exalt 1

Jan'2012

EXALT

EXALT is a publication of www.mysuper .com | An IIT & IIM Alumni initiative brain 1

Welcome Note

EXALT is an attempt to encourage the all-round development in school students. Every

student has a special skill. There is an all-rounder in every student, but because of various

factors those skills don‟t come to fruition. We are trying to right that wrong. We, a team of

IIT & IIM Alumni and graduates from some of the best institutes in India, supported by

people from different walks of life, would bring to you a complete package that would bring

out the latent skills in students and contribute immensely to their growth.

We base our work on the path breaking research of Dr. Howard Gardner. His “Theory of

Multiple Intelligences” talks extensively about various intelligences in students and the

importance of encouraging those skills.

EXALT will help students in three main ways

Knowledge

Creativity

Recognition

Students would be able to improve their knowledge in different areas like science, number

skills, current affairs, health etc. There would be loads of creative activities that would get

the creative juices in students flowing. We give a very high importance to showcasing of

students‟ abilities to the world. Every edition would have various activities and competitions

listed. Students can submit their work and we would provide them a global audience on our

website www.mysuperbrain.com

We assure you through this inaugural edition that this magazine would continuously bring

new articles, activities and competitions that would broaden the horizon of every student

who lays his/her hand on it.

Happy New Year and Happy Learning!!

Frohes Neues Jahr! – (Happy New year in German)

bonne année – (Happy New year in French)

felice anno nuovo, buon anno - (Happy New year in Italian)

- Team EXALT

http://www.mysuperbrain.com/


Index

Welcome Note 1

Foreword 2

Index 3

1.0 Self-Smart 5

1.1 Identify the Eminent

personalities

5

1.2 Dhirubhai Ambani 6

1.3 Abraham Lincoln 7

2.0 Word Smart

2.1 Anagrams

2.2 Word or Not

2.3 Vocabulary

2.4 Crosswords

3.0 People-Smart

3.1 Reading speed &

Comprehension

3.2 Turning Bad habits into Good

habits

3.3 Know a profession

4.0 Number Smart

4.1 Math-Magic

4.2 Mental Math

4.3 Revenge of Numbers

5.0 Nature Smart

5.1 Human organs (Lungs)

5.2 Musical skills : Guitar

5.3 10 Fun facts you didn’t know

6.0 Other Intelligences

6.1 Article by Editor

6.2 Winners and their work

7.0 Puzzles

7.1 The Project-X : The Bottle Tower

7.2 Science Experiment : Air has

weight

8.0 Body smart

8.1 Quizzes

8.2 Group activities

8.3 Competitions

9.0 Ask an Expert


1.0, Self Smart

Intra-personal intelligence is the capacity to understand oneself and one’s thoughts and feelings, and to

use such knowledge in planning and directing one’s life. Intra-personal intelligence involves not only an

appreciation of the self, but also of the human condition.

“Idols of the month” are going to be 2 random picks among the inspirational beings we are

surrounded by. These people have the capability of being the subtle change makers when taken them as

inspiration. This week we talk about the Industrial Giant, Dhirubhai Ambani and the Ex-President of

United States, Abraham Lincoln. Before we jump into the learning part, here is a fun activity to test your

existing knowledge.

1.1, Identify the Eminent personalities

Below are the images of few people who deserve to be known. Your duty is to identify the

person and note the name of him/her in the box given below.


1.2, Dhirubhai Ambani

Born into the family of a school teacher in a small

village called Chowrad in Gujarat, India, Dhirubai

Ambani is an apt example for the rags to riches

story. This dynamic entrepreneur founded

Reliance Industries in the year 1958 and Reliance

Industries is the first Indian company to be

featured in the Forbes 500 list. Ambani was also

featured among the list of Top 50 businessmen in

Asia by Sunday Times.

Dhirubai was a highly precocious student. He made extra money while still at school by

selling onion and vegetable fries during village fairs. Unfortunately, he had to discontinue

his studies after matriculation as his father became very sick and could not support the

family. He left to Aden (now a part of Yemen) to work as a clerk with a firm called A.Besse

& Co. He was 16 years then. At Besse, Dhirubai later worked in the commodities section of

the firm where he learnt a lot about trading and business. Every night, during his stay at

the boarding house with several other Gujarati boys working as clerks, Dhirubai used to

spend hours trying to learn and improve his English grammar, essay writing skills,

knowledge about current affairs. Jawaharlal Nehru‟s the „Glimpses of World History‟ and the

„Discovery of India‟ were his favorite books. Though he started reading these books as a

means to improve his English vocabulary, these books opened to him a whole new world of adventure and human wisdom.

In 1958, he came back to India with savings of Rs.50,000 to start a commodity trading and

export firm with the name Reliance Commercial Corporation. Their first office was set up at

the Narsinatha Street in Mumbai which was a 350 sq ft room with a telephone, one table

and three chairs. Dhirubai was known to be a great risk taker. With his talent, knowledge

about current affairs, keen business acumen and ability to anticipate price rises, Dhirubai was able to generate huge profits for Reliance Commercial Corporation.

In the year 1966, sensing a good opportunity in the business of textiles, Dhirubai set up a

textile mill in Ahmedabad. These textiles were marketed under the brand name „Vimal‟ and

several franchisee outlets were set up in various parts of the country. This textile plant was

also visited by a team of officials from the World Bank in the year 1975 and certified the

textile plant as "excellent by developed country standards." Dhirubai convinced several rural

investors that being shareholders in the company would be a profitable venture to them and

went public in the year 1977. Reliance has more than 58,000 investors and the company used to conduct its annual general body meetings in stadiums.

