book that saved the earth

Question 1

Why was the twentieth century called the ‘Era of the Book’?

Answer 1

The twentieth century was called the ‘Era of the Book’ because there were books about everything, from anteaters to Zulus. Books taught people how to and when to and where to and why. Books illustrated, educated, punctuated and even decorated.

Question 2

Who tried to invade the earth in the twenty-first century?

Answer 2

Martians tried to invade the earth in the twenty-first century.

Question 3

What guesses are made by Think–Tank about the books found on earth?

Answer 3

The Think-Tank initially guesses that the books are sandwiches. Noodle corrects him and says that he thinks that books are some sort of communication devices. Then he thinks that the books are used for ear communication. Finally, he concludes that they are used for eye communication.

Question 4

Noodle avoids offending Think-Tank but at the same time he corrects his mistakes. How does he manage to do that?

Answer 4

Noodle avoids offending Think-Tank but at the same time he corrects his mistakes. Each time he thinks that Think-Tank is wrong, he first adulates Think-Tank and then presents his own thoughts saying that they are just insignificant piece of data in his head. In this way, he lets Think-Tank know what is correct and does not make him feel that he is being corrected.

Question 5

If you were in Noodle’s place, how would you handle Think-Tank’s mistakes?

Answer 5

If I were in Noodle’s place, I would try to politely correct Think-Tank’s mistakes and suggest the corrections.

Question 6

How did the children’s book transform his life?

Answer 6

The children’s book transformed his life as he had to leave his kin and evacuate the entire planet. He had to go to Alpha Centauri, a hundred million miles away to save his life.

Question 7

Why did Think-Tank react in alarm to the third passage read?

Answer 7

Think-Tank reacted in alarm as he misunderstood the meaning of the poem and thought that they can actually grow crops of rare metals and even explosives also, which are dangerous for him.

Question 8

What different guesses were made by the Martians about what books are?

Answer 8

In the process of Martian invasion on earth, they landed in a library. They took the books as sandwiches and tried to understand the meaning of the code. And for that, they had to take vitamins given by the chemical department. They thought it would increase their intelligence.

Question 9

What steps did the Crew take to decipher the code in the sandwich?

Answer 9

Martians reached the library in the process of invasion of earth. They had never seen books before that. They did not understand where they are and what are the things placed in different racks. Firstly they thought that they were sandwiches and tried to eat them. Then they misunderstood that sandwiches are used as some sort of communication device. Later they took them as eye communication and not ear communication, and understand that they had to take vitamins to understand all these codes.

Question 10

Why did Think-Tank send his crew on the earth?

Answer 10

Think-Tank, the ruler of Mars regarded the Earth as a mass of mud, and Earthlings as ugly, tiny-headed creatures. He planned to invade Earth and expand his domain. He sent Probe One to Earth to get more information about the Earthlings.

Question 11

How did Think-Tank interpret the poem ‘The Cat and the Fiddle”.

Answer 11

The second rhyme was about the cat and the fiddle, wherein the cow jumped over the moon, the dog laughed to see it and the dish ran away with the spoon. Think-Tank misinterpreted it. He thought that Earthlings had taught their domesticated animals’ musical culture and Space Techniques. They might be launching an interplanetary attack on millions of cows!

Question 12

How does Think-Tank describe the people on Earth? Why does he command Noodles to contact the Space probe?

Answer 12

Think-Tank thought Earthlings were weak, ignorant, uncivilized persons and hence planned to invade Earth. He sent his commander Noodles to make contact with the crew of the manned space probe, now on Earth to seek more information about the Earth.

Question 13

What do historians speak about the books?

Answer 13

The historians tell that the twentieth century was called — The Era of Books. They and motivate them when they are man’s best friends and companions. They inspire disheartened. They give us pleasure and knowledge.

Question 14

What do Noodles suggest to Think-Tank about the books?

Answer 14

Noodles tell Think-Tank that the Earthlings did not listen to the sandwiches, they; opened and watched them. Think-Tank had thought that the books were sandwiches. He told hint that they use these books as a device of communication.

