A Window on the Universe Summary 02

A Window on the Universe Summary 02

The Star Ducks by Bill Brown

 

No.

Page

Question

Answer

STORY TWO – The Star Ducks

1

25

The story opens with a description of Ward Rafferty. What is his profession, and how do we know this?

He is a journalist/reporter. We know this because he leaves The Times press car and because of the description of his ‘newshawk’s nose’.

2

25

How does Rafferty know that Mr Alsop is not a Times reader?

He knows this because most people have heard of his by-line ‘I’m Rafferty of The Times.’ Given that Mr.Alsop enquire as to who Rafferty is, he cannot, according to Rafferty, have been a Times reader.

3

26

Rafferty finds the Alsops rather strange. What in particular makes the Alsops so bizarre?

 

a)      Their idea that planes do not have wings

b)      Their sheer dumbness

c)      Their lack of energy

The answer is b, their sheer dumbness. Rafferty cannot believe that two people could be so stupid.

4

27

Rafferty is shocked to find a strange piece of technology that looked like a giant plastic balloon only half inflated. What is another word that the author uses that could substitute the term ‘piece of technology’? 

 

a)Bodoni

b) Stock

c) Contraption

The answer is c, contraption. The author uses this term twice to  describe the strange object.

5

27

After Rafferty has seen the strange object, the first thing that he thinks of is related to his profession. What is it that he thinks of?  

Rafferty thinks of a possible headline for a newspaper.  This is: ‘Local Farmer Builds Rocket Ship For Moon Voyage’

6

28

Mr.Alsop leads Rafferty over to meet the creators of the strange spaceship. Where does Rafferty think they might be from?

Russia. Rafferty asks whether they are Russians after Mr.Asop tells him that they are pretty hard to talk to.

7

28

Mr.Alsop takes Rafferty into the living room, where Rafferty tries to ‘play along’ when meeting the invaders. What three bodily features of the aliens does Rafferty notice, and how does he describe those features?

1)      Their long, flexible antennae

2)      Their lavender faces as expressionless as glass

3)      The round eyes that  seemed to be painted on

8

29

Rafferty is very shocked to see the aliens and he tells himself that he must be crazy, drunk or dreaming. He asks Mrs.Alsop what their names are casually. How does Mrs.Alsop explain that you can work out their names?

The aliens point their horns at you and you can think what they think. By seeing what they are thinking, you can work out their names.

9

29

Rafferty throws his match into the coal bucket. Soon after, he doesn’t know what term to use to describe the aliens. Which two terms does he use?

He calls them both ‘things’ and ‘people’.

10

30

‘Rafferty’s brain turns into rubber when the alien points her horn at him’. True or false? If true, how do you know? If false, why is it false?

False. Rafferty’s brain felt as though it were made of rubber when the alien points her horn at him. It does not, however, turn to rubber in reality.

11

30

Rafferty shouts to Mr and Mrs Alsop that the arrival of the creatures is the most important thing that has ever happened in the history of the world. What makes Rafferty realise that these creatures are not fake but are in fact from another planet?

Rafferty realises this after he is transported through space when the female alien points her horns at him.

12

31

How would you describe the personality of the creatures?  Give one example to prove this.

a)      Rude

b)      Polite

c)      Invasive

d)      Bored

The answer is b). The creatures are very polite, taking care not to eavesdrop on other people’s minds. Brown (the author) also describes the aliens as polite when they meet Rafferty.

 

13

31

What are the aliens on earth for?

They are here to get eggs.

14

32

Rafferty wants to take a photo of the creatures, but before Mr.Alsop can find a film, the creatures disappear in their ship. Rafferty then thinks about the story he could write, and he realises what their last names actually were. What was their last name, and how does Rafferty realise this?

Their last name was Smith. Rafferty realises this because they said that their last name was ‘man-who-bends-iron’. A man who bends an iron is a ‘blacksmith’ and this is where the word ‘smith’ comes from

15

32

After the creatures leave, Rafferty does not give up but continues to ask the Alsop’s questions. Why is Rafferty so desperate to get more information from Mr and Mrs.Alsop after the creatures leave?

