Class X (Footprints without Feet) Chap- 10 by By Claire Boiko
The Book that Saved the Earth CBSE Class 10 NCERT English Footprints without Feet Book Lesson 10 Explanation, Summary, Difficult words
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CBSE Class 10 English Lesson Explanation Notes
The Book that Saved the Earth Class 10 English Footprints without Feet Lesson 10 - Detailed explanation of the lesson along with the meanings of difficult words. Also, the explanation is followed by a Summary of the lesson. All the exercises and Question and Answers given at the back of the lesson have been covered.
Class 10 English (Footprints without Feet) Chapter 10 The Book that Saved the Earth
By Claire Boiko
Introduction to the Lesson
The book that saved the earth is a story that revolves around a book of nursery rhyme titled ‘the Mother Goose’ that has been picturised as the book that saved the earth from an alien attack. The story begins with a historian that describes to the audience that how one day in the twentieth century Martians planned to attack the earth. A crew of their lands in a library on earth; they try to find out the meaning of the content of the books which they mistook as a sandwich. There they come across a rhyme on Humpty dumpty which resembles their master Think tank. They all get terrified with the idea of their master’s losing control over Mars because of humans and cancel their plan of invading earth.
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The Book That Saved the Earth MCQ Questions
The Book that Saved the Earth Summary
The story begins with a stage show of twenty fifth century in which a historian is sitting in the museum and she explains the truth about the Martian invasion that happened in twentieth century. To prove her statement she asks the audience to look into the historiscope, a device that can show things happened in the history. In the next scene two characters are shown one of them which has a balloon brain is shown as the master. His name is Think Tank and another one is his assistant Noodle. Both of them are discussing about their plan to invade earth. They think that earth is a ridiculous plan and they should invade earth so as to establish their kind rule over the planet. So, the master think tank sends one of his crew to inspect earth. The crew lands into a library and look confuse as they know nothing about the items (books) of the library. So, they consult it with their master Think Tank that they think is very intelligent. He asks them to show the item and tells them that they are sandwiches which is a staple diet of the earthlings. He commands his crew to eat it, which they then consider as a tasteless eatable. His assistant Noodle corrects him and tells him that they are the communication devices. He on hearing this, asks his crew to listen to the information from the devices. They try to hear it but they get nothing to hear from them. Once again Noodle corrects his master Think Tank that they are to be read and not hear. So with the help of the vitamins provided by the chemical department of Mars, the crew tries to read the book. It was a book of rhymes.
The Book that Saved the Earth Lesson and Explanation
TIME: The twenty-fifth century
PLACE: The Museum of Ancient History: Department of the Twentieth
Century on the Planet Earth
BEFORE RISE: Spotlight shines on Historian, who is sitting at a table down right, on which is a movie projector. A sign on an easel beside her reads: Museum of Ancient History: Department of the Twentieth Century. She stands and bows to audience.
Word Meanings
Spotlight: A lamp projecting a beam of light on a particular place or person.
Historian: An expert in or student in history.
Easel: a wooden frame for holding an artist's work while it is being painted or drawn
So, the act begins with a setup in which the time shown is the twenty-fifth century. Place is the Museum of ancient history department of the twentieth century on the planet earth and a lamp is projecting light on a person who is a historian. She is sitting at a table down right and there is a projector on the table. There is a wooden frame behind her that reads Museum of ancient history: department of the twentieth century. She stands up and bows to the audience before beginning her act.
HISTORIAN: Good afternoon. Welcome to our Museum of Ancient History, and to my department — curiosities of the good old, far-off twentieth century. The twentieth century was often called the Era of the Book. In those days, there were books about everything, from anteaters to Zulus. Books taught people how to, and when to, and where to, and why to. They illustrated, educated, punctuated, and even decorated. But the Mother Goose is a well-known book of nursery rhymes in English. Do you think such a book can save Planet Earth from a Martian invasion? Read this play, set four centuries in the future, and find out. The Book That Saved the Earth strangest thing a book ever did was to save the Earth. You haven’t heard about the Martian invasion of 2040? Tsk, tsk. What do they teach children nowadays? Well, you know, the invasion never really happened, because a single book stopped it. What was the book, you ask? A noble encyclopedia? A tome about rockets and missiles? A secret file from outer space? No, it was none of those. It was — but here, let me turn on the historiscope and show you what happened many centuries ago, in 2040. (She turns on projector, and points it left. Spotlight on Historian goes out, and comes up down left on Think-Tank, who is seated on a raised box, arms folded. He has a huge, egg-shaped head, and he wears a long robe decorated with stars and circles. Apprentice Noodle stands beside him at an elaborate switchboard. A sign on an
Word Meanings
easel reads: MARS SPACE CONTROL
Zulus:
Illustrated: adjective of a book, newspaper
Martian: related to mars
Invasion: capture, annex
Encyclopedia: book which gives information on many subjects
Historiscope: Here, it means a bioscope that shows history of something.
