questions on saying please
Question 1.
Why was the passenger thrown out of the lift?
Answer:
The passenger was thrown out of the lift for being impolite. He did not say “Top please” but just said “Top”.
Question 2.
What would happen if we were given the liberty to box people’s ears?
Answer:
If we were given the liberty to box people’s ears, violence would be let loose.
Question 3.
What can the law not compel us to do?
Answer:
The law cannot compel us to say ‘please’ or to attune our voice to other people’s sensibilities.
Question 4.
What, according to the author, is the difference between physical pain and pain of the wound caused to one’s self-respect?
Answer:
We always think of physical pain when we talk about pain. But the wound is deeper and the scar darker when self-respect is damaged. The physical pain passes away soon but the pain of a wound to our self-respect or our vanity may poison a whole day.
Question 5.
What is the first and the most important requirement of civility?
Answer:
The first requirement of civility is that we should acknowledge a service.
Question 6.
What did the ‘polite conductor’ do for the author?
Answer:
When the author boarded a bus and found that he was utterly penniless, he told the conductor that he would go back. The conductor said that it was all right and issued him a ticket cheerfully. When the author wondered as to when to repay the amount, the conductor assured him that the author was likely to find him again sometime.
Question 7.
Who had trampled on the author’s sensitive toe?
Answer:
The same conductor, who had earlier helped him with the ticket, trampled on the author’s sensitive toe.
Question 8.
The polite conductor ………………..
a) left the blind man at the bus exit
b) told Bill to take him across the road
c) told Bill, the driver, to wait and took him, himself, across the road
d) forced him out of the bus.
Answer:
(c) Told Bill, the driver, to wait and took him, himself, across the road.
Question 9.
Why was there very fine weather on the polite conductor’s bus always?
Answer:
It is people who bring about a change in the surroundings. There was always very fine weather on the polite conductor’s bus because of his own civility, polite speech and good humour which infected his passengers.
Question 10.
What, according to the people, is the cause for the dampening of the everyday civilities?
Answer:
Where there is pride, there is conflict. The everyday civilities diminish or dampen due to the clash of egos among people. The harmonious atmosphere is spoiled by the rudeness” of an egoist person.
Question 11.
Civilities can be got back in our day-to-day life by ………………
a) evoking the law
b) being more civil
c) paying rudeness with rudeness
d) by punishing an uncivil person.
Answer:
(b) being more civil.
C2. Discuss the following questions in a group and answer:
Question 1.
Can law enforce civility? Why?
Answer:
No, law cannot enforce civility. Unfortunately, law can be enforced only in specific instances of violation of human rights as spelt out in our Constitution. The law can be enforced only when there is physical violence. But the law cannot enforce or compel one to say ‘please’ or ‘thank you’ which would come under etiquette and not rule. The law does not consider the hurting of our feelings as a case for compensation. The law does not have any compensation for moral and intellectual damage. The law cannot become the guardian of our private manners.
Question 2.
How does bad temper affect one’s life?
Answer:
Bad temper harms not only the person who exhibits it, but also all those who come in contact with him. Bad manners are infectious. Bad manners do more to poison the stream of the general life than all the crimes in the calendar. When a man gets insulted by someone, he passes it on to someone else below his social standing, and in the same manner, it keeps passing from one to another and the world gets infected with ill-humors.
Question 3.
Discuss the importance and effect of good manners.
Answer:
It is not an exaggeration to say that manners make man. Good manners are also as infectious as bad manners. Just like the sunny weather that brightens up people’s spirits, good behaviour also brightens up the day. If we are civil, humorous towards others, we will get the same response from others.
That is why the theme of the essay revolves around the issue of manners and while we might be frustrated with the rudeness around us, individuals can counter it with demonstrating good manners to one another and brightening one another’s day.
Question 4.
List out the instances in which the polite conductor showed his civil behaviour. Do you approve of his behaviour? Why?
