The Adventure of Toto Important Questions Class 9 Moments English
Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1. How many pets did the author’s grandfather have? Where were they kept?
Answer
The author’s grandfather was fond of keeping pets. Ile had a small private zoo of his own. In it, he had a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a tame squirrel, and the narrator’s pet goat. Toto, the monkey, was the latest addition to his zoo. Apart from these animals, grandfather had a donkey also.
Question 2. Why did the author's grandfather decide to buy Toto? Why?
Answer
The author's grandfather was an animal lover and took pity on Toto as it was kept tied to a feeding trough. Toto looked out of place and he decided to bring it to his private zoo. He was much impressed by Toto.
Question 3. “Toto was a pretty monkey”. In what sense is Toto pretty?
Answer
Toto was a pretty monkey in the sense that his appearance was cute. His bright sparkling eyes, deep-set eyebrows, and pearly white teeth gave him a pretty look. Even Toto’s long tail added to his good looks.
Question 4. Why was it decided to keep Toto’s presence a secret?
Answer
Grandmother usually quarrelled with Grandfather on the issue of a pet. Whenever Grandfather brought some new bird or animal, Grandmother got furious at the very mention of any new creature. To avoid this situation it was decided to keep Toto’s presence a secret until she was in a good mood.
Question 5. Where was Toto transferred from the author’s bedroom? Did he remain peaceful there?
Answer
Toto was transferred to a big cage. It was in the servants’ quarters. There, other animals of the grandfather’s private zoo were also kept. The zoo included a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a pet squirrel and a pet goat. The monkey did not allow the animals to sleep in peace at night.
Question 6. What destruction was caused by Toto to the narrator’s room?
Answer
Toto tore off the ornamental paper that covered the wall of the narrator’s room and wrenched the peg, to which he had been tied, from its socket. He also tore the narrator’s school blazer into shreds.
Question 7. Where was Toto kept immediately after grandfather got him? Why?
Answer
Toto was kept in a closet. He was tied securely to a peg because his presence was to be kept a secret from the writer's grandmother as she abhorred animals.
Question 8. Why did Toto throw a plate at grandmother?
Answer
One day Toto saw a large plate full of pulao on the dining table. He started eating it. Grandmother came in. When she saw Tom eating rice, she screamed. Toto did not like it. So he threw the plate at grandmother. The plate was broken into pieces.
Question 9. In what sense was Toto 'a pretty monkey'.
Answer
Toto's bright eyes sparkled with mischief beneath deep-set eyebrows. His pearly white teeth often displayed a smile that had the innocence of a child yet, there was an underlined tinge of naughtiness and mischievousness.
Question 10. Do you think Grandmother was a keen lover like his Grandfather? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer
No, Grandmother was not so fond of animals as it is mentioned she used to fuss a lot whenever Grandfather got a new animal home. Also, the fact that Grandfather had to return the monkey to the tonga-driver because of its mischief was because of his fear of Grandmother’s reactions to them.
Question 11. Who had a third hand? Why was it considered a hand?
Answer
Toto had a third hand. Grandfather considered Toto's tail as his third hand because he could use it to hang from a branch, and it was capable of scooping up any delicacy that might be out of reach of his hands. Answer Grandfather decided to take Toto along with him to Dehra Dun as there were many other pets that lived there. But, Toto would not allow any of his companions to sleep at night. So, he made this decision.
Question 12. What did Toto do in the author’s room?
Answer
Toto was kept in a little store. It opened into the narrator’s bedroom. He was tied to a peg on the wall. A few hours later, the narrator found a change in his bedroom. Toto had made himself free by pulling out the peg. He had removed the wallpaper of the bedroom. He had torn the narrator’s school blazer.
Question 13. Why grandfather have to pay for Toto at Dehra Dun Railway Station? Which animal did grandfather travel with without paying for its ticket?
Answer
Grandfather had to pay for Toto at Dehra Dun Railway Station because the ticket collector categorised him as a dog. Grandfather travelled with his pet tortoise without paying for its ticket.
Question 14. Why did Grandfather decide to take Toto with him to Saharanpur?
Answer
Grandfather decided to take Toto with him to Saharanpur in order to keep his presence in the house a secret from Grandmother. Left behind, Toto would have certainly caused trouble like he did when he was kept first in the closet and then with the other pets.
Question 15. How does Toto become a problem to grandfather while going to Saharanpur?
Answer
While going to Saharanpur, Toto behaved well. When grandfather produced his ticket, Toto suddenly poked his head out of the bag. He gave the ticket collector a wide grin. The ticket collector insisted that the grandfather must buy the ticket for the pet. Thus, the monkey proved to be a big problem for grandfather.
