🌟 Let Us Do These Activities Before We Read (Page 70)

I. Partner Activity: Discuss the following questions.

🤔 1. What is the meaning of the phrase “Athithi Devo Bhava”?

Answer: “Athithi Devo Bhava” is a famous Sanskrit phrase that means "The guest is equivalent to God." It highlights the deep-rooted Indian tradition of welcoming guests with incredible warmth, respect, and generous hospitality.

🤝 2. Why is it necessary to treat guests with politeness?

Answer: Treating guests politely is essential because it builds a warm, welcoming environment and makes them feel comfortable and appreciated. It also leaves a great impression of the host, helps strengthen personal bonds, and maintains peace in social settings.

II. Select the actions that demonstrate good manners when hosting guests at your house.

1. Offer the guests a glass of water.

2. Enquire about the well-being of the guests.

3. Ask the guests when they would leave.

4. Comment critically about the habits of guests.

5. Accompany the guests to the door when they leave.

✅ Answer: The polite actions to take when hosting guests are:

• 1. Offer the guests a glass of water. 💧

• 2. Enquire about the well-being of the guests. 😊

• 5. Accompany the guests to the door when they leave. 🚪

III. Group Activity: Dealing with rude disagreements.

Sometimes, friends in class become disrespectful when they disagree on certain topics. Work in groups and brainstorm how to handle such conflicts. Share at least three effective methods.

✅ Answer: Here are three great ways to manage rude arguments among friends:

• 🧘 1. Remain Calm and Unbiased: Do not take sides. Keep your cool and listen to both parties carefully. Often, having a calm, neutral mediator helps lower the tension.

• 🗣️ 2. Promote Polite Talk: Gently remind your friends to share their opinions without resorting to insults. You could politely suggest, “Let’s try to see each other's viewpoints without making it a personal attack.”

• ⏸️ 3. Find Agreement or Take a Break: Try to steer the conversation toward things they both agree on. If things get too heated, suggest a quick break so everyone can cool down before talking again.

🌟 Let Us Discuss (Page 74)

I. Fill in the missing details in the table based on the events in Scene I. (An example is provided in the book).

✅ Answer:

II. Do you believe Mary will successfully follow her mother's instructions when Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Lee arrive? Give your reasons.

✅ Answer: Although Mary genuinely wants to follow her mother’s advice, it is highly doubtful she will succeed. She is overconfident and very eager, but she completely lacks the understanding of how to make polite conversation or filter her thoughts before speaking. This lack of tact is bound to cause embarrassing situations when the guests finally show up. 😬

🌟 Let Us Discuss (Page 77)

I. Correct the false statements provided from Scene II of the play. Discuss your corrections with the class.

❌ 1. False Statement: Mrs. Harding mentions that they dislike London because it isn't like Lanfield.

✅ Correction: Mrs. Harding actually says that they really enjoy Lanfield, even though it is quite different from London.

❌ 2. False Statement: Mrs. Harding was delighted that Mary knew her children.

✅ Correction: Mrs. Harding was definitely not delighted; she had to correct Mary by stating that she doesn't have any children at all!

❌ 3. False Statement: Mrs. Shaw mentioned she liked Mrs. Best because she reads many newspapers.

✅ Correction: Mrs. Shaw simply stated that she liked Mrs. Best as a human being, not because of her newspaper reading habits.

❌ 4. False Statement: Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Shaw both agree that pairing a blue dress with a red coat is out of style.

✅ Correction: To prevent offending Mrs. Harding (who admitted to wearing that exact outfit), Mrs. Shaw quickly changed her tune and claimed she actually liked blue dresses paired with red coats.

❌ 5. False Statement: Mary tells everyone she thinks the dog outside is very cute.

✅ Correction: Mary actually complains that the dog outside is filthy and expresses her strong dislike for it, completely unaware that the dog belongs to Mrs. Harding!

🌟 Let Us Think and Reflect (Pages 78-79)

I. Read the given play extracts and answer the related questions.

Extract 1:

MARY: What are you going to talk about?...

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

🧠 1. What is Mrs. Shaw suggesting 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.

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

🧠 2. Fill in the blank using the right option: Mrs. Shaw and Mary are debating about how to _____________. (have a polite conversation / get to know people better)

Answer: have a polite conversation 🗣️

🧠 3. Why was Mary so determined to stay in the room when the visitors arrived?

Answer: Mary was desperate to stay because she wanted to prove to her mother that she was fully capable of holding a proper, grown-up conversation. 🙋‍♀️

🧠 4. Match the character traits (A. eager, B. inexperienced, C. cautious) to the correct character:

Answer:

• Mary: A. eager ✨

• Mrs. Shaw: C. cautious 🛑

Extract 2:

MARY: I saw Mrs. Cotter this afternoon. I met her in the street...