Rafferty desperately wants a good story for his newspaper. He, therefore, wants as much information as he can get from the Alsop’s.

16

33

The Alsop’s tell Raffery that they were given star duck eggs from the creatures. What does Mr.Alsop mean when he says that  ‘The star points bothered the old hen something awful’

Mr.Alsop gave the star duck eggs to his hen to look after, but the points on the egg were very uncomfortable for the hen!

17

33

Describe in as much detail as possible what a star duck looks like when it is fully grown.

Star ducks look something like a mix between a hippopotamus and a swallow. They have six legs.

 

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A Window on the Universe Summary 03

A Window on the Universe Summary 03

Human Is by Ray Bradbury

 

No. Page Question Answer
STORY ONE – Zero Hour
1 10 At the beginning of the novel we are introduced to a group of children who are playing a game. What is this game called? The game is called ‘Invasion’.  
2 10 The fury and bustle of the game was occurring only among the younger children. From what age upwards constituted the ‘older children’? 10 years old or more
3 11 Why doesn’t Mink want Joseph Connors to play the game? She thinks that Joseph will make fun of them; that he will laugh and spoil the invasion.
4 11 ‘The adults really did not long to join in with the game and were happy without the fierce energy of the wild tots.’ True or False? This is false. The adults longed to join in the game and were jealous of the fierce energy of the wild tots. 
5 12 In what tone did Mink speak to an imaginary person near the rose bush?  In an earnest tone
6 12 Mink dictates to Anna two answers that the imaginary person near the rosebush gives her. What are these two nouns? ‘Triangle’ and ‘beam’
7 13

Who or what is drill?

  1. A new boy in the neighbourhood
  2. Another word given by the imaginary person near the rose bush
  3. Mink’s brother
 The answer is a. 
8 14 Which planets could Drill potentially be from? He could from Jupiter or Saturn or Venus.
9 14 Mink tells her mother the story of how the Martians are going to invade earth. She gets confused when talking about ‘dim-dims’. What is mink trying to say when she says that there is ‘something about dim-dims’? Mink is trying to say that Drill told her that there are four dimensions.
10 15 Mink is upset because guys like Pete Britz and Dale Jerrick are making fun of her. They do not believe that Drill exists. Why does Mink think that they have these opinions? She thinks that they have these opinions because they are growing up.
11 15 Mink’s mother is unhappy that Drill told Mink that she can do things she isn’t supposed to. What two things did Drill tell Mink she can do? Mink told Drill that she can stay up until ten o’clock and that she can watch two television shows on Saturday instead of one. 
12 16 Mrs Morris asks Helen whether they were as bad as her kids in 1948. Helen says that they were worse. What game does she say they were playing that was so bad?  The game was called ‘Japs and Nazis’ (Terms used for the Japanese and German enemy during the Second World War)
13 16

Through what technology do Mrs.Morris and Helen speak to each other?

  1. The telephone
  2. The audi-visor
  3. The computer
 B) The audio-visor

14

17

What does Mink do with the Yoyo that makes Mrs.Morris so confused?

She makes the Yo-Yo vanish and then she makes it reappear.

15

17

What complicated word does Mrs.Morris use towards Helen that Mink had just previously learned from Drill? What had Mrs.Morris previously said on page 16 that this word meant?

Mrs.Morris uses the word impressionable , a word that Mink had just learned from Drill.  Mrs.Morris had previously said that impressionable means ‘to be a child’.

16

18

What time is ‘zero hour’?

Five o’clock.

17

19

Mrs.Morris calls Mr.Morris ‘Henry’. Do we yet know Mrs.Morris’ first name, and if not, what is she called by Mr.Morris?

We do not yet know Mrs.Morris’ first name. She is called ‘darling’ by Mr.Morris.

18

19

The children have almost nothing with them except two important objects, of which they have many in a square-shaped arrangement. What are these objects?

