This lesson The Fun They Had Summary is all set in the future and makes you laugh and love your school and teachers. This story is regarding school and how those children go to school, study, miss school days and your teachers. The setting is done when in future there will be no school buildings and no books.
These children miss those things which were done by their ancestors, they missed the fun they had while going to school, meeting, sharing lunch, and playing and helping each other. At the end of the story, we will be fortunate enough to have teachers and school and the fun we enjoyed being students and going to school.
About The Author: The Fun They Had
The story has been written by an American writer and professor at Boston University. He was known for his works related to science fiction and was a prolific writer. The fun they had is written and set in the future and first, it appeared in the children’s newspaper in 1951 where the future children Margie and Tommy felt that their ancestors were very fortunate to have physical teachers and how much they have enjoyed while going to schools and reading and learning from books.
Central Theme: Summary Of The Fun They Had
The story is all set in the future where the Protagonist Margie and Tommy live in the year 2157, where children get an education through computers and robotic teachers at their home. One day they came to know about and saw some books and learn that there were school buildings that existed hundreds of years ago and children go to that building to learn and study from physical teachers.
Characters Sketches: The Fun They Had Class 9th
1. Margie
She was 11 years old and was taught by a mechanical teacher in her home itself in a separate room. She used to pen down her feelings about the schooling system she is facing and not able to enjoy her learning. She also wrote when she learned about a real book. She collected all the information about those schools and children from Tommy and his Grandfather.
2. Tommy
Tommy was a smart lad and friend of Margie. He is older than Margie and was 13 yrs old. He has seen many tale books and has more knowledge than her. He also told her about those schools that existed many centuries ago and tries to extinguish the curiosity of Margie.
Let’s dive into the detailed analysis of the lesson set shortly and see what fun the posterity was lacking even after being scientifically advanced.
Summary of The Fun They Had
The story is set in the year 2157 and Margie pen downs her diary which reveals that Tommy, her best friend, had found a ‘real book’ of whose pages had turned yellow with wrinkled pages. The book belongs to many centuries ago and the words written on the book were not moving like that of their telebook or computer screen.
Tommy calls it a waste because only it can be used only once and after that one had to throw it away. Though Margie feels the same, she is still curious to know more about it. Tommy tells her about the schools. Margie made some faces as she used to hate schools and her mechanical teacher, who continuously gives her tests in geography even when she is doing worse and worse.
Her mother sent her mechanical teacher for the county inspector who looks like a very small and round man. He takes that teacher apart and tells her mother that the fault was not with Margie but the geography sector of the robot was set too high that an 11-year-old was unable to cope with.
He assures her that further there would be no such problem. Margie shows curiosity about knowing the schools of that time. The students had physical teachers who taught them, made them understand, and gave them homework too. Margie in a very argued position states that the man is not smarter than a robot.
Tommy tells her that the teachers didn’t live in their house, rather all students had to go to a particular building, and teachers used to teach them. The kids of the same age learn together. Now it is Margie’s school time. She did not go to any special place, rather her schoolroom was next to her bedroom and the mechanical teacher was waiting for her so that she put her homework in the slot.
She is still thinking about those schools centuries ago when their grandfather’s great grandfather was a little boy and used to go to the same type of schools. All kids came from the neighborhood and used to have fun while going. They all were together and came back laughing and shouting from the school. Those schools were far better than the schools today because they offered great fun and learning together to the kids.
NCERT Solutions For Class 9th The fun they had
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
Today Tommy found a real book! It was a very old book. Margie’s grandfather once said that when he was a little boy his grandfather told him that there was a time when all stories were printed on paper.
- The old book was found by_______
- Margie was surprised to see the book because______
- Pick out a word from the following which means ‘small’
a) old b) once c) little d) very
Answers- 1. Tommy 2. all the stories were printed on paper 3. little
Q2. It was a very old book. Margie’s grandfather once said that when he was a little boy his grandfather told him that there was a time when all stories were printed on paper. They turned the pages, whcuih were yellow and crinkly, and it was awful to read words that stood still instead of moving the way that were supposed to on a screen.
- Why the pages of the book were yellow?
- Did Margie see the book for the first?
