Short Questions
1. What does ‘Athithi Devo Bhava’ mean?
Answer: It means “Guest is God,” emphasizing hospitality in Indian culture.
2. Why is it important to be polite to guests?
Answer: Being polite shows respect and makes guests feel welcomed.
3. What is one polite behavior when guests visit?
Answer: Offering guests a glass of water is polite.
4. Who is Mrs. Harding in the play?
Answer: She is the wife of a wealthy man, Mr. Harding.
5. What does Mary’s mother advise her to say when guests leave?
Answer: She advises Mary to say, “Must you go? Can’t you stay?”
6. What mistake does Mary make about Mrs. Harding’s children?
Answer: Mary assumes Mrs. Harding has children, but she has none.
7. Why does Mrs. Shaw want to impress Mrs. Harding?
Answer: She wants to be invited to Mrs. Harding’s house and make friends.
8. What does the stage direction ‘no one speaks’ indicate?
Answer: It shows an awkward silence after Mary’s inappropriate comments.
9. What is the theme of the play ‘Say the Right Thing’?
Answer: The theme is the importance of polite conversation.
10. What is the meaning of the suffix ‘-ly’ in ‘hilariously’?
Answer: It turns an adjective into an adverb, describing how something is done.
Long Questions
1. Why does Mary insist on staying with her mother during the guests’ visit, and how does her confidence affect her actions?
Answer: Mary insists on staying because she believes she can talk well and wants to prove it. Her overconfidence leads to blunders, as she ignores her mother’s advice and makes rude remarks.
2. How does Mary’s comment about Mr. Best reveal her attitude toward bankers, and what does this suggest about her character?
Answer: Mary mocks Mr. Best’s routine and calls bankers unthinking, showing her judgmental nature. This suggests she lacks tact and speaks without considering others’ feelings.
3. How does the play use humor to highlight Mary’s mistakes, and what effect does this have on the guests?
Answer: The play uses humor through Mary’s repeated blunders, like mistaking others’ habits for faults, causing awkwardness. This embarrasses the guests, making them uncomfortable and eager to leave.
4. What role does Mrs. Shaw play in guiding Mary, and how does her advice contrast with Mary’s behavior?
Answer: Mrs. Shaw tries to teach Mary polite conversation, emphasizing kindness and tact. However, Mary’s impulsive and rude remarks contrast sharply with her mother’s careful guidance.
5. How does the phrase ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ relate to the play’s message, and why is it relevant to treating guests?
Answer: ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ means the world is one family, promoting kindness to all, like guests. The play shows that polite conversation fosters unity, aligning with this value.
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