The Fun They Had

1. Who is the author of the story "The Fun They Had"?
Ans: Isaac Asimov.

2. On what date did Margie make an entry in her diary?
Ans: 17 May 2157.

3. Who found a real book?
Ans: Tommy found a real book.

4. Where was the book found?
Ans: In the attic of Tommy's house.

5. How old is Margie?
Ans: Margie is eleven years old.

6. How old is Tommy?
Ans: Tommy is thirteen years old.

7. What does "crinkly" mean in the context of the book?
Ans: It means having many folds or lines.

8. What is a telebook?
Ans: A book that is displayed on a television or computer screen.

9. Did Margie like her school?
Ans: No, Margie hated her school.

10. Why did Margie hate the slot on the mechanical teacher?
Ans: Because she had to put her homework and test papers there.

11. In which subject was Margie failing?
Ans: Margie was failing in Geography.

12. Who fixed the mechanical teacher?
Ans: The County Inspector fixed the mechanical teacher.

13. How did the County Inspector look?
Ans: He was a round little man with a red face.

14. What did the Inspector give Margie?
Ans: He gave her an apple.

15. Why was the Geography sector giving Margie trouble?
Ans: It was geared a little too quick for her age.

16. To what level was the Geography sector reset?
Ans: It was reset to an average ten-year level.

17. Which sector of Tommy's teacher had once blanked out?
Ans: The History sector.

18. How long was Tommy's teacher away for repair?
Ans: Nearly a month.

19. In what code did Margie write her homework?
Ans: A punch code.

20. At what age did Margie learn the punch code?
Ans: She learned it when she was six years old.

21. Where was Margie's schoolroom located?
Ans: Right next to her bedroom.

22. Who was Mrs. Jones?
Ans: Mrs. Jones was Margie's mother.

23. Did Margie have classmates in her school?
Ans: No, she studied alone.

24. Why did Margie's mother want her to study at regular hours?
Ans: Because little girls learned better at regular hours.

25. Which days were holidays for Margie?
Ans: Saturday and Sunday.

26. What was the topic of the arithmetic lesson mentioned in the end?
Ans: Addition of proper fractions.

27. What fractions were being added?
Ans: 1/2 and 1/4.

28. Who told the kids things in the old schools?
Ans: A man (human teacher).

29. Where did the old schools exist?
Ans: In a special building.

30. Did all kids learn the same thing in old schools?
Ans: Yes, if they were the same age.

31. Why did Tommy call the book a waste?
Ans: Because one throws it away after reading, unlike a screen.

32. How did Tommy behave towards Margie regarding the book knowledge?
Ans: He behaved "loftily" (superior).

33. What does "nonchalantly" mean?
Ans: Not showing much interest or enthusiasm.

34. Who disputed the idea that a man could be a teacher?
Ans: Margie.

35. Who supported the idea that a man knows as much as a machine?
Ans: Tommy.

36. What did the kids do in the schoolyard in old times?
Ans: Laughing and shouting.

37. Did the old teachers live in the house?
Ans: No.

38. What was the mechanical teacher made of?
Ans: It was a machine with screens, wires, and slots.

39. What did Margie insert with a sigh?
Ans: Her homework.

40. Who is the "I" in "I wouldn't throw it away"?
Ans: Tommy.

41. What did Margie's grandfather say about his grandfather?
Ans: That he went to an old-style school as a little boy.

42. How did the mechanical teacher calculate marks?
Ans: In no time (instantly).

43. Was Margie's progress satisfactory according to the Inspector?
Ans: Yes.

44. Why was Margie disappointed after the Inspector's visit?
Ans: She hoped the teacher would be taken away.

45. What is the central theme of the story?
Ans: The future of education and the loss of human interaction.

1. Why did Margie find the book strange?
Ans: Margie found the book strange because she lived in an era of telebooks where text moved on screens. This book, however, was printed on paper, its pages were yellow and crinkly with age, and the words stood still instead of moving. Furthermore, when she turned back to a previous page, the same words were there, unlike the shifting screens she was used to.

2. Why did Margie's mother shake her head sorrowfully?
Ans: Margie's mother shook her head sorrowfully because she was disappointed with Margie's performance. The mechanical teacher had been giving Margie test after test in geography, and Margie had been doing worse and worse. Her mother believed it might be a fault in the machine or the child, leading her to call the County Inspector.

3. How did the County Inspector help Margie?
Ans: The County Inspector took the mechanical teacher apart and analyzed its settings. He discovered that the geography sector was geared a little too quick for an average ten-year-old. He slowed it down to a ten-year level and reassured Margie and her mother that Margie's overall progress pattern was actually satisfactory.

