The Fun They Had - Q&A

Calculate how many years and months ahead from now Margie's diary entry is.

Answer:
Margie's diary entry is dated 17 May 2157.

Step-by-step Calculation:
1. Current Date: Let's assume the current date is 17 May 2024 (You can adjust the year based on the current time).
2. Subtract Years: 2157 - 2024 = 133 years.
3. Result: The entry is exactly 133 years ahead of May 2024.
(Note: If you are calculating from a different current year, simply subtract your current year from 2157).

1. How old are Margie and Tommy?

Margie is eleven years old and Tommy is thirteen years old.
(Source: Paragraph 2 mentions "She was eleven... He was thirteen.")

2. What did Margie write in her diary?

Margie wrote, "Today Tommy found a real book!"
(Source: Paragraph 1)

3. Had Margie ever seen a book before?

No, Margie had never seen a book before.
(Source: The text implies this when it says she wrote about finding a "real book" as a new discovery, and her grandfather told her about a time when stories were printed on paper.)

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

She found several things strange:
1. The pages were yellow and crinkly.
2. The words stood still instead of moving (as they do on a screen).
3. When they turned back to a previous page, it had the same words on it as before.

5. What do you think a telebook is?

A telebook is a book that is displayed on a television or computer screen. The text in a telebook can move or scroll, unlike a printed book where words are fixed.

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

Margie's school was right next to her bedroom in her own house. She did not have any classmates because she was taught alone by a mechanical teacher.

7. What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?

Margie and Tommy learned Geography, History, and Arithmetic.
(Source: The text mentions the geography sector, the history sector, and an arithmetic lesson on fractions.)

1. "I wouldn't throw it away."

(i) Who says these words?

Tommy says these words.

(ii) What does 'it' refer to?

'It' refers to the real, printed book that Tommy found.

(iii) What is it being compared with by the speaker?

The speaker (Tommy) compares the printed book with his television screen (telebooks). He considers the printed book a waste because it cannot be reused, whereas his screen contains millions of books.

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 and people of the old times (centuries ago).

(ii) What does 'regular' mean here?

Here, 'regular' means the kind of teacher Margie and Tommy are used to: a mechanical (robotic) teacher.

(iii) What is it contrasted with?

The 'regular' mechanical teacher is contrasted with a human teacher ("a man").

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

Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers. These were large, black, ugly machines with big screens that showed lessons and asked questions. They had slots for inserting homework and test papers.

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

Margie's mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in geography, and she was performing worse and worse. Her mother was worried and sent for the Inspector to check if the machine was malfunctioning.

3. What did he do?

The County Inspector took the mechanical teacher apart and repaired it. He slowed down the geography sector to an average ten-year level because it was geared too quick for Margie.

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

Margie was doing badly because the geography sector of her mechanical teacher was adjusted to a level that was too advanced (too quick) for her age. The Inspector slowed it down to a ten-year-old's level to help her.

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

Once, Tommy's teacher was taken away for nearly a month because its history sector had blanked out completely.

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

Yes, Margie had school at the same time every day except Saturday and Sunday. Her mother believed that little girls learned better if they learned at regular hours.

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

Tommy describes the old school as a special building where all the kids from the neighborhood went together. They learned the same things and helped each other with homework.

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

He describes the old teachers as living men (humans) who did not live in the house. They went to the special school building, told the students things, gave homework, and asked questions.

1. What are the main features of the mechanical teachers and the schoolrooms that Margie and Tommy have in the story?

Mechanical Teachers: The teachers in the story are not humans but machines. They are described as large, black, and ugly with big screens. They are personalized to each student's learning speed (geared to their level). They never get tired, do not have feelings, and strictly follow a schedule. They have a special slot where students must insert their homework written in a punch code.

Schoolrooms: The schoolrooms are located inside the students' own homes, typically right next to their bedrooms. There are no classmates to interact with; the learning is a solitary activity. The "school" exists only for one student at a time. The mechanical teacher turns on automatically at a fixed time every day (except weekends). This system focuses on individual learning efficiency rather than social interaction.