Apprentice: trainee, leaner
Elaborate: detailed, complicated
The historian welcomes everyone to the museum of ancient history. She introduces her department curiosities of the good old, far-off twentieth century. Then she starts explaining about twentieth century that was known as era of books. It was so because there were a number of books available on various types of subjects such as Zulus, ant eaters. The books resolved the query of when, where and How to do many things. They described about various other topics but the unbelievable thing that a book did was to save the earth from the attack by the residents of Mars. The book that did this was not any informational book but just a rhyme book named ‘Mother Goose’. The historian then says that this attack was planned in 2040. At present when people talk about this they tell their children that nothing like this ever happened because the book that did this was not based on rockets, missiles or anything else. Then to prove her statement she turns on the projector which she mentions as historiscope and urges the audience to look into it to know the details of that day.
The spotlight then moves towards Think Tank (Martian, alien) who is seated on a box with his arms folded. He is described as a creature with huge egg shaped head and he wears clothes that are decorated with stars and circles. There is a wooden frame behind his head which reads Mars Space Control Great and Mighty Think-Tank, Commander in Chief.
Noodle: (bowing) O Great and Mighty Think-Tank, most powerful and intelligent creature in the whole universe, what are your orders?
THINK-TANK: (peevishly) You left out part of my salutation, Apprentice Noodle. Go over the whole thing again.
NOODLE: It shall be done, sir. (In a singsong) O Great and Mighty Think-Tank, Ruler of Mars and her two moons, most powerful and intelligent creature in the whole universe — (out of breath) what-are-your-orders?
THINK-TANK: That’s better, Noodle. I wish to be placed in communication with our manned space probe to that ridiculous little planet we are going to put under our generous rulership. What do they call it, again?
NOODLE: Earth, your Intelligence.
THINK-TANK: Earth — of course. You see how insignificant the place is? But first, something important. My mirror. I wish to consult my mirror.
Word Meanings
Mighty: fearsomePeevishly: irritable
Space probe: research, exploration
Ridiculous: funny, hilarious
Generous: liberal
Consult: seek advice from
So, now the conversation begins between the egg shaped head creature that is known as Think Tank and his assistant Noodle.
Noodle enters and bows with respect in front of Think Tank. He then addresses him as the most intelligent and powerful creature in the space. Think tank gets annoyed at this and points him out for not doing it properly. Noodle repeats the statement again in which he calls him not only the most intelligent and powerful creature in the whole universe but also the master of Planet Mars and its two moons. Think Tank approves his greeting and also orders him to establish communication with space exploration to a funny planet so that they could have their liberal ruler ship on it. Noodle then tells him the name of that planet that is earth. Think Tank replies by saying that it is a less important place and then he asks for a mirror to seek advice from.
NOODLE: It shall be done, sir. (He hands Think-Tank a mirror.)
THINK-TANK: Mirror, mirror, in my hand. Who is the most fantastically intellectually gifted being in the land?
OFFSTAGE VOICE: (after a pause) You, sir.
THINK-TANK: (smacking mirror) Quicker. Answer quicker next time. I hate a slow mirror. (He admires himself in the mirror.)
Ah, there I am. Are we Martians not a handsome race? So much more attractive than those ugly Earthlings with their tiny heads. Noodle, you keep on exercising your mind, and someday you’ll have a balloon brain just like mine.
NOODLE: Oh, I hope so, Mighty Think-Tank. I hope so.
THINK-TANK: Now, contact the space probe. I want to invade that primitive ball of mud called Earth before lunch.
