Views
The Fun They Had
by Issac Asimov
Introduction to Chapter
Through these images we are preparing you for future. There are going to be robotic teachers. Believe it
or not, soon students are going to be taught by these teachers. We cannot run away from this. Mechanical
teachers who will be programmed to teach you even proper fraction. they will not only teach you, but
explain and even check your performance. They will give you test as well which will be prepared
according to your level. Individual study will be there, not as a class you will be taught. You will be
checked
through punched cards. They will not at all be lenient, human teachers can be, but computer teacher will
never be so. when you will show him last days homework only then they will teach you further. Even books
are going to be things of the past. This text you won't see printed on papers rather e-books are going
to be there even your classrooms are going to be different. Those won’t be like your today's classrooms.
They will be virtual. It is happening with you since last year. It's lockdown and you are studying
staying at home. This is fine example of virtual teaching. This is future school where you can see
through this diagram
that learning is going through computers, teachers are going to be robotic teachers and your classrooms
are going to be your bedroom, any wall of your bedroom.
This lesson “The Fun They Had” talks about all this. You might be missing the fun you had while at
school. Teachers are also missing the fun they had. Teacher used to laugh with you, they used to work
with you. We are missing each other, those school days, those funny days. We are discussing this lesson
in 2021, this lesson takes you to May 17 2157 where the story is placed. How your schools are going to
be like in 2157. You might be missing schools of 2021. Coming generations might be thinking of schools
of 2021 that there used to be books, written text. All student used to come together at the one place
and teacher used to come and teach so many students in one time in a class. This beautiful story by
Isaac Asimov, we are going to enjoy “The Fun They Had”
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
While studying this lesson, we will enjoy adverbs. We will see this is fine example of past tense. Good example of past perfect and past perfect continuous tenses’ beautiful example is given in this lesson. And negative conditional sentences, we will be enjoying in this lesson. This lesson is full with these learning competencies.Summary in English
Margie has written a diary that today Tommy found a real book. She wrote in her diary that Tommy had seen a book first time. She was surprised in such a way that she was writing it in her diary and the day when she was writing diary was May 17, 2157. She remembers how her grandfather told her once that his grandfather had told him the story of books which used to be written on papers and the same book, they have got first time. They were watching such a book that used to be in 2021. Pages are yellow and crinkly. She looks at the words which are stable. She compares that on her screen, words are running but in this paper book words are stable. They are printed, we can turn the pages. Tommy who is also with Margie, also is surprised and he does not like and says it to be a waste because if we study it once this book will be of no use. We have to throw it out. On the other hand, our screen is having millions of books and whichever book one wants to study one can easily read it and can close the screen. Margie asked Tommy from where he had got that book. Tommy replies that he has found it in the storehouse. She asks about what that book is. Tommy says that book is about “school” Tommy replies to Margie that he has seen school first time. What is a school, our school is in our bedroom, she is surprised to know the subject of book? Which school this book talks about? Can a book be written on a school? School is nothing. Our school is that screen on the wall. How can one write a book on school? On that screen? She says that she hates her school. The school which she has in her bedroom which is not interesting. These days mechanical teacher is giving him tests one after another and results are not improving rather worse. Even her mother is not happy with her performance. Margie’s mother decides to send for County Inspector that Margie is getting low score. County Inspector comes to inspect the mechanical teacher. County Inspector is round shaped, red faced person. He is with his tools, wires and all gadgets to check mechanical teacher, whether it is working properly or not. He gives an apple to Margie. Margie thinks that County Inspector will take some time till then she can enjoy. But within an hour County Inspector repair's the mechanical teacher and once again that machine starts questioning. She could not believe that in this small time, County Inspector will repair it. Now again test will be given to her and results will be there. He says that it was not her fault that she was getting low score rather it was mechanical teachers’ geographical sector which was quick that she was not able to response so she was getting low score. Now no need was there for her to worry as he has set it as per the ten-year level. Margie is disappointed that within an hour County Inspector has repaired. On the other hand, last time when Tommy’s mechanical teacher’s history portion was out of order, it took one month to get repaired. Tommy and Margie start talking to each other once again. Why one should write about school? Tommy says that these are not schools like ours in this room rather this book talks about the schools which used to be there in 2021. It is talking schools in that era, there used to be teachers who taught to students. They were not mechanical teachers but human teachers. Margie is surprised to listen this.
