Class 9 Moments Supplementary Reader Chapter 2 Question Answers - The Adventures of Toto

Q1. Why did Toto throw a plate at Grandmother?

Ans: One day, Toto spotted a large plate of pulao on the dining table and began eating it. When Grandmother entered and saw him eating, she screamed. Toto, displeased by her reaction, threw the plate at her, shattering it into pieces.

Q2. “Toto was a pretty monkey”. In what sense is Toto pretty?

Ans: Toto was a pretty monkey because of his cute appearance. His bright, sparkling eyes and deep-set eyebrows contributed to his charm. Additionally, his pearly white teeth often showed in a smile that could surprise anyone. Even his long tail added to his overall good looks.

Q3. How did Toto use his body parts to his advantage?

Ans: Toto cleverly used his bright eyes to show a mischievous glint. His pearly white teeth often formed a smile that frightened elderly Anglo-Indian ladies. With his quick and wicked fingers, he could snatch up items swiftly. Additionally, his tail acted as a third hand, allowing him to hang from branches or retrieve objects that were out of reach.

Q4. Why was Toto sold back to the tonga-driver?

Ans: Grandfather realised that Toto could not be kept in the house for long. The family struggled with the frequent loss of dishes, clothes, curtains, and wallpaper due to Toto's antics. Eventually, Grandfather found the tonga-driver and sold Toto back for only three rupees.

Q5. How does Toto come to Grandfather’s private zoo?

Ans: Grandfather, who loved pets, noticed a red monkey tied up by a tonga driver. Feeling sorry for the monkey, he decided to buy him for five rupees to add to his private zoo of birds and animals.

Q6. What did Toto do in the author’s room?

Ans: Toto caused chaos in the author's room by aggressively tearing down the ornamental paper on the walls, leaving them exposed. He managed to pull the peg he was tied to from the wall, freeing himself. In his rage, he also shredded the author's school blazer, creating a messy scene.

Q7. Where was Toto transferred from the author’s bedroom? Did he remain peaceful there?

Ans: Toto was moved to a large cage in the servants' quarters, where Grandfather kept other animals from his private zoo. This cage included a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a pet squirrel, and the narrator's goat. However, Toto's mischievous behaviour disrupted the peace of the other pets, leading Grandfather to take him to Saharanpur instead.

Q8. Describe how grandfather took Toto with him to Saharanpur.

Ans: Grandfather travelled to Saharanpur to collect his pension, taking Toto with him because it was difficult to keep him hidden from Grandmother and he was disruptive at night. Toto was hidden in a large black canvas bag lined with straw, which served as his temporary home during the train journey.

Despite being confined, Toto's attempts to escape caused the bag to roll and jump, drawing attention from curious onlookers at the Dehra Dun railway station. However, when Grandfather was showing his ticket, Toto unexpectedly popped his head out, surprising the ticket-collector.

Although Grandfather tried to explain that Toto was not a dog, the collector insisted on charging a fare for him. In a humorous turn, Grandfather then asked about the fare for a tortoise he had, which the collector deemed free. Ultimately, after the trip, Grandfather sold Toto back to the tonga-driver for just three rupees.

Q9. How many pets did the author’s grandfather have? Where were they kept?

Ans: The author's grandfather had a total of six pets. They were housed in his own little zoo at home, which included a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a tame squirrel, and the narrator's pet goat. The latest addition was Toto, the monkey. Additionally, Grandfather also had a donkey.

Q10. How did Toto get along with other animals?

Ans: Toto did not get along well with other animals. He often troubled Nana, the family donkey, by fastening himself onto her long ears with his sharp teeth. As a result, he did not allow other animals to sleep in peace.

Q11. Why did Grandfather hide Toto for some time when he brought him home?

Ans: Grandfather, who loved pets, often faced opposition from Grandmother when he brought new animals home. To avoid conflict, he decided to hide Toto for a while and keep his arrival a secret until Grandmother was in a better mood.

Q12. Where was Toto kept immediately after Grandfather got him? Why?

Ans: Toto was placed in a closet that opened into the narrator's bedroom wall. He was tied securely to a peg attached to the wall. This was done secretly because Grandmother would create a fuss whenever a new pet was brought into the house.

Q13. What destruction was caused by Toto to the narrator’s room?

Ans: Toto caused significant damage in the narrator's room. He tore off the ornamental paper from the walls, leaving them exposed. Additionally, he wrenched the peg from its socket, to which he was tied, and shredded the narrator's school blazer.

Q14. How did Grandfather react when Toto destroyed things on his first day in the house?