NOODLE: It shall be done, sir. (He adjusts levers on switchboard. Electronic buzzes and beeps are heard as the curtains open.)
Word Meanings
Earthlings: here, human beings
Primitive ball: ancient ball
Smacking: to hit
Noodle at once fulfills his command and brings the mirror for him. Think Tank asks his mirror to tell him the most fantastic and wise creature. The mirror replies to him by saying you, as the mirror took some time to answer so Think Tank hits it and orders the mirror to reply earlier from the next time. He then looks into it and says that Martians are very handsome and are not ugly like human beings who have small heads. He also directs Noodle to exercise his brain so that he could have a big balloon like brain. Noodle expresses his acceptance to his boss. After that think tank orders him to contact the space probe so that he could attack the ancient ball known as earth before lunch. Noodle obeys his command and pulls the levers of the switchboard. The electronic buzzes and beeps starts coming out of it.
Scene-2
TIME: A few seconds later
PLACE: Mars Space Control and the Centerville Public Library
AT RISE: Captain Omega stands at centre, opening and closing card catalogue drawers in a confused fashion. Lieutenant Iota is up left, counting books in a bookcase. Sergeant Oop is at right, opening and closing a book, turning it upside down, shaking it and then riffling the pages and shaking his head.
NOODLE: (adjusting knobs) I have a close sighting of the space Crew, sir.
(Think-Tank puts on a pair of enormous goggles and turns towards the stage to watch.) They seem to have entered some sort of Earth structure.
THINK-TANK: Excellent. Make voice contact
Word Meanings
Catalogue: list, category
Lieutenant: deputy, an army rank
Sergeant: officer ranking below a lieutenant
Riffling: shuffling
Now the scene-2 starts the place shown is Mars control room and Centerville Public Library. So when the curtain is raised some new characters can be seen such as Captain Omega who is opening and closing list drawers that have list of various books of the library. He is confused as to what these drawers have. Lieutenant Lota who is a deputy officer is on the left side busy with the counting of books in the bookshelf. Sergeant Oop is standing at the right side and is opening, closing and shuffling a book. Noodle adjusts himself and says that he will have a closer look of the place. Think tank puts his big goggles and looks all around. He says that it appears as if their crew has entered into the earth surface. He is happy to enter into earth and gives his best remarks to it and orders to make voice contact.
NOODLE: (speaking into a microphone) Mars Space Control calling the crew of Probe One. Mars Space Control calling the crew of Probe One. Come in, Captain Omega, and give us your location.
OMEGA: (speaking into a disk which is on a chain around her neck) Captain Omega to Mars Space Control.
Lieutenant Iota, Sergeant Oop, and I have arrived on Earth without incident. We have taken shelter in this (indicates room) — this square place. Have you any idea where we are, Lieutenant Iota?
IOTA: I can’t figure it out, Captain. (holding up a book) I’ve counted two thousand of these peculiar items. This place must be some sort of storage barn. What do you think, Sergeant Oop?
OOP: I haven’t a clue. I’ve been to seven galaxies, but I’ve never seen anything like this. Maybe they’re hats.
(He opens a book and puts it on his head.) Say, maybe this is a haberdashery!
OMEGA: (bowing low) Perhaps the Great and Mighty Think- Tank will give us the benefit of his thought on the matter.
Word Meanings
Crew: team
Incident: happening
Barn: shelter, outhouse
Clue: idea
Peculiar: strange
Galaxies: solar system
Haberdashery: sewing items such as buttons, needles etc
Noodle tries to establish contact with the crew. He also enquires Omega about their landing location. So Captain Omega answers him that all the three of them have arrived safely to the Earth but they are not sure about their location as it is just a square place. Lieutenant Iota says that he can’t guess the place but he had already counted two thousand of the strange items (books) present in this room. Oop says that he also has no idea about the items despite being to the seven galaxies (solar system) but he thought them to be hats. He opens the book and put it on his head and says that may be it is some sought of sewing items. Finally Omega bows his head and suggests that may be think tank could help them in figuring about the place and the item present there.
THINK-TANK: Elementary, my dear Omega. Hold one of the items up so that I may view it closely. (Omega holds a book on the palm of her hand.) Yes, yes, I understand now. Since Earth creatures are always eating, the place in which you find yourselves is undoubtedly a crude refreshment stand.
