Class 7 English Notes Chapter 10 (An Alien Hand) – An allienhand Hand Supplymentry Reader Book

Alright class, let's focus on Chapter 10, 'An Alien Hand', from your supplementary reader. This is an interesting science fiction story that imagines life on Mars. Pay close attention, as understanding the nuances of the plot, characters, and themes can be beneficial for various competitive examinations that sometimes draw questions from NCERT texts.

Chapter 10: An Alien Hand - Detailed Notes

1. Introduction:
The story is set on Mars, where human beings have been forced to live underground due to hostile surface conditions. It follows a young boy, Tilloo, and his community's encounter with an alien spacecraft from Earth. The title refers to the mechanical hand of the spacecraft.

2. Setting:

• Location: Mars.
• Habitat: An underground colony. The surface of Mars is uninhabitable due to thin air (making it hard to breathe), very low temperatures, and harmful solar radiation.
• Technology: The community relies heavily on technology for survival – solar power, airlocks, environmental control, and machinery on the surface.

3. Characters:

• Tilloo: A curious young boy living in the Martian underground colony. He is eager to know about the surface and the forbidden passage leading to it.
• Tilloo's Mother: Concerned about Tilloo's safety, tries to dissuade him from exploring the forbidden passage.
• Tilloo's Father: Works on the surface, maintaining the essential machinery. He understands Tilloo's curiosity and explains their history and current situation. He possesses a security card to access the surface passage.
• The President of the Central Committee: The leader of the Martian underground community. He presides over the meeting concerning the alien spacecraft.
• Number One: In charge of defence and security. Advocates for destroying the alien spacecraft.
• Number Two: A scientist on the committee. Advises a passive approach, suggesting non-interference and observation, believing the spacecraft is likely unmanned and just exploring.
• Number Three: A social scientist. Suggests maintaining secrecy and passive observation, avoiding any action that might reveal their existence.

4. Plot Summary:

• Tilloo's Curiosity: Tilloo is fascinated by the secret passage his father uses daily. He wants to know where it leads.
• The Forbidden Journey: One day, Tilloo manages to get his father's security card and enters the forbidden passage. The passage slopes upwards towards the planet's surface.
• Caught: Before he can reach the surface, security personnel detect the unauthorized entry and escort him back home.
• Explanations: His mother scolds him, but his father explains why the surface is dangerous. He tells Tilloo about their ancestors who lived on the surface until conditions changed (thin air, freezing temperatures). They had to move underground and rely on technology for survival (power, air, water). His father's job involves going to the surface in a special suit to maintain the machinery that keeps them alive.
• The Alien Spacecraft: Excitement brews in the community as monitoring systems detect an alien spacecraft approaching Mars.
• The Committee Meeting: The President calls an urgent meeting. Number One suggests destroying the craft. Number Two advises caution and observation, believing it's unmanned. Number Three agrees with passive observation to avoid revealing their presence. The President decides on a passive approach but keeps defence options open.
• Tilloo in the Control Room: Tilloo's father takes him to the Control Room, a place usually off-limits for children, because of the special event.
• The 'Alien Hand': On the big TV screen, they watch the alien spacecraft land. A mechanical hand emerges from it and moves towards the Martian soil, presumably to collect samples.
• Tilloo's Interference: Overcome by excitement and temptation, Tilloo sees a console with attractive buttons, including a red one. He presses the red button.
• Consequences: Immediately, the mechanical hand from the spacecraft stops working. Tilloo is quickly pulled away by his father.
• Resolution (Implied): The story mentions that back on Earth (at NASA), scientists managed to reactivate the mechanical hand. However, the spacecraft (Viking probe) found no signs of life on Mars, partly because the Martians lived underground and partly due to the temporary malfunction caused by Tilloo. The existence of the Martian community remained a secret.

5. Themes:

• Curiosity vs. Safety: Tilloo's natural curiosity drives the initial plot, contrasting with the community's need for safety and secrecy.
• Survival and Adaptation: The story highlights how the Martians adapted to hostile conditions by moving underground and relying on technology.
• Fear of the Unknown: The community's reaction to the alien spacecraft shows caution and fear regarding potential threats from outsiders.
• Technology: Technology is central to the Martians' survival (underground habitat, life support) and also represents the 'alien' presence (the spacecraft and its mechanical hand).
• Perspective: The 'alien' hand is alien to the Martians, but it's a human-made object from Earth. This plays with the idea of who the 'alien' really is.

6. Key Vocabulary:

• Forbidden: Not allowed.
• Airlock: A small chamber with controlled air pressure, used to pass between areas with different pressures (like the underground colony and the surface passage).
• Hostile: Unfriendly; dangerous or difficult to live in.
• Surface Conditions: The environmental state on the outside of the planet (thin air, low temperature).
• Rendered... inoperative: Made something stop working.
• Ceased: Stopped.
• Passive: Not reacting or participating actively.
• Viking Mission: The real-life NASA mission to Mars in the 1970s, involving landers designed to analyze the Martian surface and search for signs of life. (The story uses this as the basis for the 'alien' spacecraft).

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Here are 10 MCQs based on Chapter 10, 'An Alien Hand':

1. Where did Tilloo and his family live?
   a) On the surface of Mars in a dome
   b) Underground on Mars
   c) Inside a large spacecraft orbiting Mars
   d) On Earth, dreaming about Mars

2. Why was the surface of Mars dangerous for Tilloo's community?
   a) Frequent alien attacks
   b) Giant Martian monsters
   c) Thin air, low temperature, and lack of technology
   d) Volcanic eruptions

3. What did Tilloo use to get into the forbidden passage?
   a) A secret key
   b) His father's security card
   c) A map he found
   d) He broke the lock

4. What was Tilloo's father's job?
   a) Teaching children about the surface
   b) Piloting spacecraft
   c) Maintaining machinery on the surface
   d) Leading the Central Committee

5. What did the 'alien spacecraft' turn out to be?
   a) A ship carrying hostile aliens
   b) A natural Martian phenomenon
   c) A spacecraft from Earth (Viking probe)
   d) A communication satellite

6. In the committee meeting, who advised a passive, observational approach towards the spacecraft?
   a) The President and Number One
   b) Number One and Number Three
   c) Number Two and Number Three
   d) Only the President

7. What specific part of the alien spacecraft is referred to as the 'Alien Hand'?
   a) The landing gear
   b) The communication antenna
   c) The main engine
   d) The mechanical hand for collecting soil samples

8. What did Tilloo do in the Control Room that caused a problem?
   a) He shouted loudly
   b) He accidentally turned off the main screen
   c) He pressed a red button on a control panel
   d) He tripped over a wire

9. What was the immediate consequence of Tilloo's action in the Control Room?
   a) An alarm sounded throughout the colony
   b) The alien spacecraft exploded
   c) The mechanical hand of the spacecraft stopped working
   d) The main power supply failed

10. What was the final outcome regarding the spacecraft's mission as per the story?
    a) It discovered the underground Martian city
    b) It was destroyed by the Martians
    c) It found no signs of life on Mars and left
    d) It established communication with the Martians

Answer Key for MCQs:

1. b
2. c
3. b
4. c
5. c
6. c
7. d
8. c
9. c
10. c

Study these notes carefully. Understanding the sequence of events, character motivations, and the underlying themes is crucial. Good luck with your preparation!