Answer:
The author makes use of the character of the conductor to highlight the point that it is possible for every one of us to be polite on a daily basis without losing anything. Once when the author had forgotten his wallet and got into the bus, the conductor instead of asking him to get down, gave him the ticket asking him to pay the next time. Another day, the author’s toe was trampled on by the conductor. But the conductor apologized so sweetly, sincerely and repeatedly that the author willingly forgave him.
The author noticed that the conductor was very helpful to both the old and the young alike. The author greatly appreciated the conductor’s behaviour towards a blind man. The conductor told the driver Bill to wait and took the blind man himself across the road. His behaviour made everyone cheerful and his gaiety was not a wasteful luxury but a sound investment.
Question 5.
How could the lift-matt take polite and effective revenge? Suggest a way to do so.
Answer:
Good manners are of great value in human life. Bad manners are not a legal crime. But everybody dislikes a man with bad manners. Small courtesies win us a lot of friends. The law does not permit us to hit back if we are the victims of bad manners. But if we are threatened with physical violence, the law permits us some liberty of action. Bad manners create a chain reaction. Social practice demands politeness from us. A well-mannered person will find that his work becomes easier by the ready co-operation that he gets from others.
That is why reacting to bad manners with bad manners would not be a solution. The lift-man could have taken polite and effective revenge instead of getting upset and sending the man out of the lift. If he had treated the gentleman who was not civil, with elaborate politeness, he would have had the victory not only over the rude man but over himself and that is the victory that counts.
C3. Answer the following:
Question 1.
It is easy to be civil at all times. Do you agree? Why?
Answer:
Civility is at once easy and difficult. On the one hand, it is easy because it is something that is within our control. On the other, it is difficult because if people with whom we associate are not civil, it is difficult to continue to be polite with them.. Civility is also difficult because, in life we interact with people belonging to different backgrounds, cultures and positions. What is perceived as rudeness by one might be the natural behaviour of another? That is why the best yardstick of civility would be to behave in such a way that our behaviour does not hurt others. Our behaviour should be such that it spreads joy around us.
Question 2.
If you are asked to recall a day in your life, you would perhaps remember both the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ on that day. What do you think makes you recall both the good and the bad? Describe the people who you think were responsible for the same.
Answer:
It is when we are on travel that we come across strangers who turn out to be either good or bad. It was when we went to a world famous museum that I had left my mobile in the washroom. The lady, who went to the washroom after me, came out running, looking for me and returned the set. I will never forget the good deed of this stranger who was more than a friend at that moment.
On the same day, as the lift in a station was not working, I had a real tough time with my heavy luggage. Many young boys and girls passed by me without even looking in my direction. However, after I had climbed halfway through, an elderly gentleman offered help restoring my faith in humanity.
Question 3.
Suggest some ways to encourage people to adopt civil behaviour.
Answer:
a) The easiest way to adopt civil behaviour is to get into the Christian spirit of saying, ‘Do unto others what you want others to do unto you’
b) A smile costs nothing. With a smile we can turn strangers into friends.
c) Small helpful gestures like helping someone who is struggling with heavy luggage, moving a little bit to accommodate a fellow passenger in the bus, exchanging the lower berth for an upper berth to help an elderly person in the train are all small gestures which will make life comfortable for others and worthwhile for us.
Additional Questions:
Question 1.
What did the lift-man expect the passenger to say?
Answer:
“Top-please” instead of just “Top”.
Question 2.
When would the law protect a person?
Answer:
If a burglar breaks into a house and the inmate knocks down the burglar, the law protects the householder. If the householder is physically assaulted, it will permit him to retaliate with reasonable violence.
Question 3.
What penalty would a haughty or boorish person have to pay if he is uncivil?
Answer:
The only penalty he will have to pay is being written down as an ill-mannered fellow.
Question 4.
Why does the writer feel that the lift-man was more acutely hurt by the passenger in this particular case?
Answer:
In the said case, the lift-man probably felt that the passenger’s behaviour was a slur upon his social standing. Therefore, he felt the pain more acutely than if he were kicked or had been physically assaulted.
