Extra Questions
1.From where did Grandfather buy Toto? Why did he decide to buy Toto?
Ans. The grandfather bought Toto from a tonga-driver for the sum of five rupees who kept the monkey to a feeding-trough.
The grandfather decided to buy the monkey. This is because it looked very out of place as a result of which and thus decided that to buy it and would keep it in his private zoo.
2. Give a physical description of Toto.
Ans. Toto was a pretty monkey whose eyes sparkled with mischief beneath deep-set eyebrows, and his teeth, which were a pearly white in colour. His smile frightened the life of out of elderly Anglo-Indian ladies. But his hands were dried up as though they had been pickled in the sun for years. His tail served as a third hand.
3. Talk about the third hand of Toto.
Ans. The third hand of Toto was his tail. It was considered to be his third hand by his grandfather. He could use it to hang from a branch. It was also capable of scooping up any delicacy that might be out of reach of his hands.
So, in a way it was very useful to him.
4. Why did grandfather hide Toto’s presence from grandmother?
Ans. The grandmother didn’t like animals. She always fussed whenever the grandfather brought some new bird or animal home. That’s why the grandfather hid Toto’s presence from the grandmother.
5. Where was Toto hidden? What did he do there?
Ans. The grandfather hid Toto from the grandmother. He kept him away in a little closet opening into my bedroom wall. There he was tied securely to a peg fastened into the wall.
6. How did the grandfather react to Toto’s destruction in the closet?
Ans. The walls which were covered with some ornamental paper were damaged by Toto and instead it was left naked brick and plaster. The peg in the wall had been wrenched from its socket and the narrator’s school blazer was hanging and was in shreds.
7. From the closet where was Toto taken? Which other animals were there?
Ans. From the closet, Toto was being transferred to a big cage in the servant’s quarters. There lived many other animals which were actually the grandfather’s pets. His pets included a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a tame of squirrel, and a white goat. All of them lived very sociably together.
8. Why did grandfather decide to take Toto with his Saharanpur? How did he arrange his journey?
Ans. Toto was kept with the other pets but he didn’t allow the other pets to sleep at night. So, he had to be shifted or else the grandmother would get to know about him as a result of which the grandfather decided to take Toto with him to Saharanpur where he would get the pension.
A big black canvas kit-bag was provided to Toto. Along with that, some straw was fitted at the bottom and this was his new abode. When the bag was closed, there were no chances of escape.
9. What were Toto’s activities on the journey to Saharanpur?
Ans. Toto was provided with a black canvas and with that some straw were fitted at the bottom, which was his new abode. The grandfather packed the bag in such a manner that Toto would not be able to escape any more. Toto could not get his hands through the opening and the canvas was too strong for him to bite his way through. He made efforts to jump out of the bag and this attracted the attention of the peoples in the Dehra Dun station.
10. How did Toto surprise the Ticket tracker and how did the ticket tracker impose a charge?
Ans. The ticket tracker was quite surprised after Toto poked his head out of his bag and gave him a wide grin.
The ticket tracker regarded Toto to be a dog instead of a monkey. So, the grandfather took him out and tried to prove that he was not a dog instead he was a monkey. But the ticket tracker classified him to be a dog, so he charged a sum of three rupees as the fare of Toto.
11. How did grandfather react to the ticket tracker’s charging over Toto? How did grandfather try to bully him?
Ans. The grandfather tried to prove Toto to be a monkey and he did not qualify as a dog or even a quadruped.
The grandfather decided to take his money back. In order to do so, he took out a pet tortoise from his pocket and asked what he would charge for all his animals. And finally, the ticket tracker declared that he would not be taking any charge as it was a tortoise and not a dog.
12. With whom did grandfather keep Toto in the stable? How did Toto disturb Nana?
Ans. The grandfather kept Toto in the stable with the family donkey named Nana after the grandmother finally accepted him.
On the first night, Nana was found pulling at her halter and trying to keep her head as far as possible from a bundle of hay. Toto had fastened on to her long ears with his sharp little teeth.
13. How would Toto take bath on winter evenings?
Ans. On cold winter evenings, Toto was given a large bowl of warm water by the grandmother for his bath. He used to test the temperature with his hand and then gradually step into it. At first, he would step with one foot and then with the other until he was into the water upto the neck. After getting comfortable, he would take the soap in his hands or feet and then rub himself. But as soon as the water was cold again, he would get out of it and then ran near the kitchen-fire so that he could dry himself. And if anyone would laugh at him after seeing his performance, then it would hurt his feelings and he would refuse to go on with his bath.
14. How was Toto half-boiled?
Ans. Once a large kitchen kettle had been kept on fire and tea was supposed to be made. Thinking it to be the water kept for bath, Toto initially checked it to be warm enough and got into it with his head sticking out from the open kettle. But the water continued to boil and Toto after finding that it was cold outside sat again. He continued hopping up and down for sometime until the grandmother rescued him and thus, by this way, he was half-boiled.
15. How would Toto behave when the narrator’s aunts would go near him?
Ans. When the narrator’s aunts arrived and would go near Toto, he would make every effort to get hold of her dress and tear a hole in it.
