Chapter 7 – Down The Rabbit-Hole Explanation, Summary, Questions and Answers

Content Structure

1. About the author – Lewis Caroll
2. Theme of the Down The Rabbit-Hole
3. Summary of the Down The Rabbit-Hole
4. Word meanings
5. Exercises solutions
6. Additional Questions & Answers
- 6A. Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)
- 6B. Fill in the blanks
- 6C. True or False
- 6D. Short questions & answers
- 6E. Long questions & answers
7. Grammar
- Narration change

1. About the author – Lewis Caroll

Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a famous English writer, photographer and mathematician. He was born on 27th January 1832 in Daresbury, England and worked at Oxford University as a lecturer in mathematics. He is well known for his children’s books Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. These books are well known for their imaginative storytelling, clever wordplay and rich fantasy. Carroll also had a great talent for solving puzzles, providing logical explanations and storytelling. He died on 14th January 1898.

2. Theme of the Down The Rabbit-Hole

This story reflects the imagination of a young child, filled with a magical world where animals look cute and pretty and can talk like humans. It also highlights the importance of books and the concept of shrinking, both of which show the power of imagination.
Alice’s journey begins with curiosity and wonder, showing how a sense of imagination can lead to unexpected experiences and exciting adventures.
During her journey, Alice faces unusual situations and confusing experiences, applying her knowledge to make thoughtful decisions and to understand things of deeper meaning.

3. Summary of the Down The Rabbit-Hole

The story begins with Alice sitting beside her sister to hear a story, but she does not take an interest in it because it lacks both dialogue and pictures. At that moment, Alice notices a rabbit with pink eyes that talks to itself. She is surprised and follows the rabbit because she has never seen a rabbit before that wears clothes and talks like a person. Alice becomes curious and decides to follow the rabbit into a hole beneath the hedge, where she accidentally falls down. She falls slowly into the rabbit hole and discovers cupboards, bookshelves, and maps lining its sides. She even picks up a jar labeled “Orange Marmalade,” but it is empty. As she falls, she thinks about places like New Zealand and Australia because, in school, she learned about the center of the Earth, so she believes she might reach it. She tries to stay brave and strong, even though everything around her feels strange. She also thinks about her pet cat Dinah and hopes her family will take care of him and give him food in her absence. Suddenly, she falls onto land covered with sticks and dry leaves. She notices the same white rabbit again and follows it, but she reaches a hall room with many doors, all of which are locked. She finds a small golden key on the glass table and notices a tiny door hidden behind the curtain. She tries to open the door with the help of the key and sees a beautiful garden on the other side. However, she cannot enter through the door because she is too tall, so she wishes to become shorter. At that moment, she finds a bottle labeled “Drink Me.” She takes it and carefully checks for a poison mark, but she does not find anything, so she drinks the water. She then notices that she has become smaller and is now able to enter the door, but she realizes she has left the key on the table and cannot reach it. She wishes to become taller again and finds a glass box under the table with a cake labeled “Eat Me.” She hopes the cake will either make her tall enough to reach the key or small enough to enter the garden. She eats a little piece of the cake and waits to see what happens next.

4. Word meanings

Word	Meaning
Peeped	Looked quickly
Daisy-chain	Flower string
Flashed	Appeared suddenly
Hedge	Row of bushes
Pegs	Small hooks or pins used to hang things
Underneath	Below
Tumbling	Falling down
Latitude	Distance north or south of the Earth’s equator
Longitude	Distance east or west from a line called the Prime Meridian
Dozing off	Falling asleep
Coiner	Edge
Knelt down	Went on knees
Poker	A metal rod used to move firewood in a fire
Shrink	Become smaller in size
Seldom	Rarely
Croquet	A game played by hitting balls through hoops on grass
Creep	Move slowly and quietly

5. Exercises solutions

1. What had seemed natural to Alice when she should have wondered about it? (2 marks)
Ans: Alice saw a rabbit that talked like a person and wore clothes, but she didn’t find it strange at the time. She thought it was normal and later realized that it was very strange.

2. What did Alice notice at the side of the well? (2 marks)
Ans: Alice noticed that the sides of the well were lined with cupboards and bookshelves. She also saw many pegs on the wall that were used for hanging pictures and maps.

