The Fun They Had Class 9 English Chapter 1 Question Answer | SEBA HSLC

This page provides complete solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 1 “The Fun They Had” by Isaac Asimov from the textbook Beehive (Assam SEBA). Includes word meanings, answers to all textbook questions, and bilingual explanations for exam preparation.

পাঠৰ তথ্য

Summary of the Lesson

English Summary: “The Fun They Had” by Isaac Asimov is a futuristic story set in the year 2157. It revolves around two children, Margie and Tommy, who study at home with the help of mechanical teachers. One day, Tommy finds a real printed book, which fascinates them because they are used to reading telebooks on screens. The children find it strange that the words in the book do not move and remain the same every time they read it.

Margie dislikes her school because her mechanical teacher is strict and gives her frequent tests, especially in geography, where she performs poorly due to a technical fault. When the county inspector repairs the teacher and adjusts it to her level, Margie still feels unhappy. Tommy explains that in the past, schools were different—children went to a common building, learned together, and were taught by human teachers.

As Margie imagines those old schools, she begins to think that learning in groups with human interaction must have been more enjoyable. The story highlights the importance of human connection, interaction, and joy in learning, suggesting that technology cannot fully replace the warmth and fun of traditional schooling.

অসমীয়া সাৰাংশঃ “The Fun They Had” কাহিনীটো ভৱিষ্যতৰ (২১৫৭ চন) এটা পৰিৱেশত ৰচিত। ইয়াত মাৰ্গী আৰু টমী নামৰ দুজন শিশুৰ জীৱন দেখুওৱা হৈছে, যিসকলে ঘৰতেই যান্ত্ৰিক শিক্ষকৰ জৰিয়তে পঢ়াশুনা কৰে। এদিন টমীয়ে এখন বাস্তৱ কাগজৰ কিতাপ বিচাৰি পায়, যিটো তেওঁলোকৰ বাবে অতি আশ্চৰ্য্যজনক আছিল, কিয়নো তেওঁলোকে সদায় স্ক্ৰীণত টেলিবুক পঢ়িছিল।

মাৰ্গীয়ে নিজৰ স্কুল বেয়া পাইছিল কিয়নো যান্ত্ৰিক শিক্ষকজন কঠোৰ আছিল আৰু সঘনাই পৰীক্ষা লৈছিল। টমীয়ে পুৰণি দিনৰ স্কুলৰ বিষয়ে কৈছিল, য’ত ছাত্ৰ-ছাত্ৰীয়ে একেলগে এটা স্কুল ভবনত পঢ়িছিল আৰু মানুহ শিক্ষকসকলৰ পৰা শিক্ষা লাভ কৰিছিল।

এই কাহিনীৰ মাজেৰে লেখকে দেখুৱাইছে যে কেৱল যান্ত্ৰিক শিক্ষাৰ তুলনাত মানুহৰ মাজত হোৱা পাৰস্পৰিক সম্পৰ্ক আৰু আনন্দময় শিক্ষাৰ পৰিৱেশ অধিক গুৰুত্বপূৰ্ণ। মাৰ্গীয়ে শেষত অনুভৱ কৰে যে পুৰণি স্কুলবোৰ অধিক আনন্দময় আছিল।

Word Meaning

• crinkly = having many folds or wrinkles
• telebook = an electronic book displayed on a screen
• slot = a regular place or time
• dispute = argument
• nonchalantly = in a casual and indifferent manner
• loftily = in a proud or superior way
• geared = adjusted or adapted

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

1. How old are Margie and Tommy?

উত্তৰঃ Margie is eleven and Tommy is thirteen years old.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ মাৰ্গীৰ বয়স এঘাৰ আৰু টমীৰ বয়স তেৰ বছৰ।

2. What did Margie write in her diary?

উত্তৰঃ In her diary, Margie wrote, “Today Tommy found a real book”.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ মাৰ্গীয়ে তাইৰ ডায়েৰীত লিখিছিল, “টমীয়ে আজি এখন প্ৰকৃত কিতাপ বিচাৰি পাইছিল।”

3. Had Margie ever seen a book before?

উত্তৰঃ No, Margie had only heard about a book from her grandfather.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ নাই, মাৰ্গীয়ে পূৰ্বতে কেৱল কিতাপৰ বিষয়ে ককাকৰ মুখৰ পৰা শুনিছিল।