With the assistance of his two sons, Anil Ambani and Mukesh Ambani, Dhirubai Ambani

successfully built the largest private sector company in India, Reliance India Limited. With

time, the company diversified and forayed into several different sectors like petrochemicals,

telecommunications, financial products, logistics, energy and power, information technology

products. Dhirubai Ambani is said to have revolutionized the Indian industrial sector and is

also credited with the honor of being the only privately owned Indian company is the list

Forbes 500. He was able to generate millions of rupees in wealth for his investors.


He was conferred with many awards and honours. He was voted the Top Businessman in

the Best of Indiapoll conducted by Zee News in August 2003. He was rated as India„s

Most Admired CEO for four consecutive years by the Business Barons - Taylor Nelson

Sofres - Mode Surveys. He received the „Lifetime Achievement Award‟ from HRD, Congress

in the year 2002 and was conferred The Economic Times Award for Corporate

Excellence for Lifetime Achievement‟ in August 2001. He was conferred several

other titles like Creator of Wealth , Man of the Century, Most Admired Indian business Leader, Star of Asia to name a few.

Dhirubai Ambani died on July 6, 2002 after being in a state of coma for more than

a week resulted from a stroke. After his death, the Reliance Group was split into

two companies; Reliance Industies which is now headed by his son Mukesh

Ambani and Relaince Anil Dhirubai Ambani Group headed by Anil Ambani.

1.3, Abraham Lincoln

We all get bogged down by failures. Failures can demoralize us at time, but we

have to understand that failures are part of life and it is only by working harder that we can be successful in life. We cannot let failures pull us back. Let's look at the life of Abraham Lincoln for some inspiration. He had failed many times in his life, had a

nervous breakdown too, but finally reached his goal of becoming the president of the United States of America.

Here is a brief timeline of Abraham Lincoln

1831 - Failed in business 1832 - Defeated for legislature 1833 - Again failed in business

1834 - Elected to legislature 1835 - Sweetheart died

1836 - Had a nervous breakdown 1838 - Defeated for speaker 1840 - Defeated for elector

1843 - Defeated for Congress 1846 - Elected for Congress

1848 - Defeated for Congress 1855 - Defeated for Senate 1856 - Defeated for Vice-President

1858 - Defeated for Senate 1860 - ELECTED PRESIDENT

Moral of the Story Never ever give up. One day you surely would be very successful.


2.0, Word Smart

Linguistic intelligence is the ability to think in words and to use language to express

and appreciate complex meanings. Linguistic intelligence allows us to understand

the order and meaning of words and to apply meta-linguistic skills to reflect on our

use of language. Linguistic intelligence is the most widely shared human

competence and is evident in poets, novelists, journalists, and effective public

speakers. Young adults with this kind of intelligence enjoy writing, reading, telling

stories or doing crossword puzzles. Here are few activities to fine tune them.

2.1, Anagrams – Word formation

The rule here is simple. We give you a word and you have to find as many new

words as possible using just the alphabets from that given word.

i. Make as many meaningful words as possible with the letters in the following word:

MYSUPER BRAIN

Alphabets: M–1, Y-1, S-1, U-1, P-1, E-1, R-1, B-1, R-1, A-1, I-1, N-1

For each word, you get as many points as the size of the word. For example, if you

form „RAIN‟, you get four points. If you form „BRAINY‟, you get six points.

ii. Also try the same with this word:

MISAPPROPRIATION

Alphabets: M-1, I-3, S-1, A-2, P-3, R-2, O-2, T-1, N-1

Calculate your total scores by adding up all the points. Make sure you are not

repeating any of the words. Complete list of words and ratings would be given in the next

edition. Try doing this exercise individually and then do it as a group with a couple of

friends.


2.2, Word or Not

Identify the real and fake words from the following list. Do you know the meanings

of all the real words? Write them down on a piece of paper. The next edition will

have the answers and meanings for real words)

Kids:

Skool Girafe Umbrella Computer Gurl

Teasher Nife television Klouds Clothes

Fother Mother Sishter Broter Clock

Juniors:

Penninsula Ambiguous Ambitios Ensnared Shrine

Adroit Persevarance Integrity Innocuous Instigaty

Gaffe Judicious Prejudice Blufed Trickle

Seniors:

intermittent Gaffe untenable Gadjets Umbrage

Phishing Prosaik Enframe Klouds Canter

Banter Genteel Reprimand untoward Enshrine

2.3, Vocabulary

Here are a couple of English words and their meanings. Try to memorize them all and use

them as much as possible in daily conversations.

Dissident (adjective): One who disagrees.


2.4, Crosswords

Find the Animals and Birds in this Cross Word Jungle:

You probably know how it‟s played. But here are the instructions for the

newbies.

-> Grab a pencil -> Read the hints given -> Fill in the words

As easy as that. Now

have you got your pencil ready? Zoinks! Aren‟t you going to sharp it? Now as

the pencil looks in perfect shape. Amuse yourself

filling in the words.

Down

1. Pre Historic Animals that roamed our

planet.

3. Our cousins, live in trees, use long tails

as Suspension ropes.

5. That huge animal with a horn on its nose.

6. Beware, this slithering creature could

bite.

