Class Notes NCERT Solutions for CBSE Students
The Adventures of Toto: NCERT 9th Class CBSE English Moments Chapter 02
Question – The Adventures of Toto: How does Toto come to grandfather’s private zoo?
Answer – The Adventures of Toto: Grandfather bought Toto from a tonga-driver for five rupees. The tonga-driver kept the monkey tied to a feeding-trough. It looked so out of place there that grandfather decided he would add it to his private zoo.
Question: “Toto was a pretty monkey.” In what sense is Toto pretty?
Answer: Toto was pretty in its features. Its bright eyes sparkled with mischief beneath deep-set eyebrows. Its teeth, which were pearl white, were very often displayed in a smile that frightened the life out of elderly Anglo-Indian ladies. Its fingers were quick and wicked and its tail, while adding to its good looks, served as a third hand.
Question: Why does grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how? Why does the ticket collector insist on calling Toto a dog?
Answer: Toto was transferred to a big cage in the servants’ quarters where a number of grandfather’s pets lived together. However, Toto would not allow other animals to sleep at night. Therefore, grandfather, who had to leave for Saharanpur to collect his pension, decided to take it along with him. A big black canvas kit-bag with some straw at the bottom was arranged for Toto to travel in. The canvas was too strong for Toto to bite and he could not get his hands out through the opening in the bag. When Toto poked its head out of the bag at Saharanpur station, the ticket collector was taken aback. He called Toto a dog and asked grandfather to pay for its travel. Even after repeated explanations and convincing by the grandfather, the ticket collector charged him for the monkey by calling it a dog.
There is nothing in the story to tell us why the ticket collector insisted on calling Toto a dog. You could discuss the second part of the question with your teacher.
Question: How does Toto take a bath? Where has he learnt to do this? How does Toto almost boil himself alive?
Answer: A large bowl of warm water was given to Toto for his bath. He would cunningly test the temperature of water with his hand before stepping into the bowl. He would then gradually step into the bowl. Once comfortable, he would take the soap and rub it all over himself using his hands or his feet. When the water became cold, he would get out and run quickly to the kitchen fire in order to dry himself. Toto learnt to do so as he had seen the narrator do the same.
Once, a large kitchen kettle had been left on the fire to boil for tea. Toto removed the lid and found the water warm enough for a bath. He quickly got into the kettle with only his head popping out. When the water began to boil, Toto raised himself a little. However, finding it cold outside, he sat down again. He continued hopping up and down for sometime until grandmother took him out. By this time Toto had almost boiled himself alive.
Question: Why does the author say, “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long”?
Answer – The Adventures of Toto: The author said that Toto was not the sort of pet they could keep for long because he was very mischievous and kept destroying things at home. He would tear things to pieces. He would make every effort to tear a hole in the narrator’s aunt’s dresses. On a particular instance, the narrator and his family saw Toto on the dining table stuffing itself with rice. In order to spite the grandmother, he threw the rice dish down from the tree and chattered with delight when it broke into pieces. The narrator and his grandfather realized that they were not too well-to-do and could not afford the loss of household items on a frequent basis. It is for this reason that grandfather sold Toto back to the tonga-driver that too only for three rupees.
Question: Why did the author’s grandfather decide to buy Toto?
Answer: Grandfather was an animal lover and took pity on Toto as it was kept tied to a feeding trough. Toto looked out of place and grandfather decided to bring it to his private zoo. He was much impressed by Toto.
Question: Why could not Toto and Nana become friends?
Answer – The Adventures of Toto: Toto was very naughty and wicked and could not stay still for a long time. Nana was a well behaved and docile animal. When they were together Toto bit on the long ears of Nana and Nana got annoyed with Toto. Thus, Nana and Toto could not become friends.
Question: How does Toto become a problem to grandfather while going to Saharanpur?
Answer: While going to Saharanpur, Toto behaved well. When grandfather was producing his ticket, Toto suddenly poked his head out of the bag. He gave the ticket collector a wide grin. The ticket collector insisted that grandfather must buy the ticket for the pet. And proved to be a big problem for grandfather.
Question – The Adventures of Toto: Where was Toto kept immediately after grandfather got him? Why?
Answer: Toto was kept in a closet. He was tied securely to a peg because his presence was to be kept a secret from the writer’s grandmother as she abhorred animals.
Question: Who was Nana? How did Toto tease Nana?
Answer: Nana was the family donkey. Toto was kept in the stable with Nana, where Toto use to tease Nana by fast biting on to her long ears with his sharp little teeth. Even Nana got fed up with Toto.
Question: In what sense was Toto “a pretty monkey”.
Answer: Tito’s bright eyes sparkled with mischief beneath deep-set eye brows. His pearly white teeth often displayed a smile that had the innocence of a child yet there was an underlined tinge of naughtiness and mischievousness.