- trace a word from the passage that means’ with many folds or lines.
Answers- 1. the pages of the book were yellow because the book was quite old. 2. yes, Margie saw the book for the first time. 3. Crinkly.
Margie went into the schoolroom. It was right next to her bedroom and the mechanical teacher was on and waiting for her. It was always on at the same time every day except for Saturday and Sunday because her mother said little girls learned better if they learned at irregular hours.
- Where was Margie’s schoolroom?
- Explain mechanical teacher was on?
- Write the opposite of regular
Answers- 1. Margie’s schoolroom was next to her bedroom 2. computer was on 3. irregular.
Short Answer Type Questions
Q1. How was the book that Tommy found different from his own books?
The book that Tommy found was an old, real book that belonged to his grandfather’s grandfather. it had crinkly, yellow pages whereas, Tommy’s Books were telebooks by mechanical teachers, computers.
Q2. What kind of book did Tommy show to Margie?
the book that Tommy showed to her was an old real book that belonged to his great grandfather’s time. it had crinkled yellow pages and at that time stories were printed on the paper not like the telebooks that they were using now.
Q3. Why did Margie hope that the County Inspector would take away her mechanical teacher?
Margie hoped that the county inspector would take away her mechanical teacher because she had performed poorly in all the geography tests and had developed a strong disliking for the school.
Q4. Tommy thought the old books were funny and a big waste. why?
Tommy thought that the old books were a waste because the words stood still and did not run. he also thought that they were a big waste because they could not be reused like the screen of their mechanical teacher.
Q5. What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have?
Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers, computers, and telebooks. their school had no special building. they gad robotic teachers showing lessons and testing papers. their teachers were always on and kept waiting for them.
Q6. Why did Margie find the book strange?
The book had yellow and crinkly pages and the words standing still unlike moving on a screen. when they turned back to the pages read before, there were the same words on it when they read it for the first time. all these things were strange for Margie.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q1. In spite of all comforts and luxuries in today’s world, our grandparents still cherish their own time when life was quite tough. Give your own views regarding this in 80-100 words.
Our grandparents lived during the year 1950- the 1970s and at that time life was very simple yet tough. they had time to explore the surroundings and the world. they had parks to play with less pollution around them. Mechanical gadgets were there but were used only for necessary activities. there were rivers where they could go for picnics and treks. the school was more of a fun place where they all met their friends. They studied but without the fear of competition. in today’s world, we are competing against our friends. we have all the facilities of life but we do not have time for our family and friends. we like to play but on computers and play station rather than with our siblings and friends.
Q2. How was Margie’s school different from the schools that existed hundreds of years ago?
Margie’s school was at home. she had a mechanical teacher, telebooks, no other students were there in the class, and work was fed in by the mechanical teacher by pinch codes. whereas, the old schools had proper buildings, many students, human teachers who gave homework and asked questions. everyone learned the same things and books were on paper. so, it is clearly visible that Margie’s school was totally different from the schools that existed hundreds of years ago.
Value-Based Question
Q1. ‘Machines can’t replace human beings. Explain this in 80-100 words with reference to the lesson ‘ThE FUN THEY HAD.
OR
In the context of the lesson’s fun, they had’ do you think mechanical teachers or computers instructors cannot replace humans as teachers.
A teacher not only has to teach and explain things but also has to understand the mindset of the students and their cognitive level. A computer instructor will only be able to deliver the lesson not be able to understand the problems of the students. a teacher emotionally connects to the students to make the child comfortable this is not only will they be able to pass on the correct values and lessons to the students.
Multiple Choice Questions The Fun They Had
1. Margie’s grandfather once told her that there was a time when all stories were?
- Printed on plastic
- printed on paper
- not printed
- narrated
Ans- printed on paper
2. What did Margie do with a sigh?
- entered her school room
- began to read the text flashing on the screen
- thought about the old kind of schools
- entered the previous day’s homework in the proper slot.
Ans- entered the previous day’s homework in the proper slot.
