Download Comprehensive Worksheets for The Fun They Had – Ace Your Class 9 English Exams
FAQs on The Fun They Had – CBSE Class 9 English Worksheets & Free PDF (2025-26)
1. What are the key differences between Margie’s school and the schools of the past as described in 'The Fun They Had'?
This is a frequently asked question in exams. The main differences between Margie's school and the schools of the past are:
- Teacher: Margie had a mechanical teacher, which was a large black screen that gave lessons and asked questions. Schools in the past had human teachers who interacted with students.
- School Building: Margie's school was a dedicated room in her house. Past schools had a special building where all the children went to study together.
- Learning Method: Margie studied alone at a fixed time. In the old schools, children of the same age learned the same things together, which allowed for discussion and mutual help.
- Books: Margie used telebooks on a screen, while students in the past used printed paper books that they could touch and turn pages of.
2. Why did Margie start to dislike her school, and what does this suggest about the limitations of technology in education?
Margie's dislike for her school is an important aspect of the chapter. She disliked it primarily because the mechanical teacher's geography sector was geared too quickly, and it was consistently giving her test after test, leading to poor performance and frustration. This highlights a key limitation of technology in education: the lack of empathy and adaptability. A human teacher could have recognised her struggle and adjusted their teaching method, whereas the machine required a formal repair by the County Inspector. It shows that a purely mechanical system can be rigid and fail to cater to an individual student's emotional and learning needs.
3. Describe the 'real book' that Tommy found. For a 3-mark question, what features made it a source of fascination for him and Margie?
The 'real book' Tommy found was a very old object with yellow, crinkly pages. It was fascinating to the children for several reasons which are important for exam answers:
- Tangibility: Unlike their telebooks, this was a physical object they could hold. The idea of printed paper was ancient to them.
- Static Text: The words on the page stood still instead of moving, which was a completely new concept for them. They found it amusing that you could turn back to a page and find the same words on it.
- Novelty: The book was about an old kind of school with human teachers and a common schoolhouse, a system they could barely imagine. This discovery about the past was a major source of their curiosity.
4. What is the central theme of 'The Fun They Had'? How is it relevant for students in the 2025-26 academic year?
The central theme of 'The Fun They Had' is a critical evaluation of technology-driven, individualised education versus traditional, community-based learning. The story highlights the importance of human interaction, social skills, and the joy of learning together. For the 2025-26 academic year, this theme is highly relevant as education increasingly incorporates digital tools. The story serves as a caution, reminding us that while technology is a useful aid, it cannot completely replace the empathy, guidance, and camaraderie that come from human teachers and learning with peers.
5. How does the author use the characters of Margie and Tommy to explore contrasting attitudes towards the future of education?
This is a higher-order thinking (HOTS) question. The author, Isaac Asimov, uses the two main characters to represent different perspectives:
- Margie: She represents curiosity and a longing for human connection. Her initial hatred for her mechanical school transforms into a wistful appreciation for the old ways of learning. She is the one who romanticises the 'fun' of the past, representing the emotional and social needs of a student.
- Tommy: Being older, Tommy is more pragmatic and slightly arrogant about his knowledge. He initially dismisses the old book as a 'waste' but is still intrigued. He represents a generation that has accepted futuristic education as normal but is still capable of seeing value in the past when presented with it.
Through their dialogue and reactions, the story explores the potential loss of social interaction and collaborative fun in a purely automated educational future.
6. What types of short-answer questions are frequently expected from 'The Fun They Had' in the CBSE Class 9 exam?
For the Class 9 English exam, you can expect several types of short-answer questions from this chapter, typically for 2 or 3 marks. Important areas to focus on include:
- Character Sketches: Questions about the traits of Margie, Tommy, or the County Inspector.
- Definitions and Descriptions: Describing what a telebook, a mechanical teacher, or the County Inspector's role is.
- Reasoning Questions: Why Margie was doing badly in geography, or why she thought the old schools were fun.
- Thematic Questions: Brief questions on the message of the story regarding technology or education.











