The Invention of Vita-Wonk – Class 7 English NCERT Solutions

Explore the solutions for “The Invention of Vita-Wonk,” Class 7 English NCERT. This fascinating story teaches children about the importance of accepting the natural process of aging and not rushing to grow up. Through Mr. Wonka’s inventions, students learn that every age has its own beauty and we should enjoy each phase of life rather than trying to artificially change it.

Summary in English

The story revolves around the brilliant inventor Mr. Willy Wonka, who first creates a medicine called Wonka-Vite that makes people younger. However, this invention proves too powerful, causing some people to become “minus” in age – meaning they haven’t been born yet! To fix this problem, Mr. Wonka sets out to create a new invention that can make people older. He travels worldwide collecting items from the oldest living things, including a 4000-year-old Bristlecone Pine tree and various ancient animals. After much experimentation, he creates Vita-Wonk, a black liquid that successfully ages a young Oompa-Loompa volunteer from twenty to seventy-five years old in moments.

हिंदी में सारांश

यह कहानी महान आविष्कारक मिस्टर विली वोंका के बारे में है, जो पहले वोंका-वाइट नामक एक दवा बनाते हैं जो लोगों को छोटा बनाती है। लेकिन यह आविष्कार बहुत शक्तिशाली साबित होता है, जिससे कुछ लोगों की उम्र “माइनस” में चली जाती है – यानी वे अभी पैदा भी नहीं हुए हैं! इस समस्या को ठीक करने के लिए, मिस्टर वोंका एक नया आविष्कार करने का फैसला करते हैं जो लोगों को बूढ़ा बना सके। वे दुनिया भर की सबसे पुरानी जीवित चीज़ों से चीज़ें इकट्ठा करते हैं, जिनमें 4000 साल पुराना ब्रिसलकोन पाइन पेड़ और कई प्राचीन जानवर शामिल हैं। कई प्रयोगों के बाद, वे विटा-वोंक बनाते हैं, एक काला तरल पदार्थ जो एक युवा ऊम्पा-लूम्पा स्वयंसेवक की उम्र बीस से पचहत्तर साल तक कर देता है।

Word Meanings (शब्दार्थ)

Comprehension Check

**1. Choose the right answer:** (i) Mr Willy Wonka is (a) a cook (b) an inventor (c) a manager (ii) Wonka-Vite makes people (a) older (b) younger (iii) Mr Wonka wants to invent a new thing which will make people (a) younger (b) older

The correct answers are:

• (i) (b) an inventor – Mr. Willy Wonka is a brilliant inventor who creates magical medicines like Wonka-Vite and Vita-Wonk.
• (ii) (b) younger – Wonka-Vite is a medicine that makes people younger, sometimes too young that they become “minus” in age.
• (iii) (b) older – After the problems with Wonka-Vite making people too young, Mr. Wonka wants to create something that can make people older to counter its effects.

**2. Can anyone’s age be a minus number? What does “minus 87” mean?**

No, in reality, a person’s age cannot be a minus number because age represents the time that has passed since someone’s birth. Age always starts from zero (at birth) and increases as time passes. In the story, “minus 87” is a magical concept meaning the person has become so young that they haven’t been born yet, and they would need to wait 87 years before they could even be born! It’s a fascinating way to show how Mr. Wonka’s Wonka-Vite was too powerful, making people younger than their birth.

**3. Mr Wonka begins by asking himself two questions. What are they? (i) What is _____________________? (ii) What lives _____________________?**

Mr. Wonka asks himself these two important questions:

1. “What is the oldest living thing in the world?”
2. “What lives longer than anything else?”

Working with the Text

**1. How many of the oldest living things can you remember from Mr Wonka’s list? Do you think all these things really exist, or are some of them purely imaginary?**

From Mr. Wonka’s fascinating list, here are the oldest living things mentioned:

• A 4000-year-old Bristlecone Pine tree
• A 168-year-old Russian farmer named Petrovitch Gregorovitch
• A 200-year-old tortoise belonging to the King of Tonga
• A 51-year-old horse from Arabia
• A 36-year-old cat named Crumpets
• A 36-year-old flea living on Crumpets
• A 207-year-old giant rat from Tibet
• A 97-year-old Grimalkin living in a cave
• A 700-year-old Cattaloo from Peru

**2. (i) What trees does Mr Wonka mention? Which tree does he say lives the longest? (ii) How long does this tree live? Where can you find it?**

(i) Mr. Wonka mentions four types of trees:

• Douglas fir
• Oak
• Cedar
• Bristlecone Pine

**3. Why does Mr Wonka collect items from the oldest things? Do you think this is the right way to begin his invention?**

Mr. Wonka collects items from the oldest living things because he believes they contain the secret to longevity. His logic is that by gathering bits and pieces from creatures that have lived for extraordinarily long times, he might be able to create a medicine that can make people older. While his approach shows creative thinking and scientific curiosity, it’s not entirely logical from a scientific standpoint. Here’s why:

• Just collecting physical parts of old things doesn’t necessarily capture what makes them live long
• The aging process is complex and varies among different species
• Some of his collected items (like toe-nail clippings and whiskers) don’t actually contain the genetic information that determines longevity

**4. What happens to the volunteer who swallows four drops of the new invention? What is the name of the invention?**

The brave twenty-year-old Oompa-Loompa volunteer who tests the invention experiences a dramatic transformation:

• His skin begins to wrinkle and shrivel up all over
• His hair starts falling out
• His teeth begin to fall out
• Within moments, he ages from twenty to seventy-five years old!