8. This scale covered creature lives in

water.

9. A Tiny creature that makes a beeline for

the picnic basket.

11. Our ancestors were just close to them.

13. Man‟s ancient vehicle still Gallops along

14. This baby sheep still has to grow its

wool.

15. It‟s a bird, but can‟t fly, but will outrun a

horse.

17. A deadly snake known for its venom.

18. Beware of its predatory eye as it.

20. Buzzes around us in search of food and

brings loads of germs.

Across

1. Huge mammal living in our oceans

4. The fierce mighty cat is proud of its

stripe.

6. This endearing mammal soaks in the

sun, is most graceful in water.

7. Another jungle cat, but the male favors

a beard.

8. This amphibian can make a mighty leap

on its power hind legs.

10. A fish famous for its razor sharp teeth.

12. The fastest animal on land is fast getting

extinct.

16. Huge lumbering animal, weighing upto 4

tons, a pure vegetarian.

19. This pet loves to hunt mice.

21. This night bird has excellent night vision.

22. India‟s national bird could easily

compete in any beauty contests.


3.0, People Smart

Interpersonal intelligence is the ability to understand and interact effectively with others. It involves

effective verbal and nonverbal communication, the ability to note distinctions among others, sensitivity

to the moods and temperaments of others, and the ability to entertain multiple perspectives. Teachers,

social workers, actors, and politicians, all exhibit interpersonal intelligence. Young adults with this kind

of intelligence are leaders among their peers, are good at communicating, and seem to understand

others’ feelings and motives.

3.1, Reading speed and Comprehension

Did you ever wonder why and how some people read an article faster than others and

comprehend it better? It is a great skill to have. The importance of good reading speed and

great comprehension will only increase as you grow older. In this article, we tell you some

ways and practices that can help you in this regard.

Following are few important things to follow:

1. Read regularly: Reading has to be a habit. Try spending at least 20 minutes every

day on reading. You can take a newspaper or a book. Ask your elders for advice on

the books or papers to read.

2. Read on different topics: Read on different topics because that would increase

your comfort levels with different topics.

3. Track your progress: It is important to know whether you are making some

progress. Maintain a book to track your progress. You can refer to the table give to

understand how it should be noted. Use a timer to see how much time you have

taken to read different articles. The following table would also let you see for yourself

which topics are easier for you and which ones difficult.


Table:

4. Monthly evaluation: Every month, you need to compare your speed with the

previous month so that you can get motivated to improve even more.

5. Concentration: Concentration is very important to improve your reading speeds

and comprehension. When you are reading something, try to focus solely on the task

on hand.

6. Practice: When someone says, “practice makes man perfect”, they aren‟t lying.

3.2, Turning Bad habits into Good habits

Habits, good or bad, make you who you are. The key is controlling them. If you know how to change

your habits, then even a small effort can create big changes.

Most of life is habitual. You do the same things you did yesterday, the day before and every day for the

last month. It’s estimated that out of every 11,000 signals we receive from our senses, our brain only

consciously processes 40.

Here are few tips to start with:

a. One Habit for 30 Days: It’s believed that if you follow a habit for 30 days. You do it

automatically from the next time.

b. Use a trigger: You plan a gesture before or after the habit you want to get

used to. Like jumping out of bed as soon as you hear alarm.

c. Get Leverage: Give away your most beloved toys or even cash at times to

your trusted friend and ask them to give back only if you follow the habit for

30 days continuously. You know who those trusted friends can be: Teachers

or Parents.

d. Keep it simple: Don‟t overdo the number of rules. Just implement one after

another. Imposing many habits at once in a rush is not at all a good idea.

e. Consistency is key: The point of a habit is that it doesn‟t require thought.

Variety may be the spice of life, but it doesn‟t create habits. Make sure your

habit is as consistent as possible and is repeated every day for thirty days.

f. Experiment: You can‟t know whether a different habit will work until you try

it. Mix around with key habits until you find ones that suit you.

Topic Number of Words Time taken Words per Minute


3.3, Know a profession: Microbiologist

Over the past few decades, life expectancy of human beings has increased dramatically. In

early 20th century, the average life of an individual used to be 31 years. People used to die

of most common and uncontained diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia among many

others. According to life-expectancy survey in 2010, the figure has risen to around 68

years! Who made this change possible? What was their impetus? These questions directly

lead to one of the most interesting and happening branches of biological sciences –

Microbiology. A microbiologist is a scientist who works in the field of microbiology.

Microbiologists investigate the growth, functioning and characteristics of microscopic

organisms such as bacteria, algae, or fungi. Most microbiologists specialize in environmental,

food, agricultural, or industrial microbiology. In addition, virology (the study of viruses),

immunology (the study of mechanisms that fight infections) and bioinformatics also come

under Microbiology. Many microbiologists use biotechnology to advance knowledge of cell

reproduction and human disease.

How to pursue Microbiology? Where to start from? In general, students interested in

Microbiology tend to show interest towards biology oriented courses in their secondary high

school. Upon completion of school education, one can join Microbiology courses under

Bachelor of Science degree, offered by many good institutes across the country. Few of them include, University of Delhi, University of Pune and Jiwaji University, Gwalior.