16. How did Toto behave with others during his Pullao eating time?
Ans. During Pullao eating time, a large dish of pullao was kept at the centre of the dining room. Toto was stuffing himself with rice. When grandmother screamed after seeing Toto, then he threw a plate on her. After that, When the grandfather arrived, Toto picked up the dish of pullao and escaped through the window.
17. When grandfather arrived where did Toto go with the plate of Pulao?
Ans. When the grandfather arrived, Toto picked up the dish of pullao and escaped through the window. He was found in the branches of the jackfruit tree and the dish was still in his arms. He was there for the whole afternoon eating slowly through the rice and was determined on finishing every grain. After finishing, he threw the dish down the tree and chattered with delight when it broke into pieces.
18. Why did grandfather return Toto? What was the return price?
Ans. The grandfather returned Toto as he was not that sort of pet which could be kept for long. He was very notorious. He used to destroy things like dishes, clothes, curtains and wallpaper and the grandfather couldn’t afford the frequent losses, as a result of which he decided to return Toto.
The grandfather returned Toto back to the tonga driver for only three rupees.
Extra Question (5 marks)
1. Evaluate Toto as a mischievous monkey?
Ans. In the story “The Adventure of Toto” by Ruskin Bond, Toto was indeed a mischievous monkey. When he was kept in the closet, in which the walls were well decorated with ornamental paper, he destroyed everything and there stood the peg in the wall had been wrenched from its socket and the school blazer was hanging and was in shreds. When Toto was kept with the family donkey, Nana, he disturbed a lot. He had fastened on to her long ears with his sharp little teeth. When the narrator’s aunts arrived and would go near Toto, he would make every effort to get hold of her dress and tear a hole in it. Once when Pullao was prepared, a large dish of pullao was kept at the centre of the dining room. Toto was stuffing himself with rice. When grandmother screamed after seeing Toto, then he threw a plate on her. After that, When the grandfather arrived, Toto picked up the dish of pullao and escaped through the window. Later when the grandfather arrived, Toto picked up the dish of pullao and escaped through the window. He was being found in the branches of the jackfruit tree and the dish was still in his arms. He was there for the whole afternoon eating slowly through the rice and was determined on finishing every grain. After finishing, he threw the dish down the tree and chattered with delight when it broke into pieces. The grandfather couldn’t afford the frequent losses of dishes, clothes, curtains and wallpaper, so he decided to return it to the tonga-driver for only three rupees.
2. How did the monkey Toto prove himself a constant disturbance for all?
Ans. In the story “The Adventures of Toto” by Ruskin Bond, the monkey, Toto proves himself to be a constant disturbance for all. Firstly when he was brought, he was kept in the closet in order to hide from the grandmother. But he simply destroyed the closet and there stood the peg in the wall had been wrenched from its socket and the school blazer was hanging and was in shreds. Toto disturbed Nana, the family donkey, a lot while staying with her in the stable. When the narrator’s aunts arrived and would go near Toto, he would make every effort to get hold of her dress and tear a hole in it. Once when Pullao was prepared, a large dish of pullao was kept at the centre of the dining room. Toto was stuffing himself with rice. When grandmother screamed after seeing Toto, then he threw a plate on her. After that, When the grandfather arrived, Toto picked up the dish of pullao and escaped through the window. Later when the grandfather arrived, Toto picked up the dish of pullao and escaped through the window. He was being found in the branches of the jackfruit tree and the dish was still in his arms. He was there for the whole afternoon eating slowly through the rice and was determined on finishing every grain. After finishing, he threw the dish down the tree and chattered with delight when it broke into pieces. The grandfather couldn’t afford the frequent losses of dishes, clothes, curtains and wallpaper, so he decided to return it to the tonga-driver for only three rupees.
3. “Toto, though mischievously was a funny monkey”- Comment.
Ans. In the story “The Adventures of Toto” by Ruskin Bond, Toto was mischievous and on the other hand, was funny. On cold winter evenings, Toto was given a large bowl of warm water by the grandmother for his bath. He used to test the temperature with his hand and then gradually step into it. At first, he would step with one foot and then with the other until he was into the water up to the neck. After getting comfortable, he would take the soap in his hands or feet and then rub himself. But as soon as the water was cold again, he would get out of it and then ran near the kitchen-fire so that he could dry himself. And if anyone would laugh at him after seeing his performance, then it would hurt his feelings and he would refuse to go on with his bath. Once a large kitchen kettle had been kept on fire and tea was supposed to be made. Thinking it to be the water kept for bath, Toto initially checked it to be warm enough and got into it with his head sticking out from the open kettle. But the water continued to boil and Toto after finding that it was cold outside sat again. He continued hopping up and down for some time until the grandmother rescued him and thus, in this way, he was half-boiled.
4. “Animals must be in their natural habitat and not with humans”- Evaluate the statement with reference to the story.
Ans. The story “The Adventure of Toto” by Ruskin Bond shows that animals must be in their natural habitat and not with humans. Toto, the monkey was being bought by the grandfather. But he couldn’t adjust himself with the environment. Initially he destroyed the closet which was well decorated. He disturbed the family donkey named Nana. Not only that, he broke plates and also destroyed things like clothes, curtains, and wallpaper. He threw the plate at the grandmother and later dropped it from the jackfruit tree. At the grandfather’s place, he wasn’t free enough as he would have been in the natural habitat. He couldn’t behave as the family members wanted.