3. What happens when Alice jumps down the rabbit hole both in physical and psychological aspect? (6 marks)
Ans: Alice begins falling into the rabbit hole, slowly moving through what looks like a tunnel filled with cupboards, bookshelves, pictures, and maps along the walls. During her fall, she notices a jar labeled “Orange Marmalade,” but it is empty. Suddenly, she lands safely on a pile of dry sticks and leaves. During her fall, she imagines that she might reach the center of the earth, recalling what she had learned in school. She also thinks of her pet cat Dinah and hopes that her family will feed and take care of him in her absence. This moment marks the beginning of her magical journey, guided by curiosity, filled with confusion, and driven by imagination and excitement.

6. Additional Questions & Answers

6A. Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)

1. What did Alice think about doing before seeing the White Rabbit?
(a) Running into the forest
(b) Making a chain of flowers
(c) Jumping into a hole
(d) Sleeping under a tree

Ans: (b) Making a chain of flowers

2. Why did Alice run after the Rabbit?
(a) She had no one to talk to
(b) She was scared of it
(c) She was curious to know more
(d) The Rabbit called her

Ans: (c) She was curious to know more

3. What was written on the jar Alice picked while falling?
(a) Apple Juice
(b) Jam
(c) Orange Marmalade
(d) Mango Juice

Ans: (c) Orange Marmalade

4. What did Alice see inside the well while falling?
(a) Only darkness
(b) Mice running around
(c) Cupboards, bookshelves, maps, and pictures
(d) Water everywhere

Ans: (c) Cupboards, bookshelves, maps, and pictures

5. Who was Dinah?
(a) Alice’s sister
(b) Alice’s mother
(c) Alice’s pet cat
(d) Alice’s best friend

Ans: (c) Alice’s pet cat

6. Where did Alice land after the fall?
(a) In a bed
(b) In a tree branch
(c) On dry leaves and sticks
(d) On a dark pond

Ans: (c) On dry leaves and sticks

7. What did Alice find on the small glass table?
(a) A letter
(b) A key made of gold
(c) A piece of cake
(d) A bottle

Ans: (b) A key made of gold

8. What words were written on the bottle Alice saw?
(a) Drink Me
(b) Tasty
(c) Poison
(d) Eat Me

Ans: (a) Drink Me

9. What happened after Alice drank the liquid in the bottle?
(a) She felt sick
(b) She grew taller
(c) She became very small
(d) She fell asleep

Ans: (c) She became very small

10. What was written on the small cake Alice found?
(a) Drink Me
(b) Eat Me
(c) Try Me
(d) Tasty

Ans: (b) Eat Me

11. What was unusual about the Rabbit that caught Alice’s attention?
(a) It was dancing and singing
(b) It wore clothes like a human
(c) It was flying
(d) It was cooking like a human

Ans: (b) It wore clothes like a human

12. What emotion does Alice show when she sits down and cries?
(a) Anger
(b) Curiosity
(c) Sadness and helplessness
(d) Excitement

Ans: (c) Sadness and helplessness

13. Why did Alice want to shrink like a telescope?
(a) To climb the table
(b) To play with her sister
(c) To enter the tiny door to the garden
(d) To hide from the Rabbit

Ans: (c) To enter the tiny door to the garden

14. What did Alice find behind the curtain in the hall?
(a) A mirror
(b) A small wooden door
(c) A candy
(d) A cake

Ans: (b) A small wooden door

15. What did Alice find under the table after she became small?
(a) A bottle
(b) A tiny cake in a glass box
(c) A juice
(d) A mirror

Ans: (b) A tiny cake in a glass box

6B. Fill in the blanks

1. The Rabbit took a ______________ out of its waistcoat pocket. (watch)
2. Alice was sitting beside her ______________ on the bank. (sister)
3. Alice saw a White Rabbit with _____________ eyes run past her. (pink)
4. Alice followed the Rabbit and jumped into a ________________-hole. (rabbit)
5. The Rabbit said, “Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too ________________!” (late)
6. Alice thought she might fall through the whole ______________. (earth)
7. She picked up a jar labeled “____________________.” (Orange Marmalade)
8. Alice wondered if cats could eat ________________. (bats)
9. In the long hall, she found a small glass table with a golden _______________ on it. (key)
10. The garden behind the door was full of bright ______________ and fountains. (flowers)
11. Alice checked the bottle to see if it was marked “_______________.” (poison)
12. Behind the curtain, Alice saw a very small _______________. (door)
13. After drinking from the bottle, Alice became ___________ inches tall. (ten)
14. Alice thought she could shrink like a _______________________ to fit through the door. (telescope)
15. Alice once tried to ________________ her own ears for cheating in a game. (box)
16. She tried to climb the table, but the legs were too _______________ to hold on. (slippery)
17. Alice wanted to get into the garden, but her ______________ could not fit through the door. (shoulders)
18. The Rabbit said, “Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too __________________!” (late)
19. The small door was only about ________________ inches high. (fifteen)
20. Alice was used to strange things and found normal life ______________ and boring. (dull)

6C. True or False

1. Alice was sitting alone on the bed at the beginning. (False)
S/S: Alice was sitting beside her sister on the riverbank, not in bed.

