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

Q1. Why did Toto throw a plate at Grandmother?

Ans: Toto, the monkey, saw a large plate of pulao on the dining table and began to eat it. When Grandmother entered and noticed him, she screamed in surprise. Upset by her reaction, Toto threw the plate at her, causing it to shatter into pieces.

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

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

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

Ans: Toto cleverly utilised his bright eyes to display a mischievous glint. His pearly white teeth often formed a smile that frightened elderly Anglo-Indian ladies. With his quick, mischievous fingers, he could snatch items swiftly. Additionally, his tail acted as a third hand, enabling 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 faced constant losses of dishes, clothes, curtains, and wallpaper due to Toto's mischievous behaviour. Ultimately, Grandfather decided to sell Toto back to the tonga-driver for just three rupees.

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

Ans: Grandfather, who had a fondness for pets, saw a red monkey tied up by a tonga driver. Feeling pity for the monkey, he decided to buy him for five rupees to include him in his private zoo, which housed various birds and animals.

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

Ans: Toto created chaos in the author's room by tearing down the ornamental paper on the walls, exposing the bare bricks. He managed to pull the peg he was tied to from the wall, freeing himself. In his frenzy, he also shredded the author's school blazer, leaving the room in a mess.

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

Ans:  Toto was transferred to a large cage in the servants' quarters, where Grandfather kept other animals from his private zoo, including a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a pet squirrel, and the narrator's goat. However, Toto's mischievous behaviour disturbed the peace of the other pets, prompting 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 along because it was hard to keep him hidden from Grandmother, and he was disruptive at night. Toto was concealed 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, attracting the attention of curious onlookers at the Dehra Dun railway station. While Grandfather was showing his ticket at the railway turnstile, Toto unexpectedly poked 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 twist, Grandfather 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, which he kept in his own little zoo at home. This collection included a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a tame squirrel, and the narrator's pet goat. The latest addition was Toto, the monkey, and he also had a donkey.

Q10. How did Toto behave with Nana, the donkey?

Ans: Toto was a mischievous monkey who caused quite a bit of trouble for both the animals and the family. On his first night with Nana, the donkey, chaos ensued. When Grandfather checked on them, he found that Toto had bitten Nana's long ears with his sharp teeth. This incident clearly showed that they would never become friends.

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

Ans: Grandfather, who had a fondness for pets, often encountered opposition from Grandmother whenever he brought new animals home. To prevent any conflict, he chose to keep Toto hidden for a time, waiting for a moment when Grandmother would be in a better mood to reveal his arrival.

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

Ans: Toto was kept 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 considerable damage in the narrator's room. He ripped the ornamental paper from the walls, exposing the bare brick and plaster underneath. Furthermore, he forcefully pulled the peg from its socket, which was meant to secure him, and he also shredded the narrator's blazer, leaving it in tatters.

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. Instead of 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. Grandfather's light-hearted attitude showed that he appreciated Toto's mischievous nature.

Q15. How did Toto behave when he was kept with the other pets of Grandfather?

Ans: Toto, the mischievous monkey, created chaos among 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. This behaviour made it clear that Toto was not a suitable companion for the other animals.

Q16. Where and why was Grandfather going the next day?

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

Q17. 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. He feared that if Toto was left behind, he would likely create chaos, as he had done before when confined in a closet and with other pets.

Q18. How did Grandfather decide to carry Toto to Saharanpur? Why?

Ans: Grandfather decided to carry Toto to Saharanpur in a large 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, the railway authorities prohibited carrying animals without permission.

Q19. 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. Despite his efforts to get out, which caused the bag to roll around and attract attention, Toto remained hidden until they reached their destination.

Q20. “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 attracted a curious crowd at the Dehra Dun railway platform was due to the antics of Toto, the mischievous monkey. He was packed inside a large black canvas kit-bag by the narrator's grandfather. As Toto jumped and rolled around inside the bag, he created a commotion that caught the attention of passersby, leading to the gathering of onlookers.

Q21. How did the ticket collector learn about the presence of Toto?

Ans: Toto's presence in the bag was 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. Despite Grandfather's attempts to clarify that Toto was a monkey and not a dog, the ticket collector insisted on classifying him as a dog, resulting in a fare of three rupees. In a humorous turn, Grandfather then took out their pet tortoise and asked what the fare would be for it, to which the ticket collector replied, "No charge. It is not a dog."

Q22. 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 unexpectedly poked his head out of the bag and grinned at him. According to the rules, only dogs were permitted to travel on the train, and they were required to pay a fare. Consequently, the ticket collector labelled Toto as a dog, resulting in a fare of three rupees.

Q23. 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. Despite Grandfather's attempts to explain that Toto was a monkey and not a quadruped, the ticket collector classified him as a dog. Consequently, Grandfather had to pay a fare of three rupees for Toto.

Q24. Why did Grandfather show his tortoise to the ticket collector?

Ans: Grandfather was frustrated when the ticket collector insisted on calling Toto a dog and demanded a fare. In a moment of sarcasm, he took 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 closely, poked it with his finger, and, after a brief pause, declared there was no charge as it was not a dog.

Q25. Why didn’t the ticket collector charge for the tortoise?

Ans: The ticket collector did not charge for the tortoise because he concluded it was not a dog. According to railway rules, only dogs require a fee. This situation was amusing, especially since even Toto, the monkey, was mistaken for a dog by the collector.

Q26. 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.

On 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.

Q27. Who was Nana? How did Toto trouble him?

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

Q28. 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.

Q29. 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. He would carefully test the water's temperature with his hand before stepping in, one foot at a time, just as 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.

Q30. 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, making him unwilling to continue with his bath.

Q31. How did Toto’s love for warm baths almost lead to his being half-boiled?

Ans: One day, Toto found a large kitchen kettle left on the fire for tea. Curious, he removed the lid and discovered the water was warm enough for a bath. He climbed in, leaving only his head above the surface. At first, 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.

Q32. “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, an intelligent monkey, often directed his energy towards mischief, frequently causing destruction. His actions, such as tearing apart items and annoying those around him, support the narrator's observation about Toto's brain being more developed for mischief. For instance, he threw a plate at Grandmother during lunch and tore at the wallpaper, demonstrating his inclination towards chaos. These instances highlight how Toto's behaviour aligns with the idea that a part of his brain was indeed dedicated to mischief.

Q33. What incident led to Grandfather’s decision not to keep Toto as a pet?

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

Q34. 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.

Q35. 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 due to his hyperactive and mischievous nature. He was hard to train and frequently caused damage around the house. His antics resulted in the loss of dishes, clothes, curtains, and wallpaper, which the family could not afford. As a result, Grandfather decided to give him away to the tonga-driver for just three rupees.

Q36. Toto was not an animal that could be trained into a pet. Why?

Ans: Toto was a wild monkey, which explains why the tonga-driver kept him tied up. At Grandfather's house, Toto caused so much mischief that it became clear he was destructive and could not be trained as a pet. His behaviour demonstrated that he was not suited for domestic life.

Q37. Where was Toto transferred to after he wrenched the peg from the wall?

Ans: Toto was transferred to a large cage in the servants' quarters, where he lived with several of Grandfather's pets, including a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, and a tame squirrel. However, Toto was quite disruptive at night, preventing his companions from sleeping. As a result, Grandfather decided to take him along to Saharanpur the next day.