NCERT & SEBA Solution Class IX English
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| THE FUN THEY HAD |
THE FUN THEY HAD
BY ISAAC ASIMOV
In this chapter, the author tries to tell us about the classrooms and schools of the future. They will be generally automated, with robotic or mechanical teachers. The story describes the feelings of two students about the schools of the past. They loved the schools of the past and wanted to be a part of that. They rejoice at the feeling of being taught by a human teacher. They anticipate the fun of being together with other children of their age.
ABOUT THE CHARACTERS
MARGIE - A girl of eleven years who wished to be a part of the schools of the past.
TOMMY - A boy of thirteen years who lives close to Margie.
MARGIE'S MOTHER - A lady who was very disciplined and was careful about the hours of study of her daughter.
COUNTY INSPECTOR - A round little man with a red face who comes to repair the mechanical teacher of Margie.
CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS:
- In her diary, Margie wrote about 'Tommy finding a new book' on the schools of the old days.
- The old kinds of paper books used to have pages unlike the e-books.
- Tommy and Margie considered such books to be nothing more than a waste as they were worthless after the first reading.
- Margie hated her mechanical teacher a lot because it was giving her test after test and she was not doing well.
- The County Inspector came to repair the mechanical teacher of Margie so that its level could match the level of Margie.
- Margie was disappointed when the mechanical teacher was not taken away by the Couny Inspector completely.
- Tommy and Margie both discussed the old schools and the teachers that were human beings.
- Tommy and Margie went to their schools to attend their lectures. The mechanical teacher flashed at their school time everyday except Saturday and Sunday.
- Margie, with a heavy heart, had to put the homework in the proper slot, which she hated.
- Even being in the classroom, she was thinking of the old kind of schools with the kids and the human teachers.
- The mechanical teacher was on but Margie was engrosed in thinking of the fun they had in the old days.
WORD MEANINGS
PAGE - 6
Crinkly - with many folds and lines.
Awfully funny - rather humorous
Stood still - were not moving.
Gee - exclamation of surprise.
You're through with - you have read.
Sorrowfully - with utmost disgust.
Sent for - called.
County Inspector - local person whose job is to repair robots.
Took the teacher apart - opened the inside of the robot.
Put it together - assemble it.
PAGE - 7
Punch Code - method of giving answers by punching holes in paper.
Geared (to) - adjusted to a particular standard or level.
Superior eyes - eyes showing his feeling of being better.
Loftily - in a superior way.
PAGE - 8
Betcha - (used in informal conversation) (I) bet you (in fast speech); I'm sure.
Nonchalantly - not showing much of interest or enthusiasm, carelessly.
Tucked - kept safely.
PAGE - 9
Lit up - lighted.
Sigh - unwillingness.
I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences each.
1. How old are Margie and Tommy?
Answer: Margie is eleven and Tommy is thirteen years old.
2. What did Margie write in her diary?
Answer: Margie entered in her diary, "Today Tommy found a real book!"
3. Had Margie ever seen a book before?
Answer: No, Margie had never seen a book before.
4. What things about the book did Margie find strange?
Answer: Margie found many things strange about the book. The pages were yellow and crinkly. The words were stationary and did not move. Also, when one read it the second time, everything was the same as earlier.
5. What do you think a telebook is?
Answer: A telebook is a virtual book that can be read on a screen. One does not have to turn pages because the words themselves move across the screen.
6. Where was Margie's school? Did she have any classmates?
Answer: Margie's school was next to her bedroom. No, she didn't have any classmates.
7. What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?
Answer: They learnt History, Geography and Mathematics in their school.
II. Answer the following with reference to the story.
1. "I wouldn't throw it away."
(i) Who says these words?
Answer: These words are said by Tommy.
(ii) What does 'it' refer to?
Answer: 'It' refers to a real book.
(iii) Who has found out 'it'?
Answer: Tommy has found out it (this book).
(iv) What is it being compared with by the speaker?