2. Alice thought a book without pictures or dialogue was more interesting. (False)
S/S: Alice thought a book without pictures or conversations was not interesting.

3. The Rabbit spoke to itself, saying it was going too fast. (False)
S/S: The Rabbit said, “Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!”

4. The rabbit hole sloped gently and was easy to walk down. (False)
S/S: The rabbit hole dipped suddenly, and Alice fell without having time to think.

5. The jar Alice picked up was full of mango marmalade. (False)
S/S: The jar was labeled “Orange Marmalade,” but it was empty.

6. Alice imagined she might fall through the country of New Zealand. (False)
S/S: Alice thought she had fallen about 4,000 miles and might reach the center of the earth.

7. Alice thought bats and mice were similar. (True)
S/S: She thought a bat was very like a mouse and wondered if Dinah would eat one.

8. Alice didn’t know what latitude and longitude meant. (True)
S/S: She liked saying the words but didn’t know their meaning.

9. The small door behind the curtain led to a beautiful garden. (True)
S/S: The small door led to a beautiful garden with flowers and fountains.

10. After drinking from the bottle, Alice grew taller and hit the ceiling. (False)
S/S: Alice did not grow taller; she became smaller, about ten inches high.

6D. Short questions & answers

1. Why did Alice follow the white rabbit?
Ans: Alice followed the White Rabbit out of curiosity because he looked very unusual. He was dressed like a person, spoke aloud to himself, and even carried a watch, which amazed her.

2. What did Alice notice in the rabbit hole?
Ans: Alice noticed that the walls of the rabbit hole were lined with cupboards, bookshelves, and strange objects like pictures and maps hanging on the walls as she fell down.

3. What did Alice say about the book?
Ans: Alice felt bored when her sister read a book without pictures or conversations. She believed that such books were not interesting and seemed quite useless.

4. Describe the character of Alice.
Ans: Alice was an imaginative and curious child who loved colorful things and strange creatures. Her book knowledge helped her think clearly and make thoughtful decisions in unfamiliar situations.

5. How was rabbit unique from other rabbits, according to Alice?
Ans: The rabbit was unique because it wore a coat, held a watch, and spoke like a human. These strange actions made it very different from other ordinary animals.

6. What inscription did Alice find on the empty bottle?
Ans: Alice found a bottle labeled “Orange Marmalade,” but when she checked it, she saw it was empty, so she left it and continued her journey.

7. How did ALice change her size?
Ans: Alice drank from a bottle labeled “Drink Me” because she wanted to become small enough to enter the beautiful garden behind the tiny small door.

8. What did Alice find behind the curtain?
Ans: Alice found a tiny locked door hidden behind the curtain and after searching the room carefully she found the key, unlocked the door and discovered a beautiful garden filled with flowers and fountains.

9. How did Alice open the door?
Ans: Alice used a golden key, which she found on a glass table, to unlock the small door.

10. Why did n’t Alice enter the garden immediately?
Ans: Alice couldn’t enter the garden because she was too big to fit through the small door, which made her feel disappointed.

11. Why did Alice want to grow?
Ans: Alice wanted to grow bigger because after shrinking, she realized she had left the key on the table and could no longer reach it. She believed that if she grew tall again, she would be able to get the key back.

12. what was Alice thinking during the fall?
Ans: Alice imagined that she might be falling through the Earth to places like Australia or New Zealand as she remembered her geography lessons and wondered what could be at the center of the Earth.

13. What did Alice think about her pet cat?
Ans: Alice thought of her cat Dinah and hoped her family would feed her. She also wondered whether cats eat bats or mice, worrying about Dinah’s food.

14. Why didn’t Alice drink water at first?
Ans: Alice was cautious about drinking the water because she thought it might be poisonous, so she carefully checked the bottle for any warning signs and drank it only after making sure it was safe.

15. What did the alice find under the table?
Ans: Alice discovered a glass box under the table that contained a cake labeled “Eat Me,” and hoping it would change her size, she ate a small piece and waited to see what would happen.

