No.

Page

Question

Answer

STORY SEVEN – Stitch in Time

1

104

The story opens with a description of Mrs Dolderson’s feelings about the scene outside her French windows. How would you describe her mood about this scene?

a)      Sentimental

b)      Callous

c)      Overwhelmed

d)      Spiteful

e)      Humorous

The answer is a. Mrs Dolderson is sentimental about the scene outside of her French windows.

2

104

What is meant by the ‘bonk-bonk’ from the tennis court?

This is meant to be the sound of the tennis ball being hit by tennis rackets and going backwards and forward, so ‘bonk-bonk’.

3

105

True or false: “Mrs Dolderson has never lived anywhere other than one house.”

This is false, for although it seems as though she has never left, Wyndham writes that Mrs Dolderson “came back to the house after her father died” which must mean that she has lived somewhere else before.

4

105

True or false: “The entire house is occupied by Mrs. Dolderson”

This is false. Mrs.Dolderson occupies four rooms on the south side. The rest of the house is a hostel which houses around twenty young people.

5

106

Mrs.Dolderson is in conversation with her son, Harold, where she tries her best not to let her old age get to her. They have a conversation about something. What is meant when Wyndham writes about Mrs.Dolderson thinking that “in her youth there had been only three”?

Harold is talking to Mrs.Dolderson about dimensions. Mrs.Dolderson is thinking humorously that in her youth there had only been three, so how could there be any more now?

6

106

Who do you think that Jenny is?

Jenny seems to be Mrs.Dolderson’s carer. She clears the table and wheels Mrs.Dolderson around on her wheelchair.

7

107

Mrs.Dolderson ponders over the fact that if she had married Arthur 50 years ago she would have had different children to those that she currently does. Who did she marry instead of Arthur?

She married Colin Dolderson

8

107

Mrs.Dolderson goes into her imagination, thinking about whether Arthur’s children would have been as kind to her or as clever as Harold and Cynthia. Soon after, Wyndham writes that the “afternoon’s drowsiness became irresistible. Mrs.Dolderson did not oppose it.” What is meant by this sentence?

a)      Mrs.Dolderson did not want to fight the beautiful afternoon weather, so she went for a walk.

b)      Mrs.Dolderson could not resist the force of the afternoon in making her fall softly asleep.

c)      Mrs.Dolderson managed to stay awake, despite the will of the afternoon.

d)      The flowers and the bees of the afternoon were so beautiful that Mrs.Dolderson could do nothing but watch them.

The answer is b.

9

108

What form of punctuation does Wyndham use to make us realise that something strange is happening in terms of time? (Possibly too advanced a question)

Wyndham uses an ellipsis (…) in order to do so.

10

108

Mrs.Dolderson hears the voice of someone that she recognises from a long time again, and she is very confused. What does she evetually think must have happened to her?

She thinks that she must have quietly died.

11

109

What sport had Arthur been recently playing?

Tennis

12

109

 Which of these characterizations of the first time Arthur sees Mrs.Dolderson makes the most sense?

a)      Arthur faintly had absolutely no idea who she was, despite trying to place who she was and where he had seen her.

b)      Arthur faintly recognised her, and could place who she was and where he had seen her.

c)      Arthur faintly recognised someone that he may have known, but could not place who she was or where he had seen her.

The answer is c)

13

110

Arthur seems very confused about the presence of Mrs.Dolderson. Do you think that Arthur has been to this location before? How do you know?

Yes, he clearly has. We know this because he is also confused about the fact that the room behind her is ‘sort of half-different’ to what he had expected. Also, Arthur starts by thinking that he has ‘come to the wrong’ place but realises that this cannot be true

14

111

What can we infer is Mrs.Dolderson’s first name?

It must be Thelma. It seems that we have gone back in the time to that day when Arthur was supposed to be meeting Mrs.Dolderson.

15

112

Arthur thinks that he has gone mad because everything has changed. New houses have appeared, rooms have changed in Mrs.Dolderson’s house, colours have changed. What do you think has happened?

Arthur has leapt forward in time.

16

113

Arthur continues to be very confused about what has happened. The sound of aeroplanes had completely changed. Mrs.Dolderson realises that there must have been a change in dimension, and she worries that Arthur will be ‘going out of his mind’. What does this mean, and what does Mrs. Dolderson do to try to solve this?

