Looking around at the MOO is a more active process than is looking around in real life. You must use the 'look' command to "see" anything. To look at the room you are in for instance simply enter 'look <enter>'. (The <> brackets indicate key strokes by the way, not additional words to enter, or they indicate optional items which you must choose to enter.) To see another character you enter 'look <Donald><enter>' or to look at an object you enter 'look <tape-recorder><enter>. You can also try your other senses for instance many rooms and objects have smells and sounds for which you use a 'listen' command or a 'smell' command exactly like you use the look command.
The 'Exam' command gives you more details on any object or room you happen to occupy. Use it in the following way to examine a room 'exam here <enter>, and to examine an object enter 'exam <the name of the object><enter>'. This command will tell you what can be done with the object, who owns it and a variety of additional details about it.