The Book That Saved the Earth”
📘 Easy Summary (Simple English)
The Book That Saved the Earth is a humorous science-fiction play set in the 25th century.
A Historian tells how the Earth was saved from a Martian invasion in 2040.
The Martian leader Think-Tank sends a team to Earth. They land in a library but do not know what books are. Think-Tank wrongly believes that books are sandwiches and tools of communication.
The Martians read Mother Goose nursery rhymes and misunderstand them as signs of Earth’s advanced science and weapons. Think-Tank becomes scared and cancels the invasion.
Thus, a simple book of rhymes saves the Earth.
The play shows that ignorance is dangerous and books are powerful.
📗 हिंदी में सरल सारांश
“The Book That Saved the Earth” एक हास्यपूर्ण विज्ञान-कथा नाटक है।
इसमें बताया गया है कि वर्ष 2040 में मंगल ग्रह के लोग पृथ्वी पर आक्रमण करना चाहते थे।
मंगल ग्रह का शासक थिंक-टैंक अपने सैनिकों को पृथ्वी पर भेजता है। वे एक पुस्तकालय में पहुँचते हैं लेकिन किताबों को पहचान नहीं पाते। थिंक-टैंक किताबों को सैंडविच और संचार साधन समझ लेता है।
वे Mother Goose की कविताएँ पढ़ते हैं और उनका गलत अर्थ निकालते हैं।
थिंक-टैंक डर जाता है और पृथ्वी पर हमला रोक देता है।
इस तरह एक साधारण कविता-पुस्तक पृथ्वी को बचा लेती है।
यह नाटक बताता है कि अज्ञानता खतरनाक होती है और किताबों की शक्ति महान होती है।
✍️ CBSE Important Short Answer Questions
(30–40 words)
Q1. Why was the twentieth century called the “Era of the Book”?
Answer:
It was called the “Era of the Book” because books were widely read and used for knowledge, education, and information in every field of life.
Q2. Where did the Martians land on Earth?
Answer:
The Martians landed in the Centerville Public Library, but they did not know it was a library.
Q3. What mistake did Think-Tank make about books?
Answer:
Think-Tank thought that books were sandwiches and devices used by Earthlings for communication.
Q4. Which book saved the Earth?
Answer:
A book of nursery rhymes called Mother Goose saved the Earth from a Martian invasion.
Q5. Why did Think-Tank cancel the invasion?
Answer:
He misunderstood nursery rhymes as proof of Earth’s advanced weapons and intelligence, so he became frightened.
📝 CBSE Important Long Answer Questions
(100–120 words)
Q1. How did a book save the Earth from a Martian invasion?
Answer:
The Martians landed in a library and found books, which they could not understand. Their leader Think-Tank wrongly believed that books were sandwiches and communication tools. When the Martians read nursery rhymes from Mother Goose, they misunderstood them as secret codes showing Earth’s advanced science, weapons, and intelligence. Think-Tank became scared and thought Earth might attack Mars. Due to this fear and misunderstanding, he cancelled the invasion plan and ordered his troops to leave Earth. Thus, a simple book of nursery rhymes saved the Earth.
Q2. What is the theme and message of the play?
Answer:
The main theme of the play is the power of books and the danger of ignorance. The play shows that knowledge is strength, while lack of understanding leads to fear and foolish decisions. It also highlights that appearances can be misleading. Through humour and science fiction, the writer conveys that books are valuable sources of wisdom and can even change the fate of the world.
Q3. Write a character sketch of Think-Tank.
Answer:
Think-Tank is the proud and foolish ruler of Mars. He considers himself the most intelligent being in the universe. However, he lacks real knowledge and often makes wrong assumptions. He misinterprets books and nursery rhymes, which leads to fear and panic. He does not listen to others and believes he is always right. His ignorance finally saves the Earth, making him a comic and ironic character.