Chapter 1.2 On Saying “Please” Solutions

Appropriate

Inappropriate

1. To knock before you enter your Principal’s office.

1. To receive phone calls while you are in a lecture or class.

2. To thank the person who offers you tea or coffee.

2. To leave the classroom without the teacher’s permission.

3. To be polite and courteous to others.

3. To occupy the seats reserved for ladies or physically challenged or elderly people on a bus or a train.

(A1)

Question (i)
Form groups and explain the following words with examples:
Answer:
1. Humility: being free from pride and arrogance – greatest example our former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam – remember that ‘pride comes before a fall’ – always realize that there are people better than you are – Socrates said ‘One thing only I know, and that is that I know nothing. ’
2. Self-esteem: self-respect; confidence in one’s own worth or abilities – accept oneself as one is – everyone is different and unique – highly positive quality – leads to achievements, success, healthy relationships – can be developed with a little effort.
3. Gratitude: thankfulness for something that you have got – ready to show appreciation for something – towards the Almighty, towards those who have helped you – strengthens relationships with others – creates positivity.
4. Courtesy: means good manners and polite behavior – means being kind and compassionate towards others – should be real, not artificial – creates good impression – one will be liked by all – human quality not present in animals.
5. Generosity: kindness; big-heartedness – the act of being kind, selfless and giving towards others – very positive trait – influences others – when one is generous, one feels good – many religions consider this a great virtue – encourage charity.
6. Sympathy: feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else’s misfortune – leads to stronger relationships – offering condolences when someone dies – helps us to bond with others-makes the other person’s distress less – beautiful emotion – should be developed.
7. Empathy: the ability to understand and share the feelings of another – putting yourself in the shoes of the other person – different from kindness or pity – listen when people talk – see things from the other person’s point of view – makes one a very humane person.

Question (ii)
Have a Group Discussion on the topic ‘The need of soft skills at the workplace’. Use the following points:
Answer:
(a) Written and verbal communication (writing notes, letters, memos, reports, instructions, speeches, presentations, etc.)
(b) Ways of interacting with others (showing courtesy, sympathy, cooperation, empathy, strictness, gratitude, humility, team work, etc.)
(c) Creative abilities (preparing reports, presentations, letters, etc.)
(d) Emotional intelligence (showing understanding, compassion, empathy, team work, motivation, self-awareness, etc.)

(A2)

Question (i)
Read the text and state whether the following statements are True or False. Correct the False statements.
(a) Bitter problems in day-to-day life can be solved by sweet words.
(b) Great wars could have been avoided by a little courtesy.
(c) Observance of etiquette in a normal situation is important but more important is their observance when the situation is adverse.
(d) Words like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ help us in making our passage through life uneasy.
(e) The law permits anybody to use violence, if another person is discourteous.
Answer:
True statements:
(a) Bitter problems in day-to-day life can be solved by sweet words.
(b) Great wars could have been avoided by a little courtesy.
(c) Observance of etiquette in a normal situation is important but more important is their observance when the situation is adverse.

False statements:
(d) Words like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ help us in making our passage through life uneasy.
(e) The law permits anybody to use violence, if ; another person is discourteous.

Corrected statements :
(d) Words like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ help us in making our passage through life easy.
(e) The law does not permit anybody to use violence, if another person is discourteous.

Question (ii)
Select the most appropriate sentences which suggest the theme of the essay.
(a) The essay tells us about courtesy, civility, morality, responsibility and control.
(b) The essay explores the difficulties that can be incurred by an individual when dealing with the public.
(c) One can keep one’s peace of mind without having to lower themselves to the level of the perceived offender.
(d) People with low self-esteem are generally difficult to work with and they look down upon others to get a feeling of superiority.
Answer:
(a) The essay tells us about courtesy, civility, morality, responsibility and control.
(c) One can keep one’s peace of mind without having to lower themselves to the level of the
perceived offender.

(iii)

Question (a)
Find the reasons for the liftman’s uncivilized behaviour.
Answer:
Reasons for the liftman’s uncivilized behaviour when the passenger was rude and ill-mannered towards him:

Question (b)
List the people and their behaviour that made the passenger rude and ill- mannered.

Answer:
The people who made the passenger rude and ill-mannered:
[housemaid] → [cook] → [employer’s wife] → [employer] → [passenger] → [lift-man]

Question (iv)
Good manners are required in our daily life for making our social contacts more cooperative and friendly. Illustrate the behaviour of the polite conductor with different people in various situations.

Answer:

Question (v)
Discuss and Write the impact of good temper and kindliness on society in the light of the good-mannered conductor.
Answer:
The conductor was always cheerful and kind-hearted to everyone in the bus. This spread to his passengers and they too became cheerful and good-humored. They would naturally pass on this feeling after getting off the bus. Thus, in society, if people are good-tempered, cheerful and kind, it will spread to others and they too will start behaving in a similar manner. This will lead to a happy and compassionate society.

