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English · 2026 · 6 marks
CBSE 2026 · Region 5 · Set 1 · Q11 (B)
In 'The Book That Saved the Earth', how does the play use humour and irony to comment on both futuristic technology and human assumptions? What…
In 'The Book That Saved the Earth', how does the play use humour and irony to comment on both futuristic technology and human assumptions ? What message do you think the author conveys through the Martians' misinterpretation of a nursery rhyme ?
Official answer
Use of humour and irony:
Powerful race gets defeated by innocent nursery rhymes
Martians misread children’s rhymes as Earth’s military code
They thought earthlings had learnt how to mix mining and agriculture/ had planned and
attack of cows on a Mars/ were aware of Think-Tank’s presence and the rhyme Humpty
Dumpty showed the assassination of Think-Tank
Martians illogical assumptions lead to wrong conclusions – books are sandwiches,
telephones, hat, etc.
Message conveyed:
Comments on blind dependence on technology and cultural ignorance
Suggests knowledge must be understood, not assumed
Overconfidence can cloud judgement
Over-reliance on technology is not good
Knowledge and humility are more important than assumptions and pride respectively
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CBSE Class 10 English past-paper question from the 2026 board exam, with the answer as CBSE’s own marking scheme gives it. Where our answers come from.