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

🧠 1. Complete the sentence logically: Mary was able to see Mrs. Cotter out on the street because _____________.

Answer: ...she frequently goes outside during the daytime. ☀️

🧠 2. What does Mary’s criticism of Mrs. Cotter (for staying in bed and calling doctors) reveal about her?

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.

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

🧠 3. What evidence shows that Mary is a very healthy person?

Answer: We know Mary is healthy because she proudly states that she has never had to visit a doctor in her entire life. 💪

🧠 4. True or False: Mary may have accidentally insulted Mrs. Harding with her comments.

Answer: True ✅ (Because Mrs. Harding admits she also stays in bed in the mornings).

II. Answer the following detailed questions.

📝 1. What do Mary’s remarks about Mr. Best’s job and schedule tell us about her opinion of bankers?

Answer: Mary’s comments imply that she views a banker's life as incredibly boring and repetitive. By complaining about their daily train rides and their habit of only reading newspapers, she suggests that bankers lack imagination and are far too obsessed with their routines. 💼

📝 2. Based on how Mary spoke to the guests, what can we conclude about her grasp of social etiquette?

Answer: It is clear that Mary has zero understanding of social etiquette. Despite her mother telling her to be sweet and agreeable, Mary constantly makes blunt, awkward comments that highly embarrass the visitors. 🤦‍♀️

📝 3. What does the repeated stage direction ‘no one speaks’ tell the reader about the mood in the room?

Answer: This specific stage direction highlights the immense awkwardness and tension in the room. It shows that Mary’s bizarre comments leave the guests feeling extremely uncomfortable and completely speechless. 🤫

📝 4. Describe how Mary’s attitude shifts from the beginning of the play to the end.

Answer: Initially, Mary is overconfident, talkative, and desperate to impress everyone. However, as she makes mistake after mistake and realizes she has insulted the guests, she becomes much more hesitant, embarrassed, and unsure of herself. 📉

📝 5. What do Mrs. Harding’s and Mrs. Lee’s reactions to Mary’s rude comments tell us about them?

Answer: Even though Mary is highly offensive, the two ladies remain polite and hold their tongues. This shows that they are very patient, well-mannered, and know how to keep their composure in incredibly awkward situations. ☕

📝 6. How does this play demonstrate the necessity of good communication skills?

Answer: The play acts as a perfect example of why tact and polite conversation are crucial for building good relationships. Through Mary’s constant social blunders, we see how saying the wrong thing can instantly create tension, offend people, and ruin a social gathering. 🚫

🌟 Let Us Learn (Pages 80-83)

I. Suffixes Activity

Word endings like -ous, -ly, -ing, and -ful are called suffixes. Break down the following words from the text into their Root Word + Suffix.

✅ Answer:

• Gladly ➡️ Glad + -ly

• Banker ➡️ Bank + -er

• Guidance ➡️ Guide + -ance

• Quietly ➡️ Quiet + -ly

• Walking ➡️ Walk + -ing

📝 1. Match the suffixes to their meanings and provide examples.

✅ Answer:

📝 2. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the word using suffixes.

To communicate (i) _____________ (effective), choose your words and topics (ii) _____________ (wise). Avoid (iii) _____________ (discuss) things you don’t know much about or that could upset someone. Remember to be (iv) _____________ (respect) towards others, including yourself, and express your (v) _____________ (appreciate). Finally, always be (vi) _____________ (response) by replying promptly to communicate.

✅ Answer:

• (i) effectively

• (ii) wisely

• (iii) discussing

• (iv) respectful

• (v) appreciation

• (vi) responsive

II. The difference between 'Say' and 'Tell' & Verb Fill-in-the-blanks.

• Say: Focuses purely on the words spoken (doesn't always need a listener).

• Tell: Focuses on the person receiving the information (always needs a listener).

📝 1. Complete the sentences by selecting the correct verbs from the box and adjusting their tense. (Box words: see/look, bring/fetch, study/learn, hear/listen, speak/talk, live/stay)

✅ Answer:

• (i) I looked at the photo, but I didn’t see anyone familiar. 👀

• (ii) I’d better go and fetch my mother from the station, and then bring her home. 🚗

• (iii) I need to study for my mathematics exam this weekend, so I hope to learn new concepts along the way. 📚

• (iv) I can hear the music from my neighbour’s house, but I need to listen to it carefully to understand the lyrics. 🎧

• (v) “Could I speak to Mrs. Kalpana, who is going to talk to us about gardening,” said Ritu. 📞

• (vi) I live in a small town, but I often stay with my relatives in the city. 🏠

III. Verb Tenses (Present Continuous vs. Present Perfect Continuous)

📝 1. Fill in the blanks with either the Present Continuous or Present Perfect Continuous tense of the given verbs.