6E. Long questions & answers

1. Describe Alice’s feelings and thoughts while falling down the rabbit-hole.
Ans: Alice fell slowly into the rabbit hole and saw cupboards, bookshelves, and maps lining its sides. She picked up a jar labeled “Orange Marmalade,” but it was empty. During the fall, she thought about places like New Zealand and Australia because, in school, she had learned about the center of the Earth and believed she might reach there. Although the situation felt strange and unfamiliar, Alice tried to remain brave and calm. She also thought about her pet cat Dinah and hoped her family would take care of him and feed him in her absence.

2. Why did Alice hesitate before drinking from the bottle?
Ans: Alice hesitated before drinking from the bottle because she thought it might be poisonous. She carefully examined the bottle for any warning signs, especially looking for a poison label. Since the bottle had no warning signs and only a label that read “Drink Me,” Alice trusted it and drank the water out of curiosity. Her thoughtful behavior showed that she was a clever and careful girl, even within her imagination.

3. Why does Alice want to “shut up like a telescope”?
Ans: Alice wanted to “shut up like a telescope” because she needed to shrink in size to fit through the tiny door that led to the garden. This phrase shows a child’s imagination and her wish to change things around her. In her dreamlike world, her wishes often come true, and she does become smaller. The metaphor shows Alice’s sadness, cleverness, and playful nature, which help her manage the magical world around her.

4. Explain the role of curiosity in Alice’s adventure.
Ans: Alice’s adventure begins with her curiosity when she sees a rabbit with pink eyes talking to itself and wearing clothes, which she had never seen before. Her curiosity made her follow the rabbit, and she fell into the rabbit hole, where she discovered cupboards, bookshelves, and maps lining the sides. She even picked up a jar labeled “Orange Marmalade,” although it was empty. During the fall, she imagined reaching the center of the Earth and also thought about her cat Dinah, hoping her family would take care of him. Her curiosity gave her the courage to explore the strange and magical world.

5. Give a brief character sketch of Alice.
Ans: Alice is a curious, imaginative, and thoughtful child who follows a strange rabbit without fear. During her fall, she remains calm and notices everything around her while recalling her school lessons. She finds a bottle and examines it carefully before drinking, which shows her careful and sensible nature. In strange situations, she speaks to herself with both humor and clear thinking, which reflects her emotional strength. Her intelligence and imagination help her face unusual situations with confidence, making her a strong and wise girl.

6. How is Alice’s memory important in the passage?
Ans: Alice’s imagination is closely linked with her memories, as she recalls her geography lessons while thinking about falling to the Earth’s center and remembers safety rules as she carefully checks the bottle for poison. She also thinks about her pet cat, Dinah, and hopes her family will take good care of him. These memories guide her to make sensible decisions, even in strange and unusual situations. Her past knowledge and present curiosity work together, helping her respond thoughtfully and clearly in an imaginary world, which adds realism to her character.

7. How does Carroll balance logic and fantasy in this story?
Ans: The story is full of imagination, and Carroll skillfully balances it with logic by showing how Alice, while living in a magical world, continues to use her knowledge of geography, safety, and gravity to understand the strange situations around her. She imagines reaching the center of the Earth and checks the bottle for poison before drinking. She even talks to herself, gives advice, and scolds herself for crying, which shows emotional strength. These thoughtful and logical responses within a magical world show that real-life thoughts and feelings can exist in dreams. This balance makes the story relatable, humorous, and enjoyable for readers.

8. What difficulties did Alice face after shrinking?
Ans: Alice faced a problem after she shrank, as she realized she had forgotten to take the golden key from the table. She tried to climb up, but the table was too tall and slippery, which made her feel helpless and caused her to start crying. Soon after, she scolded herself for crying and advised herself to stay calm and find a solution. She wished to grow taller so she could reach the key. This reaction shows her emotional maturity and her ability to handle problems calmly, even in difficult situations.

9. What message does the passage give about problem-solving?
Ans: The passage presents Alice as a child who thinks in a mature and sensible way, using logic and calmness to face unusual situations. As she moves through her imaginary world, she faces different challenges but tries to solve them thoughtfully and cleverly. She tells herself not to cry and tries to think clearly, which shows her mental strength. This inspires readers to stay calm during difficult times and to face problems with confidence. The story teaches us to use our knowledge, experience, and curiosity to find creative and brave solutions.

