Say the Right Thing |English | Drama Explanation | NCERT Solution| Class VII

Lesson Architecture

Theme

Lesson Summary

Character Introduction

Translation of the Play

Word-Meanings

NCERT Solution

Competency Based Questions & Answers

Theme | Say the Right Thing | Unit II | Class VII

The drama Say the Right Thing explores the humorous and sometimes awkward consequences of social inexperience and the pressure to make a good impression. It focuses on the importance of polite conversation and the unspoken rules of social etiquette in upper-class gatherings.

The play highlights how honesty, when unfiltered or poorly timed, can lead to unintended embarrassment. Through the character of Mary, who tries to follow her mother’s instructions but fails hilariously, the play underscores the gap between intention and social expectation.

Ultimately, it teaches that kindness, sincerity, and thoughtful speech form the foundation of meaningful communication.

Say the Right Thing

Lesson Summary | Unit II | Say the Right Thing | Drama Explanation

Say the Right Thing is a humorous one-act play that revolves around Mrs. Shaw and her daughter Mary as they prepare to host two important guests—Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Lee—in their home in the town of Lanfield. Mrs. Shaw is eager to impress the ladies, especially Mrs. Harding, who belongs to a wealthy and influential family. She coaches Mary on how to behave properly—what to say, how to act politely, and most importantly, to avoid saying anything that might offend the guests.

Mary, though eager to help, is inexperienced in polite society and takes her mother’s advice literally. She assures her mother that she knows the "right things" to say and is confident in her ability to manage a conversation. However, once the guests arrive, Mary unintentionally creates one awkward moment after another. She mistakes other people’s children as belonging to Mrs. Harding, criticizes bankers—only to discover that Mrs. Lee’s brother is one, mocks fashion choices that turn out to reflect the guests' own preferences, and even insults the family dog without realizing it belongs to them.

Despite several attempts to recover the situation, Mary’s well-meaning but blunt observations lead to mounting discomfort. In the final scene, when the guests prepare to leave, Mary, trying to recall her mother’s parting instructions, mixes them up and hilariously says the opposite—“Must you stay? Can’t you go?”—leaving everyone speechless.

The play ends on a humorous note, revealing how hard it can be to navigate polite society, especially when trying too hard to impress. Through witty dialogue and a relatable situation, the drama portrays the challenges of social conversation and the importance of timing, tact, and empathy in communication.

Character Introduction | Role in Play | Personality Traits

Character	Role in the Play	Personality Traits	Contribution to the Plot
Mrs. Shaw	A polite and socially conscious lady; mother of Mary	Sophisticated, image-conscious, guiding, a bit controlling	Hosts an important tea gathering and tries to teach Mary how to behave in society.
Mary	Mrs. Shaw’s daughter, young and outspoken	Honest, blunt, naïve, unintentionally funny	Creates humorous and awkward moments while trying to "say the right thing."
Mrs. Harding	Wife of a wealthy man who has recently moved to Lanfield	Elegant, reserved, easily offended	Her presence is important for Mrs. Shaw’s social aspirations; Mary unknowingly offends her.
Mrs. Lee	Mrs. Harding’s sister, more expressive and talkative	Observant, sharp, mildly sarcastic	Reacts to Mary’s comments and helps move the conversation, adding to the drama.
Mr. Best (Mentioned)	A banker who commutes daily to London	Not shown on stage; described humorously by Mary	Used to highlight Mary’s critical and unfiltered way of speaking.
Mr. Pomeroy (Mentioned)	A horse-riding man who practices shooting	Passionate about horses and shooting	Another target of Mary’s commentary, leading to awkwardness with Mrs. Lee.

