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Notes on “The Fun They Had” by Isaac Asimov

I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences each.

1. How old are Margie and Tommy? Margie is eleven years old and Tommy is thirteen years old.
2. What did Margie write in her diary? On 17 May 2157, Margie wrote, “Today Tommy found a real book!”
3. Had Margie ever seen a book before? No, Margie had never seen a real printed book before. She had only read telebooks on screens.
4. What things about the book did she find strange? She found it strange that the words stood still on yellow, crinkly pages instead of moving on a screen, and that turning back a page showed the same words again.
5. What do you think a telebook is? A telebook is an electronic book displayed on a television or computer screen that can hold millions of books and is not thrown away after reading.
6. Where was Margie’s school? Did she have any classmates? Margie’s school was a room next to her bedroom in her house with a mechanical teacher. She had no classmates; she studied alone.
7. What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn? They learned subjects like geography, history, arithmetic (proper fractions), and other lessons tailored by their mechanical teachers.

II. Answer the following with reference to the story.

1. “I wouldn’t throw it away.” (i) Tommy says these words. (ii) ‘It’ refers to the television screen / telebook. (iii) It is being compared with the old printed book, which is thrown away after reading, while the screen holds millions of books and lasts longer.
2. “Sure they had a teacher, but it wasn’t a regular teacher. It was a man.” (i) ‘They’ refers to the children in the old kind of schools hundreds of years ago. (ii) ‘Regular’ here means the usual mechanical teacher of their time. (iii) It is contrasted with the mechanical teacher — a machine with a screen — versus a human man who taught in a special school building.

III. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).

1. What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have? Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers. These were large, black machines with big screens that showed lessons, asked questions, and gave tests. They were programmed to teach each child at their own level and lived in the children’s houses.
2. Why did Margie’s mother send for the County Inspector? Margie’s mother sent for the County Inspector because Margie was doing worse and worse in geography tests. The mechanical teacher was giving her very difficult lessons, and her mother was worried about her progress.
3. What did he do? The County Inspector took the mechanical teacher apart, checked it with his tools, and adjusted the geography sector to an average ten-year level. He then put it back together and reassured Margie’s mother that her progress was satisfactory.
4. Why was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the County Inspector do to help her? Margie was doing badly because the geography sector of her mechanical teacher was geared too fast for her level. The County Inspector slowed it down to an average ten-year level so that the lessons suited her better.
5. What had once happened to Tommy’s teacher? Tommy’s teacher had been taken away for nearly a month because the history sector had blanked out completely. It stopped working and needed repairs.
6. Did Margie have regular days and hours for school? If so, why? Yes, Margie had regular school hours every day except Saturday and Sunday. Her mother believed that little girls learned better when they studied at fixed, regular times.
7. How does Tommy describe the old kind of school? Tommy described old schools as special buildings where all the kids of the same age went together. They learned the same things, sat in one classroom, played together in the schoolyard, and helped each other with homework.
8. How does he describe the old kind of teachers? Tommy said the old teachers were human men who taught the children, gave them homework, and asked questions. They did not live in the house but worked in the special school building.

IV. Answer each of these questions in two or three paragraphs (100–150 words).

1. What are the main features of the mechanical teachers and the schoolrooms that Margie and Tommy have in the story? The mechanical teachers in the story are large, black, ugly-looking machines with big screens. They display lessons, ask questions, and evaluate homework instantly. Students must insert papers in punch code into a slot. These teachers are adjusted to each child’s learning level and are installed right inside the children’s homes. The schoolroom for Margie is simply a room next to her bedroom. There are no classmates or school buildings. Lessons happen at fixed times on the screen, and the teacher is always switched on during school hours. Everything is mechanical and solitary. This setup contrasts sharply with the lively, social old schools described in the book.
2. Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have been fun? Margie hated school because it was lonely and mechanical. She studied alone in her room with a strict machine that gave her endless tests, especially in geography, which she found too difficult. She had to write homework in punch code and insert it into a slot. There was no fun, laughter, or friends. She thought the old schools must have been fun because all the neighbourhood children went together, laughed and shouted in the schoolyard, sat together in class, and helped each other with homework. They learned the same things at the same time and had human teachers. The idea of going home together and talking about lessons made school sound exciting and social compared to her isolated experience.
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 largely agree with Margie. Modern schools (in real life) are more fun because children study together in classrooms, make friends, play games, participate in group activities, and learn from living teachers who can explain things patiently and make lessons interesting. There is social interaction, sports, and collaborative learning. In contrast, Margie’s futuristic school is completely isolated and mechanical, lacking any human touch or peer interaction. However, one advantage of mechanical teachers is personalised learning at one’s own pace. Still, the absence of fun, friendship, and variety makes her school dull. Real schools today balance structure with enjoyment and social development, which is far better.

Thinking about Language

I. Adverbs Sentences with the given adverbs (from the story):

• awfully: “it was awfully funny to read words that stood still…”
• sorrowfully: “her mother had shaken her head sorrowfully…”
• completely: “the history sector had blanked out completely.”
• loftily: “He added loftily…”
• carefully: “pronouncing the word carefully”
• differently: “each kid has to be taught differently.”
• quickly: “Margie said quickly.”
• nonchalantly: “he said nonchalantly.”

II. Fill in the blanks (using the adverbs): (i) carefully (ii) nonchalantly (iii) differently (iv) sorrowfully (v) completely (vi) loftily (vii) awfully (viii) quickly

III. Make adverbs: (i) angrily (ii) happily (iii) merrily (iv) sleepily (v) easily (vi) noisily (vii) tidily (viii) gloomily

If Not and Unless (sample completions):

1. If I don’t go to Anu’s party tonight, I will miss all the fun.
2. If you don’t telephone the hotel to order food, we will have nothing to eat.
3. Unless you promise to write back, I will not write to you again.
4. If she doesn’t play any games, she will become unhealthy.
5. Unless that little bird flies away quickly, the cat will catch it.

Writing Task (Formal Letter)

Sample Letter:

[Your Address] [City, PIN Code] [Date: DD/MM/YY]

Mindfame Private Limited 1632 Asaf Ali Road New Delhi

Subject: Request for a copy of the revised volume of Isaac Asimov’s short stories by VPP

Dear Sir/Madam,

I recently came to know that a new revised volume of Isaac Asimov’s short stories has been released. I am very interested in reading the collection as I enjoyed the story “The Fun They Had”.

I kindly request you to send one set of the book to the address mentioned above by Value Payable Post (VPP). I shall make the payment upon receipt.

Thank you for your assistance. I look forward to receiving the book at the earliest.

Yours sincerely, [Your Full Name] [Signature]