The Fun They Had 12-05-2020

Thinking about the Text (Answers for the questions given on Page 10)

I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences each.

1. How old are Margie and Tommy?

Margie is eleven and Tommy is thirteen years old.

2. What did Margie write in her diary?

Margie wrote in her diary. “Today, 17 May 2157, Tommy found a real book.”

3. Had Margie ever seen a book before?

No, Margie had never seen a book before.

4. What things about the book did she find strange?

The book had yellow and wrinkled pages. The words of the book were still. They did not move as the words move on the computer screen. She found these things strange.

5. What do you think a telebook is?

A telebook is displayed on the television screen and the text of a telebook is similar to a book.

6. Where was Margie’s school? Did she have any classmates?

Margie’s school was near her own bedroom. She did not have any classmate.

7. What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?

Margie learned Geography and Mathematics. Tommy learned History and Mathematics.

II. Answer the following with reference to the story.

1. “I wouldn’t throw it away.”

1. Who says these words?

2. What does ‘it’ refer to?

3. What is it being compared with by the speaker?

Answer:

1. Margie says these words.

2. It refers to that real book that Tommy found.

3. The speaker compares it with a telebook.

2. “Sure, they had a teacher, but it wasn’t a regular teacher. It was a man.”

1. Who does ‘they’ refer to?

2. What does ‘regular’ mean here?

3. What is it contrasted with?

Answer:

1. ‘They’ refer to the people of the old times.

2. Here, regular refers to the mechanical teacher then they had.

3. It is contrasted with a normal teacher of earlier times, who was a living human being.

III. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).

 1. What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have?

Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers. The computerized mechanical teachers had preloaded lessons on different subjects according to the learner’s level. Whenever they malfunctioned, they were opened and repaired.

 2. Why did Margie’s mother send for the County Inspector?

Margie was failing the Geography tests repeatedly.  Her mechanical teacher might be not working properly. So, her mother called the County Inspector to check the computerized teacher.

3. What did he do?

The County Inspector was trained to repair the computer teacher. He opened the machine and checked it. He found that the Geography sector was set on a higher level than the learning level of Margie. He reset it to Margie’s level.

 4. Why was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the County Inspector Do to help her?

Margie’s failure in Geography tests was because her mechanical teacher was not working properly due to a fault. The County Inspector checked the mechanical teacher and told Margie’s mother that Margie was not at fault. Her progress was good. He reset the teacher to Margie’s level.

 5. What had once happened to Tommy’s teacher?

Once Tommy’s teacher had developed a fault as the entire section on History had been deleted. His teacher had been taken for repairs and it took them a month to set it right.

 6.Did Margie have regular days and hours for school? If so, why?

A. Margie studied at the same time everyday in her school room, except Saturdays and Sundays. Her mother was very particular about it. She told Margie that she would learn better if she studied at the same time every day.

7. How does Tommy describe the old kind of school?

A. Tommy said that in the old kind of schools, there was a human teacher who told a few things to the students. The teachers gave students homework and then asked them questions. Tommy says that the human teacher was as knowledgeable as the machine teacher.

8. How does he describe the old kind of teachers?

A. Tommy says that the old teachers were not the regular kind they had. They were human beings and not machines. Tommy says that the human teacher was as knowledgeable as the machine teacher.

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?

Margie and Tommy lived in the year 2157. They were taught by mechanical teachers. They had large black screens on which the lessons appeared. The lessons were followed by questions. The students had to insert homework and test papers in the slots provided. They had to write down their work in a punch code. The punch code was a computing language. The mechanical teacher checked the papers and gave the marks within a few seconds.

These classrooms were in the student’s home itself. Every student was taught by his respective mechanical teacher. The mechanical teacher was computerized and adjusted to the level of the learner. Margie and Tommy did not have classmates. They studied various subjects like Geography, History, and Mathematics. Margie studied every day at the same time except Saturdays and Sundays. Her mother said that she would learn better if she studied that way. The learning process was mechanical, dull and boring for Margie and Tommy.

 2. Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have been fun?

Margie hated school because it was not fun. There was a mechanical teacher and the learning process lacked liveliness. The learning was like a machine carrying out the usual, boring work. There was nothing new. It had no fun or laughter. 

Margie did not perform well in Geography tests because of her teacher’s fault. The County Inspector found the fault and rectified it. She hated the punching code, inserting the homework and test papers into the slot provided.

She found it amazing that in the olden days all the children studied together. They could discuss studies and help each other with the homework. As the teachers were people, they would not behave like machines. The human aspect of education in the past made her feel that the schools of the past were fun.

3. Do you agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the school in the story? Give reasons for your answer.

I agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the school in the story.

Schools today have morning assemblies where all students and teachers gather together and do several group activities. We do prayer, chant the national anthem, and several such things. Margie had no such activity at all.

We can interact with our teachers, our classmates and other school children. We can ask our doubts and get answers to our doubts face to face with our teachers. We can share our experiences and our lunch boxes. Margie had no such opportunity.

We have several extracurricular activities in our schools like games and sports, quizzes and debates, drams and dances, and many others. Margie’s home school had no such facilities.

So, I think that Margie’s method of learning must be very boring and dull.

Thinking about language:

1. Find the sentences in the lesson which have the adverbs given in the box below.

Awfully	Sorrowfully	Completely	Loftily
Carefully	Differently	Quickly	nonchalantly

1.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.

2. 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.

3. They had once taken Tommy’s teacher away for nearly a month because the history sector had blanked out completely.

4. He added loftily, pronouncing the word carefully, “Centuries ago.”

5. “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.”

