Chapter 1

The Fun They Had


Question 1.
How old are Margie and Tommy?
Rewritten Answer:
Margie is eleven years old, while Tommy is a bit older—he is thirteen.

Question 2.
What did Margie write in her diary?
Rewritten Answer:
Margie noted in her diary, “On the 17th of May, 2157, Tommy discovered a real book today.”

Question 3.
Had Margie ever seen a book before?
Rewritten Answer:
No, Margie had never come across a real book earlier.

Question 4.
What things about the book did she find strange?
Rewritten Answer:
Margie found it strange that the book’s pages were yellow and crumpled. Also, the words stayed still instead of moving like they do on a computer screen. These things seemed odd to her.

Question 5.
What do you think a telebook is?
Rewritten Answer:
A telebook is a type of book that appears on a screen, likely a television or computer, and its content is similar to that of a printed book.

Question 6.
Where was Margie’s school? Did she have any classmates?
Rewritten Answer:
Margie’s school was set up right next to her bedroom in her own house. She didn’t have any classmates; she studied alone.

Question 7.
What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?
Rewritten Answer:
Margie was taught Geography and Mathematics by her mechanical teacher, while Tommy studied History along with Mathematics.


Question 1.
“I wouldn’t throw it away.”

  • Who says these words?
    Margie is the one who says these words.

  • What does ‘it’ refer to?
    ‘It’ refers to the real printed book that Tommy had discovered.

  • What is it being compared with by the speaker?
    Margie is comparing the real book with the telebook, which they usually read on a screen.

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

  • Who does ‘they’ refer to?
    ‘They’ refers to the people who lived in the past, during the days of real books.

  • What does ‘regular’ mean here?
    In this context, ‘regular’ means the mechanical teacher that Margie and Tommy were familiar with.

  • What is it contrasted with?
    It is contrasted with the old-fashioned teacher from earlier times, who was an actual human being.

Question 1.
What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have?
Margie and Tommy were taught by mechanical teachers through screens. These computerized teachers gave lessons and tests, unlike human teachers who taught in classrooms with interaction and care.

Question 2.
Why did Margie’s mother send for the County Inspector?
Margie’s mother noticed her daughter was performing poorly in geography. She thought something was wrong with the mechanical teacher and called the County Inspector to fix the issue.

Question 3.
What did he do?
The County Inspector found the geography section too fast for Margie. So, he slowed its speed to match the average level of a ten-year-old and made it easier for her.

Question 4.
Why was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the County Inspector do to help her?
Margie was doing badly because the mechanical teacher gave difficult tests too quickly. The Inspector adjusted the speed and reassured her mother that Margie’s progress was otherwise good.

Question 5.
What had once happened to Tommy’s teacher?
Tommy’s teacher had stopped working when the history section completely blanked out. It was taken away for repair, and he enjoyed a month-long break without studies.

Question 6.
Did Margie have regular days and hours for school? If so, why?
Yes, Margie studied regularly every day at the same time. Her mother believed that children learned better and developed discipline when they followed a fixed study routine.

Question 7.
How does Tommy describe the old kind of school?
Tommy said that old schools were in buildings where all children gathered, learned the same things, played together, and had fun while studying with human teachers in a group.

Question 8.
How does he describe the old kind of teachers?
Tommy said the old teachers were not machines but real people who taught in person, gave homework, and explained everything. They interacted with students and taught in school buildings.


Question 1.
What are the main features of the mechanical teachers and the schoolrooms that Margie and Tommy have in the story?
Margie and Tommy studied with mechanical teachers, which were machines placed in their homes. Each child had their own teacher and learned alone in a small room near their bedroom. They didn’t go to a school building or sit with classmates. Their learning materials came in the form of telebooks displayed on screens, not in printed form. Margie had to write her homework in punch codes and submit them through a slot. Tests were also corrected immediately by the machine. These teachers taught according to a fixed program based on the child’s age and level. There were no human teachers to guide, encourage or explain topics personally. The entire education system was highly mechanical and individual-based, without social interaction or emotional bonding.

Question 2.
Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have been fun?
Margie hated her school because it was lonely and boring. Her classroom was just a small room in her house, and her teacher was a machine who gave her regular tests and assignments. The worst part for her was writing homework in punch code and inserting it into the slot. She didn’t enjoy learning this way because there was no one to talk to or share things with.
She thought that the schools in the past must have been fun. Children used to go to school buildings, sit together, learn the same lessons, laugh, and play during breaks. Margie liked the idea of making friends, studying together, and having human teachers. That togetherness and group learning made the old schools more exciting and enjoyable.

Question 3.
Do you agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the school in the story? Give reasons for your answer.
Yes, I agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the futuristic school shown in the story. Today’s schools have real teachers who understand children's emotions, solve their doubts, and encourage them. Learning together in a classroom helps students share ideas, build friendships, and improve their communication skills.
In contrast, Margie’s school was isolating. She studied alone in a room with a machine that couldn’t show empathy or adapt its teaching style beyond programmed settings. There were no classmates to play with or share learning experiences. Also, modern schools offer activities like sports, art, music, and storytelling, which help children grow emotionally and socially. So, human interaction and shared learning make present-day schools much more enjoyable than the mechanical learning system in the story.