UDGAM SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN

Std. VII English 2022–2023

Ch-7 The Invention of Vita-Wonk (Notes)
Name: ________________________ Std / Sec: _______ Roll No.: ______ Date__________

➢ Word meanings: (Meanings may be written in the textbook.)

1. shrivel- wrinkle
2. venomous- poisonous
3. clippings- small pieces
4. slung- a tough skinned terrestrial insect

➢ Make sentences with the following phrases:

1. to roll up one’s sleeve: to prepare to work hard

It's time to roll up our sleeves and get the job done.
2. started me off: begin to travel or move.
What started you off on this search?
3. to rush all over: to hurry
I rushed over, only to find that the strange man was my father
4. to track down: discover
The police have so far failed to track down the attacker.

➢ Short-answer questions.

1. What trees does Mr. Wonka mention? Which tree does he say lives the longest?
The trees mentioned by Mr. Wonka were the Douglas fir, the Oak, and the Cedar. He said
that the tree named Bristlecone pine, lives the longest.
2. How long does this tree live? Where can you find it?
This tree is over 4000 years old. It is found on the slopes of Wheeler Peak in Nevada,
USA.
3. According to Willy, what is special about the Bristlecone pines?
It is the oldest living thing. It lives longer than anything else.
4. What are the special items in the list for?
They were added to Vita-Wonk. They were used to make people old.
5. Was the process of making Vita-Wonk easy or hard? Justify your answer using
evidence from the text.
He had to face difficulty in finding the oldest animals. It was hard. There was lot of testing
to be done.
Std. VII English – 2022 – 2023 Page 1 of 2
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 6. How did Willy test the effect of his invention?
He tested it on a volunteer. He gave four drops to an Oompa-Loompa volunteer.
7. Did Vita-Wonk work? Justify using evidence from the text.
Yes, Vita-Wonk worked because the Oompa-Loompa became seventy-five. The brave
volunteer became old and withered.
8. Why does Mr. Wonka collect items from the oldest things? Do you think this is the
right way to begin his invention?
Mr. Wonka wanted to create an item that will make people older, so he collected items
from the oldest things. This is in fact a foolish way to begin an invention.

➢ Long-answer questions.
1. How many of the oldest living things can you remember from Mr. Wonka's list? Do
you think all these things exist, or some of them are purely imaginary?

The oldest living things are:

➢ A pint of sap from a 4000-year-old Bristlecone Pine
➢ The toenail clippings from a 168-years-old Russian farmer called Petrovitch Gregorovitch
The tail of a 51-years-old horse in Arabia.
➢ An old flea which had lived on crumpets for 36 years.
Very few of these things would have really existed, a majority of them are purely imaginary.

2. What happens to the volunteer who swallow four drops of the invention? What is
the name of the invention?
When the twenty-year-old volunteer swallowed four drops of the invention he started
wrinkling and shrivelling up all over and his hair started dropping off and his teeth fell.
Finally, he looked like a man who was seventy-five years old. The invention was named
‘Vita-Wonk’.

3. Why do the impact of inventions and discoveries need to be regulated?

Life is an ongoing process with development and growth. Various invention and
discoveries benefitted humanity and nature. Yet a few were disastrous. Human mind is
highly creative but its energy should be used in doing general good for everybody. The
medicine for making young did no good to Mr. Wonka, so he prepared antidote named.
Wonka – Vita. Nature needs to be balanced. Service to nature should be aimed at with
every research/ invention.

Std. VII English – 2022 – 2023 Page 2 of 2

bindu.ajikumar@udgamschool.com/ falaknaz.malek@udgamschool.com /leena.trivedi@udgamschool.com