Question Bank — Footprints 9 — The Book That Saved the Earth

QUESTION BANK

The Book That Saved the Earth (Claire Boiko)

Section A — MCQs (10 questions, 1 mark each)

1. The twentieth century was called the ‘Era of the Book’ because books
   (a) were used only for decoration
   (b) taught people how to, when to, where to and why to do things
   (c) were written only about animals
   (d) replaced all electronic media

2. Think-Tank orders his crew to listen to the books because he believes they are
   (a) sandwiches for eating
   (b) communication sandwiches meant for the ears
   (c) hats
   (d) weapons

3. Assertion (A): Think-Tank believes the Earthlings are planning to grow crops of silver and high explosives.
   Reason (R): He misinterprets the nursery rhyme “Mistress Mary, quite contrary…” as a code for agriculture and mining.
   (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
   (b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
   (c) A is true but R is false.
   (d) A is false but R is true.

4. Noodle’s role in the play is best described as
   (a) a rival commander
   (b) an obedient but clever apprentice who corrects Think-Tank indirectly
   (c) a foolish Martian soldier
   (d) the historian of Mars

5. The book that actually saves the Earth is
   (a) an encyclopaedia of rockets
   (b) Mother Goose
   (c) a secret military file
   (d) a book on vitamins

6. Assertion (A): Think-Tank decides to evacuate Mars after seeing the picture of Humpty Dumpty.
   Reason (R): He thinks the Earthlings have discovered his identity and plan to attack Mars Central Control.
   (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
   (b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
   (c) A is true but R is false.
   (d) A is false but R is true.

7. The vitamins given to the Martian crew are meant to
   (a) increase their physical strength
   (b) increase their intelligence so they can decipher the code
   (c) make them invisible
   (d) help them digest sandwiches

8. Which line shows Think-Tank’s extreme vanity?
   (a) “Earth—of course. You see how insignificant the place is?”
   (b) “Mirror, mirror, in my hand. Who is the most fantastically intellectually gifted being in the land?”
   (c) “It shall be done, sir.”
   (d) “We are heading for Alpha Centauri.”

9. The final destination chosen by Think-Tank to escape is
   (a) Mars Central Control
   (b) Alpha Centauri, a hundred million miles away
   (c) the Centerville Public Library
   (d) the Museum of Ancient History

10. The historian reveals at the end that in the twenty-fifth century
    (a) Martians invaded Earth successfully
    (b) Earthlings taught Martians how to read and established a library on Mars
    (c) Think-Tank remained the ruler of Mars
    (d) books were completely replaced by electronic media

Section B — Reference to Context (3 extracts, 4 marks each)

Extract 1

“Mirror, mirror, in my hand. Who is the most fantastically intellectually gifted being in the land?”

(a) Who speaks these words and to whom?
(b) What does the reply reveal about the speaker’s character?
(c) Identify the literary device used in the line.
(d) Which word in the extract means ‘extremely’?

Extract 2

“These are actually communication sandwiches. Think-Tank is never wrong. Who is never wrong?”

(a) Who is the speaker and what has just happened?
(b) Why does the speaker call the books ‘communication sandwiches’?
(c) Name the figure of speech used in the repetition “Who is never wrong?”
(d) What does this incident show about the relationship between Think-Tank and his crew?

Extract 3

“It’s me! It’s my Great and Mighty Balloon Brain. The Earthlings have seen me, and they’re after me.”

(a) Who says these words and why is he terrified?
(b) Which nursery rhyme has caused this panic?
(c) Pick out the literary device used in “Balloon Brain”.
(d) What immediate order does the speaker give after this realisation?

Section C — Short Answer (5 questions, 3 marks each)

1. Why did Think-Tank initially mistake books for sandwiches? How was this mistake corrected?
2. How does Noodle manage to correct Think-Tank’s mistakes without offending him? Give two examples.
3. What changes occur in the Martian crew after they swallow the vitamins?
4. Describe the role of the Historian in the play.
5. How did a single book prevent the Martian invasion of Earth in 2040?

Section D — Long Answer (2 questions, 6 marks each)

1. Draw a character sketch of Great and Mighty Think-Tank in 100–120 words. Highlight his vanity, misuse of power and final downfall.
2. “Books are man’s best companion and can even save the world.” Justify this statement with reference to the play in 100–120 words.

Section E — Language and Writing (2 questions, 4 marks each)

1. Fill in the blanks with words from the unit (Glossary/ text):
   (i) Think-Tank spoke _ when his salutation was incomplete. (peevishly)
   (ii) The crew tried to _ the code in the book. (decipher)
   (iii) Noodle gave a _ suggestion that saved the situation. (trifling)
   (iv) The Martians showed _ when they laughed at the rhymes. (levity)

2. Imagine you are Noodle. Write a diary entry (80–100 words) describing how you felt when Think-Tank finally realised his mistakes and decided to flee. Mention your role in the events.