The Fun They Had

By Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) was a prolific American author and biochemist, best known for his works in science fiction and popular science. He is widely regarded as one of the “Big Three” science fiction writers, alongside Arthur C. Clarke and Rober Heinlein. Asimov’s notable works include the “Foundation” series and the “Robot” series, which explore futuristic themes and technological advancements. “The Fun They Had” is a short story set in a future where traditional schools have been replaced by individual, robotic teachers. The story centers on two children, Margie and Tommy, who discover a printed book about old-fashioned schools. They marvel at how students used to learn together in classrooms, with human teachers. The story reflects on the impact of technology on education and explores the potential loss of social interaction and joy in learning. Through this, Asimov highlights the value of human experiences, even in an increasingly technological world.

Q: How old are Margie and Tommy?

Ans. Margie was eleven years old and Tommy was thirteen years old.

Q: What did Margie write in her diary? 

Ans. Margie wrote in her diary, “Today Tommy found a real book!”

Q: Had Margie ever seen a book before?

Ans. No, Margie had never seen a real book before Tommy found one.

Q: What things about the book did she find strange?

Ans. Margie found it strange that the words on the pages of the book stood still instead of moving the way they did on a screen. She was also puzzled by the idea that after reading, the book remained the same and could not be changed like the screen of their tele-books.

Q: What do you think a tele-book is?

Ans. A telebook is likely a digital book that can be read on a screen, similar to an e-book. The words can be changed and updated, unlike a printed book.

Q: Where was Margie’s school? Did she have any classmates?

Ans. Margie’s school was in her own home, specifically in a room next to her bedroom, where she had her mechanical teacher. She did not have any classmates; her education was entirely individual.

Q: What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?

Ans. Margie and Tommy learned subjects such as geography, history, and arithmetic.

Q: Who says these words, “I wouldn’t throw it away.”

Ans. Tommy says these words.

Q: What does ‘it’ refer to?

Ans. ‘It’ refers to the real book that Tommy had found.

Q: What is it being compared with by the speaker?

Ans. It is being compared with the telebooks they use. Tommy finds the real book unique and fascinating.

“Sure, they had a teacher, but it wasn’t a regular teacher. It was a man.”

Q: Who does ‘they’ refer to in the above text?

Ans. ‘They’ refers to the children in the past, as discussed by Tommy and Margie.

Q: What does ‘regular’ mean here?

Ans. ‘Regular’ means the mechanical teachers that Margie and Tommy have.

Q: What is it contrasted with?

Ans. It is contrasted with the human teachers of the past. Margie finds it surprising and fascinating that children once had human teachers instead of robots.

Q: What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have?

Ans. Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers that were programmed to teach various subjects and could be adjusted and repaired as needed.

Q: Why did Margie’s mother send for the County Inspector?

Ans. Margie’s mother sent for the County Inspector because Margie was doing poorly in geography, and she thought something was wrong with the mechanical teacher.

Q: What did the County Inspector do?

Ans. The County Inspector inspected Margie’s mechanical teacher, found the problem, and adjusted the geography sector to the appropriate level for age.

Q: Why was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the County Inspector do to help her?

Ans. Margie was doing badly in geography because the mechanical teacher’s geography sector was set too advanced for her level. The County Inspector adjusted it to suit her learning capacity.