Podcast
Questions and Answers
What did Tommy find that excited Margie?
What did Tommy find that excited Margie?
A real book
How did Margie's grandfather describe a time when all stories were printed on paper?
How did Margie's grandfather describe a time when all stories were printed on paper?
He mentioned that all stories were printed on paper and pages were turned manually.
Why did Tommy find it a waste to throw away books?
Why did Tommy find it a waste to throw away books?
Tommy found it a waste because their television screen had many books and was reusable.
Where did Tommy find the real book?
Where did Tommy find the real book?
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What was the real book about?
What was the real book about?
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Why did Margie hate school even more after discussing the book with Tommy?
Why did Margie hate school even more after discussing the book with Tommy?
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Why did Margie's mother send for the County Inspector?
Why did Margie's mother send for the County Inspector?
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What did the County Inspector do to the mechanical teacher?
What did the County Inspector do to the mechanical teacher?
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Why was Margie disappointed after the County Inspector visited?
Why was Margie disappointed after the County Inspector visited?
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Why did Tommy say that a man could be a teacher in the old kind of school?
Why did Tommy say that a man could be a teacher in the old kind of school?
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Why was Margie hurt by Tommy's comment about the man being a teacher?
Why was Margie hurt by Tommy's comment about the man being a teacher?
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According to Tommy, how smart did he think a man could be as a teacher?
According to Tommy, how smart did he think a man could be as a teacher?
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Study Notes
The Story of Margie
- Margie is a student who has been performing poorly in geography tests given by her mechanical teacher.
- The County Inspector, a round little man with a red face and various tools, is called to fix the teacher.
- The Inspector takes the teacher apart, repairs it, and adjusts the geography sector to a 10-year-old level, making it less challenging.
The Mechanical Teacher
- The mechanical teacher is a large, black, and ugly device with a screen that shows lessons and asks questions.
- It has a slot where Margie has to insert her homework and test papers, which are written in a punch code.
Margie's Frustration
- Margie is disappointed that the Inspector doesn't remove the teacher altogether.
- She had been hoping for a reprieve, like Tommy, whose history sector had blanked out, and his teacher was removed for a month.
The Old Kind of School
- Tommy shows Margie a very old book about a school that existed hundreds of years ago.
- The school had a teacher, a man, who taught students and gave them homework and asked questions.
Margie's Diary
- Margie writes about her encounter with the old book in her diary on May 17, 2157.
- She notes that the book was found in the attic of Tommy's house.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Test your understanding of the short story 'The Fun They Had' by Isaac Asimov. This quiz covers key plot points and themes from the story about a futuristic society where children learn from robotic teachers.
