6.5 An Imaginary Conversation
Complete textbook exercise solutions — Maharashtra State Board (Balbharati), Grade Six English.
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About the chapter
In this lesson, a science student imagines a conversation with Sir Isaac Newton. Newton has seen the great progress of science. He wants to know whether man is any happier because of it. At the end, the student wakes up and finds that it was all a dream.
Key points
- Newton has seen the train, wireless and many scientific wonders.
- He wants to know if modern man is happier.
- The student says happiness cannot be measured.
- But man leads a fuller life today, with better health, books and travel.
- The dream ends when a falling picture frame hits the student’s head.
- Message: science gives comfort, but happiness depends on how we use it.
Words to remember
- imaginary – existing only in the mind
- rapidity – great speed
- gravity – the force that pulls things towards the earth
- plentiful – available in large amounts
- orchard – a garden of fruit trees
| Areas | Past | Present |
|---|---|---|
| Communication medium | Letters carried by post, messengers, telegrams, drums and pigeons | Mobile phones, e-mail, video calls, instant messaging, social media |
| Transportation | Walking, bullock carts, horseback, coaches, sailing ships | Cars, buses, trains, metro, aeroplanes, electric vehicles |
| Education | Gurukul system, learning by heart, palm-leaf manuscripts, few and costly books | Schools and colleges, cheap printed books, computers, online classes, e-libraries |
| Medicine | Herbs and home remedies, few doctors, many died young of illness | Hospitals, X-rays and scans, vaccines, surgery, ambulances, telemedicine |
| Meal | Food cooked at home on a chulha, grown locally, eaten fresh | Gas and induction stoves, refrigerators, packaged and instant food, food delivered to the door |
(i) Who are the two speakers?
The two speakers are Sir Isaac Newton and a young science student.
(ii) What is the main purpose of Newton’s visit?
Newton has seen the great progress of science on earth. But he does not know whether man is happier because of it. He has come to ask a modern man about this.
(iii) What are the student’s opinions on modern life?
The student says that happiness cannot be measured. But he feels man leads a fuller life today. Medical science cures diseases, so fewer people die young. Books are cheap and easily available. Cinema and wireless give entertainment and education. Fast travel saves time for other work.
(iv) Which humorous event happens at the end?
The student asks Newton about the falling apple. Newton suddenly says, “Look out, mind your head!” The student wakes up with a bump on his head. A picture frame had fallen on him. It was all a dream!
Newton: Good evening. May I come in?
Me: You already have. Please sit — but not on that chair, the leg is broken.
Newton: Thank you. Tell me, what is that flat glass you keep staring at?
Me: A mobile phone, sir. I can speak to my cousin in Nagpur on it, take photographs, read books and find the answer to almost any question.
Newton: Almost any question? Then ask it whether man is happier now than in my time.
Me: (after a pause) It has given me four thousand answers, sir, and they all disagree.
Newton: That is exactly what I feared. In my day we had fewer answers but we finished our thinking.
Me: We do live longer, though. Medicine cures what used to kill people. And books cost less than a meal.
Newton: That is real progress, I grant you. And these carriages that run without horses?
Me: Cars. We reach in one hour what took you a whole day.
Newton: And what do you do with the day you have saved?
Me: (looking down at the phone) …I would rather not answer that, sir.
Newton: (smiling) I thought as much. Well, I must go. Do keep thinking, young man — and do move away from under that shelf.
Me: Which shelf —
(CRASH. The dictionary lands squarely on my head. Somewhere, gravity is still working perfectly.)
I think modern man leads a fuller life, but he is not always happier. Science has given us many good things. Medicines cure diseases, and people live longer. Books and the internet make learning easy. We can travel fast and talk to anyone at any time. But people today are busier and more stressed. Many feel lonely in spite of having phones. We save time but waste it on screens. Happiness cannot be measured. Science gives us comfort, but we must find peace and happiness ourselves.
Students may take the opposite view, if they give clear reasons.
These are speaking activities. Students should carry them out in class.
- (i) Debate — For: longer life, cures for diseases, easy education, fast travel. Against: pollution, screen addiction, stress, loneliness.
- (ii) Think-Pair-Share — Think alone, discuss with a partner, then share with the class.
- (iii) Hot Seat — Ask ‘Newton’: How did you discover gravity? What do you think of aeroplanes?
This is a survey activity. Students should collect real answers from their own class.
| How happy are you with… | 😀 Very happy | 🙂 Happy | 🙁 Sad |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile games | |||
| Selfie features | |||
| The use of ChatGPT | |||
| Making reels |
After the survey, discuss: Which item made most students happy? · Did anyone feel that something made them happy at first but unhappy later? · How much time does the class spend on these in a day? · What is one change the class would like to make?
- Simple Present — “I don’t know, therefore, whether man is happier or not.”
- Present Continuous — “What funny clothes you are wearing!”
- Present Perfect — “I have observed the creation of the train.”
- Present Perfect Continuous — “I have been watching for some time.”
- Simple Past — “He discovered the law when an apple fell on his head.”
- Past Continuous — “…while he was sleeping in his orchard.”
- Past Perfect — “…where a picture frame had hit him while falling down.”
- Simple Future — “Will you answer a question for me?”
This is a library activity. Students should read and present their own choice.
Scientists students may read about: Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Thomas Edison, C. V. Raman, Jagadish Chandra Bose, Aryabhata, Homi Bhabha, Vikram Sarabhai, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and Dr. Anandibai Joshi.