Welcome to “There Will Come Soft Rains Workbook Solution: ISC Rhapsody & Prism,” where we explore ISC English Literature’s captivating narrative. Within these pages, we unravel the essence of “There Will Come Soft Rains” through meticulous workbook solutions. This post offers comprehensive answers to multiple-choice and contextual questions, deepening your understanding of the timeless tale. Meet the intriguing characters and delve into the nuances of their development and thematic exploration. Each question serves as a gateway to dissecting the text, urging readers to analyze subtle nuances and extract deeper meanings. Contextual inquiries broaden our canvas for exploration, encouraging critical engagement with socio-cultural backdrops and universal themes. Through this examination, readers sharpen analytical skills and develop a profound appreciation for literary craftsmanship. Whether a student navigating ISC English Literature or an avid reader exploring classic narratives, “Rhapsody & Prism: There Will Come Soft Rains Workbook Solutions” promises valuable companionship. Join us on this literary journey as we illuminate the path to understanding, one workbook solution at a time.
Table of Contents
Story Summary :
Story in Detail
The story begins with the clock announcing that it is 7:00 a.m. and the time to wake up. The clock, however, seems to be aware of the fact that nobody will hear it. This is because the residents of the house have died in a nuclear explosion. The house, run by gadgets, using artificial intelligence remains intact. So, the clock continues its daily routine of making announcements and declares it is breakfast time. The kitchen starts preparing a standard American breakfast comprising toast, eggs, bacon, coffee and two cool glasses of milk for four people, using automated appliances. Over the course of the breakfast, the memory tape announces a number of important details, such as a birthday, anniversary, and the payment status of the water, gas and electricity bills. After breakfast, announcements are made for the children to rush to school and others to their work. It also tells the residents what kind of weather to expect on their way out. The weather box on the front door tells them that it is raining outside.
Once the house completes the morning send-off, it starts the cleaning process. The dirty dishes are put into a dishwasher and they emerge ‘twinkling dry.’ Small robot mice then emerge from every corner in the house and begin to vacuum, dust, and sweep. Once they have gathered all the dust and the waste, they take their loads to a chute leading to the incinerator. Soon, the house looks spick and span.
At 10.00 a.m., the sun comes out and the house is shown as the only building left standing amidst the “rubble and ashes.” The narrator informs that the city emits a radioactive glow’ that ‘can be seen for miles’ at night. This is suggestive of the fact that the city has been hit by an atomic bomb which confirms the death of the residents but their home is still standing covered in charred particles. Outside, on the west wall of the house, are seen four silhouettes of a man mowing a lawn, a woman gardening and a boy and girl tossing a ball, which never came down.’ These silhouettes are of the McClellan family members, who were supposedly outside when the explosion occurred. They are a grim reminder of the fact that how fleeting life can be.
At noon, the family dog enters the house. The technology that runs the house recognises the dog, even though it has become a shell of its former self. The house lets the hungry and sore-covered dog in. The pet however, receives a cool reception from robot mice who emerge again to collect the mud brought in by the dog. The mice seem to be annoyed at having to take the trouble of cleaning since the house has already been cleaned.
The dog realises that the family is no longer there. When pancakes begin to cook in the kitchen, the dog goes into a frenzy with the smell of the pancakes and dies. The small robot mice quickly dispose of the dog’s body by putting it in an incinerator.
The house then provides a variety of comforts for the absent family members to enjoy. For the adults, it offers martinis, tiny sandwiches and bridge cards on a small table outside. For the children, elaborate safari-themed scenes on the walls of the nursery are arranged. As night approaches, the house draws baths, lights a cigar, warms the beds and offers to read Mrs McClellan some poetry. When no reply comes, the voice reading poetry selects a poem by Sara Teasdale called ‘There Will Come Soft Rains’, that describes a country scene after the nuclear explosion.
Late at night, the blowing wind made a tree fall. One of its branches crashed through a window into the kitchen. The bottle containing cleaning solvent broke over the stove and set the house ablaze in an instant. The technology oriented house tries to control the spread of fire by closing the doors and sending the robot mice to put out the fire with water. This checks the fire for some time but the fire regains momentum when the house’s water reserves get over. The robot mice then use a reserve of green fire repellent which spreads across the flames like a bunch of snakes. But the fire that had already spread outside, sets the pumps in the attic on fire. The pumps explode and the fire rushes back into every corner in the house.
As the fire spreads, some machines work in a frenzy, whereas others still continue to do their daily errands like announcing the time, cutting the lawn, slamming and opening the front door and trying to clean the ashes away. However, the machines break down one by one, falling silent as their wires get burnt out. The fire attacks the attic’s structural integrity, causing it to fall down on the main floor, which falls into the cellar and sub-cellar. The only machine left as the sun rises is the clock that declares the new day, i.e., August 5, 2026.
