An Alien Hand

 AP / NCERT Solutions for Grade 7 English Supplementary Reader An Alien Hand

Chapter 7 An Alien Hand

Comprehension Check

1. How does Tilloo manage to find his way to the ‘forbidden passage’?

Tilloo managed to find his way to the ‘forbidden passage’ one day while his father was taking a nap. He used his father’s security card to enter the passage.

2. What did Tilloo hope to see once he emerged from his underground home?

Tilloo had hoped that he would be able to see the sun if it was day or stars if it was night once he emerged from his underground home.

3. Why did Tilloo’s father advise him not to try to reach the surface of the planet?

Tilloo's father told him not to go to the planet's surface. The air there is too thin and tough to breathe, and it's very cold. Tilloo wouldn't manage it.

4. What changes had occurred that forced people to live in underground homes?

The sun got very cold, and birds disappeared. Then, animals and fish went away. The air got thin, and it became super cold. These changes made people live in underground houses to stay safe.

Comprehension Check

1. Why was everyone in the Control Room greatly excited?

Everyone in the Control Room was greatly excited because they got to know that two spacecraft were approaching their planet.

2. Was the spacecraft manned or unmanned? How do you know it?

As per the reports of the Central Bureau, the spacecraft was unmanned. It only had instruments.

3. What did Number One and Number Two suggest should be done about the alien spacecraft?

Number One suggested that they should let the spacecraft land, and then it would be easy for them to make it ineffective.

Number Two suggested that they just wait and watch, as it would not be wise to reveal their existence. Fortunately, the surface of their planet gave no signs of life anyway.

Comprehension Check

1. What do you think the mechanical hand was trying to do?

The mechanical hand was trying to collect soil samples of Mars in order to understand if there was life on the planet.

2. Tilloo pressed the red button, and “the damage was done”. What was the damage?

The damage was that due to the press of the red button, the mechanical hand stopped working, and it became inactive.

3. Where had the spacecraft come from?

The spacecraft had come from the planet Earth.

4. On which planet do Tilloo and his parents live?

Tilloo and his parents lived underground on the planet Mars.

Discuss the following topics in groups.

1. If you had to live in a home like Tilloo’s, what parts of life would you find most difficult? What compensations might there be?

I'd struggle if there was no fresh air, stars, sun, moon, rain, seasons, animals, plants, or nature. It would be boring and fake. But, having controlled temperature and air might be a good thing.

2. What, if anything, might drive mankind to make their homes underground?

If the conditions on the surface of the planet are not good enough to survive, mankind might get driven to make their homes underground.

3. Do you think there is life on other planets? Can you guess what kind of people there may be on them? In what ways are they likely to be different from us?

I believe there might be life on other planets. Scientists are researching to find evidence. They use spacecraft to explore the moon and Mars. If there's life, it would be different, adapted to their environment.