Answer: The book has been compared with telebooks.
2. "Sure they had a teacher, but it wasn't a regular teacher. It was a man."
(i) Who does 'they' refer to?
Answer: 'They' refers to forefathers of Tommy's grandfather.
(ii) What does 'regular' mean here?
Answer: It refers to the mechanical teachers that Tommy and Margie have.
(iii) What is contrasted with?
Answer: The human teacher of earlier times is being contrasted with a mechanical teacher.
(iv) Who is the speaker here?
Answer: The speaker here is Tommy.
III. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).
1. What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have?
Answer: Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers in the form of a computer. The teacher had a big black screen on which all the lessons were flashed and the questions were asked. The 'teacher' also had a slot where students had to put their homework and test papers. Saturday and Sunday were the days when the teacher didn't appear.
2. Why did Margie's mother send for the County Inspector?
Answer: The mechanical teacher had been giving Margie test after test in geography and she had been doing worse and worse which was because the geography sector was geared up a bit high. Her mother suspected that there was something wrong with Margie and to resolve the problem the County Inspector was sent for.
3. What did he do?
Answer: When Margie's mother called for the County Inspector, he took the mechanical teacher apart, slowed down the geography section. He adjusted it as per the level of a ten year old student and then assembled the teacher back again.
4. Why was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the County Inspector do to help her?
Answer: The geography sector was geared up and it was required that the geography sector of the mechanical teacher was somehow to be adjusted to a level so that Margie could perform better. The County Inspector slowed it down to an average ten-year level to help her.
5. What had once happened to Tommy's teacher?
Answer: Since, the teacher was mechanical and it might get disordered. Tommy's teacher was taken away once for nearly a month because the history sector of his mechanical teacher had blanked out completely. In order to repair it, his teacher was taken away.
6. Did Margie have regular days and hours for school? if so, why?
Answer: yes, margie certainly had regular days and hours for school. Margie had to attend her school at te same time everyday except for Saturday and Sunday. Her mother ensured this because little girls learned better if they learned at regular hours.
7. How does Tommy describe the old kind of school?
Answer: Tommy said that the old kind of school existed centuries ago. instead of a mechanical teacher, the teacher used to be a 'man'. All the students went to a special building where they all learned the same thing according to their respective ages.
8. How does tommy describe the old kind of teachers?
Answer: Tommy said that the old kind of teachers was a 'man' who taught in a special building where all the kids went together. The man told the kids things, gave them homework and asked them questions. The man took frequent tests to find out how much the students had understood.
IV. Answer each of these questions in two or three paragraphs (100-150 words).
1. What are the main features of the mechanical teachers and the schoolrooms that Margie and Tommy have in the story?
Answer: The given story is set in the frame of future when robotics and mechanics will play the most important role in every domain be it education, commerce or science. In other words, we can say that science will rule the world ans we will yield to it. In the same futuristic way, Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers for them. The mechanical teacher was a computer screen on which lessons were shown, questions asked and tests given. the students had to put answers to their tests and their homework in a slot. The mechanical teacher took almost no time in calculating their marks. Every mechanical teacher was adjusted according to the level of the student.
The mechanical teacher lived in the house of the student and started flashing everyday at a certain time except Saturday and Sunday. It never fell ill, never forgot to assign homework, never forgot to conduct tests and never forgot to ask questions while teaching the students.
Obviously, when there is no human teacher there then the chances of falling ill get reduced because a mechanical teacher is not prone to the sickness except a few fits of mechanical disorder.
2. Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have been fun?
Answer: The school of Margie was right next to her bedroom. It wasn't fun at all. She had no classmates and her teacher was mechanical. Lately, she had started to hate her school more, as her mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in geography and she had been doing it badly. She hated it so much that she hoped that the County Inspector wouldn't be able to put her teacher back together.
She was anticipating that her mechanical teacher would be taken away just like Tommy's. But, as there was no such issues with her mechanical teacher, it was put in order very soon.
