The Adventures of Toto Class 9 English: Question Answers & Summary
About the Lesson: The Adventures of Toto
"The Adventures of Toto" is a humorous and engaging short story written by the famous Indian author Ruskin Bond. It is a staple of the Class 9 English (Moments) syllabus. The story revolves around a mischievous baby monkey named Toto, who is bought by the narrator’s Grandfather for five rupees from a tonga-driver. Grandfather is an animal lover and maintains a private zoo at home, but Toto proves to be quite a handful!
About the Author: Ruskin Bond
Ruskin Bond (born 19 May 1934) is an iconic Indian author of British descent who has played a pioneering role in the growth of children's literature in India. Known for his simple, lucid, and engaging prose, his stories often reflect his deep love for nature and life in the Himalayan foothills.
Textual Question & Answers
1. How does Toto come to grandfather’s private zoo?
Answer: Grandfather bought Toto from a tonga-driver for the sum of five rupees. The tonga-driver used to keep the little red monkey tied to a feeding trough, where he looked out of place. Grandfather, who had a private zoo, decided that the little fellow would be a great addition to his collection.
2. “Toto was a pretty monkey.” In what sense is Toto pretty?
Answer: Toto had bright eyes that sparkled with mischief beneath deep-set eyebrows. His teeth, which were a pearly white, were often displayed in a smile that frightened the life out of elderly Anglo-Indian ladies. His hands looked dried-up as though they had been pickled in the sun for many years. However, his fingers were quick and wicked, and his tail served as a third hand, adding to his "pretty" appearance.
3. Why does grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how? Why does the ticket collector insist on calling Toto a dog?
Answer: Grandfather took Toto to Saharanpur because he was too mischievous to be left alone with the other animals in the private zoo. He was carried in a big black canvas kit-bag. The ticket collector insisted on calling Toto a dog because there was no separate category in his rulebook for monkeys. Since Toto was a four-legged animal, the collector classified him as a dog to charge the three-rupee fare.
4. How does Toto take a bath? Where has he learnt to do this? How does Toto almost boil himself alive?
Answer: Toto would cunningly test the temperature of the water with his hand, then gradually step into the bath, first one foot, then the other, until he was in the water up to his neck. He had learnt this by watching the narrator. One day, he saw a large kitchen kettle left on the fire to boil for tea. Finding the water warm enough for a bath, he got in. As the water began to boil, he kept hopping up and down until Grandmother arrived and hauled him out, half-boiled.
5. Why does the author say, “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long”?
Answer: Despite his cleverness, Toto was extremely destructive. He frequently tore clothes, shredded curtains, broke dishes, and ruined expensive wallpaper. The family was not well-to-do enough to afford the frequent loss of household items. Realizing that Toto's mischievous nature was causing too much trouble and financial loss, Grandfather eventually sold him back to the tonga-driver.
Very Short Answer Type Questions (1 Mark )
1. Who is the author of the story ‘The Adventures of Toto’
Answer: Ruskin Bond.
2. From whom did the Grandfather buy Toto?
Answer: A tonga-driver.
3. What was the purchase price of Toto?
Answer: Five rupees.
4. Why was Toto’s presence kept a secret from Grandmother?
Answer: Because she always fussed when Grandfather brought home a new bird or animal.
5. What color was Toto?
Answer: Bright red.
6. Where was Toto transferred after his initial stay in the narrator's bedroom?
Answer: To a big cage in the servants' quarters where other pets lived.
7. Name two other pets mentioned in Grandfather’s private zoo.
Answer: A tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a tame squirrel, and a goat.
8. Where did Grandfather have to go to collect his pension?
Answer: Saharanpur.
9. What kind of bag was used to carry Toto to Saharanpur?
Answer: A big black canvas kit-bag.
10. What did the ticket collector classify Toto as?
Answer: A dog.
1. How much fare did Grandfather pay for Toto at the railway station?
Answer: Three rupees.
12. What was the name of the family donkey?
Answer: Nana.
13. Why did Toto and Nana never become friends?
Answer: Because Toto bit Nana's long ears with his sharp teeth.
14. What dish did Toto try to eat before throwing the plate from a tree?
Answer: Pullao.
15. For how much did Grandfather finally sell Toto back to the tonga-driver?
Answer: Three rupees.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Who bought Toto from a tonga-driver? A) The Narrator B) Grandmother C) Grandfather D) The Ticket Collector
Answer: C) Grandfather
2. What was the price at which Toto was bought? A) Three rupees B) Five rupees C) Seven rupees D) Ten rupees
Answer: B) Five rupees
3. Why was Toto’s presence kept a secret in the house? A) He was very expensive B) He was dangerous C) Grandmother didn't like new pets D) The narrator was afraid of him
Answer: C) Grandmother didn't like new pets
4. Where was Toto hidden on his first day? A) In a cage B) In a stable C) In a small closet in the narrator’s room D) In the garden
Answer: C) In a small closet in the narrator’s room
5. What did Toto do to the narrator's school blazer? A) He wore it B) He hid it C) He tore it into shreds D) He threw it out the window
Answer: C) He tore it into shreds
6. Which animal was NOT a part of Grandfather's private zoo? A) A tortoise B) A donkey C) A pair of rabbits D) A tiger
Answer: D) A tiger
7. Where did Grandfather have to go to collect his pension? A) Dehradun B) Saharanpur C) Lucknow D) Delhi
Answer: B) Saharanpur
8. How did Toto travel to Saharanpur? A) In a cage B) In a black canvas kit-bag C) On Grandfather's shoulder D) In a basket
Answer: B) In a black canvas kit-bag
9. The ticket collector classified Toto as a: A) Monkey B) Dog C) Cat D) Human
Answer: B) Dog
10. What was the name of the family donkey? A) Nana B) Toto C) Bruno D) Sheru
Answer: A) Nana
11. How did Toto almost boil himself alive? A) By jumping into a hot tub B) By sitting in a kettle on the fire C) By playing with matches D) By jumping into a soup bowl
Answer: B) By sitting in a kettle on the fire
12. What was Toto’s favorite treat during cold winter evenings? A) A bowl of pullao B) A large bowl of warm water for a bath C) Bananas D) Biscuits
Answer: B) A large bowl of warm water for a bath
13. What did Toto throw at Grandmother when she screamed? A) A glass of water B) A plate C) A chair D) A shoe
Answer: B) A plate
14. Where did Toto sit to eat the pullao? A) On the dining table B) In the branches of the jackfruit tree C) Under the bed D) On the roof
Answer: B) In the branches of the jackfruit tree
15. At what price did Grandfather finally sell Toto back to the tonga-driver? A) Five rupees B) Two rupees C) Three rupees D) One rupee
Answer: C) Three rupees