Scene I: At Home

Character & Original Dialogue (English)	Translation / Explanation in Hindi
Mrs. Shaw: The room looks cleaner now. Put that coat away in your bedroom. This room isn’t the place for coats.	कमरा अब साफ लग रहा है। वह कोट अपने कमरे में रख दो। यह जगह कोट रखने के लिए नहीं है।
Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Lee will soon be here, and they don’t want to see that.	मिसेज़ हार्डिंग और मिसेज़ ली अभी आने वाली हैं, और वे ये सब नहीं देखना चाहेंगी।
Mary: You’re always telling me to put things away.	आप हमेशा मुझसे चीजें हटाने को कहती हैं।
Mrs. Shaw: Yes, I am. You leave your clothes all over the house.	हाँ, क्योंकि तुम कपड़े पूरे घर में फैला देती हो।
Mary: I’m not a child!	मैं कोई बच्ची नहीं हूँ!
Mrs. Shaw: No, you’re not. So please keep your clothes in your own room.	हाँ, तुम बच्ची नहीं हो। इसलिए अपने कपड़े अपने कमरे में रखो।
Mary: Why are those two women coming here? Who’s Mrs. Harding?	वे दोनों औरतें यहाँ क्यों आ रही हैं? मिसेज़ हार्डिंग कौन हैं?
Mrs. Shaw: She’s the wife of a wealthy man, Mr. Harding. He has just bought a big house in Lanfield. They lived in London before. She’s coming to have a talk. I met her in a shop and asked her to come.	वह एक अमीर आदमी, मिस्टर हार्डिंग की पत्नी हैं। उन्होंने हाल ही में लैनफील्ड में एक बड़ा घर खरीदा है। पहले वे लंदन में रहते थे। वह सिर्फ बातचीत करने आ रही हैं। मैं उन्हें एक दुकान में मिली थी और उन्हें आने के लिए कहा।
Mary: Oh, I’ve seen her children. They often come along the road. Who’s Mrs. Lee?	ओह, मैंने उनके बच्चों को देखा है। वे अकसर सड़क पर आते हैं। मिसेज़ ली कौन हैं?
Mrs. Shaw: She’s Mr. Harding’s sister. She has been staying with them for a while.	वह मिस्टर हार्डिंग की बहन हैं। वह कुछ समय से उनके साथ रह रही हैं।
Mary: What are you going to talk about?	आप उनसे क्या बात करने वाली हैं?
Mrs. Shaw: I don’t know. All kinds of things. One day you’ll have to go to some of these houses yourself and talk to the people there.	पता नहीं, बहुत सी बातें। एक दिन तुम्हें भी इन घरों में जाकर लोगों से बात करनी होगी।
Mary: I can talk now. I’ve been able to talk for a long time.	मैं अब भी बात कर सकती हूँ। मैं तो काफी समय से बात करना जानती हूँ।
Mrs. Shaw: Yes, that’s true. You always talk too much. But does anyone want to hear the things that you say?	हाँ, ये सही है। लेकिन तुम बहुत ज़्यादा बोलती हो। पर क्या कोई तुम्हारी बात सुनना चाहता है?
Mary: I can talk very well when I like. I’ll stay with you today and talk to them when they come.	जब मेरा मन हो, तो मैं बहुत अच्छी तरह बात कर सकती हूँ। मैं आज आपके साथ रहूँगी और उनसे बात भी करूँगी।
Mrs. Shaw: Oh, I don’t think so. You can go out for a walk. It will be better if you do that.	मुझे नहीं लगता कि ये अच्छा रहेगा। तुम टहलने चली जाओ, वही बेहतर होगा।
Mary: Why?	क्यों?
Mrs. Shaw: If you stay with me, you may not say the right thing.	अगर तुम मेरे साथ रहोगी, तो शायद कुछ गलत कह बैठोगी।
Mary: I know the right things to say: “Good afternoon”, “How are you?” and things like that. Let me stay today. I can do it very well. I’ll show you. Anyone can talk.	मुझे पता है क्या कहना होता है: "गुड आफ्टरनून", "हाउ आर यू?" जैसी बातें। मुझे आज रहने दीजिए। मैं अच्छे से कर लूंगी। किसी से भी बात की जा सकती है।