Ans: Grandfather reacted positively to the chaos caused by Toto on his first day in the house. Rather than being angry, he found the damage amusing and admired the monkey's cleverness. He joked that if he had more time, Toto could have tied the torn pieces of the blazer into a rope and escaped through the window.

Q15. What pets did Grandfather have? Where did they live?

Ans: Grandfather had several pets, including a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, and a tame squirrel. They all lived together in a large cage located in the servants' quarters, where the narrator's pet goat also resided. Additionally, Grandfather owned a donkey named Nana, who lived in the stable. The latest addition to this group was Toto, the monkey.

Q16. How did Toto behave when he was kept with other pets of Grandfather?

Ans: Toto, the mischievous monkey, caused trouble for the other pets in Grandfather's care. He disturbed their sleep at night and even bit the donkey, Nana, when they were placed together in the stable.

Q17. Where and why was Grandfather going the next day?

Ans: Grandfather lived in Dehra Dun and was going to Saharanpur the next day. As a retired man, he was visiting to collect his pension.

Q18. Why did Grandfather decide to take Toto with him to Saharanpur?

Ans: Grandfather decided to take Toto with him to Saharanpur to keep his presence a secret from Grandmother. If left behind, Toto would likely have caused trouble, as he had previously when he was confined in a closet and later with other pets.

Q19. How did Grandfather decide to carry Toto to Saharanpur? Why?

Ans: Grandfather decided to carry Toto to Saharanpur in a big black canvas kit bag because Toto was a very mischievous monkey. If he had not been securely zipped up, he would have certainly caused trouble. Additionally, railway authorities prohibited carrying animals without permission.

Q20. How did Grandfather try to keep the presence of his travelling-mate a secret?

Ans: Grandfather took Toto, his monkey companion, on the journey to Saharanpur. To keep Toto's presence a secret, he placed him in a large canvas kit bag filled with straw. The thick canvas prevented Toto from biting through it, and the tightly closed bag left no way for him to escape.

Q21. “An exhibition attracted a curious crowd of onlookers at the Dehra Dun railway platform”. What was the cause of this exhibition?

Ans: The exhibition that drew a curious crowd at the Dehradun railway platform was caused by the antics of Toto, a mischievous monkey. Toto was packed inside a large black canvas kit-bag by the narrator's grandfather. As he jumped and rolled around inside the bag, he created a commotion that caught the attention of passersby.

Q22. How did the ticket collector learn about the presence of Toto?

Ans: Toto's presence in the bag went unnoticed until the journey to Saharanpur. While Grandfather was having his ticket checked at the railway turnstile, Toto suddenly poked his head out and grinned at the ticket collector. This unexpected sight startled the collector, who, with quick thinking, informed Grandfather that he would need to pay for the monkey, mistaking him for a dog.

Q23. What did the ticket collector classify Toto as? Why did he do so?

Ans: The railway ticket collector classified Toto as a dog because he poked his head out of the bag and grinned at the collector. According to the rules, only dogs were allowed to travel by train, and they had to pay a fare. Thus, the ticket collector labelled Toto as a dog, resulting in a fare of three rupees.

Q24. Why did Grandfather get annoyed at the Saharanpur station?

Ans: Grandfather became annoyed at the Saharanpur station because the ticket collector insisted on calling Toto a dog. He also forced Grandfather to pay three rupees as fare for bringing the animal along.

Q25. Why did Grandfather show his tortoise to the ticket collector?

Ans: Grandfather became annoyed when the ticket collector insisted on classifying Toto as a dog and demanded a fare. In a mix of sarcasm and anger, he pulled out the tortoise from his pocket and asked the ticket collector how much he should pay for it, since all animals were being charged. The ticket collector examined the tortoise and, after a moment, declared there was no charge as it was not a dog.

Q26. Why didn’t the ticket collector charge for the tortoise?

Ans: The ticket collector did not charge for the tortoise because he determined it was not a dog. According to railway rules, only dogs incur a fee. This situation was amusing, as even Toto was not a dog.

Q27. When and where was Toto given a comfortable home?

Ans: When Toto was accepted by Grandmother, he was given a comfortable home in the stable. There, he had the family donkey, Nana, as his companion. On his first night, Grandfather visited to check on Toto's comfort. To his surprise, he found Nana pulling away from a bundle of hay, with Toto clinging to her long ears. Despite their close quarters, Toto and Nana never became friends.

During cold winter evenings, Grandmother treated Toto to a large bowl of warm water for his bath. He would carefully test the temperature, stepping in gradually until he was submerged up to his neck.

Q28. Who was Nana? How did Toto trouble him?

