Chapter: 12. All By Electricity
A. Answer these questions.
What was the first impression Dr. Aronnax had of Captain Nemo’s room? Besides navigation, what other essential needs did electricity fulfill for Captain Nemo on the Nautilus? Why did Captain Nemo divide his electric clock into 24 hours instead of a typical 12-hour format? How did Captain Nemo explain the source of the elements needed for his electricity without contact with land? What two main sections was the engine room of the Nautilus divided into? B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.
“No comfort. Only the barest of necessities.”
a. Whose quarters are being described here?
b. What does this description reveal about the owner’s priorities or lifestyle?
c. How does this contrast with the advanced nature of the Nautilus itself? “Before going any further, Dr Aronnax, I must explain a few things. So please pay attention to what I have to say.”
a. Who is the speaker and what is the relationship between the speaker and Dr. Aronnax at this point?
b. What “few things” is the speaker about to explain?
c. Why is the speaker emphasizing the need for Dr. Aronnax’s complete attention? “But not the air you breathe?”
a. Who asks this question and to whom?
b. What assumption does the questioner seem to have about the complete self-sufficiency of the Nautilus based on electricity?
c. How does the listener clarify this point regarding air supply? C. Think and answer.
Based on Captain Nemo’s character and his reliance on the sea, what values do you think are most important to him? The extract calls Jules Verne the “Father of Science Fiction.” Why is imagination so crucial for a science fiction writer, and how do we see Verne’s imagination at work in this chapter? If you were designing a self-sufficient underwater vehicle today, what modern technologies (beyond what Nemo had) would you incorporate to make it even more advanced and independent? Why do you think Dr. Aronnax transitions from being “somewhat surprised” to being in “complete awe” of Captain Nemo’s electricity? What specific details contributed to this shift? 
Comprehension