Here you will find answers for the questions from the chapter The Fun They Had.

1. 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.

2. What did Margie write in her diary?

In her diary entry dated 17 May 2157, Margie wrote that Tommy had found a real book on that day.

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?

She found it strange that the book had words that stood still instead of moving like the letters on a screen. She was also surprised to find that the words on a page did not change when they turned back to it.

5. What do you think a telebook is?

Telebooks are digital books that children can read on a television screen.

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

Margie’s school was right next to her bedroom. She had no classmates.

7. What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?

Margie learned geography and mathematics and Tommy learnt history and mathematics among other subjects.

II. Answer the following with reference to the story.

1. “I wouldn’t throw it away.”

a) Who says these words?

Tommy says these words.

b) What does ‘it’ refer to?

It refers to the television screen that has shown them numerous books.

c) What is it being compared with by the speaker?

The speaker is comparing the telebooks on the television with the printed book he had in his hands.

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

(i) Who does they refer to?

They refers to the students who were in school centuries ago.

(ii) What does regular mean here?

Regular in this context means what is usual for students in 2157. Here the regular teacher is a mechanical teacher.

(iii) What is it contrasted with?

In 2157, a regular teacher is a mechanical teacher whereas centuries ago, it was a human being. Here the mechanical teacher is contrasted with the human teacher.

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 with big screens. The screen showed them the lessons they had to learn and asked the questions they had to answer. Also the teacher had a slot where they had to put their homework and test papers. Once they inserted the test papers written out in a punch code, the teacher calculated the marks instantly.

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

There was a problem with Margie’s mechanical teacher. It was giving her test after test in geography and she was doing worse and worse. So, her mother sent for the County Inspector.

3. What did he do?

He came with a lot of tools and took the mechanical teacher apart. In an hour so, he put it back together. The inspector adjusted the speed of the mechanical teacher to match the learning ability of an average 10 year old.

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

Margie was doing badly in geography because the geography sector was geared too quickly. The Inspector slowed it down to the level of an average 10 year old student.

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

They had taken away Tommy’s teacher for nearly a month because the history sector had blanked out completely. Margie was hoping that they would take away her teacher as well.

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

Margie had regular days and hours for school and her teacher was on at the same time on all days except Saturdays and Sundays. This is because her mother felt that little girls learned better if they learned at regular hours.

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

In Tommy’s words, the old kind of school had a human teacher who taught the boys and girls and gave them homework and asked them questions. The school was a special building and all the kids went there to learn. They learned the same thing and the students in each class were of the same age.

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

The old kinds of teachers were humans who told the boys and girls things and gave them homework and asked them questions. The teachers did not live in the house of schools. Instead, they taught in a special building and all the kids were there to learn.

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?

The mechanical teachers have large screens that showed the children the lessons and asked them the questions. The teachers give them homework and periodic tests and they have to write their answers in a punch code and insert it in a slot on the mechanical teacher. The teacher will calculate the marks almost instantly.

The children do not go to a school. The schoolroom is a room in the student’s house and the mechanical teacher is installed in that room. Children learn by reading the books on the screen. They do not have printed books. Also, they learn all alone and the teacher teaches them at a pace that suits their ability to learn.

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

Margie hated school because her mechanical teacher was giving her too many tests and her performance was getting worse and worse. Also, she was learning alone with a machine and had no classmates. While she did not detest attending the school regularly, she simply hated the homework and tests.

 She thought that the old school must have been fun because in those days children from the entire neighbourhood got together in the classroom. They laughed and shouted in the schoolyard unlike Margie who learns alone in her schoolroom in her house. So, she feels that old school must have been so much fun.