She thinks how can a man be a teacher? Tommy tells her this to be true. He says teachers used to give homework to children, explain the lesson, even question them. Margie makes her point that how a man can be so smart that he can teach so many students. Tommy says that yes, it can be. His father was as intelligent as his teacher. She again disagrees that man can be intelligent than mechanical teacher. Margie tries to avoid any dispute and she says that she would not like that any strange person should come to her home. Tommy replies that teachers did not come to any student home they used to come to schools. All students from nearby locality used to come to that school and study together. And they learnt together. Many students of same age were taught by a single class. Margie argues that her mother says that every child should be taught individually as every child is unique. She questions how can we teach class of so many students? When they were talking, Margie’s mother comes calling Margie that it’s her school time Now she was supposed to go and turn his screen on and she will be in her school. Marie’s mother tells Tommy that it's school time for him also. So, he too has to go and switch on his computer. He says good bye to Margie and says that they will continue talking on that book after school. Tommy tucks that book under his arm and he goes. Now Margie is in her school which was beside her bedroom. Her mechanical teacher was waiting for her that she should come and mechanical teacher can start teaching her because it was scheduled, it was programmed. Only Saturdays and Sundays were kept as off otherwise from Monday to Friday there used to be regular lessons with proper schedule five days in a week, which were must for any students. Computer was on now and computer starts teaching addition of proper fraction to Margie, first it asks Margie to show him yesterday's homework which was given and answers were to be given through punch cards. The computer will check it, only then it will go further. As mechanical teacher was checking, Margie was thinking about the school that how great and full of enjoyment there used to be in schools of that era where so many students used to study together at one place and shouting together, eating together, playing together. In 2157, she was sitting alone there thinking it was a great time in 2021 when they used to tease each other and even after school time they used to go back home together.
They used to do homework together, they could help each other in homework and those human teachers used to be there. That was a great system and it was full of fun. Now sitting before computer Margie was thinking about schools that used to be in 2021. Mechanical teacher had checked the last days homework and it assigned her next assignment about how to add proper fraction but Margie was busy in thinking about the students of those old and 2021 era, how much fun they had in schools. Hence the title “The Fun They Had” is appropriate.
Summary in Hindi
यह दो बच्चों की कहानी है टॉमी और मार्गी की। टॉमी, जो 13 साल का है और मार्गी जो 11 साल की लड़की है और
दोनों पड़ोसी हैं। मार्गी अपनी डायरी में लिखती है कि आज 17 मई को एक असली पुस्तक मिली। उसे यह इतना
महत्वपूर्ण और आश्चर्यजनक लगता है कि वह इसे अपनी डायरी में लिखती है और जो तारीख को डायरी में लिखती है वह
17 मई 2157 होती है। वह याद करती है कि कैसे उसके दादाजी ने एक बार बताया था कि उनके दादाजी ने उन्हें
पुस्तकों के बारे में बताया था। टॉमी एंड मार्गी उसी पुस्तक को देख रहे हैं। पुस्तक के पेज पीले और मुड़े
हुए हैं क्योंकि वह एक पुरानी किताब है। उस पर छपे हुए अक्षर जड़ हैं। वह तुलना करती है कि हमारे कंप्यूटर
पर तो ऐसा नहीं होता है लेकिन यहां किताब में तो हम पेज भी पलट सकते हैं। टॉमी भी मार्गी की हां में हां