Ans: Nana was the narrator's family donkey. On his first night in the stable, Toto caused trouble by biting Nana's long ears with his sharp teeth. This behaviour startled Nana and made it difficult for her to settle down.

Q29. Why couldn’t Toto and Nana become friends?

Ans: Toto and Nana could not become friends because Toto troubled Nana by clinging to her long ears with his sharp teeth. This behaviour upset the donkey, preventing any chance of friendship between them.

Q30. Describe Toto’s bath ritual. 
OR 
How did Toto take a bath during winter? How did he learn to bathe in that manner?

Ans: Toto enjoyed a warm bath during the cold winter evenings. His grandmother would provide a large bowl of warm water for him. Toto would first test the water's temperature with his hand before stepping in, one foot at a time, just like he had seen the narrator do. Once comfortable, he would rub soap all over his body using his hands or feet. When the water cooled down, he would quickly jump out and rush to the kitchen fire to dry himself.

Q31. When and why would Toto refuse to take a bath?

Ans: Toto would refuse to take a bath if someone laughed at him while he was trying to dry himself by the kitchen fire. This mockery would hurt his feelings and make him unwilling to continue with his bath.

Q32. How did Toto’s love for warm baths almost lead to his being half-boiled?

Ans: One day, Toto discovered a large kitchen kettle left on the fire for tea. Curious, he removed the lid and found the water warm enough for a bath. He climbed in, with only his head above the surface. Initially, this was enjoyable, but soon the water began to boil. Toto hopped up and down, trying to escape the heat, until Grandmother arrived and rescued him, pulling out a half-boiled Toto from the kettle.

Q33. “The brain part devoted to mischief was far more developed in Toto”. Do you agree with this observation of the narrator? Support your answer with instances from the text.

Ans: Toto, though an intelligent monkey, directed his energy towards mischief, often in a destructive manner. He would tear apart items and annoy those around him. His enjoyment of these antics further supports the narrator's observation about Toto's brain being more developed for mischief. This is evident in his actions, such as throwing a plate at Grandmother and tearing at the wallpaper.

Q34. What incident led to Grandfather’s decision not to keep Toto as a pet?

Ans: Toto once caused chaos during lunchtime by stuffing himself with pulao. When Grandmother and the narrator's aunt yelled at him, Toto retaliated by throwing a plate and a glass of water at them. He then escaped through a window, clutching the dish, and climbed a jackfruit tree. There, he savoured every last grain of rice before throwing the dish down, shattering it on the ground. This incident led Grandfather to realise that Toto was not a suitable pet, as they could not afford the frequent damage he caused. Consequently, Grandfather sold Toto back to the tonga-driver for just three rupees.

Q35. Where did Grandfather finally send Toto, and what did it cost him?

Ans: Grandfather ultimately sold Toto back to the same tonga driver from whom he had originally purchased him. He had bought Toto for five rupees but could only sell him back for three rupees.

Q36. Why did Grandfather give away Toto, the monkey? 
OR
Why does the author say, “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long”?

Ans: Toto could not be kept as a pet for long because he was hyperactive and mischievous. He was difficult to train and often caused damage around the house. His antics led to frequent losses of dishes, clothes, curtains, and wallpaper, which the family could not afford. Consequently, Grandfather decided to give him away to the tonga-driver for just three rupees.

Q37. Toto was not an animal that could be trained into a pet. Why?

Ans: Toto was a wild monkey, which likely explains why the tonga-driver kept him tied up. At Grandfather's house, Toto caused so much mischief that it showed he was destructive and could not be trained as a pet.

Q38. How did Toto behave with Nana, the donkey?

Ans: Toto was quite the mischievous monkey, causing trouble for both the animals and the family. His first night with Nana, the donkey, was particularly chaotic. When Grandfather checked on them, he discovered Toto had bitten onto Nana's long ears with his sharp teeth. This incident made it clear that they would never become friends.

Q39. Why does the author say, “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long”?

Ans: The author suggests that Toto was not a suitable pet due to his numerous misbehaviours. His antics caused chaos, disturbing other animals and leading to frequent losses of items like dishes and clothes. Given the family's limited resources, it became clear that keeping Toto was not practical. Ultimately, even Grandfather recognised this and decided to sell him back to the tonga-driver.

Q40. Where was Toto transferred to after he wrenched the peg in the wall?

Ans: Toto was moved to a large cage in the servants' quarters, where several of Grandfather's pets lived together harmoniously. These included a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, and a tame squirrel. However, Toto was quite disruptive at night, preventing his companions from sleeping. Consequently, Grandfather decided to take him along to Saharanpur the next day.