Chapter: 12. All By Electricity
Comprehension Answers
A. Answer these questions.
Who was the captain of the Nautilus? Describe his chambers. Captain Nemo was the captain of the Nautilus. His chambers had a “severe, almost hermit-like appearance.” They contained only the barest necessities: a small iron bedstead, a work table, and a few pieces of furniture for his toilet, all illuminated by indirect light. Name the instruments shown to Dr Aronnax and their functions. Thermometer: Tells the temperature inside the Nautilus. Barometer: Measures the weight of the air and forecasts changes in weather. Hygrometer: Registers the amount of moisture in the air. Storm-glass: Its mixed-up contents separate out to herald the arrival of storms. Compass: Shows the course to take. Sextant: Indicates latitude by the altitude of the sun. Chronometers: Enable the calculation of longitude. Telescopes: Used for day and night examination of every point on the horizon when the Nautilus is on the surface. Pressure-gauge: Is in contact with the water outside and indicates the vessel’s depth by telling the pressure. Thermometric sounding devices: Register the temperature at various depths. What was pressure gauge and what did it do? The pressure gauge was a dial with a moving needle that was in contact with the water outside the Nautilus. It indicated the depth of the vessel by telling the pressure of the surrounding water. Why did Captain Nemo wish to have Dr Aronnax’s complete attention? Captain Nemo wished to have Dr. Aronnax’s complete attention because he was about to explain the most crucial and revolutionary aspect of the Nautilus’s functioning – the use of electricity – which he called “one agent which is powerful, responsive, easy to use, suitable for all kinds of work, and which reigns supreme on board.” What did Captain Nemo describe as the ‘soul’ of his machines? Captain Nemo described electricity as the “soul” of his machines. What reply did Captain Nemo give when asked about the elements that were being used to generate electricity? When asked about the elements used to generate electricity, Captain Nemo replied that while zinc, iron, silver, and gold deposits exist at the bottom of the sea and could be extracted, he had decided to “owe nothing to the metals of the earth” and instead “simply derive the means to produce my electricity from the sea itself.” Describe the electric clock that Captain Nemo had designed. Captain Nemo’s electric clock was very accurate, keeping time more precisely than the best chronometers. He had divided it into 24 hours, like Italian clocks, because for him, there was neither night nor day, sun nor moon, but only the artificial light he carried to the bottom of the seas. What were the applications of electricity in the submarine’s kitchen? In the submarine’s kitchen, all the cooking was done with electricity, which was described as “even more powerful and obedient than gas.” The electricity also heated distillation devices that used evaporation to provide excellent drinking water. B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.
Your question will be answered.
a. Who says this and to whom?
* Captain Nemo says this to Dr. Aronnax.
b. What is the question being referred to here?
* The question being referred to is Dr. Aronnax’s query about how Captain Nemo replaces the elements (like zinc) used to produce electricity, given that he has no contact with land.
c. What answer does the speaker give?
* Captain Nemo answers that he could extract metals like zinc from the seabed, but he chooses instead to derive the means to produce his electricity directly from the sea itself, owing “everything to the sea.” It’s amazing, and I can see, captain, that you were right to use this agent which will one day replace wind, water, and steam.
a. Who says this and to whom?
* Dr. Aronnax says this to Captain Nemo.
b. What is the ‘agent’ the speaker mentions?
* The ‘agent’ the speaker mentions is electricity.
c. What makes the speaker believe that this agent will one day replace the wind, water and steam?
* The speaker believes this because he has witnessed electricity’s diverse and powerful applications on the Nautilus, providing heat, light, movement, and even enabling cooking and water distillation, far surpassing the capabilities of traditional power sources. C. Think and answer.
Science fiction writers in the past have often accidentally guessed future scientific developments. Do you think Jules Verne does that in this extract? How? Yes, Jules Verne certainly does that in this extract. He accidentally guessed future scientific developments through: Electric Submarines: While submarines existed in rudimentary forms, Verne’s concept of an entirely self-sufficient, high-speed, and deep-diving electric submarine like the Nautilus far preceded the development of such sophisticated electric and nuclear-powered vessels in the 20th century. Advanced Battery/Power Storage: His idea of electricity being “not the commonly used sort” and capable of immense “dynamic capacity” that powers everything suggests a form of highly efficient energy storage or generation that was unknown at the time but is now akin to modern battery technologies or even speculated future power sources like cold fusion or highly efficient fuel cells. Desalination/Water Purification: The use of electricity for “distillation devices which used evaporation to provide excellent drinking water” directly predicts modern electric desalination plants used to convert seawater into fresh water. Electric Cooking/Appliances: The concept of electric cookers and heating for water taps was very futuristic for the 19th century but is now commonplace in homes worldwide. Most modern gadgets such as mobile phones, televisions and laptops have a huge impact on our lives. Have they made our lives easy? Discuss their pros and cons in the class. This question is designed for classroom discussion, but here’s a breakdown of pros and cons: Pros (How they make life easy): Communication: Instant global communication (mobile phones). Information Access: Vast knowledge at our fingertips (internet via phones/laptops). Entertainment: Diverse options for leisure (TV, streaming on laptops/phones). Convenience: Online shopping, banking, navigation, remote work/learning. Productivity: Tools for work, education, and organization (laptops). Safety: Emergency communication, GPS tracking. Cons (Challenges they create): Screen Addiction/Health Issues: Eye strain, sleep disruption, sedentary lifestyle. Social Isolation: Reduced face-to-face interaction, reliance on digital connections. Privacy Concerns: Data collection, cyber security risks. Information Overload/Misinformation: Difficulty discerning accurate information. Mental Health Impact: Comparison culture, cyberbullying, anxiety from constant connectivity. Dependency: Over-reliance on gadgets, loss of traditional skills. Environmental Impact: Electronic waste, energy consumption. 
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