Students with research interests can further pursue Masters in Microbiology. Post-

graduation, Microbiology students get to work in nationally renowned institutes and labs

such as Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore and National Research Institute (NRI) in the

capacity of junior scientists (Grade B). Also, one can pursue doctoral studies abroad,

especially in the United States, which is known for its quality research and advances in the

field of Microbiology. As of 2008, there were 16,900 microbiologists employed in the United States, with this number projected to increase 12.2% over the following decade.

Want to become a microbiologist? Get yourself a microscope and enjoy observing the amazing minute organisms.

Some of the most famous microbiologists are:

Louis Pasteur

Alexander Fleming

Ruth Ella Moore

[You can read about more professions on www.mysuperbrain.com. If you want to know

about any particular profession, you can also let us know. We would try to include that in

the magazine.]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientist

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbiology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteria

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immunology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioinformatics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotechnology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_reproduction

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_reproduction

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_disease



4.0, Number Smart

Logical-mathematical intelligence is the ability to calculate, quantify, consider

propositions and hypotheses, and carry out complete mathematical operations. It

enables us to perceive relationships and connections and to use abstract, symbolic

thought; sequential reasoning skills; and inductive and deductive thinking patterns.

Logical intelligence is usually well developed in mathematicians, scientists, and

detectives. Young adults with lots of logical intelligence are interested in patterns,

categories, and relationships. They are drawn to arithmetic problems, strategy

games and experiments.

4.1, Math-a-Magic

Being a Magician I remember baffling my classmates with my so considered mental

abilities of predicting and playing with their thoughts. Here is a simple trick I

performed to show off as a Whiz Kid. I‟ll be presenting two versions of the trick

here, one being simple and another being massive. Follow the instructions below

and check if the prediction is correct.

Beginner level Pro level (Get calculator)

1. Think of a number 2. Multiply it by 3

3. Add 6 to the result 4. Divide the result by 3

5. Subtract the number you thought in the beginning from the result

1. Think of any number (Note down) 2. Multiply it by 486

3. Add 16524 to the result 4. Divide the result by 18 and 27

5. Subtract the number you thought in the beginning from the result

6. Multiply result by 5651334

7. Add 160 to the result

Prediction: Prediction:

The result is 2

The result is 192145516

As you have seen, the prediction is correct whatsoever. If it isn‟t, your calculation

must have gone wrong somewhere. Explanation on how it‟s done is on the next

page. But, I want you to give a thought about it before checking out the trick. Its

basic simple math which can be made to look complicated for bigger effect.


Trick:

This is a simple math trick. I will be explaining how the simple one is done and you

should figure out the pro one all by yourself as they both work on the same

principle.

Instructions: Explanation:

1. Think of a number Let the number be “x”

2. Multiply it by 3 3*x = 3x

3. Add 6 to the result 3x+6

Here we have 3 in common, 3(x+2)

4. Divide the result by 3 3(x+2)/3 = x+2

5. Subtract the number you actually thought

x+2-x = 2

Regardless of whatever value used for „x‟, the result ultimately is always going to

be 2 for that particular equation.

I want you to sit down with a pen and a paper, and derive the equation I used for

Pro-Level trick. By the end of step 5 of Pro level we are left with the result 34. But

revealing that number isn‟t enough for us, is it? We manipulate the number by

adding or multiplying it with something to get desired result. Here the number I

forced you to be resulted in is 192145516. If you assign numbers to the alphabets

as A-1, B-2, C-3,…,Z-26, you see that the result I got 19,21,4,5,5,16 actually spells

out my name Sudeep. Now as you know the trick, you can make your own custom

made equations and reveal this huge numbers with your friends‟ names hidden in

them.

4.2, Mental Math

Number skills are very important. There are numbers all around us, but only a few

really love numbers. In this section of EXALT, we bring you different interesting

things about numbers. You will have a chance to improve your number skills and

also your interest in mathematics.

It is very important to have an ability to prove various theorems or tips in

mathematics. It gives you multiple benefits like improved retention and an

increasing love for mathematics.


How often do you have to calculate the square of a number ending in 5? There is a very easy way to calculate the square of numbers ending in 5. In this article, we

explain that process to you and also explain the logic behind the trick.

Let n5 be the number. n being the ten's digit. 5 is the unit's digit. We need to find the value of (n5)2.

The right most two digits would be 25.

The other digits in the result would be n(n + 1)

Let's do it with an example: 252

Step 1: The right two digits are 25

step 2: n(n + 1) = 2 (2 + 1) = 2 X 3 = 6

Step 3: Combine the two. The answer is 625.

Let's do 352

Step 1: The right two digits are 25

step 2: n(n + 1) = 3 (3 + 1) = 3 X 3 = 12

Step 3: Combine the two. The answer is 1225.

This is fine, but would it not be better if you can understand the real logic behind this?

Let‟s try to find out the logic behind it.

Any number n5 is nothing but (10 X n) + 5 = 10n + 5.

(n5)2 = (10n + 5)2

[(a + b)2 = a2 + b2 + 2ab]

Therefore (n5)2 = (10n)2 + 52 + 2(10n)(5)

= 100 X n2 + 25 + 100 X n

= 100 X n X (n + 1) + 25

[Multiplying any number with 10 pushes the number to the left by one place and adds a

zero in the units place. Multiplying a number with 100 pushed the number to the left by 2

places and adds zeroes in units and tens digits. Multiplying n(n + 1) by 100 has the same

effect. Whatever the result os multiplying n with (n + 1) is, it is moved two places to the

left. When we add 25 to this sum, we see that the tens digit is 2 and units digit is 5. The

result to the left of 2 is product of n and (n + 1)]

= n(n + 1) 25


Also prove the following things:

1. Difference between a two digit number and its reverse is always divisible by 9

2. Difference between a three digit number and its reverse is always divisible by 99.

Can you arrive at something similar for 4 digit numbers or 5 digit numbers?

