Chapter 10 – The Book that Saved the Earth Questions and Answers: NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English (Footprints without Feet)

Ques: Why was the twentieth century called the ‘Era of the book’?

Answer: There were books for everything, from anteaters to Zulus. Books taught people what to do, how to do when to do, and why to do. They explained, educated, directed, and decorated. No wonder that it was called the eta of books.

Ques: Who tried to invade the Earth in the twenty-first century?

Answer: Martians tried to invade the Earth in the twenty-first century.

Ques: What guesses are made by Think-Tank about the books found on Earth?

Answer: Think-Tank first guesses them to be sandwiches. Then he calls them communication devices. After that, he thinks them to be some kind of eye communication device that has to be devices watched.

Ques: Noodle avoids offending Think-Tank but at the same time he corrects his mistakes. How does he manage to do that?

Answer: Noodle avoids offending Think-Tank while correcting his mistakes by presenting his own thoughts, but referring to them as being of no particular importance. Whenever he had to say something contrary to what Think-Tank said, he would do this. In this way, he would correct Think-Tank’s errors without making Think-Tank feel that he was being corrected.

Ques: If you were in Noodle’s place, how would you handle Think-Tank’s mistakes?

Answer: If I were in his place, I would do the same. I would politely and gently suggest the corrections.

Ques: Do you think books are being replaced by electronic media? Can we do away with books altogether?

Answer: Yes, these days online reading has replaced traditional books to a large extent. Internet, facebook, twitter etc. have decreased interest in reading. But, the truth is that books cannot be totally replaced. Books can never go out of life although they may exist in a different form.

Ques: Why are books referred to as a man’s best companion? Which is your favourite book and why? Write a paragraph about that book.

Answer: A book is a man’s best companion because it is always there. It never leaves us alone. It is there with us even when everyone else is gone. Books ‘ guide us, instruct us, make us laugh, inform us, inspire us, and are always true to us. My favourite book is Peter Pan. It is a fairy tale. I love the character of Peter. He lives in fantasies. He is a child who never wants to grow up and he never does’ He enjoys thrills and adventures and even takes the kids from Earth on a merry adventure. The book inspires as it snows that one can remain a child at heart forever. The sense of wonder, innocence, purity, and joy and a ‘ capacity to dream can stay in the human heart forever.

Ques: In what ways does Think-Tank misinterpret innocent nursery rhymes as threats to the Martians? Can you think of any incidents where you misinterpreted a word or an action? How did you resolve the misunderstanding?

Answer: The words like ‘shell’ and ‘silver’ make Think-Tank think that humans grew them in farms. Then, there js a line about ‘cow’ and ‘ ‘moon’. Also, the picture of Humpty-Dumpu and the rhyme of great fall’ make Think- ink think that humans were about to invade Mats. Yes, I had a similar misunderstanding with a friend. But, I was fortunate as I got to know the actual truth just in time. I did not believe what 1 had heard earlier.

Ques: The aliens in the play speak English. Do you think this is their language? What could be the language of i.e aliens?

Answer: No, English was not their language. If it had been so, they would not have misinterpreted the- nursery rhymes. They could be speaking some Martian language.