THE SECREST OF THE MACHINES

Unit 3

      Section A

The Secret of the Machines

Answer the following questions.                   

1.      Rewrite this paragraph to show the correct process of the formation of machines.

Metals are extracted from their ores through heating. The shaped metals are used to make tools and machines. The extracted metals are purified. The ores are extracted through mining. The purified metals are shaped through moulding and hammering. The extracted ores are purified.

Ans. The ores are extracted through mining. The extracted ores are purified. Metals are extracted from their ores through heating. The extracted metals are purified. The purified metals are shaped through moulding and hammering. The shaped metals are used to make tools and machines.

       2.   What is the ‘nine-decked city’? Why is it described as ‘monstrous’?

      Ans. The ‘nine-decked city’ is referred to Mauretania, a high-speed luxury passenger ship, launched in 1906. It is described as ‘monstrous’ because it was the world’s biggest passenger ship at that time.

3.What do you understand by the line ‘shall we pipe aloft and bring you water down’?

 Ans. The line means that the machines can go up to a great height and bring water down where human beings live.

4.   What actions are the machines incapable of doing?

 Ans. Machine cannot detect lie. Besides, machines are not built to love or hate its owner or anyone. Thus, machines are emotionless and have no feelings and can be dangerous if not handled properly.

5.   What is the warning issued by the machines?

 Ans. We must accept the fact that our dependency on machines are increasing day by day. A time is about to come when people will depend on a machine to wake them from sleep and then to put them back to sleep, walk and eat. If this really happens, life will be different – without feelings, sympathy, pity, forgiveness and love.

     6.   Which lines tell us that the all-powerful nature of the machines is only an illusion?

 Ans. We are greater than the Peoples or the Kings—

        Be humble, as you crawl beneath our rods!-

   Our touch can alter all created things,

        We are everything on earth—except The Gods!

v Write about any two inventions made during this period and their impact on the lives of the people at the time.