Class 9 English - ODISHA
Prose: The Fun They Had
The Fun They Had by Isaac Asimov is a science fiction story set in the future year 2157, where children learn alone at home from mechanical teachers on computerized screens. The story revolves around two young characters, Margie and Tommy, who discover an old, printed book about traditional schools of the past. Through their conversation, the chapter highlights the value of human interaction, social life, and the role of teachers in traditional brick-and-mortar schools. It encourages students to appreciate their current school environment and classmates, making it an important prose piece in the Odisha BSE Class 9 English syllabus for testing comprehension and thematic understanding.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Setting of the Future
The story is set in 2157, a futuristic world where traditional schools and printed books have completely vanished, replaced by mechanical teachers and telebooks.
The Mechanical Teacher
A large, black, and ugly computer screen installed in the children's homes that flashes lessons, asks questions, and calculates grades without any human warmth.
The Concept of Old Schools
Through a real printed book found in the attic, Tommy and Margie learn about schools centuries ago where human teachers taught students of the same age group together in a special building.
Margie's Dislike for School
Margie hates her mechanical teacher because she has been failing geography tests repeatedly due to a glitch in the machine's programming slot.
Significance of Human Interaction
The chapter emphasizes how traditional schools foster friendship, empathy, and social growth by bringing children together to learn and play.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Odisha BSE Class 9 English examination, this chapter typically carries around 4 to 6 marks. Questions usually include multiple-choice questions (MCQs), short answer questions based on the text, and long-answer questions focusing on the comparison between future schools and present schools or the central theme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Margie hate school?
Margie hated school because her mechanical teacher was giving her test after test in geography, and she was performing poorly due to a technical glitch in the machine.
What was strange about the old book Tommy found?
The words in the old book were printed on paper and stayed still instead of moving across a screen like telebooks, and turning back the pages revealed the same words read before.
Why do you think Margie wanted to read about the old school?
Margie was fascinated to learn that children centuries ago studied together, had fun, laughed in the schoolyard, and were taught by human teachers who understood children's feelings.
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