Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) based on the lesson ‘The book that saved the earth’ are given here to help students practice extract-based questions that are part of the CBSE Board Exams for the session 2022-23. Attempt yourself and then check the answers given at the end of each extract.
I. Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.
“LIEUTENANT IOTA: I can’t figure it out, Captain. (holding up a book) I’ve counted two thousands of these peculiar items. This place must be some sort of storage barn. What do you think, Sergeant Oop?
OOP: I haven’t a clue. I’ve been to seven galaxies, but I’ve never seen anything like this. Maybe they’re hats. (He opens a book and puts it on his head.) Say, maybe this is a haberdashery! OMEGA: Perhaps the Great and Mighty Think-Tank will give us the benefit of his thought on the matter.
THINK-TANK: Elementary, my dear Omega. Hold one of the items up so that I may view it closely. (Omega holds a book on the palm of her hand.) Yes, yes, I understand now.”
Questions:
1. Why was the team unable to figure out ‘this place’?
- A) They had never seen such a place before.
- B) They thought it was the control room of Earth’s armed forces.
- C) They wanted to investigate further before answering.
- D) They did not like the place.
2. ‘Perhaps the Great and Mighty Think-Tank will give us the benefit of his thought on the matter.’ Choose the option that DOES NOT display what ‘benefit of his thought’ means.
- A) Think-Tank’s ideas
- B) Think-Tank’s opinions
- C) Think-Tank’s suggestions
- D) Think-Tank’s doubts
3. Which of these words is a synonym for ‘peculiar’?
- A) Unusual
- B) Ordinary
- C) Abnormal
- D) Distinct
4. How would you describe the mood in this extract?
- A) Scared
- B) Confused
- C) Bored
- D) Furious
5. Why did Lieutenant Iota think that the place could be a storage barn?
- A) The place was a storage barn in reality.
- B) The place was muddy and dusty.
- C) The place was full of ‘peculiar items’.
- D) There was an image of a storage barn in a book.
Answers:
1. A) They had never seen such a place before.
2. D) Think-Tank’s doubts
Omega believed that Think-Tank would help them know more about the ‘peculiar items’ or give them more knowledge about them.
3. A) Unusual
The word ‘unusual’ refers to something being out of the ordinary. So, it is a synonym for the word ‘peculiar’.
4. B) Confused
Think-Tank and his team are confused as they try to understand the ‘peculiar items’ that they have found on Earth.
5. C) The place was full of ‘peculiar items’.
A barn is a place where things are stored. Lieutenant Iota found a number of ‘peculiar items’ and thought that the place was a storage barn.
II. Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.
“OMEGA: Yes, sir. (She reads with great seriousness.) Mistress Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow? With cockle shells and silver bells And pretty maids all in a row.
OOP: Ha, ha, ha. Imagine that. Pretty maids growing in a garden.
THINK-TANK: (alarmed) Stop! This is no time for levity. Don’t you realise the seriousness of this discovery? The Earthlings have discovered how to combine agriculture and mining. They can actually grow crops of rare metals such as silver. And cockle shells. They can grow high explosives, too. Noodle, contact our invasion fleet.
NOODLE: They are ready to go down and take over Earth, sir.
THINK-TANK: Tell them to hold. Tell them new information has come to us about Earth. Iota, transcribe.”
Questions:
1. ‘Don’t you realise the seriousness of this discovery?’ What event led to this statement?
- A) The space crew read a book.
- B) The space crew found Earth’s secret research labs.
- C) The space crew found plans to a Mars invasion.
- D) The space crew discovered a secret code.
2. Why did Think-Tank order Noodle to contact the invasion fleet?
- A) Think-Tank was alarmed at the Earthlings superior technology.
- B) Think-Tank wanted to invade some other planet.
- C) They could not understand the nursery rhyme.
- D) They wanted help from other Martians to understand the code.
3. ‘Don’t you realise the seriousness of this discovery?’ This is an example of irony as
- A) Lieutenant Oop was making fun of Think-Tank.
- B) Think-Tank misinterpreted a simple nursery rhyme as a secret code.
- C) Think-Tank discovered the reality of the Earthlings.
- D) Think-Tank discovered a secret book about the Martians.
4. What is the meaning of the word ‘levity’?
- A) Wittiness
- B) Absurdity
- C) Light-heartedness
- D) Happiness
5. Which of these titles best suits this extract?
- A) A Smooth Journey
- B) A Beautiful Dream
- C) Journey and Freedom
- D) Reversal of Expectations
Answers:
1. A) The space crew read a book.
On opening a book, Think-Tank and the crew believed that the book contained codes. Think-Tank, on hearing them, thought that Earthlings have managed to fuse agriculture with mining.
2. A) Think-Tank was alarmed at the Earthlings superior technology.
Think-Tank was startled when he decoded the nursery rhymes. He commanded Noodle to halt the invasion fleet.
3. B) Think-Tank misinterpreted a simple nursery rhyme as a secret code.
Think Tank thinks that the nursery rhymes were codes that could destroy his planet Mars. It is ironical as Think Tank refers to these simple nursery rhymes as ‘serious’ codes.
Lieutenant Oop was making fun of Think-Tank.
Not quite right.
4. C) Light-heartedness
The word ‘levity’ means ‘treating a serious matter with light-heartedness or humour’.
5. D) Reversal of Expectations
Think-Tank’s expectations of finding Earth as a primitive ball of mud was reversed when he saw the book of codes written by the Earthlings.
