NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English
Snapshot
Chapter 3 – Mother’s
Day (J. B. Priestley)
Short Question Answers
Question
1:
How
do Mrs Pearson and Mrs Fitzgerald differ from each other?
Answer:
The
two ladies present a stark contrast. Mrs Pearson, a woman in her forties,
appears pleasant but anxious, speaking in a light, flurried tone with a touch
of suburban cockney. In contrast, Mrs Fitzgerald is older, heavier, and
possesses a strong and sinister personality. Mrs Fitzgerald smokes, has a deep
voice, and a rather Irish tone.
Question
2:
“I’m
much obliged,” says Mrs. J Pearson. What is she grateful for, and to whom?
Answer:
Mrs.
Pearson expresses gratitude to Mrs. Fitzgerald for predicting her fortune. She
finds it fascinating to have a real fortune teller living next door.
Question
3:
What
fortune does Mrs Fitzgerald predict for Mrs Pearson?
Answer:
Mrs
Fitzgerald's predictions for Mrs Pearson's fortune are ambiguous. She suggests
it could be either good or bad, emphasizing that the outcome depends on Mrs
Pearson's decisions and actions. The fortune is contingent on Mrs Pearson's
firm choices.
Question
4:
What
problem does Mrs Pearson face, and who might be responsible for her situation?
Answer:
Mrs
Pearson dedicates all her time and effort to serving her husband, son, and
daughter. The thoughtless and selfish behavior of her family members, who go
out every night, leaving her alone at home, is the root of her problem. Mrs
Pearson herself bears responsibility for the ill-treatment, neglect, and lack
of consideration shown to her.
Question
5:
What
course of action does Mrs Fitzgerald recommend to Mrs Pearson to address the
situation?
Answer:
Mrs
Fitzgerald advises Mrs Pearson to make firm decisions and assert her position
as the true mistress of the house. She encourages Mrs Pearson to take the
initiative and let her family wait or look after themselves for once.
Question
6:
What
difficulties does Mrs Pearson encounter while dealing with various members of
her family?
Answer:
Despite
her deep love for her husband and children, Mrs Pearson lacks the courage to
openly discuss the problem with them. She drops hints but avoids
unpleasantness. Her nervous and fluttering nature makes it challenging for her
to initiate discussions with other family members.
Question
7:
“Then
let me do it,” suggests Mrs Fitzgerald. How does Mrs Pearson respond?
Answer:
When
Mrs Fitzgerald offers to handle Mrs Pearson's family and teach them proper
behavior, Mrs Pearson becomes flustered. She thanks Mrs Fitzgerald but
expresses concern that her family might resent being ill-treated by someone
else and wouldn't listen.
Question
8:
How
does Mrs Fitzgerald plan to deal with Mrs Pearson's family?
Answer:
Mrs
Fitzgerald proposes a body-switching plan. They would exchange places, with Mrs
Pearson taking on Mrs Fitzgerald's appearance and vice versa. In this way, Mrs
Fitzgerald intends to address the issues in Mrs Pearson's family.
Question
9:
Why
is Doris Pearson astonished upon returning home?
Answer:
Doris
is taken aback to find her mother, Mrs Pearson, smoking and playing cards upon
returning home. This unexpected behavior surprises and astounds her.
Question
10:
What
are the two reasons that upset Doris Pearson?
Answer:
Doris
is irritated because her mother hasn't ironed her yellow silk dress, which she
needs to wear that night. Additionally, after a long day of work, Doris is
upset that her mother hasn't prepared any tea for her.
Question
11:
How
does Mrs Pearson counter Doris’s complaint about working hard?
Answer:
Mrs
Pearson responds to Doris by asserting that she understands how much work Doris
puts in. Mrs Pearson claims to work twice as many hours without receiving any
pay or gratitude.
Question
12:
How
does Mrs Pearson criticize Doris's choice of going out with Charlie Spence?
Answer:
Mrs
Pearson questions Doris about choosing Charlie Spence, criticizing his
appearance and intelligence. She suggests that at Doris's age, she should
either find someone better than Charlie Spence or cease dating boys if there is
no hope of success.