10. Why is the passage called “Down the Rabbit-Hole”?
Ans: The passage is titled “Down the Rabbit-Hole” because Alice’s journey begins when she follows a rabbit and accidentally falls into a rabbit hole. This incident shows her transition from the real world to Wonderland, a magical and strange place. The fall symbolizes her move away from logic into a world of imagination and adventure. The title captures the beginning of her transformation and is now often used to describe entering something strange or unknown, clearly showing the change from reality to imagination in the story.

7. Grammar

7A. Narration change

1. “Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!” said the Rabbit.
Ans: The Rabbit exclaimed in fear that he would be too late.

2. The child said, “Wow! That magic trick was amazing.”
Ans: The child exclaimed with wonder that the magic trick had been amazing.

3. “I must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth,” she said aloud.
Ans: She said aloud that she must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth.

4. “Please, Ma’am, is this New Zealand or Australia?” said Alice.
Ans: Alice politely asked the lady if that was New Zealand or Australia.

5. “Dinah, my dear! I wish you were down here with me!” said Alice.
Ans: Alice wished that her dear cat Dinah were down there with her.

6. “Do cats eat bats?” she said sleepily.
Ans: She sleepily asked whether cats ate bats.

7. “This bottle was certainly not here before,” said Alice.
Ans: Alice said that that bottle had certainly not been there before.

8. “Come, there’s no use in crying like that!” said Alice to herself.
Ans: Alice told herself firmly that there was no use in crying like that.

9. “Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!” said the Rabbit.
Ans: The Rabbit said that he would be too late and exclaimed with worry.

10. “I must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth,” she said aloud.
Ans: She said aloud that she must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth.

11. “Please, Ma’am, is this New Zealand or Australia?” said Alice.
Ans: Alice asked politely if that was New Zealand or Australia.

12. “Do cats eat bats? Do bats eat cats?” said Alice.
Ans: Alice wondered whether cats ate bats or bats ate cats.

13. “I wonder how many miles I’ve fallen by this time?” she said aloud.
Ans: She said aloud that she wondered how many miles she had fallen by that time.

14. “Let me see: that would be four thousand miles down, I think,” said Alice.
Ans: Alice said that it would be four thousand miles down, she thought.

15. “Dinah, my dear! I wish you were down here with me!” she said.
Ans: She said that she wished Dinah, her dear cat, were down there with her.

16. “What a curious feeling!” said Alice.
Ans: Alice said that it was a curious feeling.

17. “I must be shutting up like a telescope,” she said.
Ans: She said that she must be shutting up like a telescope.

18. “This bottle was certainly not here before,” said Alice.
Ans: Alice said that that bottle had certainly not been there before.

19. “Well, I’ll eat it,” said Alice.
Ans: Alice said that she would eat it.

20. She said, “My brother will arrive tomorrow.”
Ans: She said that her brother would arrive the next day.

21. I said, “I met him in the morning.”
Ans: I said that I had met him in the morning.

22. The teacher said, “You have done well.”
Ans: The teacher said that I had done well.

23. The man said, “I was working all night.”
Ans: The man said that he had been working all night.

24. They said, “Have you finished your task?”
Ans: They asked whether I had finished my task.

25. I said, “Are you coming with us?”
Ans: I asked if they were coming with us.

26. The officer said, “Did you bring the documents?”
Ans: The officer asked whether I had brought the documents.

27. He said, “Is your father at home?”
Ans: He asked if my father was at home.

28. She said, “Will you attend the function?”
Ans: She asked whether I would attend the function.

29. She said, “What are you doing now?”
Ans: She asked what I was doing then.

30. They said, “Why did you leave early?”
Ans: They asked why I had left early.

31. I said, “When will the train arrive?”
Ans: I asked when the train would arrive.

32. The boy said, “How do you solve this?”
Ans: The boy asked how I solved that.

33. He said, “What is your name?”
Ans: He asked what my name was.

34. Rani said, “Where have you been all day?”
Ans: Rani asked where I had been all day.

35. He said to me, “Close the window.”
Ans: He told me to close the window.

36. The teacher said to the students, “Be quiet.”
Ans: The teacher told the students to be quiet.

37. Mother said to me, “Don’t go out now.”
Ans: Mother told me not to go out then.

38. The librarian said to the student, “Return the books on time.”
Ans: The librarian told the student to return the books on time.

39. He said, “Hurrah! We have won the match.”
Ans: He exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

40. They said, “What a surprise to see you here!”
Ans: They exclaimed that it was a great surprise to see me there.