Try these too:

3. How many squares are there in a chess board?

4. How many rectangles are there in a chess board?

5. What is the smallest positive number that can be expressed as sum of cubes of two

different sets of numbers?

[Answers would be given in next edition. If you would like to showcase your skills in

mathematics, you can write to us at [email protected]. We would also collect your

entries from your school.]

4.3, Mind Buzz

Here is a quite interesting unsolved riddle. We see 2 images here, first having a triangle and

second being just the realignment of the parts of first one. Even though all the parts are

used, the area decreases by a cube in second diagram.

Triangle drawn using 4 pieces on graph When the same 4 pieces are re-assigned

area of a single cube is missing

Can you find out why it happens?

mailto:[email protected]


5.0, Nature Smart

Designates the human ability to discriminate among living things (plants, animals) as well as

sensitivity to other features of the natural world (clouds, rock configurations). This ability was

clearly of value in our evolutionary past as hunters, gatherers, and farmers; it continues to be

central in such roles as botanist or chef. It is also speculated that much of our consumer society

exploits the naturalist intelligences, which can be mobilized in the discrimination among cars,

sneakers, kinds of makeup, and the like.

5.1, Amazing human organs: Lungs

Did you ever try holding your breath for two minutes? Considerably hard, isn‟t it? That‟s

because a normal human body subsists on oxygen for survival. You breathe in and out

anywhere from 15 to 25 times per minute without even thinking about it. When you

exercise, your breathing rate goes up -- again, without you thinking about it. You can't even

stop yourself from breathing if you try! This vital breathing mechanism is facilitated by one

of the most amazing human organs – Lungs.

Human body has a pair of lungs. In fact, most vertebrate animals (animals with spines)

have two lungs. The primary functions of your lungs are to transport oxygen from the air

you breathe into your bloodstream while taking away carbon dioxide, which is released into

the air when you breathe out. This mechanism is facilitated by miniscule airways in the

lungs which are known as Bronchi. Our lungs are made up of millions of these airways. To

bring in the perspective, if these airways were to be laid one after the other, they would

measure 2400 Kilometers in total. On an average, the fully developed human lungs weigh about 2.3 kilograms (including the pair).


Now, you may ask, do I require both lungs to be alive? The answer is no. Not necessarily.

Human beings can survive with one lung. However, it limits your physical ability to do

strenuous physical tasks such as sprints, weight-lifting and trekking. Many people around

the world live with just one lung. But, if you wish to have healthy lungs, you need to regularly exercise, which in turn increases the size of your lung.

So far, we talked about what is good for lungs. Now, let‟s know what is bad for lungs. First

and foremost is smoking. It severely affects the capacity and the well-being of lungs. It

results in lung cancer and often ends up in fatality. While this habit is deliberate, other

factors such as constant exposure to polluted air and dust have become major unavoidable deterrents for healthy lungs.

Then, how to keep our lungs healthy? Stay away from smoking. Use hand-kerchiefs while

you are on the roads. Once in a while, indulge yourself in cleaner village environments and

greener vacation spots. Last but not the least; go for aerobic exercises such as brisk walking and jogging every day!! Take care of your lungs; it will take care of you.

5.2, Regal Reptile: King Cobra

Of all the snakes on this planet, King Cobra is the most regal and perhaps the most deadly

snake. It is the world‟s longest venomous (poisonous) snake with a length up to 5.6 meters

(as long as an average Indian Man‟s height). It is found predominantly in forests from India

through Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia.

A King Cobra can be distinguished from other Asian cobras by size and hood marks. King

cobras are generally larger than other cobras, and the stripe on the neck is like the symbol

"^" instead of a double or single eye shape(s) that may be seen in most of the other Asian

cobras. They usually prefer dense highland forests dotted with lakes and streams. In terms

of diet, they feed primarily on other snakes (and hence the name King Cobra) including rat

snakes, small pythons and even other venomous snakes. When food is scarce, they may

also feed on other small vertebrates, such as lizards, birds, and rodents. In some cases, the

cobra may "constrict" its prey, such as birds and larger rodents, using its muscular body,

though this is uncommon. After a large meal, the snake may live for many months without

another one because of its slow metabolic rate. The king cobra's most common meal is the

rat snake; pursuit of this species often brings king cobras close to human settlements.


When confronted, this species will quickly attempt to escape and avoid any sort of

confrontation. However, if cornered, the king cobra can be very aggressive if provoked.

When threatened, it rears up the anterior portion of its body when extending the neck,

showing the fangs and hissing loudly. It can be easily irritated by closely approaching

objects or sudden movements. When raising its body, the king cobra can still move forward

to strike and the attack range can be as far as 2 meters; it is possible for people to easily

misjudge the safe zone. The king cobra may deliver multiple bites in a single attack but adults are known to bite and hold on.

