Unit -7
ON SAYING PLEASE
A.G. Gardiner
Comprehension:
C1. Answer the following in a word, a
phrase or a sentence each:
1) Why was the
passenger thrown out of the lift?
Ans: The passenger did not say “Top Please” to the lift
man. So, the passenger was thrown out of the lift.
2) What would
happen if we were given the liberty to box people’s ears?
Ans: Violence would be let loose, if we were given the liberty to box
people’s ears.
3) What can the law
not compel us to do?
Ans: The law cannot compel us to say “Please”
4) What, according
to the author, is the difference between physical pain and pain of the wound
caused to one’s self-respect?
Ans: According to the author when we talk about pain then
we think of physical pain. But when self-respect is damaged the wound would be
deeper. The physical pain would pass away as the time passes but the wound to
self-respect would devastate whole life.
5) What is the first
and the most important requirement of civility?
Ans: We should concede a service is the first requirement
of civility.
6) What did the “polite
conductor” do for the author?
Ans: The author boarded a bus and when conductor asked
him take a ticket, at that author found that he forgot to bring money, he asked
conductor let him go down but the conductor issued him ticket and said him to
be relaxed. The author surprised, he asked the conductor when to repay it back
to him, then he said that he would meet him on some other day on that route.
7) Who had trampled
on the author’s sensitive toe?
Ans: The conductor had trampled on the author’s sensitive
toe.
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.
Ans: (c) told Bill, the driver, to wait and took him,
himself, across the road.
9) Why was there a
very fine weather on the polite conductor’s bus always?
Ans: Politeness of conductor, civility, generosity and
soft words used by conductor had attracted his passengers. So there was a fine
weather on the polite conductor’s bus always.
10) What, according
to the people, is the cause for the dampening of the everyday civilities?
Ans: The main cause for the dampening of the everyday
civilities is egoism. According to the people so many are self-centeredness and
had so much insolence for each other.
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
Ans: (b) being more civil.
C2. Discuss the
following questions in a group and answer.
1) Can law enforce
civility? Why?
Ans: Law cannot enforce civility. When there would be corporal
brutality then law can be enforced. Law can be enforced in unambiguous occasion
of contravention of individual constitutional rights. The law cannot compel
anyone to say “Please or thank you” and it is not enforced to do so. No laws compel
to hurt or misbehave with anyone; there is no law compensation of ethical and cerebral
damage. The law cannot befall the custodian of our personal etiquette.
2) How does bad
temper affect one’s life?
Ans: Bad temper also affect one’s life, When a person
exhibits temper then it would disturb him as well as to person whom he argue.
Bad temper is equal venomous snake, as venom kill human same way temper would
kill one’s humanity and personality. When someone gets affronted then he would
spoil name and fame of the person who affronted him and it would affect overall
on his behavior. It is very difficult control bad temper but if it is
controlled then nothing goes wrong.
3) Discuss the
importance and effect of good manners.
Ans: Too much sweet is too bad to health. Similarly when
a person has good manners then he should also be aware of bad manners too. Our behavior
is mirror for other to retort back in same manner. What others think about us,
what would they exhibit or utter about us, such things should not be given more
important, good mannered person would ignore everything and thinks on brighter
side. Good mannered person would be more optimistic rather than others. People
would revolve around such persons who have good manners.
4) List out the
instances in which the polite conductor showed his civil behaviour. Do you
approve of his behaviour? Why?
Ans: The author boarded a bus and when conductor asked
him take a ticket, at that author found that he forgot to bring money, he asked
conductor let him go down but the conductor issued him ticket and said him to
be relaxed. The author surprised, he asked the conductor when to repay it back
to him, then he said that he would meet him on some other day on that route. Politeness
of conductor, civility, generosity and soft words used by conductor had
attracted his passengers. So there was a fine weather on the polite conductor’s
bus always. The conductor showed his civil behavior in every instance, when he
had trampled author’s toe that moment he apologized in a polite manner. Even he
asked driver to wait until he crossed the road to a blind man. The conductor
was man of generosity; his behavior attracted everyone as nectar attracts bees.
5) How could the
lift-man take a polite and effective revenge? Suggest a way to do so.
Ans: The lift-man could have taken a polite and effective
revenge rather than throwing him out of lift, he would have treated politely
with him. Every human would have value when he exhibits good manners and
exhibiting bad manners is not an offence but everyone dislikes that person. No law
encourages taking path for offence. When some sort of punishment is designed
then no one would take law in hands. Bad manners would motivate an individual
to misbehave with others but its left every individual how to response back from
everyone. In the same way lift man would have asked politely and there no
compulsion to please or thank you by someone.
P.S. you might also want to check out:
# THE BEST ADVICE I EVER HAD
# MAURITIUS
# THE COLLECTORS
# THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY
# A QUESTION OF SPACE
# ALL STORIES OF ANANSI'S
# THE STORY TELLER
# AN ASTROLOGER'S DAY
# A DREAM OF FLIGHT