Great Books Born Out of Great Minds
By A.P.J.
Abdul Kalam
EXAM-STYLE
QUESTIONS
SHORT ANSWER
QUESTIONS
Q1. What
does Dr Kalam mean by the culture of excellence?
Ans. Dr Kalam says that excellence
doesn’t come suddenly. It is something we work on throughout our life. A person
keeps trying to improve himself, his organization, and his country. To reach
excellence, we must set a goal and then work hard to reach it. Once that goal
is achieved, we aim for a higher one and continue the process. This habit of
always improving is the culture of excellence.
Q2. How do
people become independent learners? How can one become excellent in life?
Ans. According to Dr Kalam, reading
books regularly is the first step towards excellence. Reading gives us
knowledge. We keep improving, step by step. This habit of learning makes us
self-learners. To succeed, we must set goals and work hard to reach them. After
achieving one goal, we aim higher and continue working. This cycle helps us
become better and better.
Q3. What did
Dr Kalam find in his interactions with children?
Ans. Dr Kalam found talking to
children very exciting. Children love turning what they hear into stories. They
imagine and feel the stories as if they are real. While talking to them, even
the speaker feels like being part of their magical world. Kids create stories
from whatever they see or hear.
Q4. Why is
excellence not an accident? What happens as we move towards our dreams?
Ans. Dr Kalam says excellence doesn’t
happen by chance. It takes regular effort and patience. A person may fail many
times but must keep trying. After reaching one level, they must aim for the
next. This journey of hard work continues until they achieve their dream.
Q5. How does
excellence increase one’s abilities? Who should we compete with?
Ans. When we do our best, our
performance improves. This encourages us to do even better. Our ability grows
with practice. Dr Kalam says we should compete with ourselves, not others. Real
progress comes when we keep improving ourselves.
Q6. What do
children want to become? What kind of world do they live in? What do they learn
as they grow?
Ans. Children live in a world of
dreams and imagination. When asked what they want to be, they say things like
astronaut, pilot, doctor, or soldier. As they grow and watch movies or read
books, they add more dreams to their world. Stories and shows shape how they
think and feel.
Q7. What
inspired great writers to write such big epics? What is said about Life Force?
Ans. Great writers like Goethe,
Shakespeare, and Valmiki were inspired by something called the Life Force. This
Life Force is in everyone, but most people get busy with daily life and forget
it. Only a few great people use this inner power to create amazing works.
Q8. How do
stories affect our minds?
Ans. Stories help us find answers to
problems and prepare us for tough situations. Just like pilots use flight
simulators to practice, stories prepare our minds for real-life problems. They
teach us how to think and act.
Q9. How has
storytelling grown like human behaviour?
Ans. Dr Kalam says storytelling
doesn’t come naturally—it needs practice. In the same way, good behaviour also
comes from learning and repeating. Both need time and effort to get better.
Q10. What
are some bad sides of storytelling?
Ans. Dr Kalam warns that not all stories
are good. Some can be harmful. For example:
They might encourage violence or bad
habits.
They can fill young minds with
useless or wrong ideas.
They may teach fake values or dreams
that are not real.
He says we should choose our books
and stories carefully because they shape who we become.
Q11. What
does Dr Kalam say about Goethe, Shakespeare, and Valmiki?
Ans. Dr Kalam talks about these great
writers who created powerful stories. Goethe wrote Faust, a great German epic.
Shakespeare wrote plays that showed the past, present, and future. Valmiki
wrote the Ramayana, which also connects all three times. These writers were
guided by the Life Force in their minds.
Q12. What
advice does Dr Kalam give at the end of his speech?
Ans. Dr Kalam tells young people who
want to become writers to discover and use their Life Force. They should focus
and use their creativity to write great books. This inner strength can help
them create powerful works of art.
LONG ANSWER
QUESTION
Q1. What
final message does Dr Kalam give? What are his thoughts on Goethe, Shakespeare,
and Valmiki?
Ans. At the end of his speech, Dr
Kalam gives a message to young people who want to become writers. He tells them
to find and use their inner power—the Life Force. This power helps people imagine
and create great stories. He gives examples of Goethe, Shakespeare, and
Valmiki. Goethe wrote Faust, Shakespeare wrote many famous plays, and Valmiki
wrote the Ramayana. Dr Kalam believes these writers were able to write such
great works because they used their Life Force. Valmiki himself said that a
divine power helped him write. Dr Kalam believes everyone has this power, but
only a few people use it. He encourages the youth to use their own Life Force
to write great books.
Q2. What
does Dr Kalam mean when he talks about storytelling in his essay Great Books
Born out of Great Minds?
Ans. Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam says that
storytelling is a powerful way to teach, inspire, and shape young minds. For
him, stories are not just for fun—they help us learn values, gain knowledge,
and grow as people.
He believes great books tell great
stories, and these come from great minds full of ideas, dreams, and wisdom.
These stories pass on important messages to the next generation.
Dr Kalam wants young people to read
such stories because they help build character, spark imagination, and give
life a purpose.
But he also warns that not all
stories are good. Some stories can harm young minds if they promote violence,
false ideas, or wrong behavior.
In short, Dr Kalam sees storytelling
as a way to turn thoughts into action—by using emotion and imagination to learn
and grow.
Q3.
According to Kalam, how do stories affect our minds? What are the bad effects
of some stories?
Ans. Dr Kalam believes that stories
have a strong effect on our minds, especially when we are young. Good stories
can:
(i) Grow our imagination and
creativity
(ii) Teach us right values and morals
(iii) Make us stronger emotionally
(iv) Inspire us to dream big and think
differently
Such stories leave a deep mark on our
thinking and help shape our future goals. They can push us to learn more and
live a meaningful life.
However, Dr Kalam also says that some
stories can have a bad effect. These include stories that:
(i) Show violence, hate, or wrong
behavior
(ii) Distract young minds with
useless or harmful ideas
(iii) Promote false hopes or fake
values
He advises everyone to pick the right
kind of books and stories, as they help build a better mind and society.
Q4. What is
the culture of excellence according to Kalam? What does he learn from talking
to young people?
Ans. Dr Kalam says that the culture
of excellence means always trying to be better and not settling for average
work. It includes:
(i) Love for learning
(ii) Not giving up in hard times
(iii) Working hard and giving your
best
(iv) Taking full responsibility for
what you do
(v) Trying again and again until you
succeed
For him, excellence is not something
you do once—it’s a way of living. When we keep aiming high and doing our best,
it becomes part of our character.
When Dr Kalam talks to young people,
he feels hopeful. He sees that they have big dreams, lots of energy, and fresh
ideas. They ask smart questions and are eager to learn.
But he also reminds them that
dreaming is not enough. They must work hard, stay focused, and not fear
failure. He encourages them to have a vision—for themselves and for the
country—and to follow it with strong will and effort.