She is worried that Arthur is going insane. So she decides to give him some alcohol to make him slightly drunk.

17

114

What is the date and year at which Arthur thinks he  is meeting Mrs.Dolderson? Write this in DAY/MONTH/YEAR format.

It is 27/06/1913

18

114

What sign might Wyndham be giving us that Mrs.Dolderson is still in love with Arthur at this moment?

Wyndham writes that Mrs.Dolderson’s “heart ached for him”. This is a metaphor for wanting to be with someone very badly, often due to love.

19

115

How many years have elapsed between the time that Arthur thinks he is meeting Mrs.Dolderson, and the time that he is actually meeting her?

It is the 1/7/1963, so 50 years have elapsed.

20

116/117

Arthur realises that Mrs.Dolderson is Thelma after seeing the date on the newspaper. He realises that he has gone forward in time and is completely overwhelmed. He begins to cry, and Thelma strokes his hair. Somehow, however, Thelma Dolderson wakes up with her son present. How did this happen?

Thelma had called Jenny, the carer, by pressing the bell. Jenny found her having fainted and took her to bed.

21

117

How did Arthur calm down?

A doctor, doctor Sole, injected a tranquilizer into Arthur, which made him quiten down.

22

118

Arthur insists on going back in time to where had come from, but Harold cannot promise to him that this will work. They decide to take the risk. Where does Arthur have to go in order to try to send him back in time?

He has to go to the same place that he was standing when he went forward in time. This was the path by Thelma’s room.

 23

119

At the end of the story, Thelma Dolderson is insistent that Arthur did get sent back in time. Give two pieces of evidence that show she is right.

1.      Thelma can remember Arthur Waring being awarded a D.S.O after 1913.

2.      Her daughter, Cynthia, is engaged to marry the son of Arthur himself!

24

119

Now that you know the full story, why do you think that Arthur never showed up to see the young Thelma?

Arthur never showed up because it would seem that on that very same day when he was supposed to meet the young Thelma, he was sent forward in time!

No.

Page

Question

Answer

STORY SIX – Who Can Replace A Man?

1

90

The story begins with a machine called a ‘field-minder’ that is turning the top-soil of a two-thousand acre field. The field-minder looks at its work and sees that its work was good but the land was bad. What was wrong with the land, and what is meant by ‘vitiated’?

The land was spoiled/destroyed/hurt/ (vitiated) by over-cropping or the long-lasting effects of nuclear bombardment.

2

90

How tall is the field-minder?

The field-minder was thirty feet tall.

3

91

We learn that the field-minder needs seed potatoes from a store room. However, the distributor of the potatoes cannot produce the seed potatoes for   field-minder. Why not?

The store room is locked and the distributor cannot unlock it.

4

91

Only Supply Operative Type P can open the store.

1.Betelgeuse XI

2. Fomalhautan fossil

3. Robant

4. Vidsender

5. Rexor IV

5

91

Which brain is the most inferior and how do you know?

1)      Class twenty

2)      Class eleven

3)      Class eight

The most inferior brain is class twenty. We know this because the field-minder says that its class is superior to the distributor, and it has a number less than the distributor’s.

6

92

The field-minder sets of to see why the unlocker has not come. The unlocker says that it has not had orders that morning and that it can only work when it receives orders. Why has the unlocker not had orders according to the pen-propeller and do you think everything that the pen-propeller says is the full truth?

The unlocker has not had orders because the radio station in the city was issued with no orders that morning. The pen-propeller probably cannot know everything in full detail because it is a class three brain, and there are two classes below(or superior to) that.

7

92

The robots deduce that the radio has not received orders from anyone today. They think that ‘the men have broken down’ and they logically deduce that ‘all men have broken down’ and that ‘if all men have broken down, then we have replaced man.’ What is meant by a logical deduction here?

A logical deduction here is the idea that you can work something out logically from something that came before it.  So in this case, a logical deduction is meant

8

93

The Penner decides to go alone and speak to the radio operator. Name three characteristics of the Penner in this sequence.

1.      It has 10 retractable arms

2.      It is no bigger than a toaster

3.      It can read as qickly as any machine on the station.

9

93

The Penner comes back 20 minutes later with news. Why does the Penner not want to relay this news for everyone?

