THE FUN THEY HAD by Isaac Asimov

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

 1. How old are Margie and Tommy?

 Margie is 11 years old, and Tommy is 13 years old. Their ages highlight their differing perspectives on the old-fashioned book and traditional schools.

 2. What did Margie write in her diary? 

 Margie wrote in her diary, “Today Tommy found a real book”. 

 3. Had Margie ever seen a book before?

 No, Margie had never seen a book before. 

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

 Margie found the old book’s pages were physical and didn't move like her digital telebooks. She was surprised that all children read the same content instead of having personalized lessons like her mechanical teacher provided. The idea of words staying fixed on paper seemed funny and wasteful to her. 

 5. What do you think a telebook is? 

 A telebook is a futuristic digital book used in the story, displayed on screens instead of paper. Unlike regular books, its words can move and change, likely adapting to the reader's needs. Margie and Tommy use telebooks with their mechanical teachers for learning in the year 2157. 

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

 Margie's school was a small room in her house where her mechanical teacher taught her alone through screens. She had no classmates, as education in 2157 was fully automated and individual. This contrasts with old schools where children learned together in classrooms. 

 7. What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn? Margie and Tommy learned subjects like Geography (Margie hated the Geography sector of her mechanical teacher) and Mathematics (implied by the fractions lesson). Their education was likely standardized, covering core subjects through automated screens. 

 II. Answer the following with reference to the story.

 1. “I wouldn’t throw it away.”  

 i.Who says these words?

 Margie says these words. 

ii.  What does ‘it’ refer to? 

 It refers to the real book that Tommy found.

 iii. What is it being compared with by the speaker? 

 The speaker compares it with a telebook.

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

 i.  Who does ‘they’ refer to? 

 ‘They’ refer to the students of the old times. 

ii.  What does ‘regular’ mean here?

 Here, regular refers to the mechanical teacher then they had.

 iii. What is it contrasted with? It is contrasted with a normal teacher of earlier times, who was a living human being.

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

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

 Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers—robotic, computerized instructors that taught them individually at home. These automated teachers were programmed to deliver lessons, assign tests, and grade their work without any human interaction. Unlike traditional teachers, they couldn’t offer warmth or adapt flexibly to students’ needs, making Margie dislike her Geography sector. 

 2. Why did Margie’s mother send for the County Inspector? 

 Margie’s mother sent for the County Inspector because Margie’s mechanical teacher was malfunctioning. The Geography sector had been giving tests to Margie that were too difficult, causing her to perform poorly. The Inspector adjusted the machine’s settings to match Margie’s learning level, highlighting the impersonal nature of her futuristic education. 

 3. What did he do? 

 The County Inspector repaired Margie's mechanical teacher by adjusting its settings. He slowed down the Geography sector to match her learning level and reassured her mother that the teacher would now provide age-appropriate lessons. His visit highlighted how technology, rather than humans, controlled education in their futuristic world.

 4. Why was Margie doing badly in geography? 

What did the County Inspector do to help her? Margie was doing badly in Geography because her mechanical teacher’s Geography sector had been set at a level too advanced for her age, making the lessons and tests overly difficult. The County Inspector fixed the issue by adjusting the machine’s settings to match Margie’s learning level. He slowed down the Geography sector, ensuring the lessons were easier and more appropriate for her, which would help her perform better. 

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

 Tommy’s mechanical teacher had once stopped working completely ("gone blank") for nearly a month when its history sector malfunctioned. The County Inspector’s office took it away for repairs for a month, leaving Tommy without lessons during that time. This incident shows how even advanced technology could fail, disrupting their automated education system. 

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

 Yes, Margie had fixed days and hours for school because her mother believed that little girls learned better if they learned at regular hours. Her mechanical teacher operated on a strict, automated schedule. It turned on at the same time every day (except weekends), ensuring consistent but rigid learning without flexibility. This reflects how futuristic education prioritized routine over personal needs or spontaneity. 

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

 Tommy describes the old kind of school as a special building where all children went together to learn. Human teachers taught lessons in classrooms, and students studied the same subjects at the same time, helping each other. He finds it strange but admits it sounded more fun than their isolated, mechanical education. 

 8. How does he describe the old kind of teachers? Tommy describes the old-fashioned teachers as human beings who taught students together in classrooms, unlike their mechanical teachers. He explains that these teachers didn’t live in houses but worked in schools, giving lessons to many children at once. While he initially finds the idea odd, he admits human teachers could adjust their teaching to suit students' needs— something their robotic instructors couldn’t do. 

 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? 

 In the story "The Fun They Had," Margie and Tommy's mechanical teachers are robotic, computerized instructors that provide individualized lessons at home through screens, devoid of human interaction. Their schoolrooms are simply designated spaces in their houses where these machines teach them on a fixed schedule, adjusting lessons slightly based on performance but remaining impersonal and inflexible. Unlike traditional schools, there are no classmates or group activities, making learning a solitary experience. The system relies entirely on technology, as seen when malfunctions require official intervention. This starkly contrasts with the old-fashioned schools described in Tommy's book, where human teachers and shared classrooms created a lively, interactive learning environment. 

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

 Margie hated school because her mechanical teacher was impersonal, rigid, and made learning a lonely experience. The lessons were monotonous, the tests were difficult, and she had no classmates to interact with, making education feel isolating and joyless. She imagined the old schools must have been fun because children learned together in classrooms with human teachers, helping each other and sharing laughter. The idea of friends, group activities, and a lively environment—so different from her solitary, screen-based routine—filled her with longing. The contrast between her sterile, automated education and the warmth of traditional schooling made her romanticize the past.

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

 Yes, Margie is right that schools today are more fun than her futuristic mechanical school. Modern schools offer human interaction, with teachers who understand students emotionally and classmates to collaborate with, making learning lively and engaging. Unlike Margie’s isolated, screen-based routine, today’s schools have group activities, sports, and creative projects that build friendships and teamwork. While technology aids education now, it doesn’t replace the joy of shared experiences. Margie’s mechanical teacher lacked warmth and adaptability, highlighting how human connection makes learning enjoyable—something her futuristic world lost.