मिलाता है और हैरान है कि यह तो एक तरह से व्यर्थ पुस्तक है क्योंकि इसे एक बार पढ़ने के बाद इसका कोई यूज
लाभ नहीं रहता है। हमें इसे फेंकना पड़ता है। दूसरी तरफ हमारे कंप्यूटर में लाखों
ऐसी किताबें हैं जिसे हम कभी भी पढ़ सकते हैं। मार्गी टॉमी से पूछती है कि उसे पुस्तक कहां से मिली है टॉमी
कहता है कि उसे घर के स्टोर रूम से वह किताब मिली है। वह पूछती है कि यह किताब किसके बारे में है तो उसे
कहता है कि यह किताब स्कूल के बारे में है। मार्गी इस बात पर हैरान होती है कि कोई स्कूल के बारे में क्या
किताब लिख सकता है। स्कूल तो यह हमारे कमरे की दीवार जिस पर हमारा कंप्यूटर जो लगा हुआ है, यह स्कूल है इस
पर कैसे कोई किताब लिखी जा सकती है। हमारा स्कूल, जिससे मार्गी नफरत करती है, जोकि शयन कक्ष के एक दीवार पर
ही है उसे अरुचिकर लगता है जहां पर मैकेनिकल टीचर उसे आजकल एक के बाद एक टेस्ट दे रहा है जिस पर उसके अंक भी
ज्यादा अच्छे नहीं आ रहे हैं। मार्गी की माताजी भी मार्गी के पढ़ाई को लेकर चिंतित हैं और वह काउंटी
इंस्पेक्टर को बुलवा भेजती है कि कहीं कंप्यूटर में कोई खराबी तो नहीं आ गई है। काउंटी इंस्पेक्टर जो कि एक
गोल मटोल, लाल चेहरे
वाला है वह अपने औजारों के साथ कंप्यूटर को ठीक करने आता है। वह मार्गी को एक सेब देता है। मार्गी सोचती है
कि काउंटी इंस्पेक्टर को बहुत समय लगेगा। तब तक वह एंजॉय कर सकती है लेकिन काउंटी इंस्पेक्टर एक घंटे के
अंदर उसके कंप्यूटर को ठीक कर देता है और फिर से वह क्वेश्चनिंग करने लगता है। मार्गी को विश्वास नहीं होता
कि इतना शीघ्र उसे रिपेयर कर देगा। उसे लगता है कि अब फिर से एक बार उसे टेस्ट मिला करेंगे और उसका रिजल्ट
फिर से यह दे दिया करेगा। काउंटी इंस्पेक्टर उसे बताता है कि इसमें मार्गी का कोई फाल्ट नहीं था कि उसके
परीक्षाओं में अच्छे नहीं आ रहे थे लेकिन अब चिंता की कोई बात नहीं है। काउंटी इंस्पेक्टर कहता है कि अब
मैंने ग्राफिकल सेक्शन को 10 ईयर के लेवल पर प्रोग्राम कर दिया है। मार्गी निराश है कि इतनी जल्दी उन्होंने
ठीक कर दिया वह तुलना करती है कि पिछली बार जब टॉमी का इतिहास का सेक्शन खराब हुआ था तो अकाउंट इंस्पेक्टर
ने एक महीना लगा दिया था लेकिन यहां पर उलट हुआ है। इस बीच टॉमी और मार्गी एक बार फिर से बातें शुरू करते
हैं। मार्गी ने पूछ लिया कि कोई स्कूल के बारे में क्यों लिखेगा। टॉमी कहता है कि यह स्कूल हमारे जैसे स्कूल
नहीं है। इसमें उन स्कूलों की बात है जो 150 वर्ष पूर्व यानी 2021 के आसपास हुआ करते थे, जहां पर अध्यापक
विद्यार्थियों को पढ़ाया करते थे। वह मैकेनिकल टीचर नहीं थे बल्कि इंसानी टीचर थे। मार्गी हैरान होती है यह
जानकर कि एक आदमी कैसे अध्यापक हो सकता है। टॉमी कहता है कि यह सच है कि अध्यापक ही बच्चों को घर का काम
दिया करते थे। उन्हें पाठ पढ़ाया भी करते थे और उनसे प्रश्न भी पूछा करते थे। मार्गी सोचती है कि कोई आदमी
इतना बुद्धिमान कैसे हो सकता है कि इतने सारे बच्चों को पढ़ा दे। वह सहमत है कि कोई आदमी इतना इंटेलिजेंट
नहीं हो सकता जितना हमारा कंप्यूटर है। फिर भी वह किसी विवाद में नहीं पड़ना चाहती और आगे बातचीत जारी रखती
है। कि मार्गी कहती है कि मैं तो किसी भी अजनबी व्यक्ति को अपने घर में नहीं आने दू। टॉमी जवाब देता है कि
वह अध्यापक बच्चों के घर नहीं जाते थे बल्कि बच्चे और अध्यापक, आसपास अपने घरों से एक जगह स्कूल में आ जाते
थे और वहां इकट्ठे मिलकर पढ़ाई करते थे और वे सभी एक ही क्लास में हुआ करते थे क्योंकि उनका आयु समूह एक
होता था। मार्गी कहती है मुझे तो मेरी मां ने बताया है कि हर बच्चा अलग है हर बच्चा अलग से पढ़ाया जाना
चाहिए तो वह प्रश्न करती है कि एक क्लास को इतने सारे बच्चों को कोई अध्यापक कैसे पढ़ा सकता है। जब बातें कर
रहे हैं तभी मार्गी की माता मार्गी को आवाज लगाती है कि अब स्कूल का समय हो गया है और मार्गी की माता टॉमी
को भी कहती है कि अब आपको जाना चाहिए आपका भी स्कूल का समय हो गया है। मार्गी कंप्यूटर को शुरू करती है।
सप्ताह में 5 दिन उसे नियमित समय पर स्कूल में उपस्थित होना पड़ता था। सिर्फ शनिवार रविवार को ही छुट्टी
होती है हुआ करती है। अब कंप्यूटर चल
रहा है और उसने मार्गी को भिन्नों के बारे में बताना शुरू कर दिया है। पहले कंप्यूटर मार्गी से बीते हुए कल
के गृह कार्य के बारे में जवाब मांगता है। उसके बाद ही वह आगे बढ़ता है। इतने मैकेनिकल टीचर उसके सवालों के
जवाब चेक कर रहा होता है मार्गी सोचने लगती है उस समय के स्कूलों के बारे में कि वह कितने आनंदमई हुआ करते