Mrs. Shaw: You may stay if you like. But take care. I want to know Mrs. Harding well. I want her to ask me to go to their house. There isn’t much to do here in Lanfield, and I want to know some more people. I want some more friends here. So take care when you say anything.	अगर तुम्हारी इच्छा हो तो तुम रुक सकती हो। लेकिन ध्यान रखना। मैं मिसेज़ हार्डिंग से अच्छे से जान-पहचान बनाना चाहती हूँ। मैं चाहती हूँ कि वे मुझे अपने घर बुलाएं। लैनफील्ड में ज़्यादा कुछ करने को नहीं है, तो मैं और लोगों को जानना चाहती हूँ। इसलिए जो भी कहो, सोचकर कहना।
Mary: Tell me what to say.	मुझे बताइए क्या कहना है।
Mrs. Shaw: I can’t tell you everything, but you’ll always be right if you’re kind to people. Say things that will please them. Then they’ll like you. Laugh a lot, and try to make them laugh too. And if everyone stops talking, say something to make them talk again. They don’t want to sit here and look at the floor without speaking. Think of something to say.	मैं तुम्हें सब नहीं सिखा सकती, लेकिन अगर तुम लोगों से विनम्रता से पेश आओगी, तो सब ठीक रहेगा। ऐसी बातें कहो जिससे लोग खुश हों। हँसो और दूसरों को भी हँसाओ। अगर सब चुप हो जाएँ, तो कुछ कहो ताकि बात फिर से शुरू हो। कोई यहाँ चुपचाप बैठकर ज़मीन नहीं देखना चाहता। कुछ अच्छा सोचकर कहना।
Mary: I can do that. There’s always something to say. Must I do anything else?	मैं ये कर सकती हूँ। कुछ न कुछ तो कहने को होता ही है। और कुछ करना होगा क्या?
Mrs. Shaw: When they are ready to leave, don’t jump out of your chair and look gladly at the door. You must look sorry when they want to leave.	जब वे जाने के लिए तैयार हों, तो अपनी कुर्सी से खुशी से उछल मत पड़ना और दरवाज़े की तरफ मत देखना। तुम्हें दुखी दिखना चाहिए कि वे जा रहे हैं।
Mary: What shall I do when they want to go?	जब वे जाने लगें, तब मैं क्या करूँ?
Mrs. Shaw: Ask them to stay a little while longer. Just say, “Must you go? Can’t you stay?” or something like that. You like them and you want them to stay, and you must let them understand that.	उन्हें थोड़ी देर और रुकने को कहो। बस इतना कहो: "क्या आपको जाना ही है? क्या आप थोड़ी देर और नहीं रुक सकतीं?" ऐसा कुछ कहो जिससे उन्हें लगे कि तुम उन्हें पसंद करती हो और चाहती हो कि वे रुकें।
Mary: That’s not very hard, is it? I’ll remember that. “Must you go? Can’t you stay? Must you go? Can’t you stay?”	यह तो बहुत मुश्किल नहीं है, है न? मैं याद रखूँगी। "क्या आपको जाना है? क्या आप रुक नहीं सकतीं?"
Mrs. Shaw: That’s right. Now take your coat to your room and change into a clean dress. You must look nice when they come. And if everyone stops talking, say something kind to make them talk again. And don’t say anything that will make them angry.	बिल्कुल ठीक। अब अपना कोट अपने कमरे में ले जाओ और एक साफ़ कपड़े पहन लो। जब वे आएँ तो तुम्हें अच्छा दिखना चाहिए। अगर सब चुप हो जाएँ, तो कुछ अच्छा बोलो जिससे बात फिर से शुरू हो जाए। और कोई ऐसी बात मत बोलना जिससे वे नाराज़ हो जाएँ।
Mary: I will remember. I’ve often done harder things than this.	मैं याद रखूँगी। इससे ज़्यादा मुश्किल चीजें मैंने की हैं।

