Class 7 English Oxford Question Answers - The Diary of a Space Traveller

Short Questions

Q1: Who gave the narrator Professor Shonku's diary?
Ans: Tarak Chatterjee gave the narrator Professor Shonku's diary.

Q2: What was unusual about the ink color in the diary?
Ans: The ink color in the diary kept changing. It was green at first, then it changed to red, blue, and finally yellow.

Q3: What was the name of the narrator's dog?
Ans: The name of the narrator's dog was Bhulo.

Q4: Why did Professor Shonku decide to take Prahlad with him on the trip?
Ans: Professor Shonku decided to take Prahlad with him on the trip because he believed that slow and foolish people like Prahlad could show more courage than clever ones as it takes them longer to reason, to feel scared.

Q5: Who is Bidhushekhar?
Ans: Bidhushekhar is a robot.

Q6: What was the initial reaction of Newton, the cat, when they left Earth?
Ans: Newton, the cat, was restless during the first few days of their journey as he wasn’t used to being kept in a confined space.

Q7: How was the Martian landscape different from Earth?
Ans: The Martian landscape was different from Earth as everything there was soft and felt like rubber. The trees, the ground, stones and rocks, everything was a different color. The sky was green and all the grass, trees, and plants were blue.

Q8: What did the creatures on Mars look like?
Ans: The creatures on Mars were about four feet high. They had legs and feet, but instead of arms there were huge fins, like fish. Its head was very big, in the center of which was a single, large green eye. The mouth was gaping wide, but there were no teeth. Its whole body was covered by fish-scales.

Q9: What happened to the narrator before they left Mars?
Ans: Just as the narrator was about to shut the door of the rocket, he felt something cold and damp against his feet, and then everything went black.

Q10: How did the inhabitants of Tafa live?
Ans: The inhabitants of Tafa live underground. They just disappear into holes.

Long Questions

Q1: What was the purpose of Professor Shonku's trip and what preparations did he make for it?
Ans: The purpose of Professor Shonku's trip was to explore space and especially Mars. He prepared for the trip by packing food that would last for five years, including fish pills for Newton, the cat, special pills that keep hunger and thirst at bay for twenty-four hours for himself and Prahlad, and 200,000 additional pills. He also made sure to take his robot Bidhushekhar and his cat Newton with him.

Q2: Describe the changes in ink color the narrator noticed in the diary. How did the narrator react to these changes?
Ans: The narrator noticed that the ink color in the diary kept changing. It was green initially, but then it changed to red, blue, and finally yellow. The narrator was shocked and surprised by this, and even tried to destroy the diary by burning it, but it remained intact and only the ink color changed.

Q3 What were some of the challenges and experiences Professor Shonku and his companions faced on Mars?
Ans: On Mars, Professor Shonku and his companions faced several challenges. The landscape was very different from Earth, and everything felt like rubber. They encountered strange creatures that were a mix of human, animal, and fish. These creatures chased them, forcing them to retreat to their rocket.

Q4: When they arrived on Tafa, how did the inhabitants receive them and what was their lifestyle like?
Ans: When they arrived on Tafa, the inhabitants received them warmly and a large number of people had gathered to welcome them. The inhabitants were seen as primitive by Professor Shonku as they lived underground and there were no buildings, trees, or plants. However, they provided Professor Shonku and his companions with a proper house to live in.

Q5: Describe the fate of the original diary after the narrator had made a copy for printing.
Ans: After the narrator had made a copy of the diary for printing, he found that the original diary had been eaten by nearly a hundred hungry black ants. Despite seeming indestructible, the diary was completely destroyed, leaving the narrator in disbelief.