III. Read the extract and answer the questions given below.
“THINK-TANK: Mirror, mirror, in my hand. Who is the most fantastically intellectually gifted being in the land?
OFFSTAGE VOICE: (after a pause) You, sir.
THINK-TANK: (smacking mirror) Quicker. Answer quicker next time.
I hate a slow mirror. (He admires himself in the mirror.) Ah, there I am. Are we Martians not a handsome race? So much more attractive than those ugly Earthlings with their tiny heads. Noodle, you keep on exercising your mind, and someday you’ll have a balloon brain just like mine.”
Questions:
1. To which question was Think-Tank expecting an answer from the mirror?
- A) Will he become the supreme ruler of Earth?
- B) Will the space probe team achieve success in their mission?
- C) Who is the most intellectually gifted being in the land?
- D) Are we Martians not a handsome race?
2. What word would you use to describe Think-Tank’s character?
- A) Brave
- B) Reckless
- C) Vain
- D) Humble
3. Which of these statements is not true about the given extract?
- A) Think-Tank considers himself superior to the Earthlings.
- B) Noodle had a tinier head than Think-Tank.
- C) Think-Tank believes that Earthlings looked ugly with their little heads.
- D) The mirror is honest about Think-Tank’s question of intelligence.
4. Why does Think-Tank believe that the Earthlings are ugly?
- A) Earthlings have no brains.
- B) Earthlings have colourful heads.
- C) Earthlings have bigger heads than the Martians.
- D) Earthlings have tiny heads.
5. Think-Tank asks Noodle to ‘exercise’ his mind. The word ‘exercise’ suggests that__________.
- A) Noodle should meditate to become intelligent
- B) Noodle should exercise to become stronger
- C) Noodle should learn ways to become more intelligent
- D) Noodle should contact the Earthlings
Answers:
1. C) Who is the most intellectually gifted being in the land?
Think-Tank thinks highly of himself and asks the mirror if he the most intellectual being in the universe.
2. C) Vain
The word ‘vain’ refers to having an excessively high opinion of oneself. Throughout the story, Think-Tank displays a belief of his own self-importance and even demands it from his subordinates.
3. D) The mirror is honest about Think-Tank’s question of intelligence.
The mirror ‘hesitates’ while giving the answer to Think Tank’s question. It suggests that the mirror did not give an honest reply to Think Tank.
4. D) Earthlings have tiny heads.
Think-Tank believes that the Earthlings are ugly as they have tiny heads. Martians, on the other hand, have big balloon brains which make them more attractive.
5. C) Noodle should learn ways to become more intelligent
Think-Tank asks Noodle to exercise his brain so that he becomes clever and handsome like Think-Tank.
IV. Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.
“THINK-TANK: (screaming and holding his head) It’s me! It’s my Great and Mighty Balloon Brain. The Earthlings have seen me, and they’re after me. “Had a great fall!” — That means they plan to capture Mars Central Control and me! It’s an invasion of Mars! Noodle, prepare a space capsule for me. I must escape without delay. Space people, you must leave Earth at once, but be sure to remove all traces of your visit. The Earthlings must not know that I know. (Omega, Iota, and Oop rush about, putting books back on shelves.)
NOODLE: Where shall we go, sir?
THINK-TANK: A hundred million miles away from Mars. Order the invasion fleet to evacuate the entire planet of Mars.”
Questions:
1. “Had a great fall!” Which of the following options signifies the meaning of ‘fall’ as used in this extract?
- A) Think-Tank believes the Earthlings will defeat him in the invasion on Mars.
- B) It refers to the fall of his space capsule.
- C) Think-Tank’s great invasion plan will defeat the Earthlings.
- D) It indicates the autumn season.
2. Based on the extract, which of these actions indicates a response to the command “remove all traces of your visit”?
- A) Think-Tank’s escape to Alpha Centauri
- B) Evacuation of planet Mars
- C) Keeping the books back into the shelf
- D) Preparation of space capsule for Think-Tank
3. Which of the following is not a synonym of ‘invasion’?
- A) Attack
- B) Withdrawal
- C) Seizure
- D) Capture
4. Why do you think Think Tank uses “A hundred million miles away” in the extract?
- A) To indicate his happiness of leaving Mars.
- V) To emphasise his desperation to leave the planet Mars.
- C) To emphasize his victory over planet Earth.
- D) To show his excitement for invading another planet.
5. Which of the following indicates the mood of the extract?
- A) Tense
- B) Sarcastic
- C) Humorous
- D) Violent
Answers:
1. A) Think-Tank believes the Earthlings will defeat him in the invasion on Mars.
Think-Tank thinks that ‘fall’ refers to the defeat of Think-Tank when Earthlings will invade Mars.
2. C) Keeping the books back into the shelf
Omega, Iota, and Oop rush about keeping the books back into the shelf. Think-Tank does not want the Earthlings to know that he has discovered their secret codes.
3. B) Withdrawal
The word ‘withdrawal’ the removal of something. Therefore, it is the opposite of ‘invasion’.
4. B) To emphasise his desperation to leave the planet Mars.
The use of ‘A hundred million miles away’ suggests that Think-Tank wishes to move far away from Mars where the Earthlings could not locate him.
5. A) Tense
Think-Tank is worried about his safety and plans to leave his planet. The mood is tense as the Martians prepare to evacuate their planet.
