I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences each.
1. How old are Margie and Tommy?
Margie is 11, tommy is 13
2. What did Margie write in her diary?
Margie wrote, “Today, 17 May 2157, Tommy found a real book.”
3. Had Margie ever seen a book before?
Margie had never seen a book before.
4. What things about the book did she find strange?
The pages were rough and wrinkled. The words were still and didn't move unlike on
the screen.
5. What do you think a telebook is?
A telebook is probably an online version that accesses books. While being displayed
on screen, the text may be similar to that of a regular book.
6. Where was Margie’s school? Did she have any classmates?
Margie attended her class with the screen in her bedroom. She didn’t have any
classmates.
7. What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?
Margie learned Geography and Maths while Tommy learned History and Maths.
II. Answer the following with reference to the story.
1. “I wouldn’t throw it away.” (i) Who says these words? -Margie (ii) What does ‘it’ refer to? -
a real book Tommy found (iii) What is it being compared with by the speaker? - telebook
2. “Sure they had a teacher, but it wasn’t a regular teacher. It was a man.” (i) Who does
‘they’ refer to? -people of the old times (ii) What does ‘regular’ mean here? -mechanical
teacher (iii) What is it contrasted with?-normal living teachers
III. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).
1. What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have?
Mechanical teachers with large black screens; display test papers; homework
2. Why did Margie’s mother send for the County Inspector? What did he do?
Not functioning; adjust settings to her level.
4. Why was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the County Inspector do to help
her?
Geared up too fast; adjust settings to her level.
5. What had once happened to Tommy’s teacher?
Not functioning; 1 month gone; he was relaxed
6. Did Margie have regular days and hours for school? If so, why?
Yes, mom said that little girls learnt better regular hours, mon to friday
7. How does Tommy describe the old kind of school?
A special building where students would come together to learn from a living human
teacher.
8. How does he describe the old kind of teachers?
The human teachers taught them in classrooms of the buildings and asked questions
and homework
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?
2. Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have been
fun?
Tommy and Margie are young school going children in the year 2157. Schools and teachers
have an entirely different form from the ones in the twentieth century. Margie and Tommy’s
school is not in a separate special building but in a room in their respective houses where
the television or the mechanical teacher is placed. Each student has to sit and study alone
with the help of the mechanical teacher. The ‘teacher’ assigns tests to the students and
assesses their progress. The speed of the different subject sectors is fixed according to the
age level of each student.
There is a special slot in the tele-teacher where students have to insert their homework. If
the mechanical teacher develops any fault, there are engineers to repair it. Sometimes the
fault may be a major one and it takes longer to repair it, as was the case when Tommy’s
history teacher developed a snag. Thus, the mechanical teachers and schoolrooms of
Tommy and Margie are fully computerized and are completely different from the present-day
schools.
3. Do you agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the school in the story?
Give reasons for your answer
Social interactions; activities; competitions; face-to-face; collaborative; group projects;
support.
1. How does Toto come to grandfather’s private zoo?
Grandfather buys him in the tonga shop, because a pretty monkey like him felt
out of place there
2. “Toto was a pretty monkey.” In what sense is Toto pretty?
Toto had a cute appearance. His eyes sparkled and teeth were described pearl
white.
He had a long tail that added to his overall appearance, serving as a third hand
and helped him hang around the trees.
3. Why does grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how? Why does the ticket
collector insist on calling Toto a dog?
Grandfather had to go to Saharanpur to collect his pension but he knew Toto
would create havoc in his absence. Therefore, grandfather brings Toto with
him in his bag. The ticket collector insisted on calling Toto a dog as he didnt
qualify as a human and the collector didnt have any specific rule book to
collect fare for a monkey.
4. How does Toto take a bath? Where has he learnt to do this? How does Toto almost
boil himself alive?
Toto would first put his hand in to check the temperature of the water and then
enters the tub. He puts one foot in, then the other, until the water would reach
his neck level. He then would rub himself with soap. He learned it from the
narrator of the story. One day he saw a kettle with boiling water which seemed
just right for his bath. But as he dipped it in the temperature was rising, and
was nearly boiled alive, that is until grandmother came and saved him.
5. Why does the author say, “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long”?
Toto was a mischievous monkey. He’d create havoc in grandfather’s private
zoo. At home, he would scatter dishes, tear clothes and ruin things which
grandfather’s family couldn’t afford in their financial situation.
6. What are the things the wind does in the first stanza?
The wind throws books down the shelf, scatters all the papers, breaks the
shutters of the window and brings rain.
7. What does the poet say the wind god winnows?
The wind god winnows crumbling houses, wood, rafters, body, heart and lives,
crushing them all. “Separating chaff from grain- separating weak from strong”
8. What should we do to make friends with the wind?
To become friends with the wind, we must have firm houses, strong doors and
firm bodies that must stand mighty even with the wind’s heavy breeze. The
poet metaphorically describes how the weakest fires are blown away yet the
strongest ones flourish with the wind.
9. What do the last four lines of the poem mean to you?
The last four lines spark a sense of courage and strength as the poet tells us
that being strong can lead to being friends with the mighty gusty winds that
seem to be crushing everything around us. But only if we are strong and
steadfast. As the poet compares (fire, people), the wind supports only the
strong and pushes away the weak.
10. How does the poet speak to the wind — in anger or with humour? You must also
have seen or heard of the wind “crumbling lives”. What is your response to this? Is it
like the poet’s?
11. What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?
The child sees toys-sweets-garland-balloons-round about. The child is
fascinated and while he has a sense of longing to go and buy all of them, he
knows his parents will not permit him to do so in the end.
12. When does he realise that he has lost his way? How have his anxiety and insecurity
been described?
Roundabout; looking in the crowds
13. Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?
He wanted his mother and father and realised that the bond valued more than
any item for that matter.
14. What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?
No, I believe he doesnt or so i like to think so 😎
WIND USES ANAPHORA - DONT