Question 5.
What, according to the writer, was probably the reason for the passenger’s discourtesy to the lift-man?
Answer:
The writer guesses that perhaps the passenger was hurt by his employer, who had not wished him good morning. The employer may have been henpecked by his wife to whom the cook had been insolent. The cook was angry perhaps because the housemaid was rude. So, there probably was a chain reaction which ended up with the lift-man being hurt.
Question 6.
Why would people sympathise with the lift-man in spite of his anger?
Answer:
To be civil to others is a social practice. Though there is no law which compels us to say ‘please’ or ‘thank you’, there is a social practice which is more sacred than any law which expects us to be civil and to acknowledge a service. In the case of the lift¬man, the passenger was being uncivil and rude to him. So, most people would sympathise with the lift-man.
Question 7.
How do the ‘little courtesies’ help us in our daily life?
Answer:
Words like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ are the little courtesies which we use in order to acknowledge a service. These little courtesies go a long way because they are the small change with which we pay our way as social beings. These little courtesies keep our machine of life oiled sweetly. They put our relationship with others upon the basis of friendly co-operation and easy give- and-take, instead of on the basis of superiors dictating to inferiors.
Question 8.
What kind of mind would wish to command?
Answer:
A vulgar mind.
Question 9.
Why do some bus conductors use a loud voice and an aggressive manner?
Answer:
There are some unpleasant bus conductors who regard the passengers as their natural enemies – as creatures whose purpose on the bus is to cheat him and who can be kept reasonably honest only by a loud voice and aggressive manner.
Question 10.
Why did the writer say that his toe was not hurt, though it was hurt?
Answer:
The person who trampled on his toe was none other than the polite bus conductor. He had done so unawares. After that he was very apologetic too. He was so nice that the writer could only assure him that he was not hurt.
Question 11.
How did the polite bus conductor make his passengers comfortable?
Answer:
The polite bus conductor had a fund of patience and he had a gift for making his passengers comfortable. He did several things to make their travel pleasant and comfortable. For e.g., if it was raining, he would run up to call the passengers inside the bus; with old people he was as considerate as a son and with children he was as concerned as a father. He radiated warmth towards youngsters and made them happy with his jests.
He went out of the way to help the handicapped people. He would not only wait for an old man to get off, but also many a time, take a blind man across the road to make sure that he was safely on his way. Everybody on his bus found it a pleasant journey.
Question 12.
How could people sweeten the general atmosphere of behaviour?
Answer:
To sweeten the general atmosphere of behaviour we have to adopt civil behaviour. This is done by being kind and considerate to others. This cannot be done by invoking the law. Human society is, according to the writer, only a little lower than the angels. So, it is necessary to be civil.
Question 13.
What would be an effective way for the lift-man to take proper revenge? Why?
Answer:
The writer feels that the lift-man would have had a more subtle and effective revenge if he had treated the gentleman with elaborate politeness. Then, he would have had victory not only on the boorish gentleman but over himself, because a polite man may lose the material advantage but he would always have the spiritual victory.
Question 14.
How was spiritual victory achieved by Chesterfield?
Answer:
During Chesterfield’s time, who was a famous writer, the streets of London were without pavements. Pedestrians had a tough time walking on the road. Those who were closest to the wall had the driest footing. Once, a man who came from the opposite direction told Chesterfield that he never gave the wall to a scoundrel.
Chesterfield politely stepped aside saying that he always did. That was revenge enough, but done in a very apt yet a polite, civil manner. No doubt, in this case, the victory was Chesterfield’s.
Multiple Choice Questions:
Question 1.
The lift-man insisted that the passenger should say
A) Please
B) Top-please
C) Top
D) Good morning.
Answer:
B) Top-please
Question 2.
No legal system in the world has attempted to legislate against
A) murder
B) assault
C) armed robbery
D) bad manners.
Answer:
D) bad manners.
