About the Author:
Ray Douglas Bradbury (1920- 2012) was one of the most celebrated American fiction writers of the twentieth century. He wrote science fiction, fantasy, horror and mystery stories. His most famous stories are Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, The Illustrated Man and It Came from Outer space. Many of his works have been adapted into comic books, television shows and films.
About the Text:
The prescribed story is a part of a science fiction. A science fiction is basically an imaginary story of the future, based on some scientific discovery. So many kinds of stories arouse our keenness to know more about scientific facts and discoveries and at the same time, it satisfies our imagination.
The story deals with Venus, a planet in our solar system. Venus is called the twin sister of the earth because of lots of similarities, in shape and size, between them. It is the second planet from the sun. Through Venus is without any sign of life, yet the existence of the atmosphere has been traced there. Based on this scientific fact, here Bradbury starts his imaginary flight.
Questions and answers:
1) How did the jungle of Venus look?
Ans- The jungle of Venus developed the Colour of rubber, Ash and ink.
2) How did the heavy storm affect the island of Venus?
Ans- Heavy storms caused tidal weaves to crash against the Islands.
3) Where did the children play?
Ans- The children played in the echoing tunnels of the underground city.
4) Where did the children learn about the sun?
Ans- The children learned about the sun in the classroom on Venus.
5) While running, why were the children turning their face to the sky?
Ans- The children tried to feel the warmth of the sun on their cheeks.
6) How did the children look at the sun?
Ans- The children squinted at the sun until tears ran down their faces.
7) How did a boom of thunder affect the children of Venus?
Ans- The boom of thunder affected the children. They tumbled upon one another and ran.
8) When the rain stopped, what was the feeling?
Ans- It felt as if a hurricane had lost its sound.
9) Why did the girl wail, while the others were running?
Ans- The girl wailed because she found a large raindrop on her palm.
10) What did the children do immediately after the rain stopped?
Ans- Immediately after the rain stopped, the children put their hands to their ears. They stood apart. They slid the door back and felt the silence.
11) Who were the children in the classroom on Venus?
Ans- The children were of the men and women who came by rockets from Earth.
12) What had the children done all day before the day of sunrise?
Ans- All day the children had read about the sun in the class.
13) What happened to the forests on the planet?
Ans- On the planet, with continuous rain, thousand forests were crushed, and had grown up a thousand times to be crushed again.
14) How was the way of life on planet Venus forever?
Ans- It was all rain and no sun in the life of Venus. Forests grew there to be crushed in the rain again.
15) What happened on Venus when the rain stopped?
Ans- When the rain stopped on Venus, there was no motion or tremor. It was only peace. It was as if, a hurricane had lost its sound.
16) What was the experience of the children when the sun rose seven years earlier?
Ans- The children were of two years when the sun rose seven years before for an hour. So they could recall nothing about the sun.