She thought that the old schools must have been fun because all the kids from the whole neighbourhood came laughing and shouting in the school yard, sitting together in the schoolroom and going home together at the end of the day. They learned the same things, so they could help one another with the homework and talk about it. Moreover, the teachers were humans.
A human teacher must have sentiments and consideration for the students. He would be able to guide them as per their inclination and the choice which the mechanical teacher lacks. Hence, she had the thought that the old kind of schools must have been fun.
3. Do you agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the school in the story? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer: I totally agree that schools today are more fun than the school in the story. In the story, Margie had a school in her house. Her teacher was mechanical and she had no classmates. One can imagine what a boring and dull school she was having. Whenever we hear the word school, images of children having fun start running through our minds. This wasn't the case with Margie.
She could neither play with her friends in the school playground, nor could they all come home together, nor could she think of helping other kids with the homework. Moreover, the mechanical teacher gave test after test even if one wasn't performing well without understanding the student's level of understanding.
While, the old kind of schools had a human teacher to teach the children. There used to be a special building where all the children of the neighbourhood came. They had their interactions. they befriended one another. It was a lot fun to be among the students of same age group. So, the two different schools have lot of differences and there used to be different things in the two schools.
THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE:
I. Adverbs
Read this sentences taken from the story;
They had once taken Tommy's teacheraway for nearly a month beacause the history sector had blanked out completely.
The word complete is an adjective. When you add - ly to it, it becomes an adverb.
1. Find the sentences in the lesson which have the adverbs given in the box.
Answer: the sentences in the lesson which have the adverbs are:
Awfully They turned the pages, which were yellow and crinkly, and it was awfully funny to read words that stood still instead of moving the way they were supposed to - on a screen, you know.
Sorrowfully The mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in geography and she had been doing worse and worse until her mother had shaken her head sorrowfully and sent for the County Inspector.
Completely They had once taken Tommy's teacheraway for nearly a month beacause the history sector had blanked out completely.
Loftily and carefully He added loftily, pronouncing the word carefully, "Centuries ago."
Differently "but, my mother says a teacher has to be adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl it teaches and tat each kid has to be taught differently."
Quickly "I didn't say I didn't like it," margie said quickly.
Nonchalantly "May be," he said nonchalantly.
2. Now use the adverbs to fill in the blanks in the sentences below.
(i) The report must be read carefully so that performance can be improved.
(ii) At the interview, Sameer answered our questions liftily, shrugging his shoulders.
(iii) We all behave differently when we are tired or hungry.
(iv) The teacher shook her head sorrowfully when Ravi lied to her.
(v) I forgot about it completely.
(vi) When I complemented Revathi on her success, she just smiled nonchalantly and turned away.
(vii) The president of the company is awfully busy and will not be able to meet you.
(viii) I finished my work so that I could go out to play quickly.
3. Make from these adjectives
(i) Angry Angrily
(ii) Happy Happily
(iii) Merry Merrily
(iv) Sleepy Sleepily
(v) Easy Easily
(vi) Noisy Noisily
(vii) Tidy Tidily
(viii) Gloomy Gloomily
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS:
1. What did the grandfather of Margie say?
Answer: Margie's grandfather told her that when he was a child, his grandfather had told him that stories were printed on paper. There were no computers only books used to be there where one could get information..
2. Why did Tommy called the book 'a waste'?
Answer: Tommy called the book 'a waste' because it was worthless when compared to an e-book. The words were stationary and after reading it once, it had no use at all. The e-book was completely opposite to the printed book.
3. Why was the County Inspector sent for? What did the County do at first?
Answer: The County Inspector was sent for because of Margie's deteriorating performance in geography that worried her mother. The County Inspector gave Margie an apple and took her mechanical teacher apart to set its level as per Margie's age level or mental level.
4. What hope did Margie have when her mechanical teacher was taken apart? Did it come true?
Answer: Margie had hoped that the County Inspector would not e able to put the mechanical teacher back in proper order and it would be taken out for some time to be repaired. No, it did not come true because he made it all right at the very place there.