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

Why she hated it: Margie hated school because it was mechanical, boring, and lonely. She disliked the mechanical teacher, especially the "slot" where she had to submit homework instantly. Recently, her hatred had increased because the machine was malfunctioning, giving her difficult geography tests repeatedly, making her feel like a failure. There was no human connection or fun involved.

Why she thought old schools were fun: She imagined the old schools as happy places where all the children from the neighborhood came together, laughing and shouting in the schoolyard. They sat together in a classroom, learned the same things, and could help one another with homework. She thought it would be exciting to have a human teacher and to be with friends, unlike her solitary, mechanical learning environment.

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

Answer: Yes, I agree with Margie that schools today are likely more fun than the futuristic school described in the story.

Reasons:
1. Social Interaction: Today's schools allow students to make friends, play together, and share experiences. This social bonding is crucial for emotional development and fun, which Margie's school lacks entirely.
2. Human Teachers: Human teachers can understand a student's emotions, make jokes, and teach with empathy. A mechanical teacher is just a machine with no feelings.
3. Shared Learning: Learning the same things together allows students to discuss topics and help each other. In Margie's world, everyone learns differently in isolation, which can be very lonely.
4. Extracurriculars: Modern schools have sports, recess, and group activities that make the school day enjoyable.

I. Adverbs

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

awfully, sorrowfully, completely, loftily, carefully, differently, quickly, nonchalantly

(These are the sentences found in the text)
1. Awfully: "It was awfully funny to read words that stood still..."
2. Sorrowfully: "...until her mother had shaken her head sorrowfully and sent for the County Inspector."
3. Completely: "...the history sector had blanked out completely."
4. Loftily: "He added loftily, pronouncing the word carefully, 'Centuries ago'."
5. Carefully: "...pronouncing the word carefully..."
6. Differently: "...each kid has to be taught differently."
7. Quickly: "'I didn't say I didn't like it,' Margie said quickly."
8. 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.

(Explanation: Reading requires care to understand details.)

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

(Explanation: "Loftily" means in a superior/arrogant way. While "nonchalantly" also fits shrugging, "loftily" works well for an arrogant interviewee, reserving "nonchalantly" for the next sentence context.)

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

(Explanation: People's behavior changes/differs under stress.)

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

(Explanation: "Sorrowfully" fits the context of being sad or disappointed by a lie.)

(v) I completely forgot about it.

(Explanation: A common colocation for forgetting something entirely.)

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

(Explanation: Turning away after a compliment suggests a lack of interest or care, which is "nonchalance".)

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

(Explanation: "Awfully" is used here as an intensifier meaning "very".)

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

(Explanation: You finish work fast/quickly to get to playtime.)

3. Make adverbs from these adjectives.

Rule: When an adjective ends in 'y', change 'y' to 'i' and add 'ly'.

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

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 annoyed. / I will miss all the fun.

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

we will go hungry tonight.

3. Unless you promise to write back, I ...

will not write to you again.

4. If she doesn't play any games, ...

she will become unfit and lazy.

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

will pounce on it.

A new revised volume of Issac Asimov's short stories has just been released. Order one set. Write a letter to the publisher, Mindfame Private Limited, 1632 Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi, requesting that a set be sent to you by Value Payable Post (VPP), and giving your address.

Answer (Sample Letter):

54, Kavi Nagar
Ghaziabad
Uttar Pradesh

15 June 2024

The Manager
Mindfame Private Limited
1632, Asaf Ali Road
New Delhi

Subject: Order for Isaac Asimov's Short Stories (Revised Volume)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I have learned that a new revised volume of Isaac Asimov's short stories has recently been released. I am a great admirer of Asimov's science fiction and would like to purchase this latest collection.

Please send me one set of the "Revised Volume of Isaac Asimov’s Short Stories" to the address mentioned above. I request you to send the parcel via Value Payable Post (VPP). I will pay the amount upon delivery.

Kindly ensure the book is packed properly to avoid any damage during transit.

Yours sincerely,

(Signature)
[Your Name]