NCERT Class 9 Beehive Prose: Chapter 1 – The Fun They Had

The NCERT Solutions for the prose chapter "The Fun They Had," prepared according to the latest NCERT syllabus and CBSE guidelines,helps students learn effectively and perform well in their examinations. Each textbook question is answered clearly and concisely, helping students understand the story’s meaning, themes, and moral lessons.

“The Fun They Had” by Isaac Asimov is a thought-provoking short story featured in Chapter 1 of the Class 9 English Beehive textbook. The story is set in the future and revolves around two children, Margie and Tommy, who discover a real printed book. They compare their current mechanical, computerized schooling with the traditional schooling of the past and realize how different and enjoyable it was.

1.0Download NCERT Solutions Class 9 English Beehive [Prose] Chapter 1 – The Fun They Had: Free PDF

Get the Class 9 English Chapter 1 NCERT Solutions PDF for free and explore this imaginative tale about education and technology:

2.0Class 9 English Chapter 1 – The Fun They Had: Brief Explanation

“The Fun They Had” imagines a future where children learn individually at home through mechanical teachers and screens rather than attending traditional schools. When Margie and Tommy find a printed book, they become curious about the old way of learning, where many children studied together in a school building. The story highlights the differences between old and new education systems, sparking a sense of nostalgia for the past and questioning the role of technology in learning.

Important points to note are:

• Contrast between traditional and futuristic schooling: Shows how education has evolved from group learning in schools to isolated, computerized teaching at home.
• Theme of curiosity and discovery: The children’s fascination with the printed book reflects the human desire to explore and understand different ways of learning.
• Critique of technology: The story subtly questions whether technological advancements always improve the learning experience.
• Nostalgia and imagination: Encourages readers to appreciate the value of social interaction and fun in education.
• Simple language and storytelling: The story is engaging and easy to understand, making it accessible to young readers.

3.0NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 1: The Fun They Had Detailed Solutions

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

• How old are Margie and Tommy?

Ans. Margie is eleven and Tommy is thirteen-year old. 2. What did Margie write in her diary?

Ans. On 17th May 2157, Margie wrote in her diary that day Tommy had found a real book in the attic of his house. It was an old book with yellow, crinkly pages. 3. Had Margie ever seen a book before?

Ans. No, Margie had never seen a book before. 4. What things about the book did she find strange?

Ans. Margie found it strange that the words printed on a book stood still instead of moving the way they did on a screen. She also found it odd that the words on a page always remained the same as the first time they were read. 5. What do you think a telebook is?

Ans. A book that can be displayed on a screen is called a telebook. 6. Where was Margie's school? Did she have any classmates?

Ans. Margie's school was in her home itself. It was right next to her bedroom. No, she did not have any classmates. 7. What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?

Ans. Margie and Tommy learnt Geography, History and Arithmetic.

II. Answer the following with reference to the story.

• "I wouldn't throw it away." (a) Who says these words?

Ans. Tommy said these words. (b) What does 'it' refer to?

Ans. 'It' refers to the television screen on which you could read over a million books. (c) What is it being compared with by the speaker?

Ans. Tommy is comparing the television screen to the real books. He thought that after reading such books, one would have to throw them away but he would never throw away his telebooks. 2. "Sure they had a teacher, but it wasn't a regular teacher. It was a man." (a) Who does 'they' refer to?

Ans. They refers to the students who studied in the old kind of schools. (b) What does 'regular' mean here?

Ans. Here, 'regular' refers to the mechanical teachers. (c) What is it contrasted with?

Ans. The mechanical teacher is contrasted with the human teachers of the earlier times who were human beings.

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

• What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have?

Ans. Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers. They were large, black and ugly screens on which all the lessons were shown and questions were asked. These mechanical teachers had a slot in which the students had to put their homework and test papers. They had to write their answer in a punch code and the mechanical teacher calculated the marks immediately. 2. Why did Margie's mother send for the County Inspector?

