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CBSE Revision Notes for class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 10 The Book that Saved the Earth

CBSE Revision Notes for class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 10 The Book that Saved the Earth

Chapter Sketch
‘The Book that Saved the Earth’ by Claire Boiko is set in the twenty-fifth century. It is a humorous tale of how a book of nursery rhymes saves Earth from an invasion by Martians.

About the Characters

  • Historian : He is a member of the Museum of Ancient History and the Department of the Twentieth Century.
  • Think-Tank : He is the Commander-in-Chief of the Martian forces and prepares to invade Earth.
  • Noodle : He is an trainee under Think-Tank. He is a sensible and level headed figure.
  • Captain Omega, Lieutenant lota, Sergeant Oop : They are the crew of probe one. They are sent to Earth to know about Earth before invading it.

OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER
Historian Talks about a Book that Saved Earth :
It is the twenty fifth century. The scene is set at the Museum of Ancient History. The department is that of twentieth century. Historian tells the people that twentieth century was called the Era of the Book. There were books on everything. They covered all aspects of life. She tells that Martians (People of Mars) decided to invade Earth in 2040. Everyone was surprised to know that it was a book that saved the Earth. She turns on the projector and shows how it all happened.

Think-Tank Orders the Invasion of Earth :
The ruler of Mars, the Mighty Think-Tank, is a proud creature whose head is full of himself. He calls earth a ridiculous planet. He commands his trainee Noodle to call the space probe that is invading the Earth.

Space Probe Lands in Centerville Public Library :
The space probe finds itself in a Centerville Public library. They are puzzled. They are not familiar with books. They do not understand what are those thousands of objects.

Guesses made by Martians about the Books :
Sergeant Oop thinks that the books are hats. But Think-Tank calls them sandwiches and orders the crew to eat them. The wise noodle gently suggests that they may be devices of communication. Think-Tank asks the probe team to listen to them. They do not hear anything. Again, Noodle very politely suggests that earthlings watched them. They cannot read the books and come to a conclusion that the printed lines and pictures must be some kind of code.

Think-Tank Commands the Team to Take Vitamins :
Think-Tank asks the probe team to eat the vitamins given to them. They follow him and are able to read the book. The lines are about Mistress Mary and her garden of cockle shells and silver bells. There is a line were a dish runs away with a spoon.

Mighty Think-Tank is Alarmed :
Think-Tank thinks that the earthlings were very advanced. They grew shells and silver. They had taught animals culture and music. He thought they were about to send cows for an invasion to the moon. He is further terrified when he is sent the picture of the fallen Humpty-Dumpty. He thinks it to be his picture.

Think-Tank Calls Off the Invasion :
He cancels the invasion. He asks his probe to leave. He orders his fleet to escape to the star Alpha Centauri and evacuate Mars. He wants to be as far away as possible from earthlings.

Martians and Earthlings are Friends in Twenty Fifth Century :
The Historian reveals that it was ‘Mother Goose’, a book of rhymes, that saved the Earth. Anyway, Noodle succeeded Think-Tank and became the head of Mars. Mars and Earth were now friends. Earthlings had even set up a library in their capital, Marsopolis. Funnily, however, Martians could never gather the courage to read the ‘Mother Goose’ book.

Chapter Highlights

  1. The Historian welcomes visitors to the Museum of Ancient History in the twenty-fifth century.
  2. She informs them how a book saved the Earth from a Martian invasion in 2040.
  3. In 2040, the ruler of Mars orders the invasion of Earth.
  4. Think-Tank, the ruler, sends a probe to Earth.
  5. The probe team reaches a library but are puzzled to see books. They make guesses. One of them calls them hats.
  6. Think-Tank very proudly calls them sandwiches and orders his crew to eat them.
  7. The trainee under Think-Tank, Noodle, points out that they may be used for communication.
  8. Think-Tank orders them to listen to the communication devices (books).
  9. When they can’t hear anything, Noodle says that Earthlings watch them.
  10. Think-Tank asks his crew to watch them. But they cannot understand the pictures or the lines of writing.
  11. They are ordered to eat vitamins that were given to them and decode the lines of writing.
  12. After consuming vitamins, the crew is able to read nursery rhymes and words like ‘shell, silver, dog-laughing, cow-jumped over the moon’ etc.
  13. Think-Tank assumes that earthlings were a very advanced civilisation.
  14. Think-Tank is further terrified when he sees the picture of Humpty Dumpty. He assumes that earthlings were planning to capture him by invading Mars.
  15. He orders the Martian fleet to evacuate Mars and he decides to flee to the stars Alpha Centauri to escape from earthlings.
  16. In the twenty fifth century, the Historian says that people of Earth and Martians are friends. Earthlings have established a library in the Martian capital of Marsopolis.

WORD MEANINGS
The given page nos. correspond to the pages in the prescribed textbook.

Word Meaning
PAGE 63
Historian An expert in history
Easel Wooden frame to support a blackboard or picture
Era Age, period of time
Zulus Ethnic group of people belonging to South Africa
PAGE 64
Apperentice Trainee
Peevishly Feeling or showing iritation
PAGE 65
Intellectually Possessing or showing intellect
Primitive Very ancient/basic or unsophisticated
Riffling Turning pages of a book quickly and casually
PAGE 66
Crew Group of people who operate a ship, aircraft etc
Barn Large farm building used for storing hay/grain
Haberdashery Shop which sells clothing, small articles of dress, pins, cotton etc.
PAGE 67
Elementary Easy or simple
Crude Very simple and basic
Staple A food that is eaten routinely
PAGE 68
Dubiously Doubtfully
Pantomimes A way of expressing information without words by using body movements or facial expressions.
PAGE 69
Intently Carefully
Twirling Turning around
PAGE 70
Squiggles illegible writing or markings
Unfold Be revealed
PAGE 71
Decipher Convert a coded signal into normal
Transcribe Write in full form short hand language
Levity Lack of seriousness
PAGE 72
Desist Stop
Humour The quality of being amusing or comic
Evacuate Remove from danger to a safer place
Alpha Centauri A distant star

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