NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English an Alien Hand Chapter 7 an Alien Hand

When Tilloo’s father was enjoying a nap at home, he took his security card and by escaping his vigilant mother’s eye, he made his way to the prohibited passage.

What did Tilloo hope to see once he emerged from his underground home?
Tilloo hoped to see the sun or the stars once he came out from his underground home.

Why did Tilloo’s father advise him not to try to reach the surface of the planet?
Tilloo’s father advised him not to try to go to the surface of the planet because ordinary people cannot survive there. The air is there is too thin to breathe and temperature is very low which can make anyone freeze to death.

The sun which provided the nourishment turned aggressive. Although, it had changed only slightly but the change was adequate to upset the balance of nature which forced people to live in their underground homes. Fish, birds and animals could not tolerate it and became extinct.

Comprehension Check
Why was everyone in the Control Room greatly excited?
Everyone in the Control Room was greatly excited because the huge TV screen showed a dot in its clear background which was heading towards the planet.

Was the spacecraft manned or unmanned? How do you know it?
The spacecraft was unmanned because number one reported to the President that it did not have any living beings and had only instruments.

What, if anything, might drive mankind to make their homes underground?
Increasing Global warming along with pollution and the growing health hazards can be major causes which may result in the exhaustion of the atmosphere and bring climatic changes which will destroy the life on the surface of the Earth and force the mankind to make their homes underground.

Number One suggested that they should wait for the spacecraft to land and then leave it unproductive anytime it is required. But Number Two suggested that they should not intervene and observe quietly. It also said not to disclose their existence by rendering the spacecraft futile.

Comprehension Check
What do you think the mechanical hand was trying to do?
The mechanical hand was trying to collect the samples of soil from the planet for the investigating them.

Tilloo pressed the red button and “the damage was done”. What was the damage?
The damage was that the mechanical hand from the spacecraft stopped working.

Where had the spacecraft come from?
The spacecraft had come from the Earth.

Tilloo and his parents live on the planet Mars.

Discuss the following topics in groups.
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?
The part of life I would have found the most difficult would be the freedom I enjoy and open space to do everything. It will be like living in a jail or an enclosed area far away from open space. There would be no sightseeing, social life and interactions, entertainment etc.
The compensation can be that there would be more peace, harmony, safety and security. As all of us were living in the same under-grounded buildings, the people must have connected with each other and will have a proper bonding.

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?
The answer to the question is that we don’t know. The closest planets to Earth are located millions of miles away, so it’s very difficult to go off and find evidence directly. Still we can assume that there is life on other planets also like Mars.
People would be different from us. Maybe with four eyes, four ears and more number of legs and hands. They will have different way of communicating with each other. They might take their energy from the Sun.They might feel weak in the absence of sun. They might not eat, speak, walk or do whatever we do. They might be boring and would like to stay aloof from others.