5. What did the County Inspector say to Margie's mother?
Answer: The County Inspector told Margie's mother that the geography sector was geared-up a bit and he had adjusted it. he told her that it was not Margie's fault as the over all pattern of her proghress was quite satisfactory.
6. What was the reason behind the disappointment of margie?
Answer: The reason of margie's disappointment was her mechanical teacher getting back in good condition which she had hoped would not happen. She thought that her teacher would be taken for long as Tommy's teacher had been taken away some times back.
7. What kind of a teacher did the old schools have? How did they perform their task?
Answer: The old schools had an irregular teacher in the form of a human being. The old school teachers gave the students homework, asked them questions and gave them tests. the teaching used to take place in school building.
8. What did Marie not want to dispute?
Answer: Margie did not want to dispute the fact that a teacher in the form of a human being was as good as her mechanical teacher to teach the kids in old days. She has no idea of real teachers as the story is set in future.
9. For what has the phrase 'special building' been used?
Answer: The phrase 'special building' has been used for the old kind of schools where all the kids and the teachers came. In this futuristic age Margie's school is next to her bedroom. She mentions or imagines the school being held in separate building.
10. Why was Margie's mother particular about the regular study hours of kids/
Answer: Margie's mother was particular about the regular study hours of kids because she believed that children learn better if they do it regularly. There should be no gap between the periods of study.
11. What fun was there in the old schools?
Answer: In the old schools, all the kids came to a common place laughing and shouting with joy. They learnt the same things and they helped one another with homework. Being together brought lots of fun, coming and going home together.
12. What difference do you see between the schools of the future and that of the past?
Answer: The schools of the past would be common building where there would be gathering all the kids from the neighbourhood. All of them would be taught by a human teacher and they would receive the same kind of teaching. The kids would be able to help one another with their homework. they would have fun in their schools. Learning together is just fun and the old kind of schools were the one that provided them such fun. There used to be a bond of love and association between the fellow students. In contrast, the schools of future would have no building but established in the houses of the kids. Also, the teacher would be mechanical. There would be no classmates of those kids. The mechanical school doesn't have human consideration. Machine won't have sympathy for the kids. It is not that much compassionate. There is no human touch in this type of schooling. Hence, we can say that there is a lot of differences between the two kinds of school.
13. What problem did Margie have with her mechanical teacher? Did she have a liking for her teacher? Why or why not?
Answer: Margie hated school. The reason behind her disliking the school was her mechanical teacher. Her teacher used give her tests in geography and she was not peforming well in these tests. This was enough to raise worries for her mother and as a result her aversion for her mechanical teacher was immense.
As a kid, Margie's anticipation with her teacher was high. She thought why her teacher couldn't forget asking about the homework and tests even for a single day. When the mechanical teacher was suffering from a problem, Margie thought that it would be taken away for some time but it was not so. The teacher was put in border in almost no time. This was disappointing for her. It raised her disliking for the mechanical teacher. Therefore, we can say that Margie had no liking for her teacher.
14. what did the County Inspector say to Mrs Jones about the progres om Margie? Why was his arrival not appreciated by margie?
Answer: The County Inspector was called to see why Margie was performing poorly in the tests. When he came, he took the teacher and apart repaired it by lowering the level of the geography sector to that of an average ten-year old girl. The County Inspector pacified Mrs Jones by saying that the overall performance of her daughter was satisfactory and there was a gearing-up in the geography sector that had an effect on her performance. There was nothing to worry about. She was perfectly okay with her studies.But, his arrival was not appreciated by Margie because he was not going to take the teacher away from there. He did the repair work there only. Margie's anticipation was different for she thought that her teacher would be taken away like that of Tommy's. When this didn't take place, she was unable to appreciate his arrival.