थे। जब सारे बच्चे इकट्ठे पढ़ा करते थे। इकट्ठे खेलना, खाना
और चिल्लाना और 2157 में आज वह अकेली बैठी है। यह सोच रही है कि 2021 में एक दूसरे के साथ स्कूल जाना घर में
वापस आना इकट्ठे गृह कार्य में एक दूसरे की मदद करना और इंसानी अध्यापक कितने अच्छे हुआ करते होंगे। वह
शिक्षा प्रणाली कितनी बढ़िया थी। कितनी आनंदमई। कंप्यूटर के आगे बैठी हुई मार्गी यही सोचती चली जा रही है।
मैकेनिकल टीचर ने भी उसका गृह कार्य चेक कर दिया है और अगले दिन के बारे में बताना शुरू करता है और मार्गी
अभी भी यही सोची जा रही है कि 2021 के समय के स्कूल में कितना मस्ती हुआ करती थी।
Full Explanation with Word Meanings
1. MARGIE even wrote about it that night in her diary. On the page headed 17 May 2157, she wrote, “Today Tommy found a real book!” It was a very old book. Margie’s grandfather once said that when he was a little boy his grandfather told him that there was a time when all stories were printed on paper. 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. And then when they turned back to the page before, it had the same words on it that it had had when they read it the first time
This is story of two children Tommy and Margie. Tommy is 13 years old and Margie is 11 years old
girl, who are neighbours. Margie has written a diary
that today Tommy found a real book. She wrote in her diary that Tommy had seen a book first time.
She was surprised in such a way that she was writing it in her diary and the day when she was
writing diary was May 17, 2157. She remembers how her grandfather told her once that his grandfather
had told him the story of books which used to be written on papers and the same book, they have got
first time. They were watching such a book that used to be in 2021. Pages are yellow and crinkly.
She looks at the words which are stable. She compares that on her screen, words are running but in
this paper book words are stable. They are printed, we can turn the pages.
2. “Gee,” said Tommy, “what a waste. When you’re through with the book, you just throw it away, I guess. Our television screen must have had a million books on it and it’s good for plenty more. I wouldn’t throw it away.” “Same with mine,” said Margie. She was eleven and hadn’t seen as many tele books as Tommy had. He was thirteen. She said, “Where did you find it?” “In my house.” He pointed without looking, because he was busy reading. “In the attic”. “What’s it about?” “School”
Tommy who is also with Margie, also is surprised and he does not like and says it to be a waste because if we study it once this book will be of no use. We have to throw it out. On the other hand, our screen is having millions of books and whichever book one wants to study one can easily read it and can close the screen. Margie asked Tommy from where he had got that book. Tommy replies that he has found it in the storehouse.
3. Margie was scornful. “School? What’s there to write about school? I hate school.” Margie always hated school, but now she hated it more than ever. 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.
She asks about what that book is. Tommy says that book is about “school” Tommy replies to Margie that he has seen school first time. What is a school, our school is in our bedroom, she is surprised to know the subject of book? Which school this book talks about? Can a book be written on a school? School is nothing. Our school is that screen on the wall. How can one write a book on school? On that screen? She says that she hates her school. The school which she has in her bedroom which is not interesting. These days mechanical teacher is giving him tests one after another and results are not improving rather worse. Even her mother is not happy with her performance. Margie’s mother decides to send for Count Inspector that Margie is getting low score.