6. “I didn’t say I didn’t like it,” Margie said quickly.

7. “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 _________so that performance can be improved.

(ii) At the interview, Sameer answered our questions _________ ,shrugging his shoulders.

(iii) We all behave _________ when we are tired or hungry.

(iv) The teacher shook her head ________when Ravi lied to her.

(v) I ________ forgot about it.

(vi) When I complimented Revathi on her success, she just smiled _______ and turned away.

(vii) The President of the Company is ________ busy and will not be able to meet you.

(viii) I finished my work ________ so that I could go out to play.

 Answers:

(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.

3. Make adverbs from these adjectives.

Adjectives	Adverbs
(i) angry	_______
(ii) happy	_______
(iii) merry	_______
(iv) sleepy	_______
(v) easy	_______
(vi) noisy	_______
(vii) tidy	_______
(viii) gloomy	_______

 Answers:

Adjectives	Adverbs
(i) angry	angrily
(ii) happy	happily
(iii) merry	merrily
(iv) sleepy	sleepily
(v) easy	easily
(vi) noisy	noisily
(vii) tidy	tidily
(viii) gloomy	gloomily

 4. Complete the following conditional sentences. Use the correct form of the verb.

1. If I don’t go to Anu’s party tonight, _____________

2. If you don’t telephone the hotel to order food, ___________

3. Unless you promise to write back, I ____________

4. If she doesn’t play any games, ______________

5. Unless that little bird flies away quickly, the cat __________

 Answers:

1. If I don’t go to Anu’s party tonight, she will be angry with me.

2. If you don’t telephone the hotel to order food, you will not get your meal.

3. Unless you promise to write back, I will not write to you.

4. If she doesn’t play any games, she will not become strong.

5. Unless that little bird flies away quickly, the cat will catch it.

My Big Brother

The narrator with his big brother

Reading 1

1. Based on your understanding of the text, you select the best option for the following.

a. ‘He wanted to lay a very solid foundation so that a magnificent structure could be raided upon it.’ Here the magnificent structure implies

i. a building.

ii. his education.

iii. wealth.

iv. his dream.

Answer : ii. his education

b. My eyes were turned upwards and riveted on the air traveler that was reeling gently towards its downfall..’ Who is the air traveler referred to here?

i. the kite he was chasing

ii. a leaf falling from a tree

iii. an aeroplane passing by

iv. the blowing wind

Answer : i. the kite he was chasing

2. Answer the following questions.

a. The elder brother was not good at academics. How does the narrator convey this?

The narrator conveys that he was no good at academics by saying like this. He says that in spite of the studious nature, his elder brother failed his exams every time.

b. What was the difference in the routines of the two brothers?

The elder brother was always reading. He never went out to play or to shows or fairs. But the younger brother loved to play and always looked for opportunities to spend time outdoors. This is the difference in the routines of the two brothers.

c. Describe the timetable drawn up by the narrator. How were the intent and reality completely different?

The narrator says that making a timetable is one thing and putting it into practice is another thing. His timetable is full of study hours and there is no time for sports or recreation. Though in theory, he intended to spend most of his time studying, in reality, he spent all his time playing.

d. What was the impact of the elder brother's lectures on the narrator?

The elder brother's lectures scared him and made him sad. They made him feel that he was wasting his father's money.

e. How did the elder brother's sermons change when he failed for the first time?

Before the examination, the elder brother lectured about how hard one must work in order to pass the exams. But after the first time he failed, and the narrator got the first position his gave Ravan's example. He said that pride caused the fall of even the greatest scholars. Passing the exam was not important, but absorbing knowledge and getting wisdom was more important.

f. What was the elder brother's reaction to failing for the second time?

After his second failure, the elder brother became more defensive. He told the narrator that no matter how successful a person became the person’s elders, who had seen more of the world, had the upper hand always. Hence, the narrator and his elder brother could never be equal.

Reading 2

1. Do you think that the elder brother had to suppress his desires to be a role model to his younger brother? Why do you think so?

1. Absolutely. It is evident that he wanted to be role model to his brother. He wanted to lead by example. So, he kept studying hard and pulling up his younger brother. He just wasn't as gifted as his younger brother.

2. Bring out the humour in the story—both in words as well as in situations.

The story starts with an irony in the opening lines.  The elder brother who is studious has to study the same class again and again. The author brings in humour through language as well as situation. Other situations like the narrator's timetable; the elder brother's ranting against the system; the fact that the elder brother fails in spite of his efforts and the younger one stands first in spite of his nonchalance are also humorous situations.

3. Irony is the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect. Bring out the irony in the story.

The fact that the elder brother works very hard and yet fails in his exams and that the younger one stands first in spite of his nonchalance is the main irony in the story. At the end of the story both the brothers run after the kite almost as equals, though the title of the story is ‘My Big Brother’.

4. Whom do you like more—the narrator or his brother? Give reasons.

Answer 1:

I like the narrator’s brother more. He wants to lead his brother by example. He wants to be a good role model to his brother. He is hardworking and he cares for his brother. He takes the responsibility of being an elder brother.

Answer 2:

I like the narrator more. He is a gifted student. He need not study as much as his brother. He takes everything lightly. He likes to play and relax. At the same time, he is able to come first in his examinations.

5. 'Then he ran at top speed towards the hostel and I ran behind him.'

What does the last line reflect on the interpersonal relationship between the siblings?

In the last line, the narrator runs after his elder brother. Until now, in the story, their relationship is formal but when they both run after the kite, they almost equal. The formal relationship changes to a playful companionship.