Question 3.
…………… is not a legal offence.
A) Cheating
B) Smuggling
C) Discourtesy
D) Mugging.
Answer:
C) Discourtesy
Question 4.
If one is uncivil, haughty, boorish in this society, he/she will be called a/an
A) nice fellow
B) good mannered person
C) ill-mannered fellow
D) sophisticated person.
Answer:
C) ill-mannered fellow
Question 5.
Civility is a ………….. which is older and more sacred than any law.
A) personal practice
B) group behaviour
C) social practice
D) foolish practice.
Answer:
C) social practice
Question 6.
The first requirement of civility is that we should
A) not care for anything
B) not acknowledge anything
C) acknowledge a service
D) None of the above.
Answer:
C) acknowledge a service
Question 7.
The author had once left home without any money and boarded a bus. The conductor
A) ordered him to get off the bus
B) said it was all right and gave him the ticket
C) humiliated him in front of the passengers
D) gave him some money.
Answer:
B) said it was all right and gave him the ticket
Question 8.
The polite conductor bought heavy boots because he wanted to
A) escape from being trod on by people
B) cause discomfort to the people
C) tread on people’s feet
D) injure the author’s toe.
Answer:
A) escape from being trod on by people
Question 9.
The author says that a journey with the polite conductor was a lesson in
A) geography
B) learning the routes of the city
C) learning aggressive manners
D) natural courtesy and good manners.
Answer:
D) natural courtesy and good manners.
Question 10.
It was always fine weather on the polite conductor’s bus, because his civility, conciliatory address and good humoured bearing
A) infected his passengers
B) worsened the condition
C) made the weather condition light
D) spread confusion among the passengers.
Answer:
A) infected his passengers
Question 11.
If bad manners are infectious, so are good manners. So, let us be
A) rude and make others rude
B) civil and make others civil
C) selfish and make others selfish
D) uncivil and make others uncivil.
Answer:
B) civil and make others civil
Question 12.
The passenger was thrown out of the
A) train
B) lift
C) bus
D) office.
Answer:
B) lift
Question 13.
The passenger wanted to go to the ……………. floor.
A) bottom
B) middle
C) top
D) ground
Answer:
C) top
Vocabulary:
V1. Following are some synonyms of the word ‘uncivil’. Rearrange the jumbled letters to get meaningful words:
uedr …………..
ouutnhc …………….
pdniutme …………..
cdosietuyrs ……………
tsolnnie …………….
gyhutah ……………
soomer …………….
robo ……………..
Answer:
rude
uncouth
impudent
discourtesy
insolent
haughty
morose
boor
V2. Guess the words that could be used for a person with good manners. You can take the help of a theasurus.
Answer:
tolerant
kind
patient
solicitous
gallant
chivalrous
genteel
courteous.
Values in Indian Culture
India is a leader in the arena of culture for various reasons. It has to its credit a rich tradition making it culturally strong. More importantly, it has assimilated the cultural influences of the whole world and has shown that culture is not static; it is ever-growing. However, it has retained its own cultural values without being swept over by foreign influences. The essence of what we now have as Indian culture is the outcome of the Indian sentiment which is well-captured in the words of the Father of the Nation – Mahatma Gandhi:
“I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides
and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of
all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as
possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.”
We remain entrenched in the values of our culture. Our biggest strength lies in our family bonds. Our children respect their elders, and the elders give them their unconditional love. The elders are not of the family alone. We have been taught right from our childhood the concept, ‘Matru devobhava, pitru devobhava, achaarya devobhava, athithi devobhava/ We respect our teachers and guests as much as we respect our parents. We are enjoined to see divinity in them.
We are also taught to respect wealth, but not rim after it. Wealth for us is Goddess Lakshmi, to be worshipped, not to be lusted after. That is why every auspicious occasion is marked by offerings to the poor and the priests.