3. Where did Tommy find the book?
- in his grandfather’s wardrobe
- in Margie’s room
- under his pillow
- in the attic
Ans- in the attic
4. Why was Margie excited to find a real book?
- because she had never seen a real book
- because she did not know how to read
- because she thought reading books would be a good pastime
- because Tommy had found it
Ans- because she had never seen a real book
5. what was the book about?
- grandfather’s childhood
- school
- printing press
- computers
Ans- school
6. Why hadn’t Margie seen as many telebooks as Tommy?
- since she did not know about them
- since her parents were partial to Tommy
- since she was younger than Tommy
- since she was not interested in reading
Ans- since she was younger than Tommy
7. why was Margie thinking about it during her lesson?
- the lively schools during the time of her grandfather’s grandfather
- the punch code required to write her homework
- her brother Tommy
- the duration of the arithmetic lesson
Ans- the lively schools during the time of her grandfather’s grandfather
8. Why did the mother say the teacher has to be adjusted?
- because the teacher was not teaching well
- the kids were complaining about the teacher
- the teacher was large, black, and looked ugly
- the teacher had to be adjusted to fit the mind of each kid.
Ans- the teacher had to be adjusted to fit the mind of each kid
9. How old were Margie and Tommy?
- 11 and 13 years old
- 13 and 11 years old
- 10 and 13 years old
- 13 and 10 years old
Ans- 11 nad 13 years old
10. Which subjects were taught by the mechanical teacher?
- science, history, geography
- history, geography, and arithmetic.
- science, English, and arithmetic
- Hindi, English, and arithmetic
Ans- history, geography, and arithmetic
The Fun They Had: Additional Question Answer
Q1. What do you think a tele book is?
A telebook is a virtual book that can be read on a screen. Millions of books can be
installed, and none needs to be thrown away. The words on the screen keep moving the
way they were supposed to.
Q2. What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?
Margie, Tommy, and all the children learned History, Geography, and Maths as their
subjects.
Q3. What things about the book did she find strange?
She noticed the pages of the book were yellow and crinkly. The words were
stationery, and the pages could be turned physically. Also, when one read it the second
time, everything was the same as earlier. The book, once read, could be thrown away.
Q4. What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have?
Margie and Tommy were taught by a mechanical teacher on the computer screen.
All the lessons were flashed on the screen, and they had to answer the questions that
were asked. A slot was provided in the machine to insert all their homework and test
papers.
Q5. Why was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the County Inspector do to help her?
Margie was doing badly in geography because the subject was set at a higher
level by the mechanical teacher. He told her mother that she was not to be blamed for
the drop in performance. He slowed down the level to suit Margie’s age and assured her
mother that she was progressing satisfactorily.
Q6. Did Margie have regular days and hours for school? If so, why?
Yes, Margie had regular days and hours for school. Margie had to attend her
school at the same time every day except on Saturday and Sunday. Her mother insisted
that little girls learned better if they learned at regular hours.
Q7. How does he describe the old kind of teachers?
Tommy described the old kind of teachers to be people who did not live in a house
but in a special building. The students would go to this building to learn, where they
were taught, according to their respective ages. The teacher gave them homework and
asked them questions. A teacher taught many children at the same time.
Q8. What are the main features of the mechanical teachers and the school rooms that Margie and Tommy have in the story?
Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers to teach them. The teacher was a
computer screen on which lessons were flashed/shown, explained, and then questions
were asked. Thereafter, tests were given. All work had to be submitted in punch code,
which was learned at the age of six by all. The completed work had to be inserted in a slot
that was provided on the machine. The assessment was done immediately. Every
mechanical teacher was adjusted according to the age level of the child. The
mechanical teacher lived in the house of the student. It was programmed to flash on the
screen at a certain time each day except on Saturday and Sunday. It never fell ill, would
assign homework regularly, and questioned and tested without being prompted to do so. In case, there was any mechanical fault, a County Inspector was sent, to rectify the
error.
Q9. Do you agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the school in the story? Give reasons for your answer.
I would agree with Margie that schools today are more interesting and full of fun
as compared to the mechanical schools. In Margie’s days, schools constituted a
computer screen placed in a room in the house. There was no interaction with other
children as everyone studied in their own homes. All work was done in punch code and
submitted in a slot in the computer screen. One can imagine how boring the school life
must have been. Whenever we think of a school, we think of it as a building where
students of the same age study together and are taught simultaneously by the same
teacher/s. Students interact and also help one another with their studies. They also
laugh and play.
