CBSE Class 10 English The Book That Saved the Earth HOTS

Extract-Based Questions

Q. 1. THINK-TANK: Mirror, mirror, in my hand. Who is the most fantastically intellectually gifted being in the land?
OFFSTAGE VOICE: (after a pause) You, sir.
THINK -TANK: (smacking mirror) Quicker. Answer quicker next time. I hate a slow mirror. (He admires himself in the mirror.) Ah, there I am. Are we Martians not a handsome race? So much more attractive than those ugly Earthlings with their tiny heads. Noodle, you keep on exercising your mind, and someday you’ll have a balloon brain just like mine.
NOODLE: Oh, I hope so, Mighty Think-Tank. I hope so.
THINK -TANK: Now, contact the space probe. I want to invade that primitive ball of mud called Earth before lunch.
NOODLE: It shall be done, sir. (He adjusts levers on switchboard. Electronic buzzes and beeps are heard as the curtains open.)

Question. Choose the option that lists the most appropriate meaning of think-tank from those given below.
(a) A tank that helps you think deeper than an average person, if you use its contents regularly.
(b) Non-stop flow of ideas from a fixed source about one particular issue.
(c) A pool of ideas and solutions to various problems via an individual, group or organisation.
(d) A method by way of which people think collectively to identify stray thoughts among them.
Answer : C

Question. Choose the option that gives you fits the example of an irony from the ones given below.
(a) “Who is the most fantastically intellectually gifted being in the land?”
(b) “I hate a slow mirror.”
(c) “Noodle, you keep on exercising your mind, and someday you’ll have a balloon brain just like mine.
(d) “I want to invade that primitive ball of mud called Earth before lunch.”
Answer : C

Question. Choose the option that correctly categorizes the phrase “(after a pause)” based on the dialogue given above.
(a) aside
(b) stage direction
(c) narration
(d) setting
Answer : B

Question. Choose the option that includes the display of ‘smacking’ as used in the extract.

(a) Option (1)
(b) Option (2)
(c) Option (3)
(d) Option (4)
Answer : D

Question. “Mirror, mirror, in my hand. Who is the most fantastically intellectually gifted being in the land?”
Choose the option that lists the genre having the original reference to the above lines.
(a) Biography
(b) Science-fiction
(c) Mystery
(d) Fairy tale
Answer : D

Q. 2. OOP: I haven’t a clue. I’ve been to seven galaxies, but I’ve never seen anything like this. Maybe they’re hats. (He opens a book and puts it on his head.) Say, maybe this is a haberdashery!
OMEGA: (bowing low) Perhaps the Great and Mighty Think-Tank will give us the benefit of his thought on the matter.
THINK-TANK: Elementary, my dear Omega. Hold one of the items up so that I may view it closely. (Omega holds a book on the palm of her hand.) Yes, yes, I understand now. Since Earth creatures are always eating, the place in which you find yourselves is undoubtedly a crude refreshment stand.
OMEGA: (to Iota and Oop) He says we’re in a refreshment stand.
OOP: Well, the Earthlings certainly have a strange diet.

Question. Earth inhabitants are Earthlings and those from Mars are Martians, what are the inhabitants of Venus adressed as in most sci-fi stories?
(a) Venusites
(b) Venatians
(c) Venings
(d) Venusians
Answer : D

Question. Choose the option that explains what Think-Tank meant by saying- Elementary, my dear Omega.
(a) “It’s simple general knowledge, Omega.”
(b) “It’s something that a primary school person won’t understand, Omega.”
(c) “It’s quite obviously deducible, Omega”
(d) “It’s a little more than complicated, Omega.”
Answer : C

Question. Choose the option that associates the person to a haberdashery.
(a) Jagdeep is a primary school teacher who teaches English.
(b) Tanishq is a tailor who makes garments for men only.
(c) Falguni is a chemist who manufactures her own medicine.
(d) Asma is an engineer who works on designing space stations.
Answer : B

Question. The quality of being crude has been allotted to the refreshment stand because
(a) Earthlings have bad eating habits according to Think-Tank.
(b) the temperature of the refreshment stand was too high.
(c) the refreshment stands are responsible for poor health of the Earthlings.
(d) it produces food that is unrefined and unprocessed in nature.
Answer : D

Question. Why did Omega bow low before Think-Tank?
(a) As a mark of respect and recognition of supremacy.
(b) To flatter and appease the character.
(c) As a sign of submission and understanding of his strength.
(d) To curry favour and goodwill from the character.
Answer : A

Very Short Answer Type Questions 

Question. Give any two reasons for Oop's breaking into laughter on reading the first nursery rhyme.
Answer : The first rhyme described about a woman who grows cockle shells, silver bells and pretty maids in her garden. So all laughed at how anyone could grow maids in the garden.