OMEGA: (to Iota and Oop) He says we’re in a refreshment stand.
OOP: Well, the Earthlings certainly have a strange diet.
THINK-TANK: That item in your hand is called a sandwich.
OMEGA: (nodding) A sandwich.
IOTA: (nodding) A sandwich.
OOP: (taking book from his head) A sandwich?
THINK-TANK: Sandwiches are the main staple of Earth diet. Look at it closely.(Omega squints at book.) There are two slices of what is called bread, and between them is some sort of filling.
OMEGA: That is correct, sir.
THINK-TANK: To confirm my opinion, I order you to eat it.
OMEGA: (gulping) Eat it?
THINK-TANK: Do you doubt the Mighty Think-Tank
Word Meanings
Elementary: easy, basic
Staple food: a routine food
Squints: look with/through narrowed eyes
Gulping; to swallow
Think Tank says that it is very easy to know, he asks Omega to hold the items in his hand so that he could see them. Omega does so by holding it in her palm. He then tells them that as the earthlings are always busy eating so they all have landed at some refreshment area (eating place). He even told them that the strange thing in their hands is sandwich, an everyday food of humans. All three surprisingly look at the books and murmur the word sandwich. Think Tank also describes how a sandwich looks like. He says that there are two slices of bread and between them is some sort of filling. Omega confirms it that yes he is correct. Think tank then orders her to eat the sandwich for final confirmation. Omega swallows in as she is not sure about to eat the strange thing or not. Think Tank does not like this and questions her for not relying on him.
OMEGA: Oh, no, no. But poor Lieutenant Iota has not had her breakfast. Lieutenant Iota, I order you to eat this —this sandwich.
IOTA: (dubiously) Eat it? Oh, Captain! It’s a very great honour to be the first Martian to eat a sandwich, I’m sure, but — but how can I be so impolite as to eat before my Sergeant? (handing Oop the book and saying brightly) Sergeant Oop, I order you to eat the sandwich immediately.
OOP: (making a face) Who, Lieutenant? Me, Lieutenant?
IOTA and OMEGA: (saluting) For the glory of Mars, Oop!
OOP: Yes, of course! (unhappily) Immediately. (He opens his mouth wide. Omega and Iota watch him breathlessly. He bites down on a corner of the book, and pantomimes chewing and swallowing, while making terrible faces.)
OMEGA: Well, Oop?
IOTA: Well, Oop? (Oop coughs. Omega and Iota pound him on the back.)
THINK-TANK: Was it not delicious, Sergeant Oop?
OOP: (saluting) That is correct, sir. It was not delicious. I don’t know how the Earthlings can get those sandwiches down without water. They’re dry as Martian dust.
NOODLE: Sir, sir. Great and Mighty Think-Tank. I beg your pardon, but an insignificant bit of data floated into my mind about those sandwiches.
THINK-TANK: It can’t be worth much, but go ahead. Give us your trifling bit of data.
NOODLE: Well, sir, I have seen surveyor films of those sandwiches. I noticed that the Earthlings did not eat them. They used them as some sort of communication device.
THINK-TANK: (haughtily) Naturally. That was my next point. These are actually communication sandwiches. Think-Tank is never wrong. Who is never wrong?
ALL: (saluting) Great and Mighty Think-Tank is never wrong.
THINK-TANK: Therefore, I order you to listen to them.
Word Meanings
Dubiously: with hesitation or doubt
Breathlessly: Not able to breathe easily
Pantomimes: comedy based on nursery story/rhyme. Here, it means comic expression on face
Insignificant: less important
Surveyor: an official inspector
Trifling: unimportant
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Omega tries to pass it on to the Lieutenant Iota as she didn’t have her breakfast. Iota looked hesitant in eating it and so said that she can’t eat anything unless her sergeant eats as it would be impolite. Sergeant Oop doesn’t want to eat it but because she had to obey the orders of her senior she eats it. While she was eating, the other two looked at her breathlessly as they were not able to breathe easily in such a difficult situation. Oop was making funny faces while chewing that tasteless, hard to be swallowed food. She however finally swallows it. Think Tank tries to figure it out that whether the food was tasty or not. Oop replies that it was tasteless and seemed like dust of mars. Meanwhile Noodle tries to intervene and tells them that he has received some sort of information regarding the sandwich. Think Tank considers it to be irrelevant information, yet asks him to share with them. He tells them that it was not an eatable but a communication device of the earthlings. So, now to cover up his mistake think tank says that he was about to tell everyone that these were the communication sandwiches. He also orders them to hear if they get to hear any information from these devices.