Scene II: In the Sitting Room

Character & Original Dialogue (English)	Translation / Explanation (Hindi)
Mrs. Shaw: So you like Lanfield, Mrs. Harding! I’m very glad.	तो आपको लैनफील्ड पसंद है, मिसेज़ हार्डिंग! मुझे बहुत खुशी हुई।
Mrs. Harding: Yes, we like it very much. It’s not the same as London, but there are some very nice people here, and we’ve found a good house.	हाँ, हमें यह बहुत पसंद है। यह लंदन जैसा नहीं है, लेकिन यहाँ कुछ बहुत अच्छे लोग हैं, और हमें एक अच्छा घर भी मिल गया है।
(No one says anything more, and Mrs. Shaw looks at Mary.)	(कोई कुछ नहीं कहता, और मिसेज़ शॉ मेरी की ओर देखती हैं।)
Mary: What beautiful children you have, Mrs. Harding! I’ve often seen them walking along the road.	आपके बच्चे कितने प्यारे हैं, मिसेज़ हार्डिंग! मैंने उन्हें अक्सर सड़क पर चलते देखा है।
Mrs. Harding: Oh, I haven’t any children.	ओह, मेरे कोई बच्चे नहीं हैं।
Mary: Oh yes, you have! I’ve seen them: a little boy and a little girl.	अरे नहीं, आपके हैं! मैंने देखा है – एक छोटा लड़का और एक छोटी लड़की।
Mrs. Harding: (not very pleased) I have no children; believe me.	(अप्रसन्न होकर) मेरे कोई बच्चे नहीं हैं, यकीन मानिए।
Mary: Oh!	ओह!
Mrs. Shaw: (quietly) They must be someone else’s children. Have you met Mr. Best? He’s a nice man. He lives near you.	(धीरे से) वे शायद किसी और के बच्चे होंगे। क्या आप मिस्टर बेस्ट से मिली हैं? वह अच्छे व्यक्ति हैं। आपके पड़ोस में रहते हैं।
Mary: Oh, Mr. Best! He lives here and he works in London. He goes all the way to London by train every morning, and then he comes all the way back by train every night. He lives in trains! (she laughs) What kind of life is that? Why do people do things like that? They do not know how to live. And he reads two newspapers in the train every day. He never reads a book. But he’s only a banker, and bankers can’t think.	ओह, मिस्टर बेस्ट! वे यहीं रहते हैं और लंदन में काम करते हैं। वो हर सुबह ट्रेन से लंदन जाते हैं और रात को लौटते हैं। वह तो ट्रेन में ही रहते हैं! (हँसती है) ये कैसी ज़िंदगी है? लोग ऐसा क्यों करते हैं? उन्हें जीना नहीं आता। वह हर दिन ट्रेन में दो अखबार पढ़ते हैं। कभी किताब नहीं पढ़ते। पर वह तो केवल एक बैंकर हैं, और बैंकर तो सोच भी नहीं सकते।
Mrs. Lee: My brother’s a banker. He goes to London by train every morning and comes back every night. He reads two newspapers in the train in the morning, and another every night.	मेरे भाई भी बैंकर हैं। वह हर सुबह ट्रेन से लंदन जाते हैं और रात को वापस आते हैं। वो भी सुबह दो और रात को एक अखबार पढ़ते हैं।
Mary: Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.	ओह, माफ़ कीजिए। मुझे पता नहीं था।
Mrs. Shaw: Bankers always have to read a lot of newspapers. Do you know Mrs. Best? She’s a nice woman. I like her.	बैंकरों को हमेशा बहुत से अखबार पढ़ने होते हैं। क्या आप मिसेज़ बेस्ट को जानती हैं? वो एक अच्छी महिला हैं। मुझे वह पसंद हैं।
Mary: But have you seen her clothes? She goes out in a blue dress with a red coat over it. (she laughs)	लेकिन क्या आपने उनके कपड़े देखे हैं? वो नीली ड्रेस के ऊपर लाल कोट पहनकर बाहर जाती हैं। (हँसती है)
Mrs. Harding: I have a blue dress, and I often put on my red coat at the same time.	मेरी भी एक नीली ड्रेस है, और मैं भी उस पर अक्सर लाल कोट पहनती हूँ।
Mrs. Shaw: (quickly) I like blue dresses and red coats. (No one says anything.)	(जल्दी से) मुझे नीली ड्रेस और लाल कोट पसंद हैं। (कोई कुछ नहीं कहता)