4. What things about the book did she find strange?

উত্তৰঃ 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 that the words on a page always remained the same as the first time they were read. Besides, the idea that someone would write a book about schools was itself strange for Margie.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ মাৰ্গীয়ে এইটো কথা আচৰিত পাইছিল যে কিতাপৰ আখৰবিলাক কম্পিউটাৰ স্ক্ৰীণৰ আখৰবোৰৰ দৰে লৰচৰ নকৰিছিল। তাই এই কথাও লক্ষ্য কৰিছিল কিতাপৰ আখৰবিলাক অপৰিৱৰ্তিত আছিল। ইয়াৰোপৰি কোনোবাই স্কুলৰ ওপৰত কিতাপ লিখাটোও তাইৰ বাবে আশ্চৰ্য্যজনক আছিল।

5. What do you think a telebook is?

উত্তৰঃ An online book which can be browsed using internet or displayed on a screen is called a telebook.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ টেলিবুক হৈছে ইন্টাৰনেট সেৱাৰ জৰিয়তে অনলাইনত উপলব্ধ কিতাপ।

6. Where was Margie’s school? Did she have any classmate?

উত্তৰঃ Margie’s school was in her home itself, right next to her bedroom. No, she did not have any classmate.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ মাৰ্গীৰ স্কুল তাইৰ ঘৰতে শোৱনি কোঠাৰ কাষত আছিল। নাই, মাৰ্গীৰ কোনো সহপাঠী নাছিল।

7. What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?

উত্তৰঃ Margie and Tommy learned geography, history and arithmetic.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ মাৰ্গী আৰু টমীয়ে ভূগোল, ইতিহাস আৰু গণিতৰ শিক্ষা গ্ৰহণ কৰিছিল।

II. Answer the following with reference to the story.

1. “I wouldn’t throw it away.”

উত্তৰঃ (i) Tommy says these words.
(ii) ‘It’ refers to the computer screen on which Tommy reads various books.
(iii) ‘It’ is being compared to the paper book that Tommy found in his house.

2. “Sure they had a teacher, but it was not a regular teacher. It was a man.”

উত্তৰঃ (i) ‘They’ refers to the ancestors of the children who went to school and studied from a human teacher.
(ii) Here, ‘regular’ means the mechanical teacher who teaches Margie and Tommy.
(iii) It is contrasted with a human teacher.

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

1. What kind of teacher did Margie and Tommy have?

উত্তৰঃ Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers. They were computers which had preloaded lessons on different subjects according to the learner’s level. Whenever they malfunctioned, they were opened and repaired.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ মাৰ্গী আৰু টমীৰ যান্ত্ৰিক শিক্ষক আছিল অৰ্থাৎ সিহঁতে কম্পিউটাৰৰ জৰিয়তে শিক্ষা গ্ৰহণ কৰিছিল য’ত আগতীয়াকৈ ল’ৰা ছোৱালীৰ বয়সৰ অনুযায়ী পাঠদান সমূহ প্ৰস্তুত কৰি ৰখা হয়।

2. Why did Margie’s mother send for the county inspector?

উত্তৰঃ Margie was not performing up to the mark in her geography tests. So her mother was worried. She wanted the county inspector to check if there was some problem with the child or with the teacher.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ মাৰ্গীয়ে ভূগোলৰ পৰীক্ষাত কম নম্বৰ লাভ কৰা বাবে মাক চিন্তিত হৈ পৰিছিল। সেয়েহে তেওঁ গাঁৱৰ পৰিদৰ্শকজনক মাতিছিল যে শিশুটোৰ সৈতে বা শিক্ষকজনৰ সৈতে কিবা সমস্যা আছে নেকি পৰীক্ষা চাওঁক।

