An Alien Hand: CBSE Class 7 English Supplementary Chapter 10

A Journey to Mars: Story Summary

The story 'An Alien Hand' revolves around Tilloo, a boy who lives with his parents in an underground colony on Mars. Life on the surface is impossible because the air is too thin and the temperature too low. Tilloo is fascinated by the surface and longs to see it. His father is one of the few who gets to travel to the surface to work. One day, Tilloo manages to get his father's security card and uses it to go through the forbidden passage that leads to the surface. However, the security system detects an unauthorized person and he is brought back to his mother. His father then explains why they must live underground – a small change in the sun had made the surface uninhabitable for their ancestors. Later, the colony's scientists detect a spacecraft approaching Mars. It is the Viking 1 from Earth. The community leaders discuss how to react. In the control room, Tilloo accompanies his father and, out of curiosity, presses a red button on the control panel, which causes the mechanical hand of the 'alien' spacecraft to stop working. The NASA scientists on Earth fix it, but find no signs of life. The story ends with Tilloo still wondering about the aliens in the sky.

Meet the Characters

Understanding the characters helps us appreciate the story better.

• Tilloo: He is the story's protagonist. Tilloo is a young, intelligent, and extremely curious boy. His desire to see the surface of Mars drives the main plot. While his curiosity gets him into trouble, it also represents the spirit of exploration and wonder. His actions, like pressing the red button, show his childish innocence.

• Tilloo's Father: He is a responsible and caring parent. He works on the surface and understands the dangers involved. He balances his duty to the community with his love for his son, choosing to explain the situation to Tilloo patiently rather than just punishing him.

• Tilloo's Mother: She represents concern and safety. Her primary worry is her son's well-being. She is strict when Tilloo breaks the rules but also relieved when he is returned safely.

• The Committee President: The leader of the underground community is wise and cautious. He advises against any action that might reveal their existence to the 'aliens' on the spacecraft, showing a thoughtful and strategic approach to survival.

The Story Unfolds: Key Events

1. Tilloo's Curiosity and the Forbidden Passage — The story begins with Tilloo's intense desire to find out what lies at the end of the secret passage his father uses to go to work on the surface of Mars.
2. The Failed Adventure — Tilloo steals his father's security card and attempts to reach the surface. He is caught by the security system and escorted home, where his father explains the history of their life underground.
3. The Arrival of the 'Alien' — The community's big TV screen shows a dot in the sky, which the scientists identify as a spacecraft from another planet. This causes excitement and concern among the Martians.
4. The Committee's Meeting — The President and the committee of scientists discuss how to react. They decide to adopt a passive, 'watch and wait' policy, believing they have nothing to gain by revealing themselves.
5. Tilloo's Action in the Control Room — Tilloo, accompanying his father to the control room, sees the 'alien hand' from the spacecraft on the screen. Overcome by temptation, he presses a red button, which neutralises the hand's function. The story ends with the spacecraft finding no signs of life, leaving Tilloo to wonder.

Tips for Answering Comprehension Questions

When answering questions from this chapter, always refer back to the text. For questions about characters' motivations (like 'Why did Tilloo press the red button?'), think about their personality. For plot-based questions (like 'What did the committee decide?'), find the exact part of the story that describes the event. Use specific details from the chapter in your answers to show that you have understood the story deeply, rather than just giving a vague summary.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• {"Q":"Why did Tilloo and his family live underground on Mars?","A":"Step 1: Recall the information given by Tilloo's father. He explained the history of their ancestors.\nStep 2: The ancestors lived on the surface, but a change in the sun's nature made the surface uninhabitable. The air became too thin to breathe and the temperatures became freezing cold.\nStep 3: To survive, they had to move underground and build colonies using their superior technology.\nFinal Answer: Tilloo and his family lived underground on Mars because a long time ago, a change in the sun made the surface of the planet unlivable. The air became too thin, and it got extremely cold. Their ancestors had to use their technology to build colonies underground to survive."}
• {"Q":"What did Tilloo do in the control room and what was the result?","A":"Step 1: Remember the scene where Tilloo accompanies his father to the control room during the observation of the alien spacecraft.\nStep 2: Tilloo saw a big control board with many buttons. His attention was drawn to an attractive red button.\nStep 3: He couldn't resist the temptation and pressed the button. This action caused the mechanical hand of the Viking spacecraft to stop working.\nFinal Answer: In the control room, Tilloo pressed a red button on the control panel out of curiosity. The immediate result was that the mechanical hand of the alien spacecraft, which was on the Martian surface, became non-functional."}
• {"Q":"What was the committee's final decision regarding the alien spacecraft?","A":"Step 1: Think about the meeting held by the President and his committee of scientists.\nStep 2: They discussed whether to reveal themselves or destroy the spacecraft. The President advised against any interference.\nStep 3: He argued that their technology was only advanced enough for survival underground, not for space travel, so they couldn't match the senders of the craft. They decided to remain passive observers.\nFinal Answer: The committee decided to adopt a policy of non-interference. They chose to just watch the alien spacecraft and not reveal their existence, as they believed they had nothing to gain and could be putting themselves at risk by engaging with a technologically superior civilization."}
• {"Q":"What does the 'alien hand' refer to in the story?","A":"Step 1: Identify the context in which the 'alien hand' is mentioned. It is seen on the TV screen in the control room.\nStep 2: Understand that the 'aliens' in this story are the Martians observing a craft from another world (Earth).\nStep 3: The 'hand' is a part of the spacecraft. It was a mechanical device designed to collect soil samples from Mars.\nFinal Answer: The 'alien hand' in the story refers to the mechanical arm of the Viking 1 lander, a spacecraft sent from Earth. From the Martians' perspective, the spacecraft and its parts were 'alien'. This mechanical hand was designed to scoop up soil from the Martian surface for analysis."}

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