In spite of being a highly dangerous snake, it prefers to escape first unless there is no way

to go. Since this species is secretive and tends to inhabit less-populated forested regions

and dense jungle, it is rarely encountered. If a king cobra encounters a natural predator,

such as the mongoose, which has resistance to the neurotoxins, the snake generally tries to

flee. If unable to do so, it forms the distinctive cobra hood and emits a hiss, sometimes with

feigned closed-mouth strikes. These efforts usually prove to be very effective, especially

since it is more dangerous than other mongoose prey, as well as being much too large for the small mammal to kill with ease. Next time you visit a zoo, be sure to check this one out!

5.3, Regal Reptile: King Cobra


6.0, Other Intelligences

We at “My Super Brain” and “Exalt” struggle to fine tune your knowledge in association

with all the 8 known intelligences. They are namely known as,

Naturalist Intelligence (“Nature Smart”)

Interpersonal Intelligence (People Smart”)

Logical Intelligence (Number/Reasoning Smart)

Spatial Intelligence (“Picture Smart”)

Intra-personal Intelligence (Self Smart”)

Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence (“Body Smart”)

Musical Intelligence (“Musical Smart”)

Linguistic Intelligence (Word Smart)

As we have already discussed about the Nature smart, Number Smart, People

smart, Word smart and Self-smart from the previous sections. Here are the other

three, Music smart, Body smart and Picture smart.

6.1, Music Smart

Musical intelligence is the capacity to discern pitch, rhythm, timbre, and tone. This intelligence

enables us to recognize, create, reproduce, and reflect on music, as demonstrated by composers,

conductors, musicians, vocalist, and sensitive listeners. Interestingly, there is often an affective

connection between music and the emotions; and mathematical and musical intelligences may

share common thinking processes. Young adults with this kind of intelligence are usually

singing or drumming to themselves. They are usually quite aware of sounds others may miss.

Know an Instrument: Violin

Through this article we are going to learn about a new musical instrument every week. A

download link for the music made by the particular instrument is attached. This week’s

instrument is Violin, which is believed to have originated from Italy in the 1500s.


Violins evolved a period of time and the current ones are refined versions of the older ones.

Parts:

i. Scroll - This is located at the top of the violin. It is a decorative part, mostly hand

carved.

ii. Pegbox - This is where the pegs are inserted. The pegs are adjusted to tune the

violin.

iii. Nut - Helps keep the distance of the strings and supports the strings so that it has a

good height from the fingerboard.

iv. Strings - It has 4 strings that are tuned a fifth apart.

v. Bridge - The position of the bridge is essential as it directly relates to the quality of

sound produced by the violin. The bridge is held in place by the strings' tension.

When the string vibrates, the bridge also vibrates.

vi. Fingerboard - It is a strip of wood on the neck of the violin where the strings are.

When a violinist plays, he presses down the strings on the fingerboard, thus

changing the pitch.

vii. Sounding Post - Located under the bridge, it supports the pressure inside the

violin. The bridge and sounding post are directly related, when the violin vibrates,

the bridge, body and sounding post vibrates as well.

viii. F Holes - Is located in the middle of the violin. It is called F Hole because it is

shaped like an F in Italics. It allows sound to come out of the violin. Altering the F

Hole, such as its length, can affect the sound of the violin.

ix. Tailpiece - Holds the strings so that it has a good distance from the bridge.

x. Chin Rest - It helps the violinist hold the instrument in place. While playing, the

violinist can use his chin to hold the violin, thus freeing up his hands.


6.2, Body Smart

Bodily kinesthetic intelligence is the capacity to manipulate objects and use a variety of physical

skills. This intelligence also involves a sense of timing and the perfection of skills through

mind–body union.

As a part of this, we suggest you to follow a proper diet and as well start exercising to keep your

body in shape. With healthy body comes a healthy mind. We discuss in detail in the next edition.

6.3, Picture Smart

Spatial intelligence is the ability to think in three dimensions. Core capacities include mental

imagery, spatial reasoning, image manipulation, graphic and artistic skills, and an active

imagination. We shall be dealing with everything related to art in this section.

Cartooning We shall learn how simple faces can be drawn to convey variety of emotions. To begin with,

equip yourself with a pencil and an art book.

Draw a Circle Add different emotions by positioning the Eyes, Nose and Mouth differently

Circle Suspicion Agitation Furious Calm

Discouraged Judgmental Disappointed Excited Disgusted

Irritated Joyful Happy Shocked Surprised

Image credits: drawinghowtodraw.com


7.0, Puzzles

Puzzles are a great way to encourage lateral thinking. Solve these puzzles and learn for

yourself how fast your thinking process. By regularly solving puzzles you can improve your

thinking process significantly. Never get depressed when you are taking a lot of time to

solve puzzles. The aim should be to improve continuously.

7.1, Practice Puzzles

So get started!

1. If it takes you one minute to cut a log of wood into 2 parts, how much time does it

take you to cut it into 7 pieces? (assume that your speed would remain the same)

2. You are in a huge cubical room. The room is completely dark. There is a bulb

hanging from the ceiling and it just about touches your hair. You are required to

measure the dimensions of the room and you only have the following things: Pencil,

Paper, Watch, and Calculator.

Is it possible to know the dimensions of the room? If yes, how?

3. You have 1000 doors in a row that are all initially closed. You make 1000 passes by

the doors starting with the first door every time. The first time through you visit

every door and toggle the door (if the door is closed, you open it, if it‟s open, you

close it). The second time you only visit every 2nd door (door #2, #4, #6). The third

time, every 3rd door (door #3, #6, #9), etc, until you only visit the 1000th door.