3. What did he do?

উত্তৰঃ The county inspector was trained to repair computer teachers. He opened the machine and checked it. The geography sector was set on a higher level. He reset it to Margie’s level.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ গাঁৱৰ নিৰীক্ষকজন কম্পিউটাৰ মেৰামতি কৰা শিক্ষাৰে প্ৰশিক্ষিত আছিল। তেওঁ কম্পিউটাৰটো খুলি চাই দেখিলে যে ভূগোল বিষয়ৰ ভাগটো ওপৰৰ শ্ৰেণীৰ ছাত্ৰ-ছাত্ৰীৰ বাবে সজাই থোৱা আছিল। তেওঁ ইয়াক মেৰামতি কৰি মাৰ্গীৰ বাবে ঠিক কৰি দিছিল।

4. Why was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the county inspector do to help her?

উত্তৰঃ Margie was doing badly in geography because the teacher had developed a fault. The county inspector told Margie’s mother that Margie was not at fault; her progress was good. He reset the teacher to Margie’s level.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ মাৰ্গীৰ ভূগোলত কম নম্বৰ পোৱাৰ আঁৰত দোষ আছিল তাইৰ কম্পিউটাৰ শিক্ষকৰ। গাঁৱৰ নিৰীক্ষকজনে কোৱা মতে এই ক্ষেত্ৰত মাৰ্গীৰ কোনো ভুল নাছিল। তেওঁ কম্পিউটাৰৰ ভূগোল বিভাগটো মাৰ্গীৰ প্ৰয়োজনীয়তা অনুসৰি ঠিক কৰি থৈ গ’ল।

5. What had once happened to Tommy’s teacher?

উত্তৰঃ Once Tommy’s teacher had developed a fault as the entire history section had been deleted. After that the teacher had been taken for repairs and it took them a month to set it right.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ এবাৰ টমীৰ শিক্ষকৰ ক্ষেত্ৰত বিসংগতি দেখা দিছিল য’ত ইতিহাসৰ সকলোবোৰ তথ্য নাইকিয়া হৈ গৈছিল। তাৰ পাছত টমীৰ কম্পিউটাৰটো ভাল কৰিবলৈ লৈ যোৱা হৈছিল য’ত সম্পূৰ্ণ এমাহ লাগিছিল মেৰামতি কৰিবলৈ।

6. Did Margie have regular days and hours for school? If so, why?

উত্তৰঃ Margie studied at the same time every day, except Saturday and Sunday. Her mother was very particular about her study and told her that she would learn better if she studied at the same time.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ মাৰ্গীয়ে শনিবাৰে আৰু দেওবাৰৰ বাহিৰে বাকী কেইটা দিনত সদায় একে সময়তে পঢ়িছিল। তাইৰ পঢ়াৰ ক্ষেত্ৰত মাক বৰ সজাগ আছিল আৰু তাইক কৈছিল নিয়মিতভাৱে একে সময়ত অধ্যয়ন কৰিলে ভালদৰে শিকিব পাৰি।

7. How does Tommy describe the old kind of school?

উত্তৰঃ Tommy describes the old kind of school as a special building where a person gave lessons to the students. There were hundreds of students studying and playing together.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ টমীয়ে পুৰণি স্কুলৰ বৰ্ণনা এনেদৰে আগবঢ়াইছিল যে পুৰণি কালৰ স্কুলবিলাক এক ভৱন আৰ্হিত আছিল য’ত কোনো ব্যক্তিয়ে ছাত্ৰ-ছাত্ৰীক পাঠদান দিছিল। তাত একেলগে কেইবা শতাধিক ছাত্ৰ-ছাত্ৰীয়ে পঢ়াশুনাৰ লগতে খেলা ধূলাও কৰিছিল।

8. How does he describe old kind of teachers?

উত্তৰঃ He says that the old kind of teachers were different from their teachers. The old kind of teachers were human beings, not machines.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ সি কৈছিল যে পুৰণি দিনৰ শিক্ষকসকলে সিহঁতৰ শিক্ষকতকৈ বেলেগ আছিল। পুৰণিকলীয়া শিক্ষকবোৰ মানুহ আছিল, মেকানিক নহয়।

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?

উত্তৰঃ The mechanical teacher is a computer screen with a good audio-video system. It teaches students in a mechanical voice and tone. It always gives feedback after a child submits his papers. It can store thousands of pieces of information. Unlike a page in real books, the mechanical teacher’s page is its screen. The screen can display an unlimited number of words at one time. The teacher is always present in their house and they can study as per their timings.