Mary: I saw Mrs. Cotter this afternoon. I met her in the street. No one sees her in the morning because she always stays in bed then. And she’s always asking the doctor to go to see her. I can’t understand women who stay in bed in the morning. And why must she always ask for the doctor? I’ve never been to a doctor in my life.	मैंने आज दोपहर मिसेज़ कॉटर को देखा। मैं उन्हें सड़क पर मिली। कोई उन्हें सुबह नहीं देखता क्योंकि वो हमेशा बिस्तर में रहती हैं। और वह हमेशा डॉक्टर को बुलाती रहती हैं। मैं उन महिलाओं को नहीं समझती जो सुबह तक बिस्तर में रहती हैं। और वह हमेशा डॉक्टर क्यों बुलाती हैं? मैं कभी डॉक्टर के पास नहीं गई हूँ।
Mrs. Harding: I stay in bed in the morning myself.	मैं खुद सुबह बिस्तर में रहती हूँ।
Mrs. Lee: I often go to the doctor.	मैं तो अकसर डॉक्टर के पास जाती हूँ।
Mary: Oh, I’m sorry.	ओह, माफ़ कीजिए।
Mrs. Shaw: Do you know Mrs. Grantley? She’s one of my best friends.	क्या आप मिसेज़ ग्रांटली को जानती हैं? वह मेरी सबसे अच्छी दोस्तों में से एक हैं।
Mary: But she’s so talkative! Talkative women aren’t very interesting, are they?	लेकिन वो तो बहुत बोलती हैं! बहुत बोलने वाली औरतें ज्यादा दिलचस्प नहीं होतीं, हैं ना?
Mrs. Lee: My mother’s a very talkative woman.	मेरी माँ बहुत बातूनी हैं।
Mary: Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. (No one says anything.)	ओह, माफ़ कीजिए। मुझे पता नहीं था। (कोई कुछ नहीं कहता)
Mary: (looking out of the window): Oh, there’s that dog again! It always looks very dirty. I don’t like dogs, do you? Who wants a dog? That dog’s always near our house. Why do people keep dogs? Who wants a dog? Why doesn’t its owner keep it clean? Have you seen it?	(खिड़की से बाहर देखती है): ओह, वो कुत्ता फिर आ गया! वह हमेशा गंदा दिखता है। मुझे कुत्ते पसंद नहीं हैं, क्या आपको हैं? लोग कुत्ते क्यों रखते हैं? वो कुत्ता हमारे घर के पास हमेशा घूमता है। उसका मालिक उसे साफ क्यों नहीं रखता? क्या आपने उसे देखा है?
Mrs. Harding: (looking out of the window) Yes, I’ve seen it. That’s Towzer. It’s our dog.	(खिड़की से बाहर देखती हैं) हाँ, मैंने देखा है। वह टॉउज़र है। वो हमारा कुत्ता है।
Mary: (with a red face) Oh, I didn’t know! (No one speaks.)	(शर्मिंदा होकर) ओह, मुझे पता नहीं था! (कोई कुछ नहीं कहता)
Mary: (still looking out of the window) There’s Mr. Pomeroy on his horse. He’s always talking about horses. He rides a horse every day, and practises shooting. Why must he do that? What have they done to Mr. Pomeroy? Why do some men like horses more than they like people? It’s hard to understand men.	(अब भी खिड़की से बाहर देखते हुए) वो मिस्टर पोमेरॉय हैं, अपने घोड़े पर। वो हमेशा घोड़ों की बात करते हैं। रोज़ घुड़सवारी करते हैं और शूटिंग का अभ्यास करते हैं। वह ऐसा क्यों करते हैं? उन्हें क्या हो गया है? कुछ मर्द घोड़ों को लोगों से ज़्यादा क्यों पसंद करते हैं? मर्दों को समझना मुश्किल है।
Mrs. Lee: My brother practises shooting when he has the time, and he rides his horse when he can. He sold his house in London and bought a house here because he wanted to ride and practise shooting.	मेरे भाई भी शूटिंग का अभ्यास करते हैं जब समय मिलता है, और जब हो सके तो घुड़सवारी करते हैं। उन्होंने लंदन का घर बेचकर यहाँ घर खरीदा ताकि वो ये सब कर सकें।
Mrs. Harding: (looking at Mrs. Lee) It’s getting a little late. We must go now, Mrs. Shaw. It has been very nice to have a little talk.	(मिसेज़ ली की ओर देखती हैं) अब थोड़ा देर हो रही है। हमें अब चलना चाहिए, मिसेज़ शॉ। आपसे थोड़ी बातचीत करके अच्छा लगा।
Mrs. Lee: Very nice. (She looks at Mary.)	बहुत अच्छा रहा। (वो मेरी की ओर देखती हैं)
Mrs. Shaw: It was very good of you to come to see us. Please stay a little longer.	आप आकर मिलीं, इसके लिए धन्यवाद। कृपया थोड़ी देर और रुकिए।
Mary: (unable to say the right thing even now) Oh, must you stay? Can’t you go?	(अब भी सही बात न कह पाने पर) ओह, क्या आपको रुकना ही है? क्या आप जा नहीं सकतीं?