How many doors are open at the end of the 1000th visit? What are the door numbers

which are open? Why?

4. Four men want to cross a bridge. However, the bridge is weak and they can only

cross it two at a time. There is an additional complication. It is night time and they

cannot cross the bridge in the darkness. Fortunately, they do have a single flashlight

with them. Clearly, only two men at a time can cross the bridge so one of them will

have to return with the flashlight to take another man across and so on. The first

man can cross the bridge in 1 minute, the second one in 2 minutes, the third one in

5 minutes and the fourth one in 10 minutes. When two people travel together they

can only go as fast as the slowest person. For example, if the 1 min guy travels with

the 10 min guy then they can get across only in 10 minutes.

What is the shortest time in which all of them can get across and how?

5. A 12 by 25 by 36 cm cereal box is lying on the floor on one of its 25 by 36 cm

faces. An ant, located at one of the bottom corners of the box, must crawl along the

outside of the box to reach the opposite bottom corner. What is the length of the

shortest such path?


Note: The ant can walk on any of the five faces of the box, except for the bottom

face, which is flush in contact with the floor. It can crawl along any of the edges. It

cannot crawl under the box.

6. Let‟s say that you have 25 horses, and you want to pick the fastest 3 horses out of

those 25. In each race, only 5 horses can run at the same time. What is the

minimum number of races required to find the 3 fastest horses without using a

stopwatch?

[Answers to these puzzles would be given in the next edition of the magazine. Try

these puzzles individually and if you are finding it difficult to solve them individually,

work with your friends. ]

7.2, Prized category

By answering the following questions you can win fabulous prizes. Buckle and start solving.

Prize Puzzle for Kids (Below 10 Years)

SWEET FRIENDS:

Two friends were working out how many sweets they had. One said I've got twice as many

as you and if we eat one each I will have three times as many as you. How many did each

have?

Prize Puzzle for seniors (Above 10 Years)

Hats of Death:

You are one of 20 prisoners on death row with the execution date set for tomorrow.

Your king is a ruthless man who likes to toy with his people's miseries. He comes to your

cell today and tells you:

“I‟m gonna give you prisoners a chance to go free tomorrow. You will all stand in a row

(queue) before the executioner and we will put a hat on your head, either a red or a black

one. Of course you will not be able to see the color of your own hat; you will only be able to

see the prisoners in front of you with their hats on; you will not be allowed to look back or

communicate together in any way (talking, touching.....)

(The prisoner in the back will be able to see the 19 prisoners in front of him,

the one in front of him will be able to see 18…)

Starting with the last person in the row, the one who can see everybody in front of him, he

will be asked a simple question: WHAT IS THE COLOR OF YOUR HAT?

He will be only allowed to answer “BLACK” or “RED”. If he says anything else you will ALL

be executed immediately.


If he guesses the right color of the hat on his head he is set free, otherwise he is put to

death. And we move on to the one in front of him and ask him the same question and so

on…

Well, good luck tomorrow.

Now since you all can communicate freely during the night, can you find a way to

guarantee the freedom of some prisoners tomorrow? How many and How?

Prize Puzzle for seniors (Above 13 Years)

Sherlock Holmes' Secret Code

Secret Code:

Dz Gxhk Rhsblu

Dxxs dx hs dngunfws jugxk swx

ykngfx lu Yhvxk Bskxxs hug yx

kxhgz sl phspw swx djkgxkxk

Swx blmjsnlu kxhmmz rhb

xmxdxushkz dz gxhk Rhsblu

Zljk oknxug

Wlmdxb

Sherlock Holmes, the famous detective, has been working on a particularly difficult case. He

has sent an important note (shown above) to his helper, the good Doctor Watson.

Unfortunately the message has been written in a secret code and Watson, being a bit

forgetful, cannot remember how to decode it!.

Can you decode the message and help Watson to save the day?

(Note: The Secret code is mentioned above under Secret Code Headline)

[Please Submit Your Answers by end of this month .We will collect your solutions. You can

win fabulous prizes.]


8.0, Activities

It‟s time for testing your General Knowledge and working on your creative skills.

8.1, Quizzes

Test your general knowledge. Try to find answers for all the questions. You can also learn what you already don‟t know.

Kids:

1. Who is the prime minister of India?

2. How many states are there in India?

3. What is the capital of India?

4. Who is called the “Father of our nation”?

5. How many legs do 8 sheep and 10 cows have in total?

6. If you are facing east and you stretch your right hand, in which direction is it (right

hand) pointing?

7. If you are facing east and you turn left three times, which direction are you facing

in?

8. Which is heavier – One Kilogram of Cotton or one Kilogram of Iron?

9. Which of these comes first in a year – Republic Day, Independence Day or Gandhi

Jayanthi?

10. What is the National Anthem of India and who wrote it?

11. What is the total number of continents on Earth? Name them.

Juniors:

1. Which is the longest national highway in India?

2. What is the qualification age to become a member of parliament?

3. Name the oldest mountain range of India?

4. Which is the longest river in the world?

5. Which is the biggest ocean in the world?

6. Who is the president of the USA?

7. Who is the first Indian to win an individual gold medal at the Olympics?

8. Which is the highest Civilian honor given in India?

9. Who is the first man to land on the moon?

10. Who is the first Indian to fly into space?

11. What is the difference between a cosmonaut and an astronaut?


Seniors:

1. Who is the first Indian to fly into space?

2. Which is the second highest Civilian honor given in India?

3. Which is the second biggest continent?

4. Who discovered America?

5. Who invented dynamite?

6. Who was the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest?

7. Which is the longest dam in India?

8. Which layer of atmosphere contains the Ozone?

9. What do the five Olympic rings represent?

10. Which Indian prime minister was in the office for the longest duration?

11. Which is India‟s national game?

8.2, Project-X: Bottle Tower

This is a fun filled activity which can be conducted among a multiple number of students.