Question (vi)
‘A modest calling can be made dignified by good temper and kindly feeling’. Explain the statement with examples.
Answer:
This means that whatever career or job one has, however simple or modest, it can be made more dignified by behaving in a good- tempered and cheerful manner and with kindliness towards the people one comes in contact with. For example, even a simple job like that of a security guard at a mall can be made pleasant and dignified if the guard smiles and says ‘Thank you’ or ‘Good morning’ every time he/she checks a person.

A sweeper’s job can also be made more dignified if he/she just nods and smiles at passers-by or helps them if they are in need.

Question (vii)
The service of the police is necessary for the implementation of law in our society. Do you think you require this service for a good social environment? Discuss and write.
Answer:
No, we cannot have the police monitoring us for social and moral offences. For example, one cannot be punished if one refuses to smile at an acquaintance or say Thank you’. One cannot be punished if one doesn’t hold the door open for the person who is following.

These are good manners, or courtesy, and they have to be taught right from childhood, and they will change in different cultures and different circumstances. Whether a person follows them or not depends on the individual. However, if these little courtesies are followed, life will become much simpler and more pleasant for everyone.

(A3)

Question (a)
Find out the words in Column B which collocate with the words in Column A:

Answer:

Question (b)
Learning collocations is essential for making your English sound fluent and natural. Make the following collocations and use them in your own sentences.

Sentences:
(1) BIG:

(2) WELL :

Question (ii)
Sometimes while using a word in a sentence, we have to change its word class. we can make several more words from the root word.
we can make several new words from the root word.
I asked Sumit to ……………. my pencil for me. (sharp).
I asked Sumit to sharpen my pencil for me.

Complete the following table. Put a cross if a word class does not exist.

Question (iii)
Write appropriate expressions and words you have to use while facing an interview :
Answer:
(a) May I come in?
(b) May I have a seat?
(c) Thank you.
(d) I’m sorry, but I did not catch what you said.
(5) Please let me know

Question (b)
You are writing a letter of complaint. List the proper expressions that you would like to write.
Answer:

Question (iv)
Distinguish between a legal offence and a moral offence on the basis of the extract.

Answer:

Question (v)
Find out the meaning of the phrase ‘give and take’ and use it in your own sentence.
Answer:
give-and-take – Meaning: exchange of ideas Sentence – The TV stars engaged in an interesting give-and-take which was enjoyed by the audience.

Question (vi)
Complete the table with polite expressions that we must use in our day-to-day life:

Answer:

(A4)

Question (i)
Edit the given paragraph using a/ an/the wherever necessary:
Rakesh is a/an ideal son who remains devoted to his father as he grows professionally to become a/the famous doctor. As his father grows old, he takes care to spend time with his father, bringing him tea in a/the morning and taking him out for a/the walk in an/the evening.
Answer:
Rakesh is an ideal son who remains devoted to his father as he grows professionally to become a famous doctor. As his father grows old, he takes care to spend time with his father, bringing him tea in the morning and taking him out for a walk in the evening.

Question (ii)
Spot the errors in each of the following sentences and correct the incorrect ones:

Question (a)
Radha brought pens and distributed them between her five children.
Answer:
Radha bought pens and distributed them among her five children.

Question (b)
Jayshree and Sujata sat besides each other in complete silence.
Answer:
Jayshree and Sujata sat beside each other in complete silence.

Question (c)
His best friend Vijay was blind within one eye.
Answer:
His best friend Vijay was blind in one eye.

Question (d)
One could dare to encroach on his rights.
Answer:
One could not dare to encroach on his rights.

Question (e)
She was taken with surprise when she saw the famous Taj Mahal.
Answer:
She was taken by surprise when she saw the famous Taj Mahal.

Question (f)
It is not possible to exchange the goods once the sale has been completed.
Answer:
It is not possible to exchange goods once the sale has been completed, (‘the’ is deleted.)

Question (g)
Dr. Sengupta has been trying to master the craft for the last five years.
Answer:
No error in this sentence.

Question (h)
The top-ranking candidates will be appointed in senior jobs in banks.
Answer:
The top-ranking candidates will be appointed | to senior jobs in banks.

Question (i)
She knows very well what is expected from her but she is unable to perform.
Answer:
She knows very well what is expected of her but she is unable to perform.

Question (j)
They will put on a note in this regard for your consideration.
Answer:
They will put up a note in this regard for your consideration.