Pipes and Hammers

19

20

There is an explosion soon after zero hour that comes from the area that Mink is playing in. What does Mrs.Morris realise after the explosion, and from where in her mind does her suspicion arise?

Her suspicion arises from her subconscious, and she realises that Mink may have been telling the truth all along.

20

20

21

21

If the aliens had a skin colour, what colour would this most likely be? 

  1. Pink
  2. Orange
  3. Green
  4. Blue

The most likely colour is blue. This is because the author described Mink as having ‘tall blue shadows’ behind her when she comes in to the room with the adults.

22

21

Henry Morris and Mrs.Morris hide in the attic of their house and throw away the key. Why is Mrs.Morris suddenly so afraid of Mink entering the room, and at what point does Henry Morris start to share the fear of Mrs.Morris?

Mrs.Morris is afraid because she thinks that the invaders will kill her and her husband. Henry starts to share inher fear when he hears the alien sound of eagerness in Mink’s voice.

 

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A Window on the Universe Summary 01

A Window on the Universe Summary 01

Zero Hours by Ray Bradbury

 

No. Page Question Answer
STORY ONE – Zero Hour
1 10 At the beginning of the novel we are introduced to a group of children who are playing a game. What is this game called? The game is called ‘Invasion’.  
2 10 The fury and bustle of the game was occurring only among the younger children. From what age upwards constituted the ‘older children’? 10 years old or more
3 11 Why doesn’t Mink want Joseph Connors to play the game? She thinks that Joseph will make fun of them; that he will laugh and spoil the invasion.
4 11 ‘The adults really did not long to join in with the game and were happy without the fierce energy of the wild tots.’ True or False? This is false. The adults longed to join in the game and were jealous of the fierce energy of the wild tots. 
5 12 In what tone did Mink speak to an imaginary person near the rose bush?  In an earnest tone
6 12 Mink dictates to Anna two answers that the imaginary person near the rosebush gives her. What are these two nouns? ‘Triangle’ and ‘beam’
7 13

Who or what is drill?

  1. A new boy in the neighbourhood
  2. Another word given by the imaginary person near the rose bush
  3. Mink’s brother
 The answer is a. 
8 14 Which planets could Drill potentially be from? He could from Jupiter or Saturn or Venus.
9 14 Mink tells her mother the story of how the Martians are going to invade earth. She gets confused when talking about ‘dim-dims’. What is mink trying to say when she says that there is ‘something about dim-dims’? Mink is trying to say that Drill told her that there are four dimensions.
10 15 Mink is upset because guys like Pete Britz and Dale Jerrick are making fun of her. They do not believe that Drill exists. Why does Mink think that they have these opinions? She thinks that they have these opinions because they are growing up.
11 15 Mink’s mother is unhappy that Drill told Mink that she can do things she isn’t supposed to. What two things did Drill tell Mink she can do? Mink told Drill that she can stay up until ten o’clock and that she can watch two television shows on Saturday instead of one. 
12 16 Mrs Morris asks Helen whether they were as bad as her kids in 1948. Helen says that they were worse. What game does she say they were playing that was so bad?  The game was called ‘Japs and Nazis’ (Terms used for the Japanese and German enemy during the Second World War)
13 16

Through what technology do Mrs.Morris and Helen speak to each other?

  1. The telephone
  2. The audi-visor
  3. The computer
 B) The audio-visor

14

17

What does Mink do with the Yoyo that makes Mrs.Morris so confused?

She makes the Yo-Yo vanish and then she makes it reappear.

15

17

What complicated word does Mrs.Morris use towards Helen that Mink had just previously learned from Drill? What had Mrs.Morris previously said on page 16 that this word meant?

Mrs.Morris uses the word impressionable , a word that Mink had just learned from Drill.  Mrs.Morris had previously said that impressionable means ‘to be a child’.

16

18

What time is ‘zero hour’?

Five o’clock.

17

19

Mrs.Morris calls Mr.Morris ‘Henry’. Do we yet know Mrs.Morris’ first name, and if not, what is she called by Mr.Morris?