The Penner thinks that the new he has is not for less intelligent, or lower-class, brains.

10

93

Outside, the yard is full of machines going quite crazy. Why do you think the machines cannot cope with this situation?

They cannot cope because their routines have been disrupted for the first time in years.

11

94

Why do you think that the robots do not understand what a diet deficiency is? Why do they trust the radio operator’s word on this?

They probably do not understand this because they do not need a food diet as they are not human. They trust the radio operator’s word because he is a class two brain, and they have inferior brains.

12

94

“The machines depicted at the beginning of the story live in the city” True or False?

This is false; the robots depicted at the beginning of the story do not live in the city. We know this because the penner says that the ‘machines are fighting in the city now’, implying that the current machines are not in the city.

13

95

Is the radio operator a human or a machine?

The radio operator is a machine. It is described as ‘it’ and as having a ‘class two’ brain.

14

95

The machines release the radio operator from its room, how do they do so, which machine releases it, and why do they do so?

The quarrier knocks down the station wall, revealing the radio operator. It does so because it has orders to do so.

15

96

Why does the Quarrier destroy the locker, and who is ultimately responsible for its destruction?

It does so because it is ordered to do so by the penner, who is ordered to do so by the field-minder. Therefore, the field-minder is ultimately responsible for its destruction.

16

96

The machines decide to rule themselves, led by the radio operator. For what reason do they want to rule themselves?

Given that man no longer rules over the machines, they feel free. They think that to rule themselves will be better than being ruled by man.

17

97

Which of these has the same meaning as this sentence: “said the two class Four tractors in unison.” 

1-      Said the two class Four tractors in a round

2-      Said the two class Four tractors angrily

3-      Said the two class Four tractors at the same time

4-      Said the two class Four tractors, with equal meaning.

The answer is 3.

18

97

Which machine keeps repeating the same sentence, and why?

The quarrier, because it is a class five brain, and it is incapable of making complicated sentences. It seems that it is in fact incapable of saying anything else.

19

98

The bulldozer, as the least sensitive machine, breaks the silence after the other machines have been arguing. It has an odd way of speaking. What is odd about how it speaks?

The bulldozer lisps on its s’s. So when it tries to make an ‘s’ sound it sounds like ‘th’.

20

98

How does the bulldozer know that there are few machines in the Badlands?

It knows this because it worked in the Badlands to the South.

21

98

Where did the bulldozer used to work?

In the factory. We know this because it says that it was ‘turned out of the factory’

22

99

The machines go to the Badlands, where they destroy two big machines and pass a burning city. They come to realise that there are still a few man alive. How do they find out?

A flying machine gives the information to the radio operator.

23

99

On their way through the Badlands, many machines die. How would you describe the reaction of the other machines?

a)      They are very sad about the deaths and they mourn them.

b)      They are all terrified that they will die themselves.

c)      They are not very sad about the deaths and do not mourn them.

The answer is c.

24

100

Why do the other machines not help the penner?

They do not help the penner because they have no servicer with them to repair it.

25

100

At the end of the story, a starving and thin human orders the machines to get him food, at which point they all follow his orders. Why is this an ironic ending?

The ending is ironic because throughout the machines have been talking about revolting against man and governing themselves. As soon, however, as they are faced with a class one brain, they do something different to what they intended and follow his orders. This is an example of irony because the machines behave differently to what they appear to be.

No.

Page

Question

Answer

STORY FIVE– The Machine that won the war

1

80

The story starts with a celebration, in which something ‘had not been halted long’. What is this something, and for what time period might it still be halted for?

Multivac, a giant computer, has not been halted for long. It will be halted for between a day and a week. 

2

80

For what reason do you think the computer was halted?

The computer seems to have been halted because of peace with ‘Deneb’

3

80

John Henderson is talking about the end of war and the destruction of the Denebians. Is this sentence about his mood true or false?

‘John was ecstatic about the destruction of the Denebians but able to regulate his happiness.”

This is false. We know this because Asimov writes that John found it ‘hard to control the relief he felt’. He was unable to regulate his happiness in this situation.