Workbook MCQs :
1. At the beginning of the story, what was the voice-clock afraid of?
(a) It would soon stop working
(b) The house would collapse
(c) Nobody would wake up.
(d) None of the above.
Answer :- (c) Nobody would wake up.
2. Which of the following did not comprise the breakfast of a single person?
(a) Four slices of bacon
(b) Two boiled eggs
(c) Two perfectly browned toast
(d) Two eggs sunny side up
Answer :- (b) Two boiled eggs
3. Why was the house empty?
(a) Its inhabitants had gone out of town
(b) Its inhabitants had died due to the nuclear explosion
(c) Its inhabitants had shifted to a new house
(d) Its inhabitants came there only during the vacation.
Answer :- (b) Its inhabitants had died due to the nuclear explosion
4. Why did the garage doors swing down after opening for sometime?
(a) It was its routine affair to open and close
(b) It opened accidentally and then closed
(c) It closed when no cars were taken out
(d) All of the above.
Answer :- (c) It closed when no cars were taken out
5. Which figure of speech is used in the lines given below? An aluminium wedge scraped them into the sink, where hot water whirled them down a metal throat which digested and flushed them away to the distant sea.
(a) Personification
(c) Simile
(b) Metaphor
(d) Allusion
Answer :- (a) Personification
6. The robot mice performed the role of which of the following?
(a) Security guards
(b) House cleaners
(c) Entertainers
(d) All of the above.
Answer :- (b) House cleaners
7. Who are referred to in the story as ‘mysterious invaders?
(a) Foxes
(b) Whining cats
(c) Robot mice
(d) All of the above
Answer :- [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
8. How are the two statements related?
(I) The five spots of paint remained. The rest was a thin charcoaled layer.
(II) At night the ruined city gave off a radioactive glow which could be seen for miles.
(a) I is the cause of II.
(b) I is the result of II.
(c) I and II are the same
(d) I and II are unrelated
Answer :- [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
9. Which of the following summarises the central idea of the story?
(a) Technology can take over human life.
(b) Machines will take over the world.
(c) Nature will outlast humans and their technology.
(d) Technology can provide all comforts in life.
Answer :- [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
10. ‘At ten o’clock the house began to die’ but in a moment it became animated. Why?
(a) The kitchen was ablaze.
(b) There was mechanical rain in the house.
(c) There were twenty snakes on the floor.
(d) The dog had died.
Answer :- [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
11. Which of the following is an example of foreshadowing in the story?
(a)…time to get up, seven o’clock as if it were afraid that nobody would.
(b) It repeated the date three times for memory’s sake.
(c) …memory tapes glided under electric eyes.
(d) …the garage chimed and lifted its door.
Answer :- [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
12. Why did the incinerator glow suddenly?
(a) To get rid of the food waste
(b) To get rid of the dust
(c) To get rid of the dog’s carcass
(d) To blow off the gray leaves
Answer :- [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
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Complete The Sentences :
1. The voice-clock is afraid that no one will hear it because the announcement was meant for the occupants of the house, who have been killed in a nuclear blast.
2. The author has used sing-song rhymes as the voice-clock sang Tick-tock’, seven o’clock time to get up because it was meant particularly for the children of the house to wake up and get ready for school.
3. The memory takes repeated the date, August 4, 2026, thrice because they wanted to remind the occupants of the house about the birthdays, anniversaries and bills to be paid for gas, water and electricity suggesting that they were attuned to the social interest, of their acquaintances.
4. The time Eight-one’ is repeated in rapid succession thrice by the voice-clock because it wanted to remind the inhabitants to go out for their daily routine work like children to go off to school and elders to work.
5. Despite repeated announcements by the voice-clock, for the inhabitants of the house to go out for work, no movements or footsteps are heard because all the inhabitants of the house have died in a nuclear explosion.
6. The door of the garage remained open for a long time and then closed because the Automated house remained in different to the fact that the occupants of the house are dead and continued its ‘programed’ routine business as though nothing were wrong.
7. The city emitted a ‘radioactive glow’ that can be seen for miles’ at night because [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
8. The narrator has described the silhouettes of the McClellan family because [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
9. The house has closed its doors for the foxes, cats and birds because [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
10. The robot mice were angry when the dog entered the house because [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
11. The narrator of the story has compared the incinerator with the ‘evil Baal’ because [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
12. During the children’s hour, the house put up a digital fresco of animals on the walls of the children’s nursery because [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
13. The narrator has described the fire as ‘clever’ because [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
14. The author has included Sara Teasdale’s poem verbatim in the story because [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
15. After the destruction house, the voice-clock announced the beginning of a new day because [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
Short Question Answers :
