ENGLISH Adventures of TOTO

 Adventures of TOTO

Date- 30.06.21

Topics taught- Reading of chapter and explanation.

New Words

1trough

2.fussed

3.wrenched

4.turnstile

5.quadruped

6.halter.

Comprehension Questions

1.                                        Why did the author’s grandfather decide to buy Toto?

The author’s grandfather was an animal lover and took pity on Toto as it was kept tied to a feeding trough by a tonga driver and he looked very ill and ugly. Toto looked out of place so grandfather decided to buy Toto and bring it to his private zoo.

 

2.                                        In what sense was Toto ‘a pretty monkey’?

Toto’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. His hands looked dried up yet his fingers were quick and wicked and his tail added to his good looks. He had a tinge of naughtiness and mischievousness.

3.	Why did grandfather hide Toto when he brought him home?
	Grandmother was not very fond of animals. Whenever he used to bring a new animal or bird, she used to make a lot of fuss as she abhorred animals. To avoid this, grandfather hid Toto for sometime.
4.	Where was Toto kept immediately after grandfather got him?
	Immediately after grandfather got him, Toto was kept in a little closet opening into the author’s bedroom wall, tied securely to a peg fastened into the wall.
5.	What did the grandfather and author see after they came back to release Toto?
	When grandfather and author came back to release Toto, they found that the walls, which had been covered with some ornamental paper now stood out as naked brick and plaster. The peg in the wall had been wrenched from its socket and the author’s school blazer was in shreds.
6.	Which other animals were kept in a big cage in the servants’ quarters?
	The other animals which were kept in a big cage in the servants’ quarters were; a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a tame squirrel and a goat.
7.	Why did grandfather decide to take Toto along with him to Saharanpur?
	Grandfather decided to take Toto along with him to Saharanpur as Toto was a real menace to his other pets. Toto didn’t allow any of his companions to sleep at night.
8.	How did Toto prove to be a big problem for grandfather at Saharanpur station?
	Grandfather went to Saharanpur to collect his pension. While grandfather was producing his ticket, Toto suddenly poked his head out of the canvas bag. He gave the ticket collector a wide grin. The ticket collector with his great presence of mind insisted that Toto was a dog. So grandfather had to pay for him too. In this way Toto proved to be a big problem for grandfather.
9.	Who was Nana? How did Toto tease Nana?
	Nana was the family donkey. Toto was kept in the stable with Nana, where Toto irritated Nana as he had fastened on to her long ears with his sharp little teeth. Nana was in great pain. As Toto teased Nana, even Nana was annoyed with him.
10.	Why Toto and Nana could not become friends?
	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 had fastened onto the long ears of Nana with his sharp little teeth. Nana got annoyed with Toto. Thus, Nana and Toto could not become friends.

How did Toto’s love for taking bath almost led to his being half – boiled?

Toto loved taking bath in hot water during cold winter evenings. 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 raised himself a little but found it cold outside. So he sat down again. He kept hopping up and down for some time, until grandmother arrived and hauled him, half boiled out of the kettle.

Textual Questions (Think about it)

How does Toto come to grandfather’s private zoo?

Toto was in the custody of a tonga- driver. When grandfather saw the monkey he was filled with sympathy for the monkey and thought that his private zoo would be a better place for Toto. So he purchased Toto from the tonga-driver for the sum of five rupees.

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

The definition of beauty can vary according to the subject. For an animal its shining fur or long horns or mane can add to its appearance. In case of Toto, his bright mischievous eyes along with pearly white teeth and tail enhanced his appearance. Generally, monkeys are naughty, so the naughty glint in Toto’s eyes clearly told about his nature. Teeth are used by animals to show ferocity and Toto’s teeth did frighten others.□

Why does grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how? Why does the ticket collector insist on calling Toto a dog?□

Toto was a real menace for every living soul in the household. Other animals in grandfather’s zoo were fed up of Toto’s mischief. So, grandfather decided to provide some relief to other animals in the zoo and thought of taking Toto to Saharanpur. While grandfather was producing his ticket, Toto suddenly poked his head out of the canvas bag. He gave the ticket collector a wide grin. The ticket collector was following his rulebooks. As there seems to be no rule for fixing a monkey’s fare so he equated Toto with a dog. Ticket collector’s ingenuity tried to categorize all pets of a certain size as dogs.□

How does Toto take a bath? Where has he learnt to do this? How does Toto almost boil himself alive?□

Toto took bath in a large bowl of warm water given by grandmother. He used to cunningly put his hand in the water to check the temperature and gradually step in it, by putting first one foot then the other and once comfortable he would apply soap and rub himself all over. As monkeys are good at aping others, so Toto had learnt proper steps of bathing while watching the narrator doing same. Toto was fond of bathing with warm water, so once having tested the warmth of water in the kettle Toto sat in the kettle. He popped up and down in the kettle again and again as he was feeling hot because the water had started boiling. When grandmother arrived she hauled him half boiled out of the kettle.

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

Although Toto was pretty and clever, he was very mischievous. He damaged everything on which he laid his hands . He scared the visitors by tearing holes in their dresses. Moreover, he didn’t get along well with other animals in the house too. One day Toto crossed the limits by picking up a dish of pullao and running on a branch to eat it. When scolded he threw the plate and broke it. For a family of a middle class status buying dishes every day would be a costly affair or for that matter it can be an unnecessary harassment for people from any economic background. That’s when grandfather decided to sell Toto back to the tonga-driver as he couldn’t bear the losses that were incurred because of Toto’s mischief. Hence the author says that “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long”.