Question 16. Toto was not an animal that could be trained into a pet. Why?
Answer
Toto was actually a wild monkey and that was probably the reason why the tonga-driver used to keep it tied. At Grandfather’s house, he did enough mischief that proved that he was destructive and could not be trained.
Question 17. Who was Toto's companion in the stable? Why did the two never become friends?
Answer
Nana, the family donkey was Toto's companion in the stable. The two never became friends because Nana was not friendly with Toto. When grandfather paid a visit to the stable, he found Nana pulling at Toto's halter and trying to keep her head as far as possible from a bundle of hay.
Question 18. “An exhibition attracted a curious crowd of onlookers at the Dehra Dun railway platform”. What was the cause of this exhibition?
Answer
The canvas kit-bag in which Toto had been placed did not allow the naughty animal to escape. Therefore, when he attempted to release himself, he would move inside frantically. The bag would then roll about on the floor and at times jump into the air thus attracting a crowd of curious onlookers at the platform.
Question 19. What happened when Toto tried to escape?
Answer
Toto was kept in a canvas kit-bag. The canvas was too strong for him to bite. Toto wanted to escape. 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, the onlookers on the Dehradun platform got attracted.
Question 20. Why was Grandfather pleased even though Toto had escaped from the closet? What does this tell us about his character?
Answer
He was pleased at Toto’s intelligence and how he had managed to get free from the peg he had been tied to. This reveals the fact that he was a true animal lover and enjoyed the antics of the monkey.
Question 21. Who was Nana? How did Toto tease Nana?
Answer
Nana was the family donkey. Toto was kept in the stable with Nana, where Toto used to tease Nana by fast biting on to her long ears with his sharp little teeth. Even Nana got fed up with Toto.
Question 22. Why didn’t the ticket-collector charge for the tortoise?
Answer
The ticket-collector did not charge for the tortoise because, according to his probe, it was not a dog and according to railway-rules only dogs could be charged. This was funny as even Toto was not a dog.
Question 23. Why could Toto and Nana not become friends?
Answer
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 bit on the long ears of Nana and Nana got annoyed with Toto. Thus, Nana and Toto could not become friends.
Question 24. When and why would Toto refuse to take a bath?
Answer
Toto would refuse to take a bath if someone laughed at him as he rushed to the kitchen fire to dry himself. He would feel hurt at being mocked in this manner.
Question 25. What did Toto consider a treat on winter evenings? Why?
Answer
Toto loved sitting in warm water and when Grandfather would keep a large bowl of warm water for his bath, Toto considered it a treat.
Question 26. How did Toto's love for taking bathe almost lead to his being half-boiled?
Answer
Toto used to love taking baths in hot water. 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 tried getting up but found outside cold. So, he again sat down. He kept on hopping outside and then again inside and after some time he started enjoying this game.
Question 27. Where did Grandfather finally send Toto and what did it cost him?
Answer
Grandfather finally sold Toto back to the same tonga-driver from whom he was earlier bought. However, Toto had been bought for five rupees and could be sold back only for three rupees.
Question 28. Why did grandfather give away Toto, the monkey?
Answer
Toto was very naughty and he troubled everyone. The other pets were not happy with him and he broke a lot of dishes, tore clothes, curtains and wallpapers. He had become very difficult to handle and so grandfather gave Toto away.
Long Answer Type Questions
Question 1. How did Toto get on Grandmother’s nerves at lunch-time one day?
Answer
One day, at lunch-time, a large dish of pullao had been placed at the centre of the dining-table in the narrator’s house. When his family entered the room, they found Toto stuffing himself with rice. This startled Grandmother and she screamed. Toto at once threw a plate at her in his defence. Then one of the narrator’s aunts rushed forward and Toto threw a glass of water in her face. When Grandfather arrived, Toto escaped through the window with the dish of pulao. The family found him in the branches of a jackfruit tree with the dish in his arms. He stayed there all afternoon and slowly finished every grain of rice in the dish. In the end, he threw the dish and chattered with delight when it broke just to spite Grandmother who had screamed at him.
Question 2. Why was Toto not the kind of pets which could be kept at home for long?
Answer
Toto was a pretty and entertaining pet but not the kind of pets which could be kept at home for long. By nature, he was mischievous and more importantly, destructive. The first time when he was kept in a little closet opening into the author's bedroom wall and tied securely, he not only peeled off the ornamental paper from the wall but also reduced the author's blazer into shreds. He was always tearing things to pieces. It caused great embarrassment to the author's family whenever one of his aunts came near him and he made every effort to get hold of her dress and tear a hole in it. Toto threw a plate when grandmother screamed at him for savouring the pullao. Perching on the jackfruit tree he enjoyed every grain lavishly and threw the dish to spite grandmother. The frequent loss of dishes, clothes, curtains and wallpaper was too much to afford for the author's not well-to-do family.