Question
13:
Why
is Cyril Pearson annoyed with his mother? Provide two reasons.
Answer:
Cyril
is irritated when his mother, Mrs Pearson, informs him that there is no tea
because she couldn't be bothered. Additionally, he is upset that his mother
hasn't taken out his things, nor has she mended them or expressed a willingness
to do so.
Question
14:
“That’s
a nice way to talk. What would happen if we all talked like that?” says Cyril.
In what context does he say this, and what response does he receive?
Answer:
Cyril
objects to Mrs Pearson's statement about not liking mending. Mrs Pearson
counters by stating that everyone in the family talks similarly. If there's
something they don't want to do, they simply don't do it. She adds that she has
joined the movement and threatens to take two days off on the weekend.
Question
15:
How
do Doris and Cyril react to Mrs Pearson’s inquiry about stout?
Answer:
Doris
and Cyril are surprised and react with disbelief when Mrs Pearson expresses her
desire to drink stout. This unexpected behavior raises questions for them, and
they exchange notes regarding her behavior since their return home.
Question
16:
What
changes in Mrs Pearson's behavior startle Doris and Cyril, and what reasons do
they suggest?
Answer:
Doris
and Cyril are taken aback when they observe their mother, Mrs Pearson, smoking
and playing cards. They find her behavior strikingly different, and Cyril
suggests that she might have gone slightly mad. Doris wonders if she has
suffered a concussion from hitting her head.
Question
17:
How
does Mrs Pearson teach her children to become responsible adults?
Answer:
Mrs
Pearson scolds her children for their guffawing and giggling. She criticizes
their lifestyle, emphasizing that they come in, ask for something, go out
again, and return because there's nowhere else to go. She highlights that, like
them, she has done her eight hours of work and threatens to take two days off
on the weekend.
Question
18:
“But
any of you forty-hour-a-weekers who expect to be waited on hand and foot on
Saturday and Sunday with no thanks for it are in for a nasty disappointment,”
says Mrs Pearson. How has she planned to spend the weekends?
Answer:
Mrs
Pearson informs her family that if they expect to be waited on hand and foot on
weekends without expressing gratitude, they are in for a disappointment. She
suggests that she might do some cooking or make a bed as a favor, but only if
asked very nicely and thanked for it. She contemplates going off for the
weekend for a change.
Question
19:
“I’ll
hit you with something, girl, if you don’t stop asking silly questions,” says
Mrs Pearson to Doris. What 'silly' questions does she object to?
Answer:
Mrs
Pearson objects to Doris's questions about whether she will go off for the
weekend and where she would go and with whom. Mrs Pearson considers these
questions silly and asserts that it's her business.
Question
20:
“Well,
that ought to be a nice change for you,” says Mrs Pearson. What 'change' is she
referring to, and how does George react to it?
Answer:
Mrs
Pearson comments on the change in her style, referring to drinking stout at an
unusual time of day. George, her husband, reacts with confusion and surprise,
expressing his dislike for her drinking and considering it improper.
Question
21:
“Annoyed
because I don’t get tea for him that he doesn’t even want,” says Mrs Pearson.
What prompts her to make this remark?
Answer:
George
Pearson, Mrs Pearson's husband, informs her that he doesn't want any tea
because there's supper at the club that night. Mrs Pearson, hurt by his
response, remarks that she wouldn't have prepared tea even if he wanted it.
Question
22:
How
do you think George Pearson is treated at the club?
Answer:
Members
of the club laugh at George Pearson, considering him one of their standing
jokes. They mockingly call him "Pompy-Ompy Pearson" due to their
perception of him as slow and pompous. George is unaware of this nickname and
the jokes made at his expense.
Question
23:
What
objection does Mrs Pearson have against George’s frequent visits to the club?
Answer:
Mrs
Pearson questions why her husband, George, spends so much time at the club
where people laugh at him and call him names. She is perplexed as to why he
leaves her alone every night and suggests that going out with her wouldn't make
him look foolish.
Question
24:
“Sometimes
it does people good to have their feelings hurt.” Do you agree with Mrs
Pearson’s observation?
