The Book That Saved the Earth: Extra Question Answers Class 10 English

Past Years’ Board Exam Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

1. What difficulty do the crew of the space probe face on the Earth? (Delhi 2019)
2. What is Think-Tank proud of? How do you know? (AI 2019)
3. What does Noodle tell Think-Tank about the books? (Delhi 2016)
4. What does Think-Tank infer on listening to the nursery rhyme, ‘Hey diddle diddle ……..’? (AI 2015)
5. How did the book change Think-Tank’s opinion about the Earthlings? (AI 2014)

Answers

1. The crew of the space probe landed in a public library. The crew was shocked because it
   was a strange place for them as they had no idea about books. They thought the library to be some kind of storage barn. They looked puzzled because they were not familiar with books.
2. Think-Tank was proud of his handsome Martian race. According to Think-Tank, Martians were more attractive than the ‘ugly’ earthlings with their tiny head. Think-Tank mockingly calls the Earth ‘ridiculous little planet’, ‘an insignificant place’, ‘a primitive ball of mud.’ The fact that Think-Tank thinks so highly of himself is evident from his narcissistic behaviour, self-praise and boastful habits.
3. Noodle told Think-Tank that Earthlings did not eat books, but used them as some sort of device for communication. He also said that the humans opened them and watched them.
4. When he listens to the nursery rhyme, ‘Hey, diddle, diddle’, Think-Tank is quite alarmed. He comes to believe that the Earthlings have reached a high level of civilisation. The humans have taught their pets musical culture and space techniques. Even their dogs have a sense of humour. Think-tank thought that the humans were planning to launch an interplanetary attack of millions of cows.
5. What saved the Earth from the attack of the Martians was an old book of nursery rhymes, ‘The Mother Goose’. The Martians misinterpreted it to be the Earthlings record of inter planetary attack on Mars. Terrified of the humans, they evacuated the entire planet of Mars.

1. It is morally incorrect to invade another country/ planet for one’s own benefit. The Martians did not understand the value of peaceful coexistence. How did the book of nursery rhymes save the earth from the Martian invasion? [CBSE 2016]
2. What guesses are made by Think-Tank about the books found on earth? (Delhi 2013)
3. How does Think-Tank react when he listens to the nursery rhyme, ‘Hey, diddle, diddle’? (Delhi Com. 2013)
4. What saved the earth? How? (Delhi 2012) .
5. How does Think-Tank compare the Martians with the people on Earth? What does he call the earth mockingly? (Delhi 2011)
6. How does Think-Tank interpret the library found by his crew on Earth? Why does he ask Omega to eat a book? (AI 2011)

Answers

1. The first guess made by Think-Tank about the books found on earth is that they are sandwiches meant to be eaten. Next, he says that the books are communication sandwiches, which the humans listen to and not eat. At last, Think-Tank says the communication sandwiches (the books) are not meant for ears but for eyes.
4. Think-Tank calls Martians a handsome race. According to Think-Tank, Martians were more attractive than the ‘ugly’ earthlings with their tiny head. Think-Tank mockingly calls the Earth ‘ridiculous little planet’, ‘an insignificant place’, ‘a primitive ball of mud.’
5. Think-Tank interprets the library found by his crew on earth as a crude refreshment stand and the books as sandwiches. Earth’s creatures are always eating sandwiches, it is their staple diet. Think-Tank asks Omega to eat a book to confirm his opinion

Long Answer type questions

1. Little knowledge may lead to a disaster. Describe it with reference to the lesson, ‘The Book that Saved the Earth’. (Delhi Com. 2017)
2. It is morally incorrect to invade another country/planet for one’s own benefit. The Martians did not understand the value of peaceful coexistence. How did the book of Nursery rhymes save the earth from the Martian invasion? (AI 2016)
3. The play, ‘The Book that Saved the Earth’ conveys the message that misunderstanding of cultural differences between various races can cause confusion and conflict. Based on your reading of the play, write how such confusion and conflicts can be checked so that peace and harmony is maintained.

Answers

1. The Martians, led by their megalomaniac leader Think-Tank, launch an inter-planetary attack on the earthlings. The Martian space probe reached Centerville Public Library. Unaware of what they were surrounded with, the Martians found themselves in a state of confusion. While Captain Omega went through the catalogue drawer, Lt. Iota counted the books and Sgt. Oop inspected one of the books from every possible angle. When Think-Tank and Noodle made contact with them and asked them to submit their report, none of them knew that the peculiar items, which filled the room, were actually books. Think-Tank, with his very limited and false knowledge about earth and earthlings jumped to the conclusion that those peculiar items were sandwiches. At first, he said that the books were meant to be eaten, then he said they were ‘communication sandwiches’ and were meant for listening. When they heard no sound coming from it, Noodle suggested that humans did not eat or listen to these ‘peculiar items’ but openned them and watched them. Think-Tank immediately, ordered his soldiers to read from the ‘big colourful sandwich’, which looked quite important and tell him what they saw. It was a very large volume of ‘Mother Goose’, a book of Nursery rhymes. As the ignorant Martians read the poems one after the other, they misinterpreted their meaning and felt that humans were mightier than what the Martians had thought them to be. What really terrified the Martians was the poem Humpty Dumpty. Since Think-Tank looked exactly like Humpty, Think-Tank thought that the humans were after his life and would kill him. He decided to abort the mission of invading earth and called his Martian troops back. This proves that little knowledge may lead to utter confusion and major disaster.
2. Aristotle said “Man is a social animal”. The Martians in the story ‘The Book that Saved the Earth’ seemed to be ignorant of the reality that peaceful co-existance is fundamental to the survival of human race. It is morally incorrect to invade another country/planet for one’s own benefit. There are no winners or losers in a war and in fact, both sides suffer. There is only destruction and devastation.
   The Martians, led by their leader Think Tank, planned an inter-planetary attack on the Earthlings. Think Tank misinterpreted the book of nursery rhymes completely and interpreted it in a verbal manner. When Omega read the nursery rhyme ‘Mistress Mary’, he was shocked to discover that on the earth, metals can be grown in fields. He thought that the earthlings had discovered how to combine agriculture and mining and were now able to grow high explosives. When Omega transcribed ‘Hey Diddle Diddle’, he thought that the animals on earth were also ready for a space attack. When he saw the image of Humpty Dumpty, he thought that it was his own brain and the earthlings were planning to capture the Mass Central Control and therefore, they got ready to save their own lives instead of invading the earth. Thus, the nursery rhyme book saved the earth from Martian invasion. We know the fact that peaceful coexistence is fundamental to the survival of human race. It is totally incorrect to invade another country. But Martians planned to do so. They seemed to be ignorant of the reality that there are no losers or winners in the war. In fact both the sides suffer
3. The play ‘The Book that Saved the Earth’ conveys the message that misunderstanding of cultural differences between various races can cause confusion and conflict. Confusion of the Martians arose because of their ignorance of the language, culture and tradition of the people on Earth. In this age of globalisation, it is all the more necessary to have healthy cross-cultural communication. These cultural differences across nationality, religion, language, border culture and behaviour can be overcome with the help of effective cultural communication. The diversity of people in cities and countries means an element of cross-cultural communication will always be needed between various ethnic groups. This will help in reducing tension and misunderstanding between these communities and thus, everyone will live in peace and harmony. This type of communication can be established through learning each other’s language, religion and traditions.