Question 2 - Chapter 1 - The Fun They Had - Beehive - Chapters (Literature) - English Class 9

Read the extract and answer the following questions:

Extract:

“But my mother says a teacher has to be adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl it teaches and that each kid has to be taught differently.” “Just the same they didn’t do it that way then. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to read the book.” “I didn’t say I didn’t like it,” Margie said quickly. She wanted to read about those funny schools. They weren’t even half finished when Margie’s mother called, “Margie! School!” Margie looked up. “Not yet, Mamma.” “Now!” said Mrs Jones. “And it’s probably time for Tommy, too.” Margie said to Tommy, “Can I read the book some more with you after school?”

(The Fun they had)

Question (i)

 What does Margie's mother mean by saying that a teacher has to be adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl it teaches?

• (a) She means that a teacher has to change its speed, level, and method of teaching according to the needs and abilities of each student.
• (b) She means that a teacher has to give different homework and tests to each student according to their interests and preferences.
• (c) She means that a teacher has to use different books and screens for each student according to their age and grade.
• (d) She means that a teacher has to teach different subjects and topics to each student according to their goals and careers.

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

(a) She means that a teacher has to change its speed, level, and method of teaching according to the needs and abilities of each student.

Step-by-step explanation:

•  To answer this question, we need to understand what Margie's mother is implying by saying that a teacher has to be adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl it teaches.
•  We can use clues from the extract and our prior knowledge to infer what she means by this statement.
•  We can see that Margie's mother is contrasting the way the mechanical teacher teaches Margie with the way the old schools taught the kids in the book. She is suggesting that the mechanical teacher is more flexible and personalized than the old schools.
•  We can also see that Margie's mother is referring to the way the County Inspector adjusted the geography sector of the mechanical teacher to suit Margie's level. She is implying that this is a common practice for all the mechanical teachers and all the students.
•  We can conclude that Margie's mother means that a teacher has to change its speed, level, and method of teaching according to the needs and abilities of each student.

Question (ii)

 Why does Tommy say that "If you don't like it, you don't have to read the book"? Answer in about 40 words.

Answer:

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Answer as written by the student:

 Tommy says that "If you don't like it, you don't have to read the book" because he thinks that Margie is criticizing or questioning the way the old schools taught the kids in the book. He feels defensive and annoyed by her comments and wants her to stop reading if she doesn't appreciate it.

Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to explain why Tommy says that "If you don't like it, you don't have to read the book" in response to Margie's remarks.
•  We can use clues from the extract and our prior knowledge to infer what he feels and thinks by saying this.
•  We can see that Tommy is fascinated and impressed by the old schools and their books on paper. He thinks they are better than his school and his telebooks on screen. He likes reading about them and sharing them with Margie.
•  We can also see that Margie is curious and confused by the old schools and their books on paper. She doesn't understand why they taught all the kids the same way and why they wrote on paper instead of punch code. She asks questions and makes comments about them.
•  We can conclude that Tommy says that "If you don't like it, you don't have to read the book" because he thinks that Margie is criticizing or questioning the way the old schools taught the kids in the book. He feels defensive and annoyed by her comments and wants her to stop reading if she doesn't appreciate it.

Question (iii)

 Read the following descriptions (a)-(c) and identify which one correctly corresponds to this extract.

• (a) A conflict is a struggle or problem between two opposing forces or characters in a story or a play.
• (b) A theme is a central idea or message that a writer wants to convey through a story or a play.
• (c) A plot is a sequence of events that make up a story or a play.

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

(a) A conflict is a struggle or problem between two opposing forces or characters in a story or a play.

Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to identify which type of literary device or element is used in this extract.
•  We can eliminate option B because there is no central idea or message that a writer wants to convey through this extract. The extract does not state or imply any moral or lesson for the readers or viewers.
•  We can eliminate option C because there is no sequence of events that make up a story or a play in this extract. The extract does not show any action or development of the characters or their situation.
•  The correct answer is option A because this extract shows a conflict between two opposing forces or characters: Tommy and Margie. They have different opinions and feelings about their schools and the old schools. They argue and disagree with each other over their views.

Question (iv)

 State TRUE or FALSE. 

The extract shows that Tommy and Margie have the same attitude towards their schools and the old schools.

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

FALSE

Step-by-step explanation:

•  To answer this question, we need to evaluate whether the extract shows that Tommy and Margie have the same attitude towards their schools and the old schools.
•  We can use clues from the extract and our prior knowledge to infer what their attitudes are.
•  We can see that Tommy has a positive attitude towards the old schools and a negative attitude towards his school. He thinks that the old schools were better than his school because they had books on paper, human teachers, and different buildings for different subjects. He also thinks that his school is boring and wasteful because it has books on screen, a mechanical teacher, and only one building.
•  We can also see that Margie has a negative attitude towards the old schools and a positive attitude towards her school. She thinks that the old schools were worse than her school because they taught all the kids the same way and they wrote on paper instead of punch code. She also thinks that her school is easy and convenient because it has a mechanical teacher that can be adjusted to her level and it is right next door.
•  We can conclude that the statement is false because the extract shows that Tommy and Margie have different attitudes towards their schools and the old schools. They disagree and argue with each other over their views.

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