The Fun They Had – By Isaac Asimov

Posted by deepak ray

The Fun They Had – By Isaac Asimov

About the Author

Isaac Asimov (1920–1992) was a Russian-born American writer and professor of biochemistry. He is one of the most famous science fiction authors in the world. Known as the “Father of Modern Science Fiction,” he wrote hundreds of books, short stories, and essays. His works often explore how science and technology affect human life.

Introduction to the Chapter

“The Fun They Had” is a futuristic science fiction story set in the year 2157. It imagines a world where schools are very different from today. Instead of human teachers, children learn from mechanical teachers at home.

The story revolves around two children, Margie and Tommy, who discover a printed book about old schools. They are surprised to learn that children once studied together in buildings, taught by human teachers. The chapter highlights the contrast between mechanical education and human interaction, showing how the warmth, fun, and social learning of old schools might always be missed in the future.

Quick Recap – The Fun They Had

The story is set in 2157, when schools are run by mechanical teachers at children’s homes.
Margie (11 years old) and Tommy (13 years old) find a real, old-fashioned printed book.
They are amazed because their lessons usually appear on a telebook (an electronic screen).
The book talks about schools from centuries ago, where:

Children studied together in school buildings.
They were taught by human teachers.
They played, laughed, and learned in groups.

Margie dislikes her mechanical teacher, especially geography, because it is too difficult.
The County Inspector comes and resets her teacher’s level to suit her age.
Tommy describes the old schools, saying they must have been fun.
Margie imagines how wonderful it would be to study and play with other children.

Theme: The story compares future education with past traditional schools. It shows how human connection and shared learning experiences make school enjoyable, not just the act of studying.

Word Meanings – The Fun They Had

Crinkly – having many small folds or wrinkles.
Example: The old paper looked crinkly.
Scornful – showing disrespect or lack of respect.
Example: She gave a scornful laugh.
Loftily – in a proud or superior manner.
Example: He loftily declared that he knew everything.
Dispute – an argument or disagreement.
Example: The children got into a dispute over the game.
Sorrowfully – in a sad or unhappy way.
Example: She looked sorrowfully at her broken toy.
Nonchalantly – in a casual, unconcerned way.
Example: He shrugged nonchalantly as if it didn’t matter.
Awfully – very, extremely.
Example: It was awfully cold in the room.
Mechanical Teacher – a teaching machine used in the future to give lessons and tests.
Example: Margie hated her mechanical teacher.
Telebook – an electronic book read on a screen.
Example: Tommy usually read his lessons from a telebook.
County Inspector – an official who checks and repairs the teaching machines.
Example: The County Inspector reset Margie’s geography sector.

Questions & Answers – The Fun They Had

I. Short Questions (1–2 sentences)

How old are Margie and Tommy?
Ans - Margie is 11 years old and Tommy is 13 years old.

What did Margie write in her diary?
Ans - She wrote, “Today Tommy found a real book!”

Had Margie ever seen a book before?
Ans - No, she had never seen a real printed book before.

What things about the book did she find strange?
Ans - She found it strange that the words didn’t move like on a screen and the pages could not be reused.

What do you think a telebook is?
Ans - A telebook is an electronic book displayed on a screen.

Where was Margie’s school? Did she have any classmates?
Ans - Margie’s school was in her home, and she had no classmates.

What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?
Ans - They learned subjects like geography, arithmetic, and history.

II. Reference to the Context

“I wouldn’t throw it away.”

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

III. Short Paragraph Answers (30–50 words)

What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have?
Ans - Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers, which were large screens programmed to teach different subjects. These teachers gave lessons, tests, and homework but could not interact emotionally. Unlike human teachers, they made learning monotonous and lonely.

Why did Margie’s mother send for the County Inspector?
Ans - Margie’s mother sent for the County Inspector because Margie was performing poorly in geography. She thought something was wrong with the machine, as it was giving her continuous bad results and making her dislike the subject even more.