Question: How did Toto’s love for taking bathe almost led to his being half – boiled?
Answer: Toto used to love taking bathe in hot water. Once when a kettle was kept on fire with water to boil for tea, Toto sat in it. When the water began to boil, Toto tried getting up but found outside cold. So he again sat down. He kept on hopping outside and then again inside and after sometime he started enjoying this game.
Question: Why did the grandfather give away Toto, the monkey?
Answer: Toto was very naughty and he troubled everyone. The other pets were not happy with him and he broke a lot of dishes, tore clothes, curtains and wall papers. He had become very difficult to handle and so grandfather gave Toto away.
Question: Why did the grandfather hide Toto for some time when he brought him home?
Answer: Grandmother was not very fond of animals. When he used to bring a new animal or bird, she used to make a lot of fuss. To avoid this, grandfather hid Toto for some time and announced his arrival to her when she was in a good mood.
Question: Why did grandfather decide to take Toto along with him to Dehradun?
Answer – The Adventures of Toto: Grandfather decided to take Toto along with him to Dehradun as there were many other pets also / that lived there. But Toto would not allow any of his companions to sleep at night. So, he made this decision.
Question: Give the names of Grandfather’s pets. Where did they live?
Answer: The names of the Grandfather’s pets were Nana the donkey and Toto the monkey a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a tame squirrel and a goat. They lived in a big cage in the servant’s quarters.
Question: Write your views in the form of short paragraph on the topic “Should animals be kept as a pet”.
OR
While keeping pets at home, what all things should be kept in mind?
Answer: Before bringing a pet in the house, we should remember that these animals can neither speak nor express as humans. As a pet owner we should know that there are a number of dangers that lurk in our households for these little creatures. We should always keep pesticides and medicines at a bay from the animals and children as they are a potential threat to them. The areas where pets might start fire inadverently such as kitchen or fire places or plugs should be covered, we should never have pets unattended around the open flames. Small electrical couds are also harmful for them hence they would be wounded and kept at distance. All the pots and oil bottles should be properly closed.
Question: How can you say that Toto was a mischievous pet?
Answer: Toto was indeed a very mischievous pet. He tore the wall papers of the rooms, and also tore the school blazer. He troubled other fellow animals. He even managed to get himself into trouble by nearly half boiling himself in a kettle. He made holes in dresses and curtains. Once he even scared the ticket checker. He even broke dishes in the houses. He proved to be a big troublemaker for everyone. Thus, we can say that Toto was a mischievous pet.
Question: Describe the incident at Dehradun railway station after reading the story ‘The Adventures of Toto’.
Answer: Grandfather had to go to Saharanpur. So, he decided to put Toto in a big black canvas bag for the train journey. When they reached the station Toto started jumping on the platform and everyone was surprised to see a bag jumping and moving about. When the ticket collector came then Toto poked his head out of the bag. The ticket collector wanted grandfather to buy a ticket for him and grandfather did not want to. Finally the ticket collector had his way.
Question: “Toto was not good enough to be kept at home.” Do you agree to this statement. Why / why not.
Answer: Yes, Toto was not good enough to be kept at home. He was upto some kind of mischief all the time. He tore the wall papers of the rooms, and also tore the school blazer. He troubled other fellow animals. He even managed to get himself into trouble by nearly boiling himself in a kettle. He made holes in dresses and curtains. Once he even scared the ticket checker also. He even broke dishes in the houses. Thus, it was not easy to keep him at home. ‘
Question: “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long.” Explain giving examples from the text.
Answer: “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long.” because he was very mischievous. He scratched the plaster of the walls, tore the school blazer and qpnt’s dresses. He threw plates at grandmother and glasses of water at one of the aunt’s face. He used to break the dishes of pulav into pieces. And they could not afford the frequent loss of dishes, clothes, curtains and wallpaper.
Question: Grandfather was a great lover of animals. Describe.
Answer: Narrator’s grandfather had a great liking for animal. He had tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a tame squirrel, a goat but no monkey. With the coming of Toto his mini zoo was transformed into a real zoo. He had a variety of pet animals in that zoo. He frequently bought many varieties of animals to keep them in his zoo. Due to this, he even faced extra anger of his wife at times and when he brought Toto he was very happy with his cleverness.
Question: How does Toto take a bath? Where has he learnt to do this?
Answer – The Adventures of Toto: Toto takes bathe in a tub of warm water. It puts its legs in the water one by one and applies soap as well. As monkeys are good at aping others, so Toto has learnt proper steps of bathing while watching the narrator doing the same. He wanted to take a bath and in order to do it, he sat in the boiling water of kettle also.