Question 3. What human values do you see in Grandmother after reading this story?
Answer
Grandmother appeared to be a tough woman. She always fussed when Grandfather brought home some new bird or animal but this fuss would disappear as soon as she would get into a good mood. That is why she accepted Toto as the new pet after a few days. When Toto tore the narrator’s school-blazer to shreds, the narrator’s first worry was what Grandmother would say. He thought so because she gave the impression of being a strict disciplinarian. However, her soft heart had compassion for all. Toto was mischievous and destructive since day one; still, Grandmother would overlook everything and give him a bowl of warm water to bathe. Again, it was the Grandmother who rescued Toto from getting boiled in the kettle. Thus it can be clearly seen that Grandmother had a kind heart, although she appeared to be tough outwardly.
Question 4. Grandfather was a great animal lover. Discuss.
Answer
Yes, Grandfather was a great animal lover. This can be proved by the fact that he had a private zoo which housed a tortoise, a donkey, a tame squirrel, a pair of rabbits and a monkey all in a cage in the servants’ quarters. In fact, he paid a sum of five rupees for the monkey who he felt sorry for as he found him chained to the water trough by the tonga-driver. He also willingly travelled with not only the monkey but also a tortoise on his trip to Saharanpur.
He also put up with the mischief and destruction caused by the monkey as far as he could till he knew that the family would no longer support him in allowing the monkey to stay with them. He finally sold him back to the tonga-driver for just three rupees.
Question 5. According to you, which mischief of Toto was the most notorious? Why?
Answer
Toto was a master of mischiefs. He could think of a mischief for every occasion or anything that he came across. 'If there is a part of the brain especially devoted to mischief, that part was largely developed in Toto.' But, I think, Toto's most notorious mischief was his experiment with the kitchen kettle on fire in which he had nearly succeeded in boiling himself alive. Toto, having nothing better to do, removed the lid of the kettle which was on fire to boil for tea. Finding the water warm, Toto got into the kettle keeping his head out. But as the water became hotter and unbearable, Toto tried to come out. He hopped inside again as it was cold outside. Grandmother's on time hauling him up saved him. Without grandmother's timely intervention, not only Toto would have died but it could have also led to some mother mishap like fire in the hours. Perhaps, the family would have repented throughout their lives for being less careful.
Question 6. Describe the situation in which grandfather found himself at the Saharanpur railway station.
Answer
Toto’s presence had still not been disclosed to the grandmother. The next day, grandfather had to go to Saharanpur to get his pension. He decided to take Toto along with him. He got a big black canvas bag and put Toto into it. The bag was too strong for Toto to bite or tear. Toto remained in the bag as far as Saharanpur. At the gate, as the ticket-collector was checking grandfather’s ticket, Toto put his head out of the bag and grinned at the ticket-collector. He told the grandfather that there was a dog with him. Grandfather told him that it was not a dog. but a monkey. But the ticket-collector was adamant and charged three rupees extra. Then grandfather showed him his pet tortoise. The ticket-collector said that it was not a dog and hence there would be no ticket for it.
Question 7. Toto was a sharp and active monkey. Discuss.
Answer
Toto was keenly observant and swift in his actions. He noted closely the manner in which the narrator took a bath. He copied every action including testing the temperature of the water with his hand. His physical appearance added to his sharp and active image. Deep-set eyebrows framing his sparkling eyes, pearly white teeth frequently breaking into a grin, quick and wickedly used fingers, and a long tail made Toto look every inch a clever monkey. However, he used his intelligence to do all kinds of mischievous things. He destroyed the wallpaper of the narrator’s bedroom, shredded his school blazer, did not let the other animals sleep peacefully, a bit on the family donkey’s ears, made holes in the narrator’s aunt’s dresses, and ate the pulao and broke the dish afterwards. Thus, Toto certainly was a sharp and active monkey but he was difficult to train and could not be kept as a pet for long and without peril.
Question 8. Describe how Toto took a bath in cold winter evenings.
Answer
Taking a bath in warm water on cold winter evenings was a great treat for Toto. Grandmother kept warm water in a large bowl. He would cunningly test the temperature with his hand, then gradually step into the bath, first one foot, then the other until he was into the water up to his neck. All these things Toto did like the way grandfather did. Once comfortable, he would take the soap on his hands or feet and rub himself all over. When the water became cold, he would get out and run as quickly as he could to the kitchen fire in order to dry himself. If anyone laughed at him during this performance, Toto's feelings would be hurt and he would refuse to go in with his bath.