Class 10 English Chapter 9 Question Answers - The Book that saved the Earth

Q1: What difficulty do the crew of the space probe face on the Earth?
Ans: The crew of the space probe encountered challenges upon arriving on Earth. They were sent to conduct research as the Martians planned to invade the planet. Their spacecraft touched down in a library, but they were confused about their location and the purpose of the books they found there. To them, the library appeared unfamiliar, and they mistook it for some kind of storage facility.

Q2: What does Noodle tell Think-Tank about the books ?
Ans: Noodle informs Think-Tank that books are not a type of food, as Think-Tank initially believed, thinking they might be some kind of sandwiches. Instead, Noodle explains that the earthlings used books as a means of communication.

Q3: How did the children’s book transform his life?
Ans: The children’s book transformed his life as he had to leave his kin and evacuate the entire planet. He had to go to Alpha Centauri, a hundred million miles away to save his life.

Q4: Why did Think-Tank react in alarm to the third passage read?  
Ans: Think-Tank reacted in alarm as he misunderstood the meaning of the poem and thought that they can actually grow crops of rare metals and even explosives also, which are dangerous for him.

Q5: What different guesses were made by the Martians about what books are? 
Ans: In the process of Martian invasion on earth, they landed in a library. They took the books as sandwiches and tried to understand the meaning of the code. And for that, they had to take vitamins given by the chemical department. They thought it would increase their intelligence.

Q6: What steps did the Crew take to decipher the code in the sandwich?
Ans: Martians reached the library in the process of invasion of earth. They had never seen books before that. They did not understand where they are and what are the things placed in different racks. Firstly they thought that they were sandwiches and tried to eat them. Then they misunderstood that sandwiches are used as some sort of communication device. Later they took them as eye communication and not ear communication, and understand that they had to take vitamins to understand all these codes.

Q7: Why did Think-Tank send his crew on the earth?
Ans: Think-Tank, the ruler of Mars regarded the Earth as a mass of mud, and Earthlings as ugly, tiny-headed creatures. He planned to invade Earth and expand his domain. He sent Probe One to Earth to get more information about the Earthlings.

Q8: How did Think-Tank interpret the poem ‘The Cat and the Fiddle “.
Ans: The second rhyme was about the cat and the fiddle, wherein the cow jumped over the moon, the dog laughed to see it and the dish ran away with the spoon. Think-Tank misinterpreted it. He thought that Earthlings had taught their domesticated animals’ musical culture and Space Techniques. They might be launching an interplanetary attack on millions of cows!

Q9: How does Think-Tank describe the people on Earth? Why does he command Noodles to contact the Space probe?
Ans: Think-Tank thought Earthlings were weak, ignorant, uncivilized persons and hence planned to invade Earth. He sent his commander Noodles to make contact with the crew of the manned space probe, now on Earth to seek more information about the Earth.

Q10: What do historians speak about the books?
Ans: The historians tell that the twentieth century was called — The Era of Books. They and motivate them when they are man’s best friends and companions. They inspire disheartened. They give us pleasure and knowledge.

Q11: Who was Omega? Why did he try to oat the book?
Ans: Omega was the captain of the space control Probe One, on Earth. Think-Tank asked him to pick up the most colourful sandwich (book) and report him about his observation on it.

Q12: Why books referred to as a man’s best companion? Which book saved the Earth from Martian invasion? 
Ans: Books are our best friends and companions. They are never demanding but always giving knowledge and pleasure. They give us company. The book that saved the Earth from Martian invasion was ‘Mother Goose.’

Q13: What happens when the Historian turns on the hysteroscopy?
Ans: As the Historian turn on the hysteroscope, suddenly, the scene changes from the present twenty-fifth century to many centuries ago in 2040. Spotlight on Historian goes out. Think-Tank appears. He is seated on a raised box, arms folded. He has a huge, egg-shaped head. He wears a long robe decorated with stars and circles. Apprentice Noodles stands beside him.

Q14: What do Noodles say in the praise of Think-Tank? Why does Think-Tank ask Noodles to go over the whole thing again?
Ans: Noodles bows low before the Commander-in-Chief, Think-Tank. He calls Think-Tank “Great and Mighty”. He was the most powerful and intelligent creature in the whole universe. But Think-Tank stops Noodles abruptly. He had left out a part of his salutation. He asks him to repeat it again from the very beginning. Noodles add that Think-Tank is the newer ruler of Mars has two moons. He bows down to receive orders from his chief.

Q15: How does Think-Tank compare the Earth and Earthlings, with Mars and Martians?
Ans: Think-Tank’s comments on the Earth and the Earthlings are very sarcastic, ridiculous and insulting. He considers Martians a handsome race. They are much more attractive than those ugly Earthlings with their tiny heads. He calls the Earth as a primitive ball of mud. He even threatens to invade it.

Q16: Name the persons who are in the Mars Space Control.
Ans: There are five persons who are managing the Mars Space Control. First and the most important of them all is great and Mighty Think-Tank. He is the Commander-in-Chief, and the ruler of Mars and two moons. Noodle is an apprentice who is always praising Think-Tank but also giving subtle suggestions very respectfully. Then, there is Captain Omega who is always opening and closing card catalog drawers. Sergeant Oop is at right, opening and closing a book. Lieutenant Iota is up left, counting books in a bookcase.