Answer:
Mrs
Pearson believes that sometimes hurting people's feelings can be beneficial, as
facing the truth is a necessary experience. Whether or not one agrees with this
observation may depend on individual perspectives on the impact of truthfulness
and confronting reality.
Question
25:
Why
does Mrs Pearson doubt the value of Cyril’s opinion?
Answer:
Mrs
Pearson expresses skepticism about Cyril's opinions, stating that he knows
little about worldly affairs. She criticizes his spending too much time and
money on amusement shows like greyhound races, dirt tracks, and ice shows.
Question
26:
Why
is George Pearson incensed at Mrs Fitzgerald’s utterances?
Answer:
George
Pearson is angered when Mrs Fitzgerald addresses him by his first name and
makes remarks like "Oh-dear-I ought to have known." He believes that
she has no business interfering in their family affairs.
Question
27:
“Perhaps
you’ll excuse us….” What lessons of civility does Mrs Pearson teach George
Pearson?
Answer:
Mrs
Pearson insists that George should be polite to Mrs Fitzgerald, addressing her
as a friend or neighbor. She emphasizes the importance of politeness and
requests him to greet Mrs Fitzgerald politely instead of entering and sitting
down silently.
Question
28:
Why
does Mrs Pearson threaten to slap her husband?
Answer:
George's
angry reaction to being humiliated in front of Mrs Fitzgerald prompts Mrs
Pearson to threaten to slap him. Her frustration at his shouting compels her to
assert herself in response to his disrespectful behavior.
Question
29:
“Either
I’m off my chump or you two are.” Why do you think George arrives at this
conclusion?
Answer:
Mrs
Pearson threatens to slap George, and Mrs Fitzgerald, in Mrs Pearson's body,
moans and pleads with Mrs Pearson not to do so. Confused by the exchange and
the sudden change in behavior, George concludes that either he is mad or both
Mrs Pearson and Mrs Fitzgerald are mad.
Question
30:
How
is Doris taught a lesson in behavior?
Answer:
When
Mrs Fitzgerald, in Mrs Pearson's body, mentions Doris going out with Charlie
Spence, Doris becomes annoyed and retorts. Mrs Pearson scolds Doris harshly,
instructing her to respond properly to Mrs Fitzgerald and warning her against
behaving rudely with anyone.
Question
31:
How
does the real Mrs Pearson learn about her daughter’s miserable state?
Answer:
In
the swapped personalities, Mrs Fitzgerald, in Mrs Pearson's body, insists that
Doris tell her how her mother has been criticizing her and making her
miserable. Doris reluctantly reveals that her mother has been critical, making
her feel miserable.
Question
32:
What
forces the real Mrs Pearson to come to the conclusion: “That’s enough, quite
enough”?
Answer:
The
real Mrs Pearson, having the body of Mrs Fitzgerald, finds her harsh comments
towards George, Doris, and Cyril offensive. She particularly objects to the
comments about Charlie Spence. When Mrs Fitzgerald, in her body, is somewhat
rude to George, the real Mrs Pearson reaches her limit and decides that it's
enough.
Question
33:
What
is Mrs Fitzgerald’s final advice to Mrs Pearson after reverting to their
original personalities?
Answer:
After
returning to their original personalities, Mrs Fitzgerald advises Mrs Pearson
not to go soft on her family members again. She encourages Mrs Pearson not to
explain or apologize, suggesting that she should occasionally use a look or a
rough tone to convey toughness.
Question
34:
What
would Mrs Pearson like the members of her family to do?
Answer:
Mrs
Pearson expresses her desire for her family members to stay at home in the
evening, lend a hand with supper, and engage in a nice family game of rummy. This
represents a shift in dynamics, with Mrs Pearson asserting her expectations.
Question
35:
How
does the stern treatment reform the spoiled children?
Answer:
Upon
receiving Mrs Pearson's stern treatment, the children, Doris and Cyril, look
apprehensive. However, when Mrs Pearson smiles, they reciprocate with smiles of
their own. As they decide not to go out, Mrs Pearson suggests playing a family
game of rummy, and the children comply, preparing supper obediently. The stern
treatment results in a positive change in their behavior.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please keep your views respectful and not include any promotional comments. Such comments will be removed and your IP will be blocked for future purpose.