The students (i) _________ (organise) a play and setting up the stage. They (ii) _________ (prepare) for weeks to make everything perfect. The performers (iii) _________ (rehearse) every day, and their excitement (iv) _________ (grow). The sound in-charge (v) _________ (test) the microphones to check the sound quality. Everyone (vi) _________ (work) hard, and now the place (vii) _________ (buzz) with energy and excitement.

✅ Answer:

• (i) are organising

• (ii) have been preparing

• (iii) have been rehearsing

• (iv) is growing

• (v) is testing

• (vi) is working

• (vii) is buzzing

IV. Kinds of Sentences and Punctuation

📝 1. Identify the type of sentence and add the correct punctuation marks.

✅ Answer:

• (i) The meeting starts at 10.00 a.m. in the conference room. (Declarative)

• (ii) What an exciting adventure it was! (Exclamatory)

• (iii) How did you solve the problem so quickly? (Interrogative)

• (iv) What is the weather forecast today? (Interrogative)

• (v) How beautiful is the rainbow! (Exclamatory)

• (vi) Clean up your room before dinner. (Imperative)

• (vii) The children are planning a surprise party for their mom. (Declarative)

• (viii) Turn off the music. (Imperative)

🌟 Let Us Listen (Page 84)

I. Listen to the audio of a mother and son discussing manners and answer the questions.

🎧 1. How did the young boy act while waiting in the grocery store line?

(i) Strangely

(ii) Impatiently

(iii) Politely

Answer: (ii) Impatiently 🛒

🎧 2. What phrase does the mother use to describe her son at the end?

(i) Polite young man

(ii) Responsible son

(iii) Grateful person

Answer: (i) Polite young man 👦

II. Select the four TRUE statements from the list based on the audio.

✅ Answer: The True statements are:

• 1. The mother uses the grocery store incident as an opportunity to teach her son about patience and fairness. (True)

• 2. The son recognises the value of apologising and understands that it shows he notices others. (True)

• 3. The son is gradually learning the importance of polite words and actions from his mother’s guidance. (True)

• 7. The mother uses praise to support the polite behaviours she wants her son to continue practising. (True)

     (Statements 4, 5, and 6 are False).

🌟 Let Us Write (Page 86)

📝 Task: Transform the play ‘Say The Right Thing’ into a short narrative story, highlighting Mary’s social blunders.

✅ Answer:

Mrs. Shaw was frantically preparing her living room for the arrival of two important guests, Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Lee. Knowing her daughter’s habit of speaking without thinking, Mrs. Shaw strictly instructed Mary to only say things that would please the visitors. Mary, full of overconfidence, promised she knew exactly how to handle adult conversation. However, the moment the guests sat down, disaster struck.

Mary’s eagerness quickly turned into a series of highly awkward moments. First, she tried to ask about Mrs. Harding’s children, only to be bluntly told that Mrs. Harding didn't have any. Trying to recover, Mary then insulted the banking profession right in front of Mrs. Lee, whose husband was a banker! She didn't stop there; Mary boldly criticized an outfit—a blue dress with a red coat—unaware that it was Mrs. Harding's favorite combination.

The peak of the afternoon's discomfort happened when Mary loudly complained about a filthy, ugly dog outside the window, only for a horrified Mrs. Harding to reveal it was her beloved pet, Towzer. Despite Mrs. Shaw’s desperate attempts to change the subject, the damage was done. The final blow came when Mary, trying to be polite, blurted out, "Oh, must you stay? Can't you go?" The deeply offended guests hastily made their excuses and left. As Mrs. Shaw stood there mortified by the social disaster, Mary simply smiled, completely oblivious, believing she had done a spectacular job at entertaining! 📖

🌟 Let Us Explore (Pages 86-87)

🎭 I. Group Work: Act out your favorite scene from the play with your classmates.

Answer: (This is a fun classroom activity! Students should assign roles like director and characters, and practice reading the lines with emotion.)

🌍 II. Cultural Greetings: Research how different cultures welcome guests into their homes and share it with the class.

Answer: Hospitality is beautiful worldwide! Here is how different regions greet their guests:

• English: "Hello, welcome to our home!" 👋

• Hindi: "Namaste! Aapka swagat hai!" 🙏

• Odia: "Namaskara, ama gharaku swagata." 🌺

• Bengali: "Nomoskar, amader barite shagot." 🌸

• Tamil: "Vanakkam, enkal vittirku varuka." 🏵️

• Telugu: "Namaskaram, ma intiki swagatam." 🌷

• Malayalam: "Namaskaram, njangalude veettilekku swagatham." 🌴

• Marathi: "Namaskar, amchya ghari swagat ahe." 🌻