4. He was a round little man with a red face and a whole box of tools with dials and wires. He smiled at Margie and gave her an apple, then took the teacher apart. He smiled at Margie and gave her an apple, then took the teacher apart. Margie had hoped he wouldn’t know how to put it together again, but he knew how all right, and, after an hour or so, there it was again, large and black and ugly, with a big screen on which all the lessons were shown and the questions were asked. That wasn’t so bad. The part Margie hated most was the slot where she had to put homework and test papers. She always had to write them out in a punch code they made her learn when she was six years old, and the mechanical teacher calculate the marks in no time.
County Inspector comes to inspect the mechanical teacher. County Inspector is round shaped, red faced person. He is with his tools, wires and all gadgets to check mechanical teacher, whether it is working properly or not. He gives an apple to Margie. Margie thinks that County Inspector will take some time till then she can enjoy. But within an hour County Inspector repair's the mechanical teacher and once again that machine starts questioning. She could not believe that in this small time, County Inspector will repair it. Now again test will be given to her and results will be there.
5. The Inspector had smiled after he was finished and patted Margie’s head. He said to her mother, “It’s not the little girl’s fault, Mrs Jones. I think the geography sector was geared (adjusted to a particular level) a little too quick. Those things happen sometimes. I’ve slowed it up to an average ten-year level. Actually, the overall pattern of her progress is quite satisfactory.” And he patted Margie’s head again. Margie was disappointed. She had been hoping they would take the teacher away altogether. They had once taken Tommy’s teacher away for nearly a month because the history sector had blanked out completely. So, she said to Tommy, “Why would anyone write about school?”
He says that it was not her fault that she was getting low score rather it was mechanical teachers’ geographical sector which was quick that she was not able to response so she was getting low score. Now no need was there for her to worry as he has set it as per the ten-year level. Margie is disappointed that within an hour County Inspector has repaired. On the other hand, last time when Tommy’s mechanical teacher’s history portion was out of order, it took one month to get repaired. Tommy and Margie start talking to each other once again. Why one should write about school?
6. Tommy looked at her with very superior eyes. “Because it’s not our kind of school, stupid. This is
the old kind of school that they had hundreds and hundreds of years ago. “He added loftily (in a
superior way),
pronouncing the word carefully, “Centuries ago.”
Margie was hurt. “Well, I don’t know what kind of school they had all that time ago.” She read the book
over his shoulder for a while, then said, “Anyway, they had a teacher.”
“Sure, they had a teacher, but it wasn’t a regular (normal, of the usual
kind) teacher. It was a man.”
“A man? How could a man be a teacher?”
“Well, he just told the boys and girls things and gave them homework and asked them questions.”
Tommy says that these are not schools like ours in this room rather this book talks about the schools which used to be there in 2021. It is talking schools in that era, there used to be teachers who taught to students. They were not mechanical teachers but human teachers. Margie is surprised to listen this. She thinks how can a man be a teacher? Tommy tells her this to be true. He says teachers used to give homework to children, explain the lesson, even question them.
7. “A man isn’t smart enough.” “Sure, he is. My father knows as much as my teacher.” “He knows almost as much, I betcha.” (I bet, used to express confidence) Margie wasn’t prepared to dispute that. She said, “I wouldn’t want a strange man in my house to teach me.” Tommy screamed (cry) with laughter. “You don’t know much, Margie. The teachers didn’t live in the house. They had a special building and all the kids went there.” “And all the kids learned the same thing?” “Sure, if they were the same age.”
Margie makes her point that how a man can be so smart that he can teach so many students. Tommy says that yes, it can be. His father was as intelligent as his teacher. She again disagrees that man can be intelligent than mechanical teacher. Margie tries to avoid any dispute and she says that she would not like that any strange person should come to her home. Tommy replies that teachers did not come to any student home they used to come to schools. All students from nearby locality used to come to that school and study together. And they learnt together. Many students of same age were taught by a single class.
8. “But my mother says a teacher has to be adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl it teaches and that each kid has to be taught differently.” “Just the same they didn’t do it that way then. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to read the book.” “I didn’t say I didn’t like it,” Margie said quickly. She wanted to read about those funny schools. They weren’t even half finished when Margie's Mother called, “Margie! School!” Margie looked up. “Not yet, Mamma” “Now!” said Mrs Jones. “And it’s probably (perhaps) time for Tommy, too.” Margie said to Tommy, “Can I read the book some more with you after school?”
