Chapter 7: The Invention of Vita-Wonk

Comprehension Check

Page 101

Question 1:

Choose the right answer.

(i) Mr. Willy Wonka is ……………….

(a) a cook

(b) an inventor

(c) a manager.

Answer:

(b) an inventor

(ii) Wonka-Vite makes people …………

(a) older

(b) younger.

Answer:

(a) older

(iii) Mr.Wonka wants to invent a new thing which will make people.

(a) younger,

(b) older.

Answer:

(b) older.

Question 2:

Can anyone’s age be a minus number ? What does “minus 87” mean?

Answer:

I don’t think it is possible that one’s age can be a minus number. Minus 87 means that he has to wait for 87 years to come back. It is possible in fiction only.

Question 1:

Mr. Wonka begins by asking himself two questions. What are they ?

(i) What is

(ii) What lives

Answer:

(i) What is the oldest living thing in the world ?

(ii) What lives longer than anything else ?

Working with the Text

Question 1:

What trees does Mr. Wonka mention ?

(i) Which tree does he say lives the longest ?

(ii) How long does this tree live ? Where can you find it?

Answer:

(i) Mr. Wonks mentions Douglas Fir, oak and the Bristlecone pine trees. According to him, the Bristlecone pine tree lives the longest.

(ii) The Bristlecone pine tree lives for over 4000 years. This tree is found on the slopes of Wheeler Peak in Nevada, U.S.A.

Question 2:

How many of the oldest living things can you remember from Mr. Wonka’s list ? (Don’t look back at the story !) Do you think all these things really exist, or are some of them purely imaginary?

Answer:

Mr. Wonka makes a long list of the oldest living things. It is difficult to remember all these things. However some of them which I can remember are : a pint of sap from a 4000-year-old Bristlecone Pine, An egg laid by a 200-year-old Tortoise, the tail of a 51year-old horse in Arabia, the tail of a 207-year-old giant rat from Tibet, and the knucklebones of a 700-year-old Cattaloo from Peru. I don’t think all these things may be real. Some of them seem just to be imaginary.

Question 3:

Why does Mr. Wonka collect items from the oldest things? Do you think this is the right way to begin his invention?

Answer:

In his invention Mr. Wonka wants the things to grow old. That is why he collects items from the oldest living things. I think this is the right way to begin his invention. And it gave him positive results also.

Question 4:

What happens to the volunteer who swallows four drops of the new invention ? What is the name of the invention?

Answer:

After swallowing the drops, the volunteer begins to wrinkle and shrivel up all over. His hair starts dropping. He suddenly becomes an old fellow of seventy-five. The name of this invention is Vita-Wonk.

Working with Language

Question 1:

What do you call these insects in your language? (See pic in Textbook, Page-103) Add to this list the names of some insects common in your area.

Answer:

How do these insects effect your health? Have a discussion in the class.

Insects have a profound impact on the health of humans and domestic animals. They cause annoyance, inflict bites and stings, and transmit diseases. They feed on and destroy natural fibres, wooden building materials, stored grain, and accelerate the process of decay.

Question 2:

Fill in the blanks in the recipe given below with words from the box.” shred cooker times tomatoes half onion oil

Easy Palak-Dal

INGREDIENTS

• One …….
• One cup dal
• Two thin green chillies
• ………………. a teaspoon red chilli powder
• Eight small bunches of palak .
• Two ……………….
• Salt to taste

Wash and cut the vegetables; ……………….. the palak. Put everything in a pressure………. Let the cooker whistle three …………. …………., then switch it off. Fry a few cumin seeds in ……………….. and add to the palak-dal.

Answer:

• One Onion
• One cup dal
• Two thin green chillies
• Add a teaspoon red chilli powder
• Eight small bunches of palak
• Two tomatoes
• Salt to taste

Wash and cut the vegetables; shred the palak. Put everything in a pressure cooker. Let the cooker whistle three times then switch it off. Fry a few. cumin-seeds in oil and add to the palak-dal.

Question 3:

A’family tree’ is a diagram that shows the relationship between the different members of a family. Fill in the family tree below with names, ages, and other details you think are relevant (you may even stick photographs, if you have them). Put your family trees up in the class.

See diagram in TB-104

Answer:

This is for your self- attempt. It is a class-room activity. Firstly, you fill the family tree with names, ages and other details of your family-members. You may also stick the photographs of your family-members if you like. Then put the family-tree, duly filled,in the class.

Speaking

Using Do for Emphasis

Charlie asks, “What did happen ?” This is a way of asking the question “What happened”?” with emphasis.

Given below are a few emphatic utterances. Say them to your partner. Let your partner repeat your utterance without the emphasis. Your partner may also add something to show she/he disagrees with you.

You : I did study.

PARTNER : You studied ? I don’t believe you. Look at your marks!

You : I did go there.

PARTNER : You went there? Then…

You : I do play games.

PARTNER ………………….

You: He does read his books.

PARTNER ………………….

You : You do say the most unbelievable things!

PARTNER …………………

You: The earth does spin around.

PARTNER ………………….

You : We all do want you to come with us.

PARTNER …………………..

You : Who does know how to cook ?

PARTNER …………………….

You : I do believe that man is a thief.

PARTNER :…………..

Answer:

PARTNER You : I did go there.

PARTNER : You went there? Then you watched others playing. I know you can’t play

yourself: I do play games.

PARTNER : Games and you ? I don’t believe it. Everybody knows you read books only and Raman play games only.

You : He does read his books.

PARTNER : You cannot play games and Nikhil can’t get through.

You : You do say the most unbelievable things!

PARTNER : But anything can happen.

You : The earth does spin around.

PARTNER : I can prove it myself if you co-operate.

You : We all do want you to come with us.

PARTNER . : I am an expert cook. I can teach you how to cook.

You : Who does know how to cook?

PARTNER : What happened to your bicycle ? Who do you think has stolen it ?

You : I do believe that man is a thief.

PARTNER : I agree with you.

Writing

Question 1:

(i) Make a list of the trees Mr. Wonka mentions. Where do these trees grow? Try to find out from an encyclopaedia. Write a short paragraph about two or three of these trees.

(ii) Name some large trees commonly found in your area. Find out something about them (How old are they? Who planted them ? Do birds eat their fruit?), and write two or three sentences about each one of them.

Answer:

For self-attempt. You can consult an encyclopaedia in your school library. You may also seek help of your botany teacher in this respect.

Question 2:

Find out something interesting about age, or growing old, and write a paragraph about it. Following are a few topics, suggested as examples.

The age profile of a country’s population–does it have more young people than old people, or vice versa? What are the consequences of this?

• How can we tell how old a tree, a horse, or a rock is ?
• What is the ‘life expectancy’ of various living things, and various populations (how long can they reasonably expect to live)?

Answer:

Age profile of a country depends on whether majority of its people are young or old. The country’s efficiency and development depends on whether it has more and more young people. If majority of the population consists of elderly people, then more age old security schemes, pension benefits and medical facilities are requested. Because of modern advanced medical facilities, the life expectancy of a person has increased. That is why we find greater percentage of older people now comparatively. So number of non-working people increases.

• The scientists are aware that all such things as trees, horses and rocks etc. are made up of carbon. By using technique of radio-carbon isotope dating, we can find out how old a particular specimen is.

Life expectancy of various living things depends on the species to which these belong. A few creatures have very little life expectancy. It can of a few hours or days. Certain animals or things have a much longer life expectancy. The average life expectancy of human beings is 60–70 years.”