OMEGA: Listen to them?
IOTA AND OOP: (to each other, puzzled) Listen to them?
THINK-TANK: Do you have marbles in your ears? I said, listen to them. (Martians bow very low.)
OMEGA: It shall be done, sir. (They each take two books from the case, and hold them to their ears, listening intently.)
IOTA: (whispering to Omega) Do you hear anything?
OMEGA: (whispering back) Nothing. Do you hear anything, Oop?
OOP: (loudly) Not a thing! (Omega and Iota jump in fright.)
OMEGA AND IOTA: Sh-h-h! (They listen intently again.)
THINK-TANK: Well? Well? Report to me. What do you hear?
OMEGA: Nothing, sir. Perhaps we are not on the correct frequency.
IOTA: Nothing, sir. Perhaps the Earthlings have sharper ears than we do.
OOP: I don’t hear a thing. Maybe these sandwiches don’t make sounds.
THINK-TANK: What? Does somebody suggest the Mighty Think-Tank has made a mistake?
OMEGA: Oh, no, sir; no, sir. We’ll keep listening.
NOODLE: Please excuse me, your Brilliance, but a cloudy piece of information is twirling around in my head.
THINK-TANK: Well, twirl it out, Noodle, and I will clarify it for you.
NOODLE: I seem to recall that the Earthlings did not listen to the sandwiches; they opened them and watched them.
THINK-TANK: Yes, that is quite correct, I will clarify that for you, Captain Omega. Those sandwiches are not for ear communication, they are for eye communication. Now, Captain Omega, take that large, colorful sandwich over there. It appears to be important. Tell me what you observe.
(Omega picks up a very large volume of Mother Goose, holding it so that the audience can see the title. Iota looks over her left shoulder, and Oop peers over her right shoulder.)
Word Meanings
Intently: keenly
Twirl: turn round
Observe: notice
So, now all the three are again confused as they have been ordered by their master to hear the communication sandwiches. All the three follows his command and tries to hear the device but none of them hear anything. They question each other as to what did they listened. Think tank asks them to tell what they heard. They tells him that they hear nothing, Omega felt that they were not on the right frequency that is they were not at the right rate when something occurs over a particular period of time. Iota had an opinion that earthlings may have better hearing ability than the Martians. Whereas Oop said that he thinks that they don’t make any sound. At this point of Noodle seeks permission from Think Tank that there is some vague (unclear) information in his mind which is tuning up and down in his head. ThinkTank commands Noodle share the information with him so that he could clarify it to him. Noodle says that he remembers that these devices don’t make sounds. Think tank after hearing this tells Omega that they were the eye communication devices. He also asks him to open the biggest device in order to get some relevant information from this sandwich. Omega then picks up a large book with the title of Mother Goose and starts reading it. The other two also join him.
OMEGA: It appears to contain pictures of Earthlings.
IOTA: There seems to be some sort of code.
THINK-TANK: (sharply interested) Code? I told you this was important. Describe the code.
OOP: its little lines and squiggles and dots — thousands of them alongside the pictures.
THINK-TANK: Perhaps the Earthlings are not as primitive as we have thought. We must break the code.
NOODLE: Forgive me, your Cleverness, but did not the chemical department give our space people vitamins to increase their intelligence?
THINK-TANK: Stop! A thought of magnificent brilliance has come to me. Space people, our chemical department has given you vitamins to increase your intelligence. Take them immediately and then watch the sandwich. The meaning of the code will slowly unfold before you.
OMEGA: It shall be done, sir. Remove vitamins. (Crew takes vitamins from boxes on their belts.) Present vitamins. (They hold vitamins out in front of them, stiffly.) Swallow vitamins. (They pop the vitamins into their mouths and gulp simultaneously. They open their eyes wide, their heads shake, and they put their hands to their foreheads.)