15. How would you assess a mechanical teacher in comparison to a human teacher?
Answer: A teacher should be assessed on the basis of his/her ability to interact well with the children and to handle their queries well. A teacher must be capable of reading the psyche of his/her student. Now, about the mechanical teacher, it can be said that it is neither able to interact well with the children and nor is it able to read the psyche of the students. On the other hand. a human teacher is able to perform both the tasks well. A human teacher knows how to teach the kids with keeping in mind their interests so that they don't feel the boredom in studying the things. Also, a human teacher can explain and interpret the things well which is desirable.
Hence, it can be said that a human teacher is far better than a mechanical teacher.
THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE:
I. Adverbs
Read this sentences taken from the story;
They had once taken Tommy's teacheraway for nearly a month beacause the history sector had blanked out completely.
The word complete is an adjective. When you add - ly to it, it becomes an adverb.
1. Find the sentences in the lesson which have the adverbs given in the box.
awfully, sorrowfully, completely, loftily
carefully, differently, quickly, nonchalantly
|
Answer: the sentences in the lesson which have the adverbs are:
Awfully They turned the pages, which were yellow and crinkly, and it was awfully funny to read words that stood still instead of moving the way they were supposed to - on a screen, you know.
Sorrowfully The mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in geography and she had been doing worse and worse until her mother had shaken her head sorrowfully and sent for the County Inspector.
Completely They had once taken Tommy's teacheraway for nearly a month beacause the history sector had blanked out completely.
Loftily and carefully He added loftily, pronouncing the word carefully, "Centuries ago."
Differently "but, my mother says a teacher has to be adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl it teaches and tat each kid has to be taught differently."
Quickly "I didn't say I didn't like it," margie said quickly.
Nonchalantly "May be," he said nonchalantly.
2. Now use the adverbs to fill in the blanks in the sentences below.
(i) The report must be read carefully so that performance can be improved.
(ii) At the interview, Sameer answered our questions liftily, shrugging his shoulders.
(iii) We all behave differently when we are tired or hungry.
(iv) The teacher shook her head sorrowfully when Ravi lied to her.
(v) I forgot about it completely.
(vi) When I complemented Revathi on her success, she just smiled nonchalantly and turned away.
(vii) The president of the company is awfully busy and will not be able to meet you.
(viii) I finished my work so that I could go out to play quickly.
3. Make from these adjectives
(i) Angry Angrily
(ii) Happy Happily
(iii) Merry Merrily
(iv) Sleepy Sleepily
(v) Easy Easily
(vi) Noisy Noisily
(vii) Tidy Tidily
(viii) Gloomy Gloomily
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS:
1. What did the grandfather of Margie say?
Answer: Margie's grandfather told her that when he was a child, his grandfather had told him that stories were printed on paper. There were no computers only books used to be there where one could get information..
2. Why did Tommy called the book 'a waste'?
Answer: Tommy called the book 'a waste' because it was worthless when compared to an e-book. The words were stationary and after reading it once, it had no use at all. The e-book was completely opposite to the printed book.
3. Why was the County Inspector sent for? What did the County do at first?
Answer: The County Inspector was sent for because of Margie's deteriorating performance in geography that worried her mother. The County Inspector gave Margie an apple and took her mechanical teacher apart to set its level as per Margie's age level or mental level.
4. What hope did Margie have when her mechanical teacher was taken apart? Did it come true?
Answer: Margie had hoped that the County Inspector would not e able to put the mechanical teacher back in proper order and it would be taken out for some time to be repaired. No, it did not come true because he made it all right at the very place there.
5. What did the County Inspector say to Margie's mother?
Answer: The County Inspector told Margie's mother that the geography sector was geared-up a bit and he had adjusted it. he told her that it was not Margie's fault as the over all pattern of her proghress was quite satisfactory.
6. What was the reason behind the disappointment of margie?
Answer: The reason of margie's disappointment was her mechanical teacher getting back in good condition which she had hoped would not happen. She thought that her teacher would be taken for long as Tommy's teacher had been taken away some times back.