Question. Think- Tank assumes that the Earthlings are after him. Give reasons for the same.
Answer : Think-Tank crew read about Humpty-Dumpty’s fall in the rhyme and showed the picture to Think-Tank. Think-Tank’s head resembled that of Humpty-Dumpty. This makes Think-Tank feel that earthlings were planning to invade Mars and capture him.

Question. 20th century referred to as the ‘Era of the Book’. Comment briefly.
Answer : The twentieth century was often called the Era of the book as there were books about everything. Books taught people how, when, where, and why of everything. They illustrated, educated, punctuated, and even decorated.

Question. Describe briefly how the Martians reach upon the correct application of the book.
Answer : Think-Tank thought that books were two slices of what was called bread with some sort of filling, so he asked Omega to eat the book. But Noodle informed Think-Tank that the books were a sort of communication device. He also suggested that the team to eat vitamins to increase their intelligence so that they could read the book.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question. Martians were never able to bring themselves to read the book Mother Goose. Discuss why the Historian said so.
Answer : One dusty old book of nursery rhymes saved the earth from a Martian invasion. The Martian could not decipher the meaning of nursery rhymes. Their misinterpretation made the situation comical. They began to believe that the Earthlings had advance technology and were planning to invade the Mars. They called off their mission and even left the Mars isolated to escape to a far-off planet. So, their unfinished invasion never let the Martians able to bring themselves to read the book Mother Goose.

Question. Mention any two points of differences between Earthlings and Martians in the 20th century.
Answer : The Earthlings had a smaller head when compared to the Martians who had great and mighty balloon brain. Earthlings could read and write, but Martians could not even understand the concept of books and thought them to be sandwiches.

Question. Elaborate on that quality of a book that saves the planet Earth.
Answer : The book that saved the earth was a dusty old book of nursery rhyme titled ‘the Mother Goose’. It was a book full of beautiful illustrations and innocent rhymes for small children. But when the Martians read the book, they took the literal meaning of the words and as they come across a rhyme on Humpty dumpty which resembles their master Think tank, they all get terrified with the idea of their master’s losing control over Mars because of humans and thus they cancel their plan of invading earth.

Question. Do you think that the names ‘Think Tank’ and ‘Noodle’ replicate the attributes of the two characters? Justify your answer with reference to the chapter "The Book that Saved the Earth".
Answer : The names ‘Think Tank’ and ‘Noodle’, definitely replicate the attributes of the two characters.
Think-Tank has a huge egg-shaped head that resembles a tank-shaped cranium full of wisdom. He considers himself to be the most powerful and intelligent creature in the whole universe. He poses to be the ruler of Mars and commands the Mars space control.
Noodle, on the other hand, was an apprentice under Think Tank but was a smart opportunist. Though he is the one, to make right decisions, he makes sure that his boss gets all the praise. This shows his modesty and humility. He is wise and uses logical reasoning. He is also a great leader and that’s why, after 500 years, the people of Earth are in good relationship with Martians with Noodle as the commander.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. At the end of the play one is told that five centuries later Noodle has acquired the position of Think- Tank. Through your understanding of both the characters, pen down the account of events that could have led to Think Tank’s replacement by Noodle.
Answer : An efficient person always makes way for himself. Noodle, though an apprentice to mighty Think Tank, was a wise and intelligent person. He was logical and handled situation after keen observation of facts. He also knew how to handle his master well, by not hurting his pride and still putting his own words in Think Tank’s mouth.
Think Tank was a commander for the name sake. He was not worldly wise and so could not interpret the simple, innocent nursery rhymes. Hence, being scared, he ordered to evacuate Mars and fled to far off planet. He was not farsighted and so didn’t have any practical solution for the problems. He lacked adaptable characteristics unlike Noodle who joined hands with Earthlings, developed friendly relations with them and hence acquired the position of Think Tank.

Question. The play suggests that 20th century was the ‘Era of the Book’. With that reference, what would you like to call the era of the 21st century? What role does that object/concept play in the lives of human beings?
Answer : The era of the 21st century can be termed as the ‘Era of Technology’. A large number of scientific advancements have led to the ‘Age of Machines’. Artificial Intelligence has been enhancing our lifestyle and making a great impact in the progress of mankind. However, it is also taking us towards a lazy lifestyle thereby deteriorating our efficiency.
We have to be careful while using technology and never let it become our master. Science and technology can be best slaves but worst masters. To make the best use of technology, we should have proper planning so that while multi-tasking more tasks can be performed in least possible time. Hence, wisdom is the key to progress.