Word Meanings
Squiggles: a short line that curls and loops in an irregular way
Magnificent: glorious, majestic
Stiffly: non flexible
Gulps: swallow
Simultaneously: at the same time
So, Omega reports that there are some pictures of living creatures of earth. He says that there are some kinds of codes too. Think Tank replies that he was already aware of the importance of this device and orders them to describe the code. Oop says that there is a combination of little lines, dots and some curls and loops. Think Tank feels that earthlings were not that ancient as he thought of them. He asks them to break the code. Noodle suggests using the vitamins of intelligence given by the Chemical department. Think tank tries to make this suggestion as his own idea and suggests the crew to have the vitamin. The crew at once swallows it at the same time. As a result, their eyes grew wider and their heads shake.
THINK-TANK: Excellent. Now, decipher that code.
ALL: It shall be done, sir. (They frown over the book, turning pages.)
OMEGA: (brightly) Aha!
IOTA: (brightly) Oho!
OOP: (bursting into laughter) Ha, ha, ha.
THINK-TANK: What does it say? Tell me this instant. Transcribe, Omega.
OMEGA: Yes, sir. (She reads with great seriousness.) Mistress Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow? With cockle shells and silver bells And pretty maids all in a row.
OOP: Ha, ha, ha. Imagine that. Pretty maids growing in a garden.
THINK-TANK: (alarmed) Stop! This is no time for levity. Don’t you realise the seriousness of this discovery? The Earthlings have discovered how to combine agriculture and mining. They can actually grow crops of rare metals such as silver. And cockle shells. They can grow high explosives, too. Noodle, contact our invasion fleet.
Word Meanings
Decipher: decode
Transcribe: put thoughts into written form
Cockle shells: shell
Levity: care free attitude
Think Tank commands his team to decode the written matter. All of them start reading it and suddenly burst into laughter. Think tank gets eager and asks them to tell what was written in it. So, they recite a poem which describes about a woman who grows cockle shells, silver bells and pretty maids in her garden. All laugh at how could anyone grow maids in the garden. But think tank gets tensed and asks them to stop being careless. He says that they should not forget that it is a serious discovery, a discovery which leads humans to combine agriculture with mining. It was an impossible thing to grow metals in the garden as they are the natural resources which can never be cultivated with such an ease. He worries about the cultivation of explosives by the humans and command noodle to contact invasion fleet.
NOODLE: They are ready to go down and take over Earth, sir.
THINK-TANK: Tell them to hold. Tell them new information has come to us about Earth. Iota, transcribe.
IOTA: Yes, sir. (She reads very gravely.) Hey diddle diddle! The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon, The little dog laughed to see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
OOP: (laughing) The dish ran away with the spoon!
THINK-TANK: Cease laughter. Desist. This is more and more alarming. The Earthlings have reached a high level of civilisation. Didn’t you hear? They have taught their domesticated animals musical culture and space techniques. Even their dogs have a sense of humour. Why, at this very moment, they may be launching an interplanetary attack of millions of cows! Notify the invasion fleet. No invasion today Oop, transcribe the next code.
OOP: Yes, sir. (reading)
Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;
All the King’s horses and all the King’s men,
Cannot put Humpty Dumpty together again.
Oh, look, sir. Here’s a picture of Humpty Dumpty.
Why, sir, he looks like — he looks like — (turns large picture of Humpty Dumpty towards Think-Tank and the audience)
Word Meanings
Gravely: in a serious manner
Diddle: cheat
Fiddle: fraud, cheat
Cease: stop
Desist: hold back
Civilisations: human development
Domesticated: to tame a pet
Interplanetary: between the planets
Noodle replies that the invasion team was about to go down and attack the earth. Think Tank stops him and asks him to tell the invasion team about the latest information they have received from the earth. He then ask Iota to read more from the book. Iota read a poem out of the book which describes about a cow that jumped a moon and a dog that laughed at this act. Not only this, there was a reference of a spoon that ran along with a dish. All of them start laughing. Think Tank scolds them for laughing and considers that to be a serious issue because according to him humans had developed them and their civilisation up to the level that even their pets were expressing their emotions. The dangerous point was that it mentioned a cow that jumped a moon, may be the earthlings were planning to attack on other planets with the help of millions of cows. This feared think tank so much that he again reminded Noodle of not invading earth. He asked his crew to read it further. Now, it was Oop that read the next poem about humpty dumpty which described about his great fall. The readers got shocked to see the picture of Humpty Dumpty. They couldn’t utter a word from their mouth. Think Tank asked them as to what was the matter. They turned the book towards him and show him the image of Humpty dumpty. He was a look alike of Think tank.