Ans. Margie was working hard in Geography under the guidance of the mechanical teacher, but there was no improvement in her performance. It only kept getting worse. So, Margie's mother sent for the County Inspector to find out the fault and repair it. 3. What did he do?

Ans. The County Inspector gave Margie an apple and started working on the mechanical teacher. He took it apart and then checked it. Margie wished that the Inspector would not know how to put the mechanical teacher together again, but he managed to reassemble it. He slowed down the geography sector of the teacher which was geared a little faster for an average ten-year-old. 4. Why was Margie doing badly in Geography? What did the County Inspector do to help her?

Ans. Margie was doing badly in Geography because the Geography sector of the mechanical teacher had been geared a little faster. The County Inspector rightly told her that she could not be blamed for her poor performance. The County Inspector slowed down the geography sector of the mechanical teacher to an average ten-year level. He also told Mrs. Jones that Margie's overall progress pattern was satisfactory. 5. What had once happened to Tommy's teacher?

Ans. Once, the History sector of Tommy's teacher had blanked out completely. 6. Did Margie have regular days and hours for school? If so, why?

Ans. Yes, Margie had regular days and hours for school. This was because her mother believed that learning at regular hours helped little girls learn better. Her mechanical teacher was also on at the same time every day except Saturday and Sunday. 7. How does Tommy describe the old kind of school?

Ans. Tommy described the old kind of school as a special building where all kids studied together. There were hundreds of students studying and playing together. They used to shout and laugh together in an open yard. 8. How does Tommy describe the old kind of teachers?

Ans. According to Tommy, the old kind of teachers were human beings who taught the students inside a special building. The teachers taught the children in groups, gave them homework and asked them questions.

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

• What are the main features of the mechanical teachers and the school rooms that Margie and Tommy have in the story? Ans. Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers. They had large black screens on which all the lessons were shown and questions were asked. They had a slot in which students had to put their homework and test papers. They had to write their answers in a punch code and the mechanical teacher calculated the marks immediately. Their schools were in their homes itself. They did not have any classmates. They learned Geography, History and Arithmetic. They had regular days and hours for school. Margie's school was right next to her bedroom. The mechanical teacher always turned on at the same time every day except Saturdays and Sundays because her mother said that little girls learned better when they learned at regular hours.
• Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have been fun?

Ans. Margie hated school because it was not fun. A mechanical teacher used to teach her everyday at a fixed time. Recently, she had been doing badly in the Geography tests that her mechanical teacher had been giving her. Her mother was not happy with the performance and sends for the County Inspector, she hopes that the inspector would take the mechanical teacher away. She is disappointed when the County Inspector manages to assemble all the parts of the mechanical teacher. The part that she hated the most was inserting the homework and test papers in the slot on the mechanical teacher. She did not like the fact that she had to write her answers in a punch code. She thought that the old kind of school must have been fun as she imagined all the kids from the entire neighbourhood coming together, laughing and shouting in the schoolyard. She imagined that they would sit together in the classroom and go home together at the end of the day. They would learn the same things and could help one another with the homework and talk about it. Also, the teachers were people. All these aspects made her believe that the old kind of school must have been fun.

3. Do you agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the schools in the story. Give reasons for your answer. Ans. Yes, I agree with Margie. In the story, there are no schools as such. The room next to their bedroom is their school. They are taught by a mechanical teacher. There are no human feelings. Everything is monotonous. The child has to complete its homework and put it in the slot meant for it in the machine. But, in the schools today, there are spacious buildings where all the kids from the neighbourhood go together. They are taught by the human teachers. They study and play together. They learn the same things so that they can help one another in their homework.

4.0Key Features and Benefits of Class 9 English Chapter 1 The Fun They Had NCERT Solutions

• The solutions match the CBSE exam type and will align to the current NCERT syllabus.
• The answers will have a simple, clear sentence structure for ease of grips.
• All themes, character, and concepts will be thoroughly explained upon understanding.
• Improves analysis and comprehension abilities required for school assessments and exams.
• Builds confidence in literature questions answered with clarity and precision.