Activity Build a strong tower that can support a one liter water bottle.

Equipment

needed

Ice cream sticks, Glue, Newspapers, threads and a one liter water bottle.

Time 25 minutes.

Team Size 3 to 6. All the teams should be of the same size.

Aim

Build a structure that is tall and strong enough to support a one liter

water bottle at the top. The teams will have to work together and in the

given time work together and create the structure as tall as possible.

Judging The team that builds the tallest structure that supports the one liter

bottle is the winner. Do this with a teacher as the judge.


8.3, Comprehension test

It is time to test your memory power. Hope you have done a good job learning lot of cool things today.

Activity Quizzing

Equipment

needed EXALT magazine

Time 20 minutes.

Team Size 3 to 6. All the teams should be of the same size.

Process

How well have you read the magazine? Do you remember all that you

have read?

After you have read the magazine in detail, you can see how much you

have learned or remembered. Form a team of 3 students. Prepare a set

of 10 questions and get them to the class. Have a teacher help you with

this quiz. Give your 10 questions to the teacher. Request the teacher to

collect all the questions and then conduct a quiz for all the groups in the

class.

Judging Whichever team gets the most number of questions right is the winner.

8.4, Answers for 8.1

Kids Juniors Seniors

1. Dr. Manmohan Singh 2. 28 3. Delhi 4. Mohandas

Karamchand Gandhi 5. 72 6. South 7. South 8. Both weigh the same 9. Republic Day 10. Jana Gana Mana

written by Rabindranath Tagore

11. 7 (Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Arctic, Antarctic)

1. National Highway 7 (Varanasi - Kanyakumari)

2. 25 3. Aravalli Mountains 4. Nile 5. Pacific 6. Barrack Obama 7. Abhinav Bindra 8. Bharath Ratna 9. Neil Armstrong 10. Rakesh Sharma 11. Cosmonaut is a Russian

term; Astronaut is used by America. Both mean the same.

1. Rakesh Sharma 2. Padma Vibushan 3. Africa 4. Christopher Columbus 5. Alfred Nobel 6. Bachendri Pal 7. Hirakhud 8. Stratosphere 9. Continents 10. Jawahar lal Nehru 11. Hockey


8.5, Competitions

Category KIDS (below 8 years)

Essay Writing

My Lovely school

Write an essay in 500 words about your school, your friends, and teachers,

what you like most in your school etc.

Painting Pets

Do you have a pet? Do you like to have pets? Paint something about pets.

Projects Clay pots (send us the procedure)

Do you like making clay pots? If yes, let us know what the procedure is.

Category Sub-Junior (9 – 10 years)

Essay Writing

My Lovely school

Write an essay in 500 words about your school, your friends, and teachers,

what you like most in your school etc.

Painting Pets

Do you have a pet? Do you like to have pets? Paint something about pets.

Projects Clay pots (send us the procedure)

Do you like making clay pots? If yes, let us know what the procedure is.

Category Junior (11 – 12 years)

Essay Writing

My Role Model

Write an essay in 600 words about your role model (who is your role model,

why do you like him/her, any special characteristics you like etc)

Painting Favorite Game

Paint something that captures your favorite game.

Projects Electricity

Create a small set up to light a small bulb. Let us know the steps.


Category Sub-Senior (13 – 14 years)

Essay Writing

My Role Model

Write an essay in 600 words about your role model (who is your role model,

why do you like him/her, any special characteristics you like etc)

Painting Favorite Game

Paint something that captures your favorite game.

Projects Electricity

Create a small set up to light a small bulb. Let us know the steps.

Category Senior (14+ years)

Essay Writing

My Dream Career

All of us dream careers. What is yours? What would you like to be when you

grow old? (word limit : 1000)

Painting

Unity in Diversity

India is a nation with great diversity. Capture this great diversity in a

painting.

Projects

Eco-friendly behavior

It is our responsibility to protect the nature. There are different ways of

doing it. Tell us how you would want to protect the nature.

Out-of-the box

Corruption free world

Give your creative ideas on how corruption can be eliminated. The most

creative answers would find a special mention

The best entries would be printed in next month’s magazine. So what are you waiting for? Get

your creativity flowing. You could be one of the proud winners. Entries would also be posted on

www.mysuper .com. Anyone and everyone can visit the website and give their views on brain

work submitted by SuperBrains around the world. The winners would be selected by experts,

parents, teachers, students, educationists and other enthusiasts.


Conclusion

Do you want to know what happens in a day of a scientist?

Do you want to talk to an IITian?

Do you want to know what inspires sportsmen to work so hard

every single day?

Do you want to talk to people from the defense?

We make it possible for you to do all the above and much more. If you want to talk to

people from different walks of life, just write to us. We will get them to answer your

questions. Your questions and answers will also be posted on www.mysuperbrain.com.


exalt 1

Documents

iim alumni

highest civilian

win fabulous

reliance commercial

liter water

making clay

favorite game

lovely school