Question (iii)
Read the following.
Santosh purchased a computer. He read the operating manual and followed the instructions.
(a) He linked the monitor, keyboard and printer.
(b) He plugged in the main cable.
(c) He switched on the monitor at the back.
(d) When the light appeared on the screen, he placed the Day Disk in Drive A.
(e) He pushed in the disk until the button clicked out.
(It took about 30 seconds for the computer to load the program.)
(f) He pressed the Drive button and the disk shot out.
(g) He replaced the Day Disk with the Document Disk.
(h) He pressed function key 7.
Convert these sentences into passive voice by filling in the blanks.

Firstly the monitor, keyboard and printer were linked up. Then the main cable was plugged in. The monitor was switched on at the back. When the light appeared on the screen, the Day Disk was placed in Drive A. The disk was pushed in until the button clicked out. It took the computer 30 seconds to load the program. The drive button was pressed and the disk shot out. The Day Disk was replaced with the Document Disk. Finally, the function key 7 was pressed. The word processor was then ready to use.

(A5)

Question (i)
Write a speech on ‘Courtesy is the light of life’ with the help of the following points.
(a) People have a good impression of you.
(b) You will be acknowledged and appreciated by all.
(c) You will he happier and contented with life.
Answer:
Courtesy is the light of life
Dear friends,

Good morning. You may be surprised with the topic I have chosen for this speech, for today the word ‘Courtesy’ seems to be an old-fashioned word for us. But it is really the light of life. I, Shivam Goswami, would like to say a few words on why I think so.

First of all, what does courtesy mean? It means good manners and polite behaviour. It means being kind and compassionate towards someone. When you are courteous, people have a good impression of you; but that is not the reason for being courteous. Politeness should be real, and not artificial.

A courteous person will be appreciated by all. People will like to spend time with him/her and find pleasure in the person’s company. Someone may ask ‘What is courteous behaviour’? Saying simple words like ‘Please’, ‘Thank you’, ‘Excuse me’ and ‘Sorry’ is courteous behaviour. Helping a person who has fallen is courteous behaviour. Holding the lift door open for someone is courteous behaviour.

When a person is courteous, people are automatically courteous in return. This leads to a more polite and happier society. As I conclude, I would like to ask all of you to do something for a week: Be courteous. Then you will see the returns and realize the truth of what I am saying. Thank you for listening to me so patiently. Bye.

Question (ii)
‘Manners maketh man’ – Expand the idea in your own words with proper examples.
Answer:
Manners maketh man

‘Manners maketh Man’ : so goes a famous saying. In the world of today, people are judged by their manners and conduct. Manners distinguish us from animals, and make us human. A person who is courteous and considerate towards others is said to possess good manners. Such a person is respectful to his superiors, courteous to his equals and sympathetic towards his subordinates. He always shows concern for the well-being and comfort of others. He uses words like ‘Please’, ‘Thank you’ and ‘Sorry’ while talking to others; he helps senior citizens and those in need.

Everyone likes a person who speaks and behaves politely and treats others respectfully. Good manners cost practically nothing but can buy everything. They win us friends and help us influence people. They make the world a happier place to live in by reducing friction and avoiding tension.

When we meet a person for the first time, it is the person’s courtesy which impresses us deeply. Good manners are generally taught by parents at home, and by teachers in school. Manners that are learnt during childhood generally remain with us throughout our lives. They become a part of our personality. Hence, it is desirable that good manners are instilled in children when they are very young, so that they grow up to become courteous, considerate adults.

(A6)

Question (i)
Read A. G. Gardiner’s essay “The Open Window’ and compare its theme with the essay ‘On Saying “Please.”

Question (ii)
‘Nothing clears up my spirits like a fine day’ – Keats. Collect information of the poet Keats and write it in your notebook.

(A7)

Question (i)
Soft skills are required in all walks of life including careers and industries. They are increasingly becoming the essential skills of today’s workforce. Soft skills are an integral part of finding, attracting and retaining clients also. Highly developed presentation skills, networking abilities, and etiquette awareness can help you win new clients and gain more work. The following are considered the most important soft skills.
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Question (ii)
Following are some of the institutions where you will get the courses related to soft skills.
(a) Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
(b) Indian School of Business Management, Hyderabad
(c) XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur
(d) Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi
Jobs available at –

Yuvakbharati English 12th Digest Chapter 1.2 On Saying “Please” Additional Important Questions and Answers

Read the extract and complete the activities given below.:

Global Understanding:

False sentences:
1. The liftman invited the passenger into the lift.
4. The complainant had to pay a fine,

Corrected sentences:
1. The liftman threw the passenger out of the lift.
4. The liftman had to pay a fine.

Complex Factual:

Inference/Interpretation/Analysis :

Personal Response:

Language Study:

Vocabulary:

Find out the meanings of the following phrases and use them in your own sentences.

Vocabulary:

A Collocation is a combination of words in a language that often go together. They habitually occur together and hence convey some meaning by association, e.g. early morning, hot dinner, fast train.

Non-Textual Grammar:

Do as directed:

Spot the error in the following sentences and rewrite them correctly: