NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 2 THE ADVENTURE OF TOTO | English Moments
THE ADVENTURE OF TOTO
Summary: This is a famous story about a mischievous monkey written by Ruskin Bond. The authors grandfather bought the pretty monkey named Toto from a tonga-driver for the sum of five rupees. His bright eyes sparkled with mischief beneath deep-set eyebrows, and his teeth. which were a pearly white, were very often displayed in a smile that frightened the life out of elderly Anglo-Indian ladies. Grandmother didn't, like pets at all. So, once Toto was kept in a little closet. A few hours later, when grandfather and the narrator came back to release Toto, they found that the walls, which had been covered with some ornamental paper (Wall Paper) chosen by grandfather, now stood out as naked brick and plaster. Toto had freed himself from the chain and the narrator's blazer had been torn in shreds.
Now Toto was transferred to a big cage in the servants' quarters where a number of grandfather's pets lived very sociably together—a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a tame squirrel and a goat. But the monkey wouldn't allow any of his companions to sleep at night. So the grandfather decided to take him along to Dehra Dun the next day. When the grandfather was producing his ticket at the railway station, Toto suddenly poked his head out of the bag and gave the ticket collector a wide grin. The ticket collector charged extra three rupees from the grandfather for Toto. On another day. Toto nearly boiled himself alive in the kitchen kettle.
Once when Toto found a large dish of rice on the dining table and started eating the rice; grandmother scolded him. Toto in response threw the plate at her. An aunt of narrator came forward to save her but Toto threw a glass of water at her. Then Toto ran away with a dish of Pullao, sat on jackfruit tree till evening eating the pullao. And then, in order spite the with grandmother," who had screamed at him he threw the dish down the tree and chattered delight when it broke into pieces.
The grandfather realized that Toto was not the sort of pet they could keep for long. They could not afford the frequent loss of dishes, clothes, curtains and wallpapers. So grandfather found the tonga-driver and sold Toto back to him—for only three rupees.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 2 THE ADVENTURE OF TOTO | English Moments
TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
& ANSWERS
Q. 1. How does Toto come to grandfather's
private zoo?
Ans. Grandfather loved animals. Some day he saw this attractive monkey with a tonga-driver. The monkey was tied to a feeding-trough and seemed out of place there. Grandfather had great liking for animals. So he decided to buy Toto from the tonga-driver and bought it for five rupees.
Q. 2. “Toto was a pretty monkey.” In what sense is Toto pretty ?
Ans. Toto had bright eyes sparkling with mischief, pearly white teeth, quick and wicked fingers and a gracious tail which served as a third hand. The smile of Toto was cute and frightened elderly Anglo-Indian ladies. Altogether all these qualities made him pretty.
Q. 3. Why does grandfather take. Toto to Saharanpur and how? Why does the ticket collector insist on calling Toto a dog ?
Ans. Toto was a mischievous monkey. He kept disturbing all other animals in grandfather's Private zoo. It seemed that grandfather could manage him properly. So, he took Toto to Saharanpur in a bag. The ticket collector called Toto a dog as the monkey did not qualify the category of human beings.
Q. 4. How does Toto take a bath? Where has he learnt to do this? How does Toto most boil himself alive?
Ans: Toto cunningly tested the temperature with his hand then gradually stepped into, the bath. He stepped first one foot, then the other, until he was into the water up to his neck. He rubbed himself all over with the soap. He learned it all from the author. Some day Toto got in a large kitchen kettle which was on fire to boil. He enjoyed the warm water but when the water turned out to be hot he jumped up and down. Suddenly the grandmother arrived and pulled him out in half-boiled condition.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 2 THE ADVENTURE OF TOTO | English Moments
Q. 5. Why does the author say, "Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long"?
Ans. Authors statement about Toto proves itself if we take Toto's feeds into consideration. Nobody could afford the frequent losses. He disturbed all other animals too, Obviously Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long.
TALK ABOUT IT
Q. Do you have a pet? Is your pet mischievous? Tell the class about it.
Ans. Yes, I have a pet dog named Moti. My father had brought him from my maternal uncle's house when he was very small. Moti is like a member of my family. I have special attachment towards him. He is very active and vigilant. He is an epitome of loyalty. He keeps sitting beside the main gate at night. Whenever there is any unknown sound inside my house he starts barking. All the members of my family love Moti very much. Moti proves to be really a gem many a time. He keeps us safe all the time. Our Moti is not mischievous. He is very sensible and sensitive as well. We feel secure in his presence. I pray to God to keep him healthy.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 2 THE ADVENTURE OF TOTO | English Moments
ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q. 1. Where was Toto
kept first time and what mischief did he make there?
Ans. Toto was put in a little closet opening into 'narrator's bedroom. They tied Toto to peg cautiously. After some time he tore up the ornamental paper of the walls and narrator's school blazer. The peg to which he was tied was also pulled out.
Q. 2. Why did Toto run away with the dish of pullao?
Ans. One day, at noon, a dish of pullao was lying on the dinner table. Toto's mouth watered as he wanted to eat it. He did not miss the opportunity and stuffed himself with rice. He ran away with the dish of pullao as he wanted to eat it.
Q. 3. Why did Grandfather sell back Toto to the tongs driver?
Ans: Toto was fully devoted to mischiefs. He did whatever he liked. It was impossible for the family to afford the frequent loss caused by Toto. So Grandfather sold him back to the tonga-driver for only three rupees.