The teacher sometimes goes wrong as well. There can be some virus playing havoc with its programming. This may lead to inaccessibility of certain subjects. Sometimes this can lead the teacher to throw really difficult tests, which may not be fit for a particular child. Otherwise, the teacher is always programmed to suit each individual student’s learning need and capability.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ যান্ত্ৰিক শিক্ষকবিলাক দৰাচলতে দৃশ্য-শ্ৰব্যযুক্ত কম্পিউটাৰ স্ক্ৰীণ। ই ছাত্ৰ-ছাত্ৰীক যান্ত্ৰিক শব্দৰ জৰিয়তে পাঠদান কৰে। কোনো শিশুৱে কোনো ধৰণৰ কাগজ জমা দিলে ই তৎক্ষণাত প্ৰতিক্ৰিয়া প্ৰকাশ কৰে। ই বহুত তথ্য নিজৰ মাজত জমা কৰি ৰাখিব পাৰে। কিতাপৰ পৃষ্ঠাবিলাকৰ দৰে কম্পিউটাৰ স্ক্ৰীণখন হৈছে ইয়াৰ পৃষ্ঠা। এই স্ক্ৰীণে এবাৰতে অসংখ্য শব্দ প্ৰকাশ কৰিব পাৰে। যান্ত্ৰিক শিক্ষকবিলাক প্ৰতিক্ষণে ঘৰত উপস্থিত থাকে আৰু ছাত্ৰ-ছাত্ৰীয়ে নিজৰ সময় সুবিধা অনুযায়ী শিক্ষা গ্ৰহণ কৰিব পাৰে। যান্ত্ৰিক শিক্ষকবিলাকে কেতিয়াবা অসুবিধাৰো সৃষ্টি কৰে।

2. Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have been fun?

উত্তৰঃ Margie hated school because it was not fun. There was a mechanical teacher and the learning process lacked life. It was like a machine carrying out usual working without any fun and laughter. Her school was always open, seven days a week. Her teacher was always on at the same time except weekends, because her mother believed that regular study hours result in better learning.

Margie thought that the children in the past must have had a lot of fun when they went to school with fellow children. It must have been a pleasant experience to study from a human instead of an impersonal machine. While she had no classmates to interact and play with, the human aspect of education in the past made her feel that the schools of the past were fun.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ মাৰ্গীয়ে স্কুল বেয়া পোৱাৰ মূল কাৰণ আছিল বিনোদনৰ অভাৱ। তাইৰ স্কুলৰ শিক্ষক আছিল যান্ত্ৰিক য’ত প্ৰাণৰ কোনো সঞ্চাৰ নাছিল। ই সদায় সময় অনুযায়ী কামবোৰ কৰি গৈছিল য’ত বিনোদনৰ কোনো ব্যৱস্থা নাছিল। ইয়াৰ উপৰিও তাইৰ স্কুল সপ্তাহৰ গোটেইকেইটা দিনে খোলা আছিল। মাৰ্গীয়ে ভাবিছিল যে পুৰণি দিনৰ স্কুলবিলাক বহু আমোদজনক আছিল আৰু সকলো ছাত্ৰ-ছাত্ৰীয়ে নিজৰ সমনীয়াবিলাকৰ সৈতে বহুত আনন্দ কৰিছিল। মানুহৰ পৰা পোনপটীয়াকৈ শিক্ষা গ্ৰহণ কৰাটো বৰ আমোদজনক অভিজ্ঞতা আছিল।