4

81

Swift argues that the computer Multivac saved the group from the Denebians. He glances at the ‘imperturbable’ Jablonsky. How would you differently describe Jablonsky’s reaction in this moment?

a)Terrified

b) Unbelieving

c) Unsure

d) Calm and collected

e) Confused

The only answer which is an appropriate synonym for ‘imperturbable’   is d) calm and collected.

5

81

How many people were allowed to smoke in the tunnels of Multivac?

Just one, Jablonsky.

6

81

There is a conversation going on here between a group of people about whether Multivac won the war or not. What are the full names of the people talking?

Max Jablonsky, John Henderson, Lamar Swift

7

81

Who of the above thinks that Multivac won the war, and who thinks that Multivac did not win the war?

Did not win: Henderson, Jablonsky

Won: Swift

8

81

Henderson is overwhelmed by a sense of guilt and has to inform the others that ‘Multivac had nothing to do with victory’. What gives Henderson the right to have such an authoritative opinion on this subject?

Henderson should know because he supplied the data to the computer. He was ‘chief programmer’.

9

82

Henderson explains to Swift and Jablonsky his understanding of how Multivac worked. What does he say Multivac’s data was made up of?

He says that Multivac’s data was made up of a hundred subsidiary computers on Earth, on the Moon, on Mars, and even on Titan.

10

82

Henderson continues to convey his anger about how little the others know about working for Multivac. In this exchange, we learn a little more about the what the characters were doing throughout the war. What do we learn?

Lamar Swift: Never left the mansion except on state visits

Max Jablonsky: Never left Multivac

Henderson: Chief Programmer

11

82

What does Henderson mean when he says that the others were not ‘out in the thick of it’?

The expression ‘in the thick of it’ means to be completely involved in an activity or a situation. So the idea that the others were not ‘out in the thick of it’ means that they were not fully involved in the war itself.

12

83

Throughout Henderson is admitting something about the nature of the data that Multivac provided and the way in which that data was manipulated. What is he admitting about what the data could not actually do?

Henderson is admitting that Multivac’s data was meaningless and unreliable. It was supposed to predict and circumvent any Denebian move but it could not do so.

13

83

In what way did Henderson manipulate the data?

He corrected the data and made it ‘look right’. He wrote out the necessary data as they were needed. He had Multivac Annex prepare data for him according to a private programming pattern.

14

83

Do you think that computer data is more reliable than the human mind? What from the story could support your idea?

This is a question with a number of potential answers. Answers should display analytic and linguistic depth.

15

84

We learn that Jablonsky also did not approach the Multivac in the way that he was supposed to. Why did Jablonsky ignore the report about unauthorized use of the Multivac Annex?

He ignored it because he did not think that the data mattered.

16

84

Who abandoned Jablonsky as the war came to a close?

His technicians

17

85

Soon after, we learn that even Swift did not take the data seriously. Why was this?

Swift points to the ambiguity of the data given by Multivac. He also says that he could not be certain what Multivac was saying.

18

85

Which of these sentences shares its meaning with the following: “Caught up in the conspiracy of mutual confession, Jablonsky put titles aside.”

1-      Over excited by the group telling of secrets, Jablonsky decided to use first names instead of last names.

2-      Terrified by the idea that everybody was telling secrets, Jablonsky decided to put his data to the side.

3-      Unsure as to whether it was the right time to tell anybody, Jablonsky put his best data to the side.

 The answer is 1.

19

85

In what time and place is this story set?

a)      On planet earth in the past

b)      On planet earth in the future

c)      On planet Multivac in the present

d)      On planet Rexor in the future

e)      On planet Solar in the future

The answer is b). It is set on planet earth in the future.

20

85/86

Given that Swift did not take the data seriously, what did he use to make decisions? What is so special about this choice of object over and above Multivac?

Swift used a coin to make decisions. This is special because a coin does not involve data, but simply human luck. It is not, therefore, a giant computer like Multivac.

21

86

What message is Asimov trying to portray by showing that none of the three leaders trusted the data of Multivac?

He seems to be trying to show that we place too much trust in computers, and that humans can be just as good ‘machines’ without the need for accurate data.

22

86

How is the title ‘The Machine That Won The War’ ambiguous?

It is ambiguous because it could point either to Multivac, or most probably, to the coin that Swift used to finally make his decisions.