THINK-TANK: (screaming and holding his head) it’s me! It’s my Great and Mighty Balloon Brain. The Earthlings have seen me, and they’re after me. “Had a great fall!” — That means they plan to capture Mars Central Control and me! It’s an invasion of Mars! Noodle, prepare a space capsule for me. I must escape without delay. Space people, you must leave Earth at once, but be sure to remove all traces of your visit. The Earthlings must not know that I know. (Omega, Iota, and Oop rush about, putting books back on the shelves.)
NOODLE: Where shall we go, sir?
THINK-TANK: A hundred million miles away from Mars. Order the invasion fleet to evacuate the entire planet of Mars. We are heading for Alpha Centauri, a hundred million miles away. (Omega, Iota, and Oop run off right as Noodle helps Think-Tank off left and the curtain closes. Spotlight shines on Historian down right.)
Capsule: here, it means a space craft
Alpha Centauri: A closest star to our solar system
Think Tank got so frightened to see himself in the picture that he screamed out of fear. He assumed that the earthlings will attack mars and took over his reign from him. He assumed so because of the line of the rhyme that states ‘Humpty Dumpty had a great fall’. He at once ordered Noodle to provide him with a spacecraft so that he could leave for Alpha Centauri, a star closer to the solar system. He also directs the crew to leave earth without leaving any of their marks so that the humans may never come to know about their expedition (tour). They all stuff the books back to their place. After this the curtain goes down.
HISTORIAN: (chuckling) And that’s how one dusty old book of nursery rhymes saved the world from a Martian invasion. As you all know, in the twenty-fifth century, five hundred years after all this happened, we Earthlings resumed contact with Mars, and we even became very friendly with the Martians. By that time, Great and Mighty Think-Tank had been replaced by a very clever Martian — the wise and wonderful
Noodle! Oh, yes, we taught the Martians the difference between sandwiches and books. We taught them how to read, too, and we established a model library in their capital city of Marsopolis. But as you might expect, there is still one book that the Martians can never bring themselves to read. You’ve guessed it — Mother Goose! (She bows and exits right.)
Word Meanings
Chuckling: laugh quietly
Resumed: restart, begin with
So, now the spotlight again focuses on the Historian. She smiled and said that now all of you know that how a nursery rhyme book saved our earth from the Mars invasion. She then tells the audience that now as we are in the twenty fifth century; we have established friendly relations with the Martians. Mars is now lead by very intelligent leader and that is Noodle. The human beings have taught them how to read and have also clarified them the difference between a sandwich and the book. They have also helped them to establish a central library in their capital city Marsopolis. But still there is one book which they don’t prefer much and guess which book is that? Of course it is ‘Mother Goose’. The curtain falls.
The Book that Saved the Earth Question Answers
Q1-Noodle avoids offending Think-Tank but at the same time he corrects his mistakes. How does he manage to do that?
A1-Noodle avoids offending Think-Tank but at the same time he corrects his mistakes in a very clever way. He used to present his ideas as a thing of less importance but this would help think tank in correcting his mistakes.
Q2- If you were in Noodle’s place, how would you handle Think-Tank’s mistakes?
A2- If I would have been at Noodle’s place I would have handled the situation just like Noodle did. I would have suggested my master the right things but in a way that he may not feel being pointed out by a subordinate.
Q3-Do you think books are being replaced by the electronic media? Can we do away with books altogether?
A3- Yes it is true to some extent that books are being replaced by the electronic media but we cannot do away with the books completely. It is so because books still serve the purpose of deriving information from them. It is so because still there are many things which are sometimes not available on the electronic media.
Q4- Why are books referred to as a man’s best companion?
A4- Books are man’s best companion because they not only provide us with information but also sometimes become a good source of entertainment.
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