We do not yet know Mrs.Morris’ first name. She is called ‘darling’ by Mr.Morris.

18

19

The children have almost nothing with them except two important objects, of which they have many in a square-shaped arrangement. What are these objects?

Pipes and Hammers

19

20

There is an explosion soon after zero hour that comes from the area that Mink is playing in. What does Mrs.Morris realise after the explosion, and from where in her mind does her suspicion arise?

Her suspicion arises from her subconscious, and she realises that Mink may have been telling the truth all along.

20

20

21

21

If the aliens had a skin colour, what colour would this most likely be? 

  1. Pink
  2. Orange
  3. Green
  4. Blue

The most likely colour is blue. This is because the author described Mink as having ‘tall blue shadows’ behind her when she comes in to the room with the adults.

22

21

Henry Morris and Mrs.Morris hide in the attic of their house and throw away the key. Why is Mrs.Morris suddenly so afraid of Mink entering the room, and at what point does Henry Morris start to share the fear of Mrs.Morris?

Mrs.Morris is afraid because she thinks that the invaders will kill her and her husband. Henry starts to share inher fear when he hears the alien sound of eagerness in Mink’s voice.

 

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Zero Hour A Window on the Universe

Zero Hour A Window on the Universe

Zero Hour A Window on the Universe Themes

Zero Hour

  • Future is peaceful: all adults are confident and happy in a peaceful world, but suggestions of danger in children’s game (Mink keeps saying everyone pokes fun)
  • Becomes clear aliens are going to attack using children: very disturbing, as the reader comes to believe Mink before her parents do
  • Conflict between adults and children (mother wonders if children forget and forgive parents for punishing and commanding them – ominous, as Mink suggests they’re going to be hurt, and children will rule the world)
  • Scary ending: presumably a violent end to the parents

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A Window on the Universe short stories 01

A Window on the Universe short stories 01

A Window on the Universe Essay Question and Sample Answer

A Window on the Universe Essay 1

Does this collection of stories offer a positive or a negative view of the future? Give examples from the stories to support your answer.

In A Window on the Universe, the portrayal of the future is mainly negative. Most stories involve some kind of threat: global disasters, the negative impact of new technologies, or alien invasions.

Global disasters are suggested to be a major threat to humanity in the future. In ‘The Hammer of God’, the main characters are attempting to save the Earth from an asteroid which could destroy it. It is also implied that Earth has suffered devastating natural disasters, as California has been destroyed by an earthquake. Human activity is also suggested to be a factor in the potential destruction of humanity: in ‘Who Can Replace a Man?’, humanity is in danger because the soil was over-used and could no longer grow sufficient food to support Earth’s increasing population.

It is not just humanity that could cause problems in the future, according to these stories: alien invasion could be a source of danger. The very eerie story, ‘Zero Hour’, terrifyingly suggests that aliens could use the impressionability and innocence of children to attack Earth. In ‘Human Is’, although the aliens do not seem hostile, their disturbing methods of coming to Earth – by taking over the bodies of humans – is certainly threatening. ‘The Machine That Won the War’ claims that the Earth has been involved in a protracted inter-galactic war. Although Earth wins the war in the end, the idea of battling aliens certainly offers a negative view of the future.

Developed technologies are described as having both potentially positive and negative impacts in the future. Several stories have helpful machines operating in the background to the main stories, such as the domestic helpers in ‘Human Is’ and the manual labouring machines in ‘Who Can Replace a Man?’. However, high-tech equipment is also suggested to be a threat. In ‘Stitch in Time’, a woman’s truly human story of love is tragically interrupted by time-travel technology. ‘The Sound Machine’ also implies that developed technology could provide us with knowledge that could drive humans mad: Klausner is terribly affected by his ability to hear sounds made by plants.

In conclusion, this collection of stories highlights potential dangers and difficulties that could be experienced by humanity in the future. The future is largely portrayed as a dangerous place, with humans having to deal with new threats from Earth and beyond.

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