What did he do?
Ans - The County Inspector examined Margie’s teacher carefully. He discovered that the geography sector was set too high for her level. He reset it to a normal pace suitable for her age so that Margie could learn comfortably and perform better.

Why was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the County Inspector do to help her?
Ans - Margie was doing badly because the mechanical teacher gave lessons too quickly for her to understand. The County Inspector slowed down the speed and adjusted it to her age level. This made learning geography easier for Margie.

What had once happened to Tommy’s teacher?
Ans - Tommy’s teacher had once broken down completely, and the history sector stopped working. It was taken away for almost a month for repairs. During that time, Tommy enjoyed a break from school and had fun without regular lessons.

Did Margie have regular days and hours for school? If so, why?
Ans - Yes, Margie had school every day except Saturday and Sunday. Her mother believed that learning at regular hours built discipline and consistency. She followed the rule strictly so that Margie could form good study habits, just like in traditional schools.

How does Tommy describe the old kind of school?
Ans - Tommy explains that in old schools, children went to a special building to study together. They had fun, played, laughed, and learned in groups. This was very different from their lonely learning with machines at home.

How does he describe the old kind of teachers?
Ans - Tommy says old teachers were real humans who explained lessons, asked questions, and interacted with students. They were kind and understanding. Margie found it difficult to imagine human teachers teaching children in classrooms, unlike her mechanical teacher.

IV. Long Answer (100–150 words)

What are the main features of the mechanical teachers and the schoolrooms that Margie and Tommy have in the story?
Ans - In the story, Margie and Tommy’s schooling system is completely different from ours. Their teachers are not human beings but mechanical teachers, which are large screen-based machines. These machines display lessons, ask questions, and check assignments instantly. Each child studies a personalized curriculum that is programmed according to his or her age and level of learning. The machine gives tests regularly and provides quick results, but it lacks the warmth, flexibility, and emotions of a real teacher.

Their schoolrooms are also very different. Instead of going to a common building with many children, Margie and Tommy study alone in a small room inside their homes. They do not have classmates to talk to, share doubts with, or enjoy learning together. The lessons are repetitive and mechanical, which makes the experience dull. This isolated way of learning focuses only on academics but misses out on fun, interaction, and group learning. Thus, while the system is advanced, it is also rigid and joyless compared to traditional schools.

Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have been fun?
Ans - Margie hated her school mainly because it was lonely, monotonous, and difficult for her. She had to study alone every day in a small room with her mechanical teacher, which made her feel isolated. She disliked the machine because it had become very strict with her, especially in the subject of geography. The machine assigned her tests repeatedly and marked her performance in a harsh manner. She felt there was no joy, excitement, or human touch in the learning process.

When Tommy showed her the old book about schools from the past, Margie was fascinated. She learned that children once studied together in large buildings and were taught by human teachers. She imagined how wonderful it would have been to learn, laugh, and play with other children of her age. The idea of sharing the same lessons, helping one another, and making friends seemed far more fun than her isolated routine. For Margie, the old kind of school meant happiness, companionship, and a more human way of learning.

Do you agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the school in the story? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans - Yes, I agree with Margie that schools today are far more enjoyable than the school described in the story. The biggest difference is that modern schools bring children together in one place, where they can study as well as build friendships. Unlike Margie’s lonely schoolroom, today’s schools are filled with activities, games, celebrations, and teamwork. This makes learning not just about academics but also about emotional and social growth.

Another important factor is the presence of human teachers. Human teachers can understand the feelings of students, encourage them, and adjust their teaching methods according to the needs of the class. They use examples, stories, and discussions to make subjects interesting. Machines, on the other hand, cannot replace the warmth, creativity, and care of real teachers.

In addition, schools today create memories that last a lifetime—whether it is participating in competitions, enjoying recess with friends, or celebrating festivals. These experiences make school life meaningful. Therefore, modern schools are not only better but also more balanced and joyful compared to the mechanical schooling system in the story.