The Adventures of Toto | Questions, and Answers

The Adventures of Toto | Story 1 | Questions, and Answers |

English | Class 9th | Short Stories |Tulip Series | jandkncert | Free NCERT Solutions |

Story 1 – The Adventures of Toto | Tulip Series | Questions, and Answers |
(Ruskin Bond)

Ruskin Bond (born 19 May 1934) is an Indian author of British descent. He was born in Kasauli (Himachal Pradesh). At the age of 10 Ruskin went in Dehradun because of his father’s sudden death due to frequent bouts of malaria and jaundice. He has lived in Landour since the 1960s, having previously also lived, as a child and young man, in Shimla, Jamnagar, Mussoorie, Dehradun, and London. Most of his writings show a strong influence from the social life in the hill stations at the foothills of the Himalayas, where he spent his childhood. His first novel was “The Room on the Roof”, published when he was 21 and partly based on the experiences at Dehradun in his small rented room on the roof. He is considered to be an icon among Indian writers. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 for his contributions to children’s literature.

Thinking about the Text

Q1. How did Toto come to grandfather’s private zoo?

Ans. The author’s grandfather was fond of keeping pets at home. He had made a private zoo at his home to keep these pets in it. Grandfather saw the Toto tied to a feeding trough of tonga-driver and bought him at the sum of five rupees so that to keep him in his private zoo. In this way, the Toto came to his private zoo.

Q2. “Toto was a pretty monkey.” In what sense is Toto pretty?

Ans. Toto was pretty as his eyes were bright sparkled with mischief beneath deep-set eyebrows. His teeth were white as pearls and his tail was adding a good look to him.

Q3. Why does grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how?

Ans. Toto was very mischievous. He was kept in a big cage with other pets, but he would not allow any of his companions to sleep at night, so the grandfather decided to take him along to Saharanpur as he had to collect his pension there.

Q4. Why does the ticket collector insist on calling Toto a dog?

Ans. While collecting the ticket at the ticket counter, the Toto poked his head out of the bag and gave the ticket-collector a wide grin. So, the ticket-collector insisted that he had a dog with him. The grandfather did a lot to prove that, that was a monkey but in vain. So, the ticket-collector charged him of extra three rupees.

Q5. How does Toto take a bath? Where has he learnt to do this?

Ans. The grandmother had given Toto the large bowl of warm water for his bath. He would cunningly test the temperature of the water with his hand, then gradually step into the bath, first one foot, then the other, and finally the whole body until he was into the water up to his neck. Once comfortable in the bowl, he would take the soap in his hands or feet and rub himself all over.  He had learnt this from the author while taking his bath.

Q6. How does he almost boil himself alive?

Ans. Usually, Toto took his bath in a large bowl of warm water and finding the water cold, he used to rush to the kitchen-fire to warm himself. While doing so, one day he found himself nothing better to do, he decided to remove the lid of a kettle which was left on the fire to boil for the tea by grandmother. Finding the water just warm enough for a bath, he got in. For a while, it was fine for him but when the water began to boil he raised himself a little, but, finding cold outside, sat again. He continued hopping up and down until Grandmother arrived and dragged him half-boiled, out of the kettle.

Q7. Which activity of Toto annoyed grandmother?

Ans. The grandmother had put a large dish of pullao for lunch in the center of the dining table. When she entered the dining room and found Toto stuffing himself with rice, she screamed at him and Toto threw a plate at her. This activity of Toto annoyed grandmother.

Q8. Why does the author say, “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long”?

Ans. Toto was a mischievous pet. Every time, he used to make a loss of valuable things. They were not well-to-do and could afford the frequent loss of dishes, clothes, curtains, and wallpaper. The grandfather also realized that Toto was not the sort of pet keep for long. So, he found the tonga-driver and sold Toto back to him for only three rupees.

Language work

Use the following phrases in your own, sentences:

Out of place

Out of reach

Provide for

Taken aback

In vain

Well to do

Make an exit

Get hold

Scoop up

Ans.

Out of place: Not a single cup was out of place in her cupboard.

Out of reach: Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Provide for: It is very hard to make enough money to provide for such a large family.

Taken aback: He was taken aback by the hospital staff when they saw a dog with him barking at them.

In vain: They waited in vain for a response.

Well to do: They are not well-to-do, therefore they will not afford the huge amount to buy a car.

Make an exit: The monkey was kept in a big cage but he tried to make an exit, from the cage.

Get hold: I could not get hold of her and she just legged it.

Scoop up: Note the pottery vessels used to scoop up the water lashed to the perimeter of the wheel.

Note the following sentences

The canvass was too strong for him to bite his way through.

It means that the canvass was so strong that he could not bite his way through it.

Use `too’ in the following sentences and make modifications wherever necessary:

1. The question was so difficult that he could not solve it.

2. She is so weak that she cannot stand.

3. He is so clever that he cannot be cheated.

4. It was so hot that he could not stand in the sun.

5. It was so dark that he could not see anything.

Ans.

1. The question was too difficult for him to solve.

2. She is too weak to stand.

3. He is too clever to be cheated.

4. It was too hot for him to stand in the sun.

5. It was too dark for him to see anything.

Writing work

Q1. Have you ever seen a monkey wallah show? Describe it in your own words.

Ans. One day my father went to the market and I went along with him. When we reached the market my father went to buy some fruit and vegetables. In the meantime, my eyesight went towards the jumbling crowd. They had made a circle around a man. The man was physically weak. I could see his bones without flesh. He was a black coloured man. He was showing the tricks by ordering his monkey. It was, really an amazing show. The monkey could dance, hop, or anything whatever his master asking to do. I watched it for a while until my father came. We came back to our home. I narrated the whole story to my friends the next day.

Q2. Describe in 300 words any naughty episode of your childhood.

Ans. Not only one naughty episode. I was whole naughty at my childhood stage. Most naughty were my friends who used to annoy the people with their tricks. Once I went to the orchid. There I saw a willow tree. I hold one of its branches which was a little down and began to sway myself. As I was doing so, it broke and I fell, on the grass. One naughty scene that I remember was the scene that happened at the school when I was studying in grade fourth. When I saw our madam has gone somewhere. I picked up a stick and behaved like a teacher in the school. Everyone was afraid of me. I shouted at them not make noise. There are several naughty episodes that I cannot describe here. These were some of my naughty moments. You may remind your naughty episodes and you can write them in your diary.

Discussion

Q1. Do you have a pet? Is your pet mischievous? Tell the class about it.

Ans. Homework assignment for students. Do it yourself.

Q2. What impact does the disappearance of some rare animals like brown bear and Hangul have on our ecological balance?

Ans. Whatever Almighty Allah made in the universe, He made it for the balance of nature. We know, there are three kinds of animals based on their feeding or eating process. These are; herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. Let us take the food chain as an example of ecological balance. Wild animals (tiger) eat meat (animals), animals eat leaves or grass. If animals like deer become rare then the wild animals have nothing to eat without humans. We are alive because of the ecological balance. The disappearance of some animals, birds, and insects will put a major effect on ecological balance. Mite, a small insect, once saved thousands of rupees that we spend today on spraying apple plants to protect them from scabies or mite diseases. All organisms have a vital role in balancing nature. No living being is useless in the universe. We should take care of our surrounding environment and the living organisms that live in it.

Suggested Reading

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell

‘Grandfather’s Private Zoo’ by Ruskin Bond

Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling