THE ADVENTURES OF TOTO

1. How does Toto come to grandfather’s private zoo?

A. The writer’s grandfather liked to collect animals and had made a zoo at home. One day, he saw a red - coloured monkey tied to a trough with a tonga driver. He liked the monkey and wanted to add it to his collection. He bought Toto from the tonga driver for a sum of five rupees.

2. “Toto was a pretty monkey.” In what sense is Toto pretty?

A. The writer says that Toto was pretty. He had bright, shining eyes which were full of mischief. His teeth were like pearls. He had a long tail which was like a third hand for him. The writer’s grandfather felt that a tail added to the beauty of an animal. So, Toto was thought to be a pretty animal.

3. Why does grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how? Why does the ticket collector insist on calling Toto a dog?

A. Grandfather took Toto along with himself to Saharanpur because as he was mischievous, it was not safe to leave him alone at home. A bag made of strong canvas material was arranged. Some straw was placed in it. Toto was placed inside the bag and the bag was sealed with the zipper. 
The ticket collector did not accept grandfather’s claim that Toto was not a dog. He called it a dog and charged a ticket fee for it because only dogs were allowed to travel on trains. If Toto had to travel by train, then, he would have to be termed a dog.

4. How does Toto take a bath? Where has he learnt to do this? How does Toto almost boil himself alive?

A. Toto would check the temperature of the water by inserting his hand in it. Then he would step into the tub, one foot at a time. Finally, he would sit in it, with his face out. Then he would rub soap on his body. When the water became cold, he would jump out and run to the stove in the kitchen to dry himself. 
He had learnt this way of bathing from the writer. 
On day, Toto jumped into a kettle of water kept on the stove for boiling as he found it warm enough for a bath. As the water grew hotter, he thought of ascending but the cold weather made him go back into the kettle. Toto kept on doing this for a while till he was spotted by the grandmother. She pulled him out of the kettle in time or else he would have boiled himself that day.

5. Why does the author say, “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long”?

A. The author says that Toto was not the kind of pet that they could keep for long because he was extremely mischievous. He destroyed many things - he tore the wallpapers, clothes and curtains. He broke dishes too. The family could not afford all this and so, decided to get rid of Toto.