Question 15

Who was Omega? Why did he try to oat the book?

Answer 15

Omega was the captain of the space control Probe One, on Earth. Think-Tank asked him to pick up the most colourful sandwich (book) and report him about his observation on it.

Question 16

Why books referred to as a man’s best companion? Which book saved the Earth from Martian invasion?

Answer 16

Hooks are our best friends and companions. They are never demanding but always giving knowledge and pleasure. They give us company. The book that saved the Earth from Martian invasion was ‘Mother Goose.’

Question 17

Why did Think-Tank decide to evacuate Mars?

Answer 17

Think-Tank misinterpreted the rhymes and thought Earthlings were a threat to him as well as to Mars. He got scared and called back Probe One, dropped the idea of invading and escaped to Alpha Centauri, a hundred million miles away from Mars.

Question 18

What happens when the Historian turns on the hysteroscopy?

Answer 18

As the Historian turn on the hysteroscope, suddenly, the scene changes from the present twenty-fifth century to many centuries ago in 2040. Spotlight on Historian goes out. Think-Tank appears. He is seated on a raised box, arms folded. He has a huge, egg-shaped head. He wears a long robe decorated with stars and circles. Apprentice Noodles stands beside him.

Question 19

What do Noodles say in the praise of Think-Tank? Why does Think-Tank ask Noodles to go over the whole thing again?

Answer 19

Noodles bows low before the Commander-in-Chief, Think-Tank. He calls Think-Tank “Great and Mighty”. He was the most powerful and intelligent creature in the whole universe. But Think-Tank stops Noodles abruptly. He had left out a part of his salutation. He asks him to repeat it again from the very beginning. Noodles add that Think-Tank is the newer ruler of Mars has two moons. He bows down to receive orders from his chief.

Question 20

How does Think-Tank compare the Earth and Earthlings, with Mars and Martians?

Answer 20

Think-Tank’s comments on the Earth and the Earthlings are very sarcastic, ridiculous and insulting. He considers Martians a handsome race. They are much more attractive than those ugly Earthlings with their tiny heads. He calls the Earth as a primitive ball of mud. He even threatens to invade it.

Question 21

Name the persons who are in the Mars Space Control.

Answer 21

There are five persons who are managing the Mars Space Control. First and the most important of them all is great and Mighty Think-Tank. He is the Commander-in-Chief, and the ruler of Mars and two moons. Noodle is an apprentice who is always praising Think-Tank but also giving subtle suggestions very respectfully. Then, there is Captain Omega who is always opening and closing card catalog drawers. Sergeant Oop is at right, opening and closing a book. Lieutenant Iota is up left, counting books in a bookcase.

Question 22

Describe Think-Tank and his role in the play.

Answer 22

The think-tank is the Commander-in-Chief and the ruler of Mars and its two moons. He is considered as the most powerful and intelligent person in the universe. He himself thinks so. He is proud of belonging to a handsome race of Martians. He is dominating, loves no arguments, expects obedience and compliance. But all these claims fall short of realities and belie his claims of greatness.

Question 23

What does Think-Tank, first of all, guess about the books? Why does he order to eat them?

Answer 23

Think-Tank views a book closely. He declares that the item (book) is called a sandwich. He tells them that sandwiches are the main staple diet of the people of the Earth. There are two slices of bread and between them is some sort of filling. He asks Omega to eat a sandwich to confirm his opinion.

Question 24

Why does Think-Tank declare that these sandwiches are not for ear communication but for eye communication?

Answer 24

They don’t hear any sound coming from the sandwiches. Noodles say that a cloudy piece of information is twirling around in his head. Think-Tank asks to twirl it out. Noodles clarify that the Earthlings don’t listen to the sandwiches but open and watches them. Think-Tank finds it correct and declares that those sandwiches are not for ear-communication but they are for eye communication.

Question 25

Why do Noodles say that those sandwiches are actually communication sandwiches? Does “Think-Tank’ confirm it?