Word-Meanings with Sentences

Word	Meaning	Example Sentence
Blunders	Careless mistakes	Mary made several blunders while talking to the guests.
Polite	Showing good manners	The funny man raised his shoe politely and smiled at the poet.
Staggered	Moved unsteadily or shocked	She staggered back against the wall in surprise.
Manners	Social behaviour	Despite being funny, he had polite manners.
Present (verb)	To give or show formally	He said, “Allow me to present your Highness with a rose.”
Hilariously	In a very funny way	Mary hilariously described the man’s strange train routine.
Embarrass	To make someone feel uncomfortable or ashamed	Mary embarrassed her mother by saying the wrong things.
Practise	To repeat an activity regularly to improve	Mr. Pomeroy practises shooting every day.
Conversation	A talk between two or more people	Mrs. Shaw wanted the conversation to go smoothly.
Talkative	Fond of talking too much	Mary said talkative women aren’t very interesting.
Compliment	A polite expression of praise or admiration	Giving a compliment can help start a conversation.
Unexpected	Not anticipated or planned	Her comments about the dog were completely unexpected.
React	To respond or behave in a particular way	Mary reacted quickly when she realised her mistake.
Tone	The general attitude or mood in speech	The tone of Mrs. Shaw became tense after Mary’s remarks.
Interrupt	To break the flow of a conversation or action	Mary tried not to interrupt the silence with wrong words.
Encourage	To give support or confidence	Mrs. Shaw tried to encourage Mary to say the right things.
Apology	A statement saying sorry	Mary offered an apology when she offended the guests.
Reputation	What others think about someone	Mrs. Shaw was concerned about her reputation in Lanfield.
Offend	To hurt someone’s feelings	Mary did not mean to offend Mrs. Lee by her comment.
Mistaken	Being wrong about something	Mary was mistaken about who the children belonged to.

Say The Right Thing

Let Us Discuss | Page 77

Sl. No.	False Statement	Rectification
1	Mrs. Harding states that they do not like London as it is not the same as Lanfield.	Mrs. Harding states that they like Lanfield very much even though it is not the same as London.
2	Mrs. Harding was pleased to know that Mary was familiar with her children.	Mrs. Harding was shocked and offended when Mary mistook someone else’s children as hers.
3	Mrs. Shaw shared that she liked Mrs. Best as she read a lot of newspapers.	Mrs. Shaw shared that she disliked Mrs. Best because she was always interfering and gossiping.
4	Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Shaw agree that wearing a blue dress with a red coat is unfashionable.	Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Shaw argue over fashion, with one defending and the other criticizing the outfit.
5	Mary shares that she finds the dog outside the window cute.	Mary says the dog outside the window looks like a "horrid little brute," upsetting Mrs. Shaw.

Let Us Think and Reflect | Page 78

Extract 1

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

Mary: What are you going to talk about?

Mrs. Shaw: I don’t know. All kinds of things. One day you’ll have to go to some of these houses yourself and talk to the people there.

Mary: I can talk now. I’ve been able to talk for a long time.

