should “concentrate on what they are good at.” Kanga realized that trying to play a large guitar was not his strength and was a “waste of time” for him, just as Hawking described the disabled Olympics.
10. The writer expresses his great gratitude to Stephen Hawking. What is the gratitude for?
Answer: The writer’s gratitude to Stephen Hawking is for the profound realization and acceptance he gained about his own body and life. Through meeting Hawking, Kanga experienced “a huge relief and exhilaration in the possibilities of my body.” He realized “How little it mattered then that I would never walk, or even stand.” Hawking’s life, as an “embodiment of my bravest self,” helped Kanga’s journey of self-acceptance reach its conclusion.
11. Complete the following sentences taking their appropriate parts from both the boxes below.
Box A:
tapping at a little switch in his hand
and I told him
that there are people
as if you have a courage account
and they are saying something huge and urgent
Box B:
trying to find the words on his computer.
I had come in a wheelchair from India.
on which you are too lazy to draw a cheque.
smiling with admiration to see you breathing still.
it is hard to tell what.
(i) There was his assistant on the line …
Answer: There was his assistant on the line and I told him I had come in a wheelchair from India.
(ii) You get fed up with people asking you to be brave, …
Answer: You get fed up with people asking you to be brave, as if you have a courage account on which you are too lazy to draw a cheque.
(iii) There he was, …
Answer: There he was, tapping at a little switch in his hand trying to find the words on his computer.
(iv) You look at his eyes which can speak, …
Answer: You look at his eyes which can speak, and they are saying something huge and urgent — it is hard to tell what.
(v) It doesn’t do much good to know …
Answer: It doesn’t do much good to know that there are people smiling with admiration to see you breathing still.