Answer 25

Noodles claim that he has seen surveyor films of those sandwiches. He noticed that the Earthlings didn’t eat them. They used them as some sort of communication devices. Think-Tank actually confirms Noodles findings. He orders them to listen to them.

Question 26

Why do Noodles recommend giving space to people vitamins? What does Think-Tank say in this regard? Or Are they able to describe the code of the books (sandwiches)? Why does Think-Tank order giving vitamins to them?

Answer 26

They pick up a very large volume of `Mother Goose’. Think-Tanks asks them to decode them. They fail to decode little lines, squabbles and dots along with pictures in the book. Think-Tank says that perhaps the Earthlings are not as primitive as they have thought. He asks their chemical department to give vitamins to space people to increase their intelligence. They will be able to unfold the meaning of the code successfully.

Question 27

How does Think-Tank interpret the rhyme: “Mistress Mary….?” Why does he say that it is no time for laxity?

Answer 27

As is his habit of misjudging, Think-Tank misinterprets the rhyme on Mistress Mary. He chides Oop for laughing. He says that he should realise the seriousness of the discovery. The Earthlings have discovered how to combine agriculture and mining. They can actually grow crops of silver and other metals. And for cockle shells, Think-Tank interprets them as high explosives. They can grow even explosives. He asks Noodles to contact their invasion fleet.

Question 28

How did Think-Tank interpret the `Humpty-Dumpty’ rhyme as a threat to the Martians?

Answer 28

Although called the most intelligent man in the universe, Think-Tank’s knowledge was skin-deep. He was an expert in misinterpreting things without going into the depth of the words. The rhyme, “Humpty Dumpty had a great fall” makes Think-Tank scream. He misinterprets the words “Had a great fall” meaning that the Earthlings plan to capture Mars Central Control and him. He orders them to prepare a space capsule for him to escape.

Question 29

What happened when great and mighty Think-Tank was replaced by a clever Martians, Noodles?

Answer 29

Great and Mighty Think-Tank was replaced by a clever MartiAnswer: He was a wise and wonderful Noodles! The Earthlings resumed contact with the Martians and became very friendly. Noodles taught Martians the difference between sandwiches and books. They also taught them how to read. But they could never read one book and that was ‘Mother Goose’.

Question 30

What is the time and place of the story at the beginning?

Answer 30

This is a science fantasy. This imaginary story is set in the twenty-fifth century. The place is the Museum of Ancient History. Department of the Twentieth Century. There is a historian sitting at a table. There is a movie projector on the table.

Question 31

’Pride has a fall’. Justify this statement giving relevant points from how Think-Tank reacted to the readings from Mother Goose.

Answer 31

Martians invaded the earth and reached in a library. Think-Tank was their boss. He was very proud of his wisdom, as he was having a big balloon-like head. He thought that he was the wisest person on Mars. Nobody could disobey him, or even dare to speak against him. He claimed that he had a quick mind. He had no respect for anyone and regarded other views as trifling. He was also fickle-minded. He misinterpreted the rhymes in a complete verbal manner. The rhyme mistress Mar made him ponder over the discovery of the earth. From the poem diddle-diddle he was more alarmed and from the poem Humpty-Dumpty, he was so frightened that he decided to leave his kingdom and run away to Alpha Centauri. Thus his great wisdom was defeated and had a great fall.

Question 32

Attempt a character-sketch of Noodles highlighting the values projected by him.

Answer 32

Noodles are one of the crew members of the invasion team that came to invade earth. He is known as Apprentice Noodles. He is the co-coordinator between Think-Tank and the invasion team. He echoes Think-Tank in every manner. He is a very clever creature. He knows that Think-Tank being commander-in-chief has to be obeyed. So he keeps on praising Think-Tank and also passing sarcastic remarks. It is only Noodles who think practically and differently about the books which were considered as sandwiches to eat. But Think-Tank took over the idea as his own. But Noodles is not sad at all. He is a blind and true follower of Think-Tank.

Question 33

Justify the title of the play ‘The Book that Saved the Earth’.