Q. 4. Why was Toto’s presence kept a secret?
Ans. Grandmother usually quarrelled with Grandfather on the issue of a pet. Whenever Grandfather brought some new bird or animal Grandmother of furious at the very instance of any new creature. To avoid this situation it was decided to keep Toto's the a secret until she was in a good mood.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 2 THE ADVENTURE OF TOTO | English Moments
Q. 5. Why did the Onlookers get attracted on the Dehra Dun railway platform?
Ans. Toto was kept in a canvas kit-bag. The canvas was too strong for him to bite. Toto wanted to get free. While making efforts to get out he occasionally rolled about or jumped into the air. As he was inside the bag, the onlookers could not see him. In this way they got attracted.
Q.6. Describe the relationship between Toto and Nana.
Ans. No doubt, Toto was mischievous. He Kept creating problems not only for animals but for the members of the family also. The night Toto passed with Nana was full of disturbance. When Grandfather visited the stable he found Toto fastened on to Nana's long ears with his sharp little teeth. They could never become friends.
Q. 7. What happened when Toto took a large dish of pullao from the dining table at lunchtime?
Ans. Having found Toto stuffing himself with rice, the narrator's grandmother screamed. At this Toto threw a plate at her. As soon as the Narrator's aunt rushed towards him, he threw a glass of water on her face. When Grandfather arrived, Toto picked up the dish and got out through a window. He ate the whole rice and threw the plate down in order to show a sign of anger for grandmother.
Q. 8. How did Toto behave with other animals?
Ans. Undoubtedly, Toto was an naughty monkey. He was bent on doing mischief. He kept disturbing other animals. All the pet animals in Grandfather's house lived peacefully. It was only Toto that had no positive relationship with other animals. Other animals felt insecure in his presence.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 2 THE ADVENTURE OF TOTO | English Moments
II. LONG
ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q. 1. How was Toto an expensive deal for grandfather?
Ans. Undoubtedly, Toto was an expensive deal for grandfather. Grandfather loved animals. Whenever he came across any animals or birds he felt attachment towards them. In his house there were many other pet animals. They lived in harmony. But the moment Toto entered the house he started damaging the house and other things. He pulled out the peg, tore wallpapers and author's blazer. When Toto was
transferred to a new place, he never let other animals live in harmony. He kept disturbing them. He broke other household things. So, he proved an expensive deal and Grandfather sold him back to the tonga driver for three rupees.
Q. 2. Describe the character sketch of author's grandfather in brief.
Ans. Grandfather was a kind-hearted person. He was an animal lover by choice. He had his own private zoo in his house. He kept bringing home new animals that he liked. He was a fully determined person. He had a lot of patience and took all things positively. When he brought Toto, he felt satisfied. He wanted to keep Toto with other animals. But Toto kept disturbing other animals. Yet Grandfather transferred him frequently from one place to another in order to make Toto adjusted. He was a man of strong mind and body. His taste made him a naturalist. He enjoyed his life in the lap of nature. He treated his pet animals as his family members.
Q. 3. What were the undesirable activities of Toto?
Or, Describe the adventures of Toto.
Ans. Toto was a naughty monkey. All the time he kept creating problems for others. Hardly a day passed when he did not do any mischief. He pulled out the peg, tore wall papers, ruined the closet and tore the author's blazer into rags. He was bent upon doing mischief. All the-pet animals in Grandfather's house lived peacefully. It was Toto only that had no positive relationship with others. Other animals felt insecure in his presence. He did not let other animals sleep at night. He never missed the opportunity of disturbing others. When he got the chance, he grinned at the ticket collector. He bit the ear of the donkey. He was taken out from the kettle in half-boiled condition. He ate up a full dish of pullao and threw the plate at grandmother.
Q. 4. Describe Toto's journey to Saharanpur.
Ans. On my very first day, Toto started creating problems for others. Next day Grandfather had to go to Saharanpur in order to collect pension.Toto's presence in the house was kept a secret so far.Grandfather decided to take him to Saharanpur. It seemed that Grandfather could manage him properly. So, he took. Toto Saharanpur in a bag. Some straw was put at the bottom of the bag. The bag was closed in such a way that Toto could not escape from it. When they reached at the railway station and Grandfather tried to produce his ticket, Toto somehow managed to poke out of the bag and gave the ticket collector a wide grin. The ticket collector demanded extra fare for carrying Toto. Grandfather did not like to pay but he had to pay his fare.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 2 THE ADVENTURE OF TOTO | English Moments
5. Q. How did Toto take bath? Where did he learn to do this?
Ans. Toto was very cunning. He copied others. The way he took bath resembled people. He followed the proper procedure for bath. He cunningly tested the temperature of water with his hands as human beings do. After this he gradually stepped into the bath. He was so attentive that he stepped first one foot, then the other, until he was into the water upto his neck. He rubbed himself all over with the soap. He learned it all from the author. If he saw anyone laughing at him he would feel hurt and refused to
take bath. The way he took bath was not different from that of human beings. When the bath was over he would run to the kitchen to dry himself.
Q. 6. Toto was an adventurous monkey. How did he almost boil himself alive? How was he saved?
Ans. Toto was an adventurous and mischievous monkey. He enjoyed upsetting everything. He enjoyed a bath once a large kettle containing water had been left on the fire to prepare tea. Toto removed the lid and got into the kettle. Soon the water began to boil. Grandmother happened to come into the kitchen. She saw that Toto stood in the kettle. She hauled him out of the kettle. Grandmother saved his life, otherwise Toto would have burnt himself alive.