Mrs. Shaw: Yes, that’s true. You always talk too much. But does anyone want to hear the things that you say?

Mary: I can talk very well when I like. I’ll stay with you today and talk to them when they come.

Mrs. Shaw: Oh, I don’t think so. You can go out for a walk. It will be better if you do that.

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(i) What does Mrs. Shaw imply when she says, “One day you’ll have to go to some of these houses yourself and talk to the people there”?

A. She believes Mary should start learning about hosting guests then.

B. She thinks Mary is ready to visit these houses independently

C. She wants Mary to develop social skills for the future.

D. She hopes Mary will avoid these social interactions entirely.

(ii) Complete the following sentence with the correct option from the brackets.

Mrs. Shaw and Mary are discussing how to have a polite conversation. (have a polite conversation / get to know people better)

(iii) Why did Mary insist on staying with her mother when the guests arrived?

Mary insisted on staying with her mother because she wanted to prove that she could talk well and contribute meaningfully to the conversation, believing she was capable of handling social interactions.

(iv) Match the following character traits to the characters in the extract:

Character	Trait
Mary	A. eager
	B. inexperienced
Mrs. Shaw	C. cautious

Extract 2

2. Mary: I saw Mrs. Cotter this afternoon. I met her in the street. No one sees her in the morning because she always stays in bed then. And she’s always asking the doctor to go to see her. I can’t understand women who stay in bed in the morning. And why must she always ask for the doctor? I’ve never been to a doctor in my life.

   
   

   Mrs. Harding: I stay in bed in the morning myself.

   
   

(i) Complete the following sentence suitably.

Mary could spot Mrs. Cotter in the street because Mrs. Cotter comes out only in the afternoon.

(ii) What does Mary’s comment about Mrs. Cotter staying in bed and calling the doctor suggest about her understanding?

A. She is worried about why Mrs. Cotter stays in bed all morning.

B. She is unable to understand why people need medical help.

C. She thinks Mrs. Cotter is scared and lonely for staying in bed.

D. She believes Mrs. Cotter is right to rest and take care of herself.

(iii) How can we say that Mary enjoyed good health?

Mary mentions that she has never been to a doctor in her life, indicating that she rarely falls ill and enjoys good health.

(iv) Identify whether the following statement is true or false.

Mary might have unintentionally offended Mrs. Harding.

True – Mary criticized people who stay in bed in the morning, not knowing Mrs. Harding does the same.

II. Answer the following questions | Page 79

1.What does Mary’s comment about Mr. Best’s routine and profession reveal about her viewpoint on bankers and their way of life?

Mary views Mr. Best’s banker lifestyle as dull and overly routine-based. Her comment reflects her lack of appreciation for formal professions and her belief that such people do little of real interest.

2. What can we infer about Mary’s understanding of polite conversation based on her interactions with the guests?

   
   

   Mary lacks the tact and sensitivity required for polite conversation. Her blunt remarks and inappropriate topics suggest she does not fully grasp the importance of social etiquette and courteous dialogue.

   
   

3. What do you think the repeated stage direction ‘no one speaks’ indicates about the atmosphere in the room when Mary speaks?

   
   

   The phrase "no one speaks" indicates discomfort and awkwardness in the room. It suggests that Mary’s comments often create unease, leaving others unsure of how to respond politely.

   
   

4. How does Mary’s attitude towards the guests change throughout the play?

   
   

   At first, Mary is eager and confident about speaking with the guests. However, as the play progresses and her comments cause embarrassment, she becomes more aware of her mistakes and less assertive.

   
   

5. What do Mrs. Harding’s and Mrs. Lee’s responses to Mary’s blunders during their visit reveal about their characters?

   
   

   Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Lee respond with grace and patience, showing their maturity and understanding. Their polite reactions reveal they value social harmony and are considerate of Mary’s inexperience.

   
   

6. In what way does the play show the importance of knowing how to engage in polite conversation?

   
   

   The play highlights that polite conversation is essential in social settings. Through Mary’s missteps, it becomes evident that awareness, tact, and empathy are necessary to build rapport and avoid offending others.

   
   

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