Answer 33

A good title should reflect the theme, idea or the traits of a character. It should revolve around any of the above. The story or the play should be woven around any one of them. In the play — ‘The Book that Saved The Earth’, a book of nursery rhymes of ‘Mother Goose’ is responsible for stopping the Martian invasion of Earth. Think-Tank, the ruler of Mars plans to invade Earth before lunch and sends Probe One to get more information about the Earthlings. They enter a library but can’t figure out what items books are. They take vitamins, increase their intelligence then read the rhymes from ‘Mother Goose’. Think-Tank misinterprets the rhymes, takes them as threats to him and Mars. Scared, he calls back Probe One, drops the idea of invading and escapes with his subjects to Alpha Centauri, a hundred million miles away from Mars. Thus, the book ‘Mother Goose’ was responsible for stopping the Martian invasion of Earth. The title The Book That Saved the Earth’, reflects the theme of the play, so it is an apt (appropriate) title.

Question 34

What is the message or the lesson that `The Book That saved the Earth’ gives to the readers? Elucidate it.

Answer 34

Half-Baked knowledge is always dangerous. Rushing to conclusions without going deep into the details of things always leads to uninvited chaos and disasters. There is nothing more dangerous than half-baked knowledge. Truth is not skin-deep. And so is knowledge. We have to take a comprehensive view of things. We have to go deep into the details before coming out with sweeping generalisations. Sweeping statements are never good statements. Sometimes misinterpretation of things leads to unavoidable disasters. Think-Tank symbolises how a half-baked the mind could have led to an invasion on another planet. Think-Tank excelled in misinterpreting and misrepresenting things. When they saw books they could not identify what they were. He jumped to one conclusion after the other. He interpreted them as sandwiches. He misinterpreted the words “had a great fall’ to his own downfall. He screamed and at once ordered to evacuate the entire Mars immediately. He felt that Mars was being invaded soon. He decided to escape without delay in a space shuttle. He told that they could go a hundred million miles away from Mars.

Question 35

Draw a pen-portrait of Great and Mighty Think-Tank. Was he really the most powerful and intelligent person in the universe?

Answer 35

Great and Mighty Think-Tank has been presented as the most powerful and the most intelligent creature in the whole universe. At least, Noodles and other associates think so. Powerful, of course, he was. After all, he was the Commander-in-Chief and the ruler of Mars and her two moons. He was feared, pampered, flattered and obeyed. No one could afford to disagree with him. Disobeying him was totally out of question. Only Noodles, through his diplomatic and humble pleadings, could request him to give some suggestions. It is rather difficult to digest that Think Tank was the most intelligent creature in the whole universe. He was vain and haughty. His shallowness was quite apparent. He didn’t have the capacity to go deep into things. Nor did he digest his criticism. His views about books were totally ridiculous. To him, books were really sandwiches, the staple diet of the Earthlings. Great and Mighty Think-Tank excelled in misinterpreting things, particularly the rhymes of ‘Mother Goose’. His half-baked knowledge made him interpret the nursery rhyme “Humpty Dumpty had a fall” as the plan of the Earthlings to capture Mars Central Control and him. He immediately ordered to send the invasion fleet to evacuate the entire planet of Mars. He prepared himself to escape in a space-shuttle at once.

Question 36

Why does Think-Tank decide not to invade the earth?

Answer 36

Omega looks at the books and tells Think-Tank that they have pictures of Earthlings. They have some sort of code, lines and dots with pictures. He asks him to study the pictures and decipher the code in them. The book that Omega is looking at is a nursery rhyme book and reads it. Think-Tank wonders how the Earthlings have combined agriculture and mining. They also grow explosives. He feels that the people of the earth are very intelligent and brave. Noodles say that the invasion spacecraft are ready to attack the earth. But Think-Tank asks Noodles to tell the invasion fleet to hold. New information has come to him. Think-Tank asks Iota to transcribe the information. He thinks that the Earthlings have reached a higher level of civilisation. They have taught their domesticated animal’s music and space techniques. So he decides not to invade the earth.