Margie argues that her mother says that every child should be taught individually as every child is unique. She questions how can we teach class of so many students? When they were talking, Margie’s mother comes calling Margie that it’s her school time Now she was supposed to go and turn his screen on and she will be in her school. Marie’s mother tells Tommy that it's school time for him also. So, he too has to go and switch on his computer. He says good bye to Margie and says that they will continue talking on that book after school.
9. “May be,” he said nonchalantly. (carelessly, not showing much interest) He walked away whistling; the dusty old book tucked (folded under) beneath his arm. Margie went into the schoolroom. It was right next to her bedroom, and the mechanical teacher was on and waiting for her. It was always on at the same time every day except Saturday and Sunday, because her mother said little girls learned better if they learned at regular hours. The screen was lit up, and it said: “Today's Arithmetic lesson is on the addition of proper fractions. (sum in which the numerator is less than the denominator) Please insert (put in) yesterday’s homework in the proper slot.
Tommy tucks that book under his arm and he goes. Now Margie is in her school which was beside her bedroom. Her mechanical teacher was waiting for her that she should come and mechanical teacher can start teaching her because it was scheduled, it was programmed. Only Saturdays and Sundays were kept as off otherwise from Monday to Friday there used to be regular lessons with proper schedule five days in a week, which were must for any students. Computer was on now and computer starts teaching addition of proper fraction to Margie, first it asks Margie to show him yesterday's homework which was given and answers were to be given through punch cards.
10. Margie did so with a sigh. (emit a long, deep audible breath expressing sadness, relief, tiredness) She was thinking about the old schools they had when her grandfather's grandfather was a little boy. All the kids from the whole neighbourhood came, laughing and shouting in the schoolyard, sitting together in the schoolroom, 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. And the teachers were people… The mechanical teacher was flashing on the screen: “When we add fractions ½ and ¼...” Margie was thinking about how the kids must have loved it in the old days. She was thinking about the fun they had.
The computer will check it, only then it will go further. As mechanical teacher was checking, Margie was thinking about the school that how great and full of enjoyment there used to be in schools of that era where so many students used to study together at one place and shouting together, eating together, playing together. In 2157, she was sitting alone there thinking it was a great time in 2021 when they used to tease each other and even after school time they used to go to go back home together. They used to do homework together, they could help each other in homework and those human teachers used to be there. That was a great system and it was full of fun. Now sitting before computer Margie was thinking about schools that used to be in 2021. Mechanical teacher had checked the last days homework and it assigned her next assignment about how to add proper fraction but Margie was busy in thinking about the students of those old and 2021 era, how much fun they had in schools. Hence the title “The Fun They Had” is appropriate.
Exercises
Comprehension for Passage
Passage 1
Margie even wrote about it that night in her diary. On the page headed 17 May 2157, she wrote, ‘Today Tommy found a real book!’ It was a very old book. Margie’s grandfather once said that when he was a little boy his grandfather told him that there was a time when all stories were printed on paper. 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. And then when they turned back to the page before, it had the same words on it that it had had when they read it the first time.
Questions:
(i) On which date and page did Margie write in her diary?A: On page headed 17 May 2157, Margie wrote in her diary.
(ii) Name the writer of the lesson.
A: The name of the writer is ‘Isaac Asimov’.
(iii) What did Margie write in her diary?
A: Margie wrote, ‘Today Tommy found a real book!’
(iv) What book has been referred to here?
A: The old book that was printed on paper have been referred to here.
(v) Who turned the pages of the book?
A: Margie and Tommy turned the pages of the book.
(vi) What seemed awfully funny?
A: The words in the book stand still instead of moving unlike on their screen.
Passage 2
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.
Questions:
(a) Who are 'they' in this extract?A: They' are Tommy and Margie, the young children who are reading the book.
(b) Which book had yellow and crinkly pages?
A: The same book that Tommy found in the attic of his house had yellow and crinkly pages.
(c) What do the yellow and crinkly pages reveal about the book?
A: The yellow and crinkly pages reveal that it was a very old book and had not been read for a long time.
(d) What did 'they' find funny? Why?
A: The children found the fixed and still words in the book funny because they were used to reading electronic books on the television screen or digital devices in which the words kept moving.
Grammer
I. Adverbs:
Read this sentence taken from the story: They had once taken Tommy’s teacher away for nearly a month because 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 below.
- awfully
- sorrowfully
- completely
- loftily
- carefully
- differently
- quickly
- nonchalantly
Awfully — It was awfully funny to read words that stood still instead of moving the way they were
supposed to.