1. What is special about the house in the story, “There Will Come Soft Rains”? What sort of functions does it perform?
Answer :- The house in Ray Bradbury’s “There Will Come Soft Rains” is a fully automated, smart home designed to cater to every need of its inhabitants. It is special because it operates independently, continuing its daily routine even though the human occupants are no longer alive. The house performs a variety of functions, such as preparing meals, cleaning itself, reading poetry, and providing weather updates. It wakes the family with an alarm, cooks breakfast, cleans the dishes, and sets up games for the children. Additionally, it maintains the lawn, waters the plants, and even reads a selection of poetry. The house’s automation extends to security, with robotized mice that clean the house and a system that can sense and extinguish fires. The house is a marvel of futuristic technology, embodying both the convenience and the detachment of advanced automation. Its continuous functioning in the absence of humans highlights the story’s themes of technological advancement and the fragility of human life.
2. Describe briefly how the house is an imitation of the natural world.
Answer :- The house in “There Will Come Soft Rains” mimics the natural world through its routines and automated functions designed to replicate human activities and environmental processes. It attempts to create a sense of normalcy and routine that once accompanied human life. For instance, the house follows a daily schedule that includes waking the occupants, preparing and serving meals, and cleaning up, all of which mimic the daily rhythms of human existence. It also tends to the garden by watering the plants, simulating the natural process of rain. The robotic mice cleaning the house can be seen as imitating natural processes like ants or other creatures tidying their environment. This imitation extends to the more poetic moments, such as when the house reads Sara Teasdale’s poem, evoking the natural beauty and tranquility of a world indifferent to human presence. By replicating these natural processes and routines, the house underscores the theme of nature’s enduring persistence even in the absence of human life.
3. How has the author used the literary device of foreshadowing to hint at the inevitable destruction of the house?
Answer :- [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
4. Explain the character of the ‘dog’ as depicted in the story.
Answer :- [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
5. Explain the use of irony in the story, “There Will Come Soft Rains.”
Answer :- [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
6. What does the ‘rain’ symbolize in the story, “There Will Come Soft Rains”?
Answer :- [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
7. Imagine the robotized mice have a human mind. Briefly write what would be going on in their minds once the fire broke out and they rushed to douse the fire.
Answer :- [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
Long Question Answers :
1. Do you think that the house is the main character of the story? Justify your answer.
Answer :- Yes, the house is the main character of Ray Bradbury’s “There Will Come Soft Rains.” Despite being an inanimate object, the house is personified through its detailed descriptions and autonomous actions, making it central to the narrative. The house’s routines and automated systems are described with a level of detail and character-like qualities that make it the focal point of the story. It performs daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and reading poetry, creating an eerie semblance of life in the absence of its human occupants. The house’s struggle against the fire further highlights its character-like attributes, as it tries desperately to save itself, showing determination and resilience. This personification allows the house to reflect the themes of technological advancement and human absence, making it more than just a setting—it becomes the protagonist. The house’s ultimate destruction symbolizes the fragility of human achievements and the inevitable dominance of nature, reinforcing its role as the main character that embodies the story’s core messages.
2. With the help of supporting evidence from the short story, “There Will Come Soft Rains,” explain how the house tries to put out the fire. How does it reflect the theme of Nature vs. Technology?
Answer :- In “There Will Come Soft Rains,” the house attempts to extinguish the fire using its advanced automated systems. When the fire breaks out, the house’s mechanisms respond with frantic precision: water pumps activate, the robot mice spring into action, and chemical fire suppressants are deployed. Despite these efforts, the fire continues to spread, overwhelming the house’s defenses. This struggle is vividly described: “The house gave ground as the fire in ten billion angry sparks moved with flaming ease from room to room and then up the stairs.” The house’s sophisticated technology, designed to maintain order and safety, ultimately proves insufficient against the chaotic force of the fire. This reflects the theme of Nature vs. Technology by illustrating the limitations of human-created technology when faced with the uncontrollable power of natural elements. The house, a symbol of human ingenuity and control, is ultimately consumed by fire, a natural force, underscoring the futility of technological advancements in the face of nature’s indomitable power. The story highlights the vulnerability of even the most advanced technology to natural disasters, emphasizing nature’s ultimate supremacy.
3. Do you think “There Will Come Soft Rains” is an appropriate title for the story by Ray Bradbury? Justify your answer.
Answer :- [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
4. The story “There Will Come Soft Rains” was written by Ray Bradbury in 1950 at a time when technology was not so advanced. Comparing the advancement in technology, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), how far do you think has Ray Bradbury succeeded in portraying a world seven decades earlier?
Answer :- [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
5. We are nearly in the year 2026. How far are Ray Bradbury’s predictions true?
Answer :- [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
6. Briefly describe the nuclear explosion and its aftermath. Base this description on the hints given in the story.
Answer :- [ For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View ]
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