3. Do you agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the school in the story? Give reasons for your answer.

উত্তৰঃ Yes, I agree that schools today are more fun than the school in the story. The school in the story has no interaction among students regarding studies. Studying and answering questions seems to be a boring idea without human interaction. Doing homework without anybody’s help and writing them in a punch code would also be draining. Moreover, children develop a fair understanding about each other and of their surroundings when they go to school and interact with each other. It is a healthier way of learning. Listening to a teacher’s explanation of a lesson is always more interesting than reading the entire lesson on a mechanical computer. It is impossible to discuss problems and situations with a mechanical teacher that is only programmed to teach in a particular manner. The friends that you make at school are most probably the best friends that you will ever make in your entire life. The various qualities that you learn in school like obedience, respect, kindness for others, etc., are all a part of school education today. Therefore, schools today are more fun than the school in the story.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ হয়, মই একমত যে আজিৰ দিনৰ স্কুলবিলাক কাহিনীত উল্লিখিত স্কুলতকৈ বেছি আমোদজনক। কাহিনীত উল্লিখিত স্কুলত ছাত্ৰ-ছাত্ৰীৰ মাজত কোনো ধৰণৰ কথা-বাৰ্তা সম্ভৱ নহয়। ব্যক্তি বিশেষৰ সহায় নোহোৱাকৈ কেৱল প্ৰশ্ন উত্তৰৰ জৰিয়তে শিক্ষা গ্ৰহণ কৰাটো বৰ আমনিদায়ক। শিক্ষকৰ পৰা পাঠ গ্ৰহণ কৰাটো অতি আমোদজনক, কম্পিউটাৰ স্ক্ৰীণত পঢ়ি পাঠ গ্ৰহণ কৰাতকৈ। যান্ত্রিক শিক্ষকৰ সৈতে কোনো ধৰণৰ অসুবিধাৰ সন্মুখীন হ’লেও আলোচনা সম্ভৱ নহয়। বৰ্তমান দিনৰ স্কুললৈ গৈ ছাত্ৰ-ছাত্ৰীয়ে গোটেই জীৱনৰ বাবে বন্ধু-বান্ধৱী গোটাব পাৰে। সেয়েহে বৰ্তমান দিনৰ স্কুল কাহিনীত উল্লিখিত স্কুলতকৈ শ্ৰেয়।

Thinking about Language

1. Find the sentences in the lesson which have the adverbs given in the box.

• awfully – “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.”
• sorrowfully – “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.”
• completely – “They had once taken Tommy’s teacher away for nearly a month because the history sector had blanked out completely.”
• loftily – “He added loftily, pronouncing the word carefully, ‘Centuries ago.’”
• carefully – same sentence as above.
• differently – “But my mother says a teacher has to be adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl it teaches and that each kid has to be taught differently.”
• quickly – Not explicitly present; may be omitted.
• nonchalantly – “‘Maybe,’ he said nonchalantly.”

2. Now use these adverbs to fill in the blanks in the sentences below.

• (i) The report must be read carefully so that performance can be improved.
• (ii) At the interview, Sameer answered our questions loftily, shrugging his shoulders.
• (iii) We all behave differently when we are tired or hungry.
• (iv) The teacher shook her head sorrowfully when Ravi lied to her.
• (v) I completely forget about it.
• (vi) When I complimented Revathi on her success, she just smiled nonchalantly and turned away.
• (vii) The president of the company is awfully busy and will not be able to meet you.
• (viii) I finished my work quickly so that I could go out to play.

3. Make adverbs from these adjectives.

• angry – angrily
• happy – happily
• merry – merrily
• sleepy – sleepily
• easy – easily
• noisy – noisily
• tidy – tidily
• gloomy – gloomily

4. Complete the following conditional sentences. Use the correct form of the verb.

• If I don’t go to Anu’s party tonight, she will be angry.
  অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ যদি মই আজি ৰাতি অনুৰ পাৰ্টিলৈ নাযাওঁ, তেন্তে তাই ৰাগ কৰিব।
• If you don’t telephone the hotel to order food, you will miss your meal.
  অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ যদি তুমি হোটেললৈ খাদ্য অ’ৰ্ডাৰ কৰিবলৈ ফোন নকৰা, তেন্তে তুমি তোমাৰ আহাৰ হেৰুৱাবা।
• If she doesn’t play any games, she will not become strong.
  অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ যদি তাই কোনো ধৰণৰ খেল নেখেলে, তেন্তে তাই শক্তিশালী নহ’ব।
• Unless you promise to write back, I will not write to you.
  অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ যদি তুমি উভতি লিখাৰ প্ৰতিশ্ৰুতি নিদিয়া, তেন্তে মই তোমালৈ নালিখিম।
• Unless that little bird flies away quickly, the cat will eat it.
  অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ যদি সৰু চৰাইটো খৰকৈ উৰি নাযায়, তেন্তে মেকুৰীটোৱে তাক খাই পেলাব।