Working with Language

**1. What do you call these insects in your language?**

While specific translations would vary by region and language, here are some common insects and their Hindi names:

• Ant – चींटी (Cheenti)
• Butterfly – तितली (Titli)
• Bee – मधुमक्खी (Madhumakkhee)
• Spider – मकड़ी (Makadi)
• Grasshopper – टिड्डा (Tidda)
• Mosquito – मच्छर (Machchhar)

**2. Fill in the blanks in the recipe given below with words from the box.**

Here’s the complete recipe for Easy Palak-Dal: INGREDIENTS:

• One onion
• One cup dal
• Two thin green chillies
• Half a teaspoon red chilli powder
• Eight small bunches of palak
• Two tomatoes
• Salt to taste

**3. A ‘family tree’ is a diagram that shows the relationship between the different members of a family. Fill in the family tree below with names, ages, and other details you think are relevant.**

This is a personal exercise where you should:

• Start with yourself at the bottom of the tree
• Add your parents above you
• Add your grandparents above your parents
• Include for each person:
  • Full name
  • Age
  • Birth date
  • Location
  • Occupation (if applicable)
• You can also add photographs if available

Speaking

**Using Do for Emphasis**

Here are the dialogue pairs with improved responses that show disagreement or surprise: YOU: “I did study.” PARTNER: “You studied? Your test scores tell a different story!” YOU: “I did go there.” PARTNER: “You went there? That’s odd because I was there all day and didn’t see you.” YOU: “I do play games.” PARTNER: “You play games? I’ve never once seen you at any sports events!” YOU: “He does read his books.” PARTNER: “He reads his books? Then why does he always ask others for notes?” YOU: “You do say the most unbelievable things!” PARTNER: “I say unbelievable things? I’m just stating facts!” YOU: “The earth does spin around.” PARTNER: “The earth spins? Then why don’t we feel dizzy all the time?” YOU: “We all do want you to come with us.” PARTNER: “You want me to come? Nobody even mentioned it until now!” YOU: “Who does know how to cook?” PARTNER: “Are you asking about cooking? I thought we were discussing the project!” YOU: “I do believe that man is a thief.” PARTNER: “You think he’s a thief? What proof do you have?”

Writing

**1. (i) Make a list of the trees Mr Wonka mentions. Where do these trees grow? Try to find out from an encyclopedia. Write a short paragraph about two or three of these trees.**

Here are interesting facts about the trees Mr. Wonka mentions: Bristlecone Pine

• Found in the mountains of Nevada, USA
• Can live for over 4000 years
• Grows in harsh, high-altitude conditions
• Has dense, twisted wood that resists decay

• Native to western North America
• Can grow up to 100 meters tall
• Lives for about 500-1000 years
• Important source of timber

• Found in the Himalayas and Mediterranean regions
• Known for its fragrant wood
• Can live for several hundred years
• Used in making furniture and essential oils

• Found worldwide in temperate and tropical regions
• Can live for several hundred years
• Produces acorns
• Symbol of strength and endurance

**(ii) Name some large trees commonly found in your area. Find out something about them.**

Here are some common trees found in most Indian areas: Banyan Tree

• Age: Can live for over 500 years
• Special feature: Has aerial roots that grow into new trunks
• Birds like mynas, crows, and parrots eat its figs
• Considered sacred in Indian culture

• Age: Lives for 150-200 years
• Known for medicinal properties
• Birds nest in its branches
• Provides cool shade in summer

• Age: Can live for over 1000 years
• Considered sacred in multiple religions
• Provides food for many birds and animals
• Helps purify air effectively

**2. Find out something interesting about age, or growing old, and write a paragraph about it.**

Age and Aging: A Fascinating Journey The concept of age varies greatly across different living things and populations. Humans today can expect to live around 70-80 years on average, but this wasn’t always true. In the past century, human life expectancy has increased dramatically due to better healthcare and living conditions. Different living things age at very different rates:

• Some jellyfish species are technically immortal – they can reverse their aging process
• Galapagos tortoises can live over 150 years
• Some whale species can live over 200 years
• Certain trees, like the Bristlecone Pine, can live for thousands of years