But let us also remember that these values are quite often trampled upon by unscrupulous people who are cruel and selfish. That is why we the young should take the pledge to uphold all that is sacred in our culture and cleanse away the. impurities. Only then India can continue to be the torchbearer of values that can be emulated by all.
On Saying Please by A.G. Gardiner About The Author:
Alfred George Gardiner (1865-1946) was an English journalist and a writer. He was a prolific writer with a number of essays to his credit. His essays exhibit the very sensitive, highly cultured and sophisticated personality of the writer. He wrote under the pen name ‘Alpha of the Plough’.
On Saying Please Summary in English
‘On Saying Please’ is an essay that talks about socially important issues that we come across in our daily life. The essay shows how using polite words and phrases like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ can change the course of our day. Such words help us in making our passage through life smooth.
In his attempt to draw a distinction between what is etiquette and what is legally binding, Gardiner begins his essay with the example of a lift-man who threw a passenger out of the lift for not saying ‘please.’ While agreeing that courtesy is a desirable characteristic, Gardiner rightly points out that courtesy cannot be legally clamped upon people who are discourteous. The legal system, despite its shortcomings, is reasonable in not considering impoliteness an offence. Impoliteness is what is perceived as impolite and hence is subjective. Hence, punishment is not possible. At the most, we may brand the impolite person ill-mannered. But in the case of physical brutality the law gives us the right to self-defence.
The truth also remains that quite often impoliteness is more hurtful than physical abuse. What is worse, it has the cyclical effect. The one who is at the receiving end of rudeness from his superiors, takes it out on his subordinates as he cannot retaliate against his superiors. That is why we should know the importance and value of social practices that promote civility.
Gardiner offers the example of a good-natured conductor to show how such people can bring about positivity. Gardiner points out that the example of a genial conductor is not chosen under the assumption that conductors are by and large ill-tempered. Gardiner makes it clear that if here and there we have rude conductors, it is the outcome of their demanding job.
However, the friendly conductor made the author feel pleasantly surprised by buying a ticket for him as the author had forgotten his purse at home. Though the author later found a shilling in his pocket to pay the conductor, the cheerful behaviour of the conductor left him with a pleasant feeling.
On another occasion, it was the conductor who had trodden on the toe of the author. But he was so genuine in his apology that the author forgave him easily. It also became the habit of the author to notice the well-mannered conductor who took on different roles in helping his passengers. He was like a son to the old, father to the children, friend to the young and helper to the handicapped.
The author is especially impressed by the fact that the conductor would get out of the bus, asking the driver to wait for him so as to take the blind across the road or round the comer. Gardiner adds that just as good weather uplifts our spirit, good-natured people too bring about positivity. Their charm cannot be resisted by even unfriendly people.
Gardiner concludes the essay by observing that rudeness seemed to be the aftermath of war. He earnestly appeals to his readers to bring back civility to social behaviour.
Thus we see that the essay clearly shows the distinction between what is punishable by law and what is desirable though not punishable by law. While the law is very definite about how individuals should act, it does not have much to say about the issues of courtesy and kindness/politeness to others. The law speaks to individuals who have been wronged, whose rights have been taken away at the hands of another.
Yet, it cannot legislate manners or civility in acting towards one another. The reality is that while it is not a perfect state, this state of law is a reasonable one because it does not enter the realm of emotions. If the law gave in to this level of emotional subjectivity, then individuals would be carrying out acts of violence each time someone demonstrated rudeness to them. ’
Glossary:
comply: to obey a rule, or on order
discourtesy: not polite
acquit: to decide and state in a court of law that somebody is not guilty
assailant: an attacker
boorish: a rude, insensitive person
slur: a cause to blame
henpecked: a man who is always told by his wife
morose: very sad and ill-tempered
decalogue: The Ten Commandments
irradiated: to make something look brighter and happier
uncouth: a person of rude behaviour
affront: insult
haughty: a high opinion of oneself and often a low position of others hurt feelings
laceration: a speech or piece of writing praising someone
panegyric: highly.
Comments
Post a Comment