Margie in her school could do none of these. There is no interaction between student
and teacher which creates a problem in rectification after assessment. This is why,
Margie’s problem with geography could not be addressed. It required a human being in
the form of the County Inspector to identify the problem and correct it.
Q10. Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have been fun?
Margie’s school was a computer screen in a room next to her bedroom. She had
no classmates and learned from a mechanical teacher. Of late, Margie had started to hate
school more than ever as her performance in the geography test was worsening, and
she hoped that the County Inspector wouldn’t be able to put her teacher back together,
and she’d be off with the subject for a while. She hated the homework and the tests that
she had to complete and submit systematically into the slot.
She thought the old schools must have been fun. She liked the thought that all the kids
from the neighborhood would be laughing and shouting in the schoolyard, sitting
together in the schoolroom. They learned the same thing, so they could help one
another with the homework and talk about it. Moreover, the teachers were humans.
The Fun They Had : Extract Based Questions
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions the follow:
1. Margie even wrote about it that night in her diary. On the page headed 17 May 2157,
she wrote, “Today Tommy found a real book!” It was a very old book. Margie’s grandfather once said that when he was a little boy, his grandfather told him that there was a time when all stories were printed on paper. They turned the pages, which were yellow and crinkly, and it was awfully funny to read
words that stood still instead of moving the way they were supposed to — on a screen, you know. And then when they turned back to the page before, it had the same words on it that it had when they read it the first time.
(a) When did Margie write her diary?
(b) What was peculiar about the book Tommy had found?
(c) Who revealed the information of printed story books?
(d) What was awfully funny about the printed books?
Ans:
(a) Margie wrote her diary on the night of 17 May 2157.
(b) The book Tommy had found, had crinkly yellow pages. The words were printed on
the pages and did not move.
(c) Margie’s grandfather had been told about this by his grandfather when he was a little
boy.
(d) It was awfully funny to read words that stood still instead of moving the way they
were supposed to as they did on a screen.
2. Margie was scornful. “School? What’s there to write about school? I hate school.” Margie always hated school, but now she hated it more than ever. The mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in geography and she had been doing worse and worse until her mother had shaken her head sorrowfully and sent for the County Inspector.
(a) Why was Margie scornful?
(b) Why did Margie hate her school ‘more then ever’?
(c) Which word in the passage means the same as ‘dejection’?
(d) Why was the County Inspector sent for?
Ans: (a) Margie was scornful because she could not understand why anyone would
write about school. She hated school and the book was about school.
(b) She hated it ‘more than ever’ because her teacher was giving her test after test in
geography and her performance was not good.
(c) Sorrowfully.
(d) The County Inspector was sent for because Margie’s mother was very disappointed
with her failure to perform well in geography.
3. “A man isn’t smart enough.”
“Sure he is. My father knows as much as my teacher.”
“He knows almost as much, I betcha.”
Margie wasn’t prepared to dispute that. She said, “I wouldn’t want a strange man in my house to teach me.”
Tommy screamed with laughter. “You don’t know much, Margie. The teachers didn’t live in the house. They had a special building and all the kids went there.”
“And all the kids learned the same thing?” “Sure, if they were the same age.”
(a) ‘You don’t know much’. Who said these words and what is ‘much’ referred to?
(b) Where did the teachers in the old school teach?
(c) Which word in the passage means the same as ‘argument’?
(d) How could students learn the same things?
Ans:
(a) Tommy said these words and ‘much’ refers to Margie not having enough knowledge
about how teachers taught in the old school.
(b) The teachers taught in a special building and all the kids went there.
(c) The synonym of argument is dispute.
(d) Children could learn the same things if they were of the same age group.
Conclusion
Through this lesson, writer Isaac Asimov tries to explain that even after so much development and the advent of technology in every field, some changes are not easily accepted. The same thing happened with Margie as soon as she got to know about the schools of their ancestors she unusually developed so much interest in knowing about those kids and the way they learn and had fun.