Sorrowfully — Her mother had shaken her head sorrowfully.
Completely — They had once been taken Tommy's teacher away for nearly a month because the history
sector had blanked out completely.
Carefully/loftily — He added loftily, pronouncing the word carefully, “Centuries ago.”
Differently — 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.
Differently — 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 these 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, ......... loftily...... 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 ........ completely....... forgot about it.
(vi) When I complimented 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 ........ quickly....... so that I could go out to play.
Remember: An adverb describes action. You can form adverbs by adding –ly to adjectives. Spelling Note: When an adjective end in –y, the y changes to i when you add –ly to form an adverb. For example: angr-y → angr-i-ly.
3.Make adverbs from these adjectives:
I
(i) angry — angrily
(ii) happy — happily
(iii) merry — merrily
(iv) sleepy — sleepily
(v) easy — easily
(vi) noisy — noisily
(vii) tidy — tidily
(viii) gloomy — gloomily
II. If Not and Unless
- Imagine that Margie’s mother told her, “You’ll feel awful if you don’t finish your history lesson.”
- She could also say: “You’ll feel awful unless you finish your history lesson.”
Unless means if not. Sentences with unless or if not are negative conditional sentences. Notice that these sentences have two parts. The part that begins with if not or unless tells us the condition. This part has a verb in the present tense (look at the verbs don’t finish, finish in the sentences above). The other part of the sentence tells us about a possible result. It tells us what will happen (if something else doesn’t happen). The verb in this part of the sentence is in the future tense (you’ll feel/you will feel ).
Notice these two tenses again in the following examples.
• There won’t be any books left(Future Tense Present Tense)
Unless we preserve them.(Present Tense)
• You won’t learn your lessons(Future Tense Present Tense)
If you don’t study regularly.(Present Tense)
• Tommy will have an accident(Future Tense Present Tense)
Unless he drives more slowly.(Present Tense)
Complete the following conditional sentences.
Use the correct form of the verb.
1. If I don’t go to Anu’s party tonight, she will be angry.
2. If you don’t telephone the hotel to order food, it won’t be ready.
3. Unless you promise to write back, I will not meet you there.
4. If she doesn’t play any games, she won’t be able to keep good health.
5. Unless that little bird flies away quickly, the cat will catch it.
Question and Answers
Q.1 How old are Margie and Tommy?
Ans. Margie is eleven and Tommy is thirteen years old.
Q.2 What did Margie write in her diary?
Ans: Margie wrote in her diary, “Today Tommy found a real book!”
Q.3 Had Margie ever seen a book before?
Ans. No, Margie had never seen a book before.
Q.4 What things about the book did she find strang?
Ans: She found that the words in the book stand still. They did not move like the words on the
television screen. It had the same words on it that they
had read earlier.
Q.5 What do you think a tele book is?
Ans. It is not like a real book that is printed on pages. It is a book that is telecast on the T.V.
screen.
Q.6 Where was Margie’s school? Did she have any classmates?
Ans. Margie’s school was in her house. Her schoolroom was in the room next to her bedroom. She had no
classmate.
Q.7 What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?
Ans. Margie learnt Geography and Mathematics while Tommy learnt History subject.
Q.8 What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have?
Ans. Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers. They appeared daily on their television screen at fixed
time and gave their lessons. They gave them homework, checked their homework and judged their progress
in study.
Q.9 Why did Margie’s mother send for the County Inspector?
Ans. The mechanical teacher had been giving test after test to Margie in Geography. In those tests
Margie was doing worse. Her mother was very upset with it. So, she sent for the County Inspector to
check her mechanical teacher.
Q.10 What did county inspector do?
Ans. County Inspector took the mechanical teacher apart. He checked every part of it. He found that the
Geography sector of the mechanical teacher was working at fast speed. He slowed it up to an average
ten-year level student. He reassembled it and now it was working smoothly.
Q.11 Why was Margie doing badly in Geography? What did the County Inspector do to
help her?
Ans. The geography sector of Margie’s mechanical teacher was geared a little too quick. She could not
respond to it properly. So, she was doing badly in Geography. The County Inspector slowed it up to an
average ten-year student level.
Q.12 What had once happened to Tommy’s teacher?
Ans. Once the History sector of Tommy’s teacher had blanked out completely. The County Inspector came
and took the teacher away for nearly a month.
Q.13 Did Margie have regular days and hours for school? If so, why?