7. What kind of a teacher did the old schools have? How did they perform their task?
Answer: The old schools had an irregular teacher in the form of a human being. The old school teachers gave the students homework, asked them questions and gave them tests. the teaching used to take place in school building.
8. What did Marie not want to dispute?
Answer: Margie did not want to dispute the fact that a teacher in the form of a human being was as good as her mechanical teacher to teach the kids in old days. She has no idea of real teachers as the story is set in future.
9. For what has the phrase 'special building' been used?
Answer: The phrase 'special building' has been used for the old kind of schools where all the kids and the teachers came. In this futuristic age Margie's school is next to her bedroom. She mentions or imagines the school being held in separate building.
10. Why was Margie's mother particular about the regular study hours of kids/
Answer: Margie's mother was particular about the regular study hours of kids because she believed that children learn better if they do it regularly. There should be no gap between the periods of study.
11. What fun was there in the old schools?
Answer: In the old schools, all the kids came to a common place laughing and shouting with joy. They learnt the same things and they helped one another with homework. Being together brought lots of fun, coming and going home together.
12. What difference do you see between the schools of the future and that of the past?
Answer: The schools of the past would be common building where there would be gathering all the kids from the neighbourhood. All of them would be taught by a human teacher and they would receive the same kind of teaching. The kids would be able to help one another with their homework. they would have fun in their schools. Learning together is just fun and the old kind of schools were the one that provided them such fun. There used to be a bond of love and association between the fellow students. In contrast, the schools of future would have no building but established in the houses of the kids. Also, the teacher would be mechanical. There would be no classmates of those kids. The mechanical school doesn't have human consideration. Machine won't have sympathy for the kids. It is not that much compassionate. There is no human touch in this type of schooling. Hence, we can say that there is a lot of differences between the two kinds of school.
13. What problem did Margie have with her mechanical teacher? Did she have a liking for her teacher? Why or why not?
Answer: Margie hated school. The reason behind her disliking the school was her mechanical teacher. Her teacher used give her tests in geography and she was not peforming well in these tests. This was enough to raise worries for her mother and as a result her aversion for her mechanical teacher was immense.
As a kid, Margie's anticipation with her teacher was high. She thought why her teacher couldn't forget asking about the homework and tests even for a single day. When the mechanical teacher was suffering from a problem, Margie thought that it would be taken away for some time but it was not so. The teacher was put in border in almost no time. This was disappointing for her. It raised her disliking for the mechanical teacher. Therefore, we can say that Margie had no liking for her teacher.
14. what did the County Inspector say to Mrs Jones about the progres om Margie? Why was his arrival not appreciated by margie?
Answer: The County Inspector was called to see why Margie was performing poorly in the tests. When he came, he took the teacher and apart repaired it by lowering the level of the geography sector to that of an average ten-year old girl. The County Inspector pacified Mrs Jones by saying that the overall performance of her daughter was satisfactory and there was a gearing-up in the geography sector that had an effect on her performance. There was nothing to worry about. She was perfectly okay with her studies.But, his arrival was not appreciated by Margie because he was not going to take the teacher away from there. He did the repair work there only. Margie's anticipation was different for she thought that her teacher would be taken away like that of Tommy's. When this didn't take place, she was unable to appreciate his arrival.
15. How would you assess a mechanical teacher in comparison to a human teacher?
Answer: A teacher should be assessed on the basis of his/her ability to interact well with the children and to handle their queries well. A teacher must be capable of reading the psyche of his/her student. Now, about the mechanical teacher, it can be said that it is neither able to interact well with the children and nor is it able to read the psyche of the students. On the other hand. a human teacher is able to perform both the tasks well. A human teacher knows how to teach the kids with keeping in mind their interests so that they don't feel the boredom in studying the things. Also, a human teacher can explain and interpret the things well which is desirable.
Hence, it can be said that a human teacher is far better than a mechanical teacher.
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