Q17: Describe Think-Tank and his role in the play.
Ans: The think-tank is the Commander-in-Chief and the ruler of Mars and its two moons. He is considered as the most powerful and intelligent person in the universe. He himself thinks so. He is proud of belonging to a handsome race of Martians. He is dominating, loves no arguments, expects obedience and compliance. But all these claims fall short of realities and belie his claims of greatness.

Q18: Why do Noodles say that those sandwiches are actually communication sandwiches? Does “Think-Tank’ confirm it?
Ans: Noodles claim that he has seen surveyor films of those sandwiches. He noticed that the Earthlings didn’t eat them. They used them as some sort of communication devices. Think-Tank actually confirms Noodles findings. He orders them to listen to them.

Q19: Why does Think-Tank declare that these sandwiches are not for ear communication but for eye communication?
Ans: They don’t hear any sound coming from the sandwiches. Noodles say that a cloudy piece of information is twirling around in his head. Think-Tank asks to twirl it out. Noodles clarify that the Earthlings don’t listen to the sandwiches but open and watches them. Think-Tank finds it correct and declares that those sandwiches are not for ear-communication but they are for eye communication.

Q20: Why do Noodles recommend giving space to people vitamins? What does Think-Tank say in this regard?
Ans: They pick up a very large volume of `Mother Goose’. Think-Tanks asks them to decode them. They fail to decode little lines, squabbles and dots along with pictures in the book. Think-Tank says that perhaps the Earthlings are not as primitive as they have thought. He asks their chemical department to give vitamins to space people to increase their intelligence. They will be able to unfold the meaning of the code successfully.

Q21: How does Think-Tank interpret the rhyme: “Mistress Mary….?” Why does he say that it is no time for laxity?
Ans: As is his habit of misjudging, Think-Tank misinterprets the rhyme on Mistress Mary. He chides Oop for laughing. He says that he should realise the seriousness of the discovery. The Earthlings have discovered how to combine agriculture and mining. They can actually grow crops of silver and other metals. And for cockle shells, Think-Tank interprets them as high explosives. They can grow even explosives. He asks Noodles to contact their invasion fleet.

Q22: Why does Think-Tank order the invasion fleet to evacuate the entire planet of Mars? Where are they heading for?
Ans: Misinterpreting the words “Had a great fall” of ‘Humpty Dumpty’ rhyme, Think-Tank declares that the Earthlings want to capture Mars Central Control and him. He orders space people to leave Earth at once without leaving any traces of their visit. They will be heading for Alpha Centauri, a hundred million miles away from Mars.

Q23: How did a dusty old book of nursery rhymes to save the world from a Martians invasion?
Ans: Think-Tank was about to give orders for the invasion of the Earth. But a dusty old book of nursery rhymes to save the world from a Martians invasion. Think-Tank misinterpreted the words “had a great fall” to his own downfall. He interpreted that his downfall was imminent as the Earthlings wanted to capture Mars Central Control and him. It is an invasion on Mars. He orders the invasion fleet to evacuate the entire planet of Mars. He must escape without delay in a space capsule.

Q24: What is the time and place of the story at the beginning?
Ans: This is a science fantasy. This imaginary story is set in the twenty-fifth century. The place is the Museum of Ancient History. Department of the Twentieth Century. There is a historian sitting at a table. There is a movie projector on the table.

Q25: What strange thing about a book does the historian tells the audience?
Ans: The historian tells her audience that once a book saved the earth. She narrates a real story from the twenty-first century. She tells how the Martians (people from the planet Mars) invaded the earth in 2040 and a book of nursery rhymes saved the Earth from their attack.

Q26: The story takes place in the twenty-fifth century. How does the historian take her audience back to the twenty-first century?
Ans: The historian shows the audience the happenings that actually took place. Them: base been recorded in a film She turns on the projector. On the projector, the audience sees what actually happened in the twenty-first century.

Q27: Who is shown when the projector starts?
Ans: The projector shows the Mas Space Control room. We see Think-Tank who is the Commander-in-Chief. He has a huge, egg-shaped head. He wears a long robe decorated with stars and circles. His deputy, Noodles stands beside him at a switchboard.

Q28: What is the purpose of the manned spacecraft sent to the earth by Think-Tank?
Ans: Think – Tank has already sent a manned spacecraft to the earth. Their purpose is to collect information about the earth’s defense system and send it back to the other spacecraft from Mars who are ready to attack the earth before lunch.

Q29: What is Think-Tank’s second guess about books? 
Ans: Think-Tank’s second guess about books is that they are communication devices. He orders Omega to listen to them (books). He puts a book to his ears and tries hard to listen. Think-Tank asks Omega if he can listen to something from them. Omega replies that they may not be on the correct frequency.

Q30: What order does Think-Tank give Noodles for escaping from Mars?
Ans: Think-Tank orders Noodles to prepare a space capsule for him. He must escape without delay. The Earthlings are coming to capture Martians. Noodles ask Think-Tank where they shall go. Think-Tank replies they will go to the planet Alpha-Centauri, a hundred million miles away.