the fun they had Flashcards
How old are Margie and Tommy?
Margie is eleven and Tommy is thirteen years old.
What did Margie write in her diary?
Margie wrote in her diary. “Today, 17 May, 2157, Tommy found a real book.”
Had Margie ever seen a book before?
No, Margie had never seen a book before.
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.
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.
Where was Margie’s school? Did she have any classmates
Margie’s school was near her own bedroom. She did not have any classmate
What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?
Margie learnt Geography and Mathematics. Tommy learnt History and Mathematics
“I wouldn’t throw it away.”
Who says these words?
What does ‘it’ refer to?
What is it being compared with by the speaker?
Margie says these words.
It refers to that real book that Tommy found.
The speaker compares it with a telebook.
“ Sure, they had a teacher, but it wasn’t a regular teacher. It was a man.”
Who does ‘they’ refer to?
What does ‘regular’ mean here?
What is it contrasted with?
‘They’ refer to the people of the old times
Here, regular refers to the mechanical teacher then they had.
It is contrasted with a normal teacher of earlier times, who was a living human being
What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have
Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers. They were taught on computers and television screens. They didn’t have a living person as a teacher who would teach the pupils in a classroom.
Why did Margie’s mother send for the County Inspector?
Margie’s mother sent for the County Inspector because the mechanical teacher was not functioning efficiently. It had been giving her test after test in geography and she had been doing worse and worse
What did he do?(country inspector)
He slowed down the mechanical teacher’s speed upto an average ten-year level. The mechanical teacher’s speed was controlled and adjusted according to the IQ level of Margie.
Why was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the County Inspector do to help her?
Margie had been doing badly in geography. This was because the mechanical teacher was very fast in displaying the questionnaire. The County Inspector adjusted its speed upto an average ten-year level. Thus, the mechanical teacher’s speed was controlled appropriately. The County Inspector assured that the overall pattern of Margie’s progress was quite satisfactory.
How does Tommy describe the old kind of school?
Tommy says that the old schools were different. They had a special building and all the kids went there to study. They laughed and shouted in the schoolyard. They enjoyed time together and learned lessons together in a classroom.
Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have been fun?
Margie hated her school because she had a mechanical teacher. It was in her house. She was supposed to sit in that room alone to complete her hometask or assignments. The part Margie hated most was the slot where she had to put homework and test papers. She thought that the old schools must have been fun because the students used to sit together in the classroom. They enjoyed, laughed and shouted in the schoolyard. Children needed company to enhance their skills. If they are isolated, they get depressed and dejected.