Ans. Yes, Margie had regular days and hours for school. Her school was in her home. It was in the room
next to her bedroom. The mechanical teacher was waiting for her on fixed time. It was always on the same
time every day except Saturday and Sunday.
Q.14 How does Tommy describe the old kind of school?
Ans. Tommy says that hundreds and hundreds of years ago there were old kind of schools. Those schools
also had teachers. But they were not regular teachers. They were men. The school had a special building
and all the kids went there and learnt the same thing.
Q.15 How does he describe the old kind of teachers?
Ans. He says that in old kind of schools there were teachers too. They were not regular teachers. They
were men. They taught the same things to the kids.
Q.16 What are the main features of the mechanical teachers and the schoolrooms
that Margie and Tommy
have in the story?
Ans. Margie and Tommy have their individual schools. These schools are in their respective homes.
Margie’s schoolroom is in the room next to her bedroom. She enters in this room at fixed time to attend
the teacher. Tommy too has the same kind of school at his home. Margie and Tommy have mechanical
teachers. They appear on their television screen on fixed time. They deliver their lecture, ask the
questions, give homework and check the homework and assignment papers. Sometimes these mechanical
teachers get some fault. Mechanics are needed to set them right. These mechanical teachers are adjusted
to the mental level of the student otherwise the student will show poor results.
Q.17 Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must
have been fun?
Ans. Margie always hated school. Her school was in her home. It was in the room next to her bedroom. She
was the only one student of that school. Her teacher was not any man but it was a mechanical teacher. It
flashed on her television screen. These days she hated the school more than ever. The mechanical teacher
had been giving her test after test in Geography. She had been doing worse and worse. Her mother sent
for the County Inspector. He came and set it slower up to the mental level of Margie. When Margie came
to know that the schools in old days were in a special building, she was surprised. All the kids from
far and near went there and learnt the same thing. They had a man teacher to teach them. They played
together. So, the old kind of schools must have been fun.
To enjoy Detailed Explanation of these questions refer the video
Q:1. Who found a real book?
(A) Margie
(B) Tommy
(C) Tommy’s grandfather
(D) The mechanical teacher
Ans. (B) Tommy
Q:2. How old was Tommy?
(A) ten years
(B) eleven years
(C) twelve years
(D) thirteen years
Ans. (D) thirteen years
Q:3. On which date did Margie make an entry in her diary about schools?
(A) 18 May, 2156
(B) 17 May, 2157
(C) 17 June, 2158
(D) 17 May, 2021
Ans. (B) 17 May, 2157
Q:4. What did Margie write about in her diary?
(A) a real computer
(B) a real teacher
(C) a real book
(D) county inspector
Ans. (C) a real book
Q:5. Who told Margie once about real books?
(A) county inspector
(B) her mother
(C) the mechanical teacher
(D) her grandfather
Ans. (D) her grandfather
Q:6. Why were the pages of the book were yellow and crinkly?
(A) as it was a very old book
(B) as its colour was yellow
(C) as they were yellow because
(D) none of these
Ans. (A) it was a very old book
Q:7. How were the words in the book?
(A) running
(B) steady
(C) moving
(D) none of these
Ans. (B) steady
Q:8. How old was Margie?
(A) six years
(B) twelve years
(C) thirteen years
(D) eleven years
Ans. (D) eleven years
Q:9. Where did Tommy find the real book?
(A) in the school
(B) in a shop
(C) in the attic
(D) in a library
Ans. (C) in the attic
Q:10. On which subject was Margie’s mechanical teacher giving her tests?
(A) tests in geography
(B) a sound beating
(C) good marks
(D) tests in mathematics
Ans. (A) tests in geography
Q:11. Why did Margie’s mother call the County Inspector.
(A) to give her good marks
(B) to take her to other school
(C) to set the mechanical teacher right
(D) to teach Margie
Ans. (C) set the mechanical teacher right
Q:12. Who was a round little man?
(A) Margie
(B) the real teacher
(C) the County Inspector
(D) Tommy
Ans. (C) the County Inspector
Q:13. How long did it take the inspector to set the mechanical teacher
right?
(A) one month
(B) two hours
(C) one month
(D) one hour
Ans. (D) one hour
Q:14. How did Margie feed her homework in the mechanical teacher?
(A) in a punch code
(B) in written papers
(C) by speaking
(D) none of these
Ans. (A) in a punch code
Q:15. In which subject Margie was doing well for some days?
(A) Maths
(B) Physics
(C) Geography
(D) English
Ans. (C) Geography
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