4. Why did Tommy call the real book a 'waste'?
Ans: Tommy compared the real book to his television screen. He called the book a 'waste' because once you read it, you just throw it away, as the content doesn't change. In contrast, his television screen could store a million books and was good for plenty more, meaning he never had to throw it away.

5. How was the mechanical teacher different from a human teacher?
Ans: The mechanical teacher was a machine kept at home, tuned specifically to one student's learning speed, and had no emotions or personality. A human teacher, as described in the old book, was a real person who taught a group of students in a shared building, gave homework, asked questions, and could interact socially with the children.

1. Compare and contrast the school system in the story with the school system of today.
Ans: The school system in the story is futuristic and highly individualized. The "school" is located within the student's home, specifically in a room next to their bedroom. The teacher is a mechanical robot programmed to suit the specific age and learning speed of one student. There is no interaction with other children during lessons, and the learning process is rigid, involving punch codes and slots for homework. The emphasis is on efficiency and individual progress.

In sharp contrast, the school system of today (the "old kind" in the story) acts as a community center. Students travel to a special building where they meet children of the same age from the neighborhood. Teachers are human beings who explain lessons, ask questions, and interact emotionally with students. The learning is collective; students learn the same things at the same time, allowing them to discuss homework, help each other, and play together in the schoolyard. This system fosters social skills, friendship, and shared experiences, which Margie longs for.

2. Character sketch of Margie.
Ans: Margie is the central character of the story, an eleven-year-old girl living in the year 2157. She represents the perspective of a child in a highly technological future. Margie is curious and inquisitive; when Tommy finds an old book, she asks many questions about it, showing a desire to understand the past. However, she is also deeply dissatisfied with her present reality. She hates her mechanical teacher, especially the slot where she has to submit homework, and feels lonely in her home-schooling environment.

She is sensitive and imaginative. When Tommy acts superior, she feels hurt, and when she learns about the old schools, she drifts into a daydream about how much fun the children must have had. Her struggles with geography show she is a normal child who finds the relentless efficiency of the machine overwhelming. Ultimately, Margie is a relatable character who highlights the human need for social connection over mechanical perfection.

3. "The Fun They Had" highlights the importance of peer interaction in education. Discuss.
Ans: Isaac Asimov's story serves as a commentary on the dangers of over-reliance on technology in education. While the mechanical teacher in the story is efficient and personalized, it completely removes the social aspect of learning. Margie's hatred for school stems largely from its isolation; she sits alone in a room with a machine that demands inputs and outputs without any emotional engagement.

The story highlights that education is not just about processing data but also about social development. Margie envies the children of the past not because of what they learned, but because of *how* they learned—together. She imagines them "laughing and shouting in the schoolyard" and "going home together". This peer interaction allows for shared joys, mutual help with homework, and the development of friendships. By contrasting the lonely, high-tech future with the communal past, the author suggests that the "fun" of school lies in human connection, which is an essential part of growing up.

4. Describe the setting of the story and how it sets the mood for Margie's isolation.
Ans: The story is set in the distant future, specifically May 17, 2157. The setting is domestic and sterile, focused entirely within Margie's home. The "schoolroom" is not a vibrant place of activity but a room "right next to her bedroom". This proximity suggests that school has invaded her personal space, leaving no separation between home life and study. The technology described—mechanical teachers, punch codes, and shifting text on screens—creates an atmosphere that is cold, impersonal, and rigid.

This setting effectively establishes a mood of isolation. There are no descriptions of playgrounds, noisy corridors, or chatting friends. Instead, the environment is dominated by the mechanical teacher, described as "large and black and ugly". The silence of the house is only broken by the voice of the machine. This emphasizes Margie's loneliness; she is trapped in a silent, tech-driven world, which makes her longing for the noisy, chaotic, and social "old days" even more poignant and understandable to the reader.

5. Do you think the title "The Fun They Had" is appropriate? Justify your answer.
Ans: Yes, the title "The Fun They Had" is highly appropriate and ironic. It refers to the final thought in Margie's mind as she sits before her mechanical teacher. While the machine drones on about arithmetic and proper fractions, Margie's mind wanders to the descriptions she read in the old book. She visualizes the children of the past playing, laughing, and studying together in a community.

The title captures the central theme of nostalgia and the value of human connection. To Margie, the "fun" is the social interaction that her generation has lost in the pursuit of technological efficiency. It contrasts her boring, solitary reality with the lively, shared experiences of her ancestors. The title is poignant because Margie believes the past was filled with joy ("fun"), while the reader knows that school in the past (our present) also has its challenges. However, compared to her isolated existence, the title perfectly encapsulates her longing for a more human way of life.