1.2 On Saying ‘Please’

1.2 On Saying ‘Please’

On Saying "Please" is really worth reading to bring a change in our social behaviour. Here, one can enjoy the writer's meticulous  selection of vocabulary  and complex structures. It sets a challenge  in front of the readers to find contextual references of the words and phrases.

Title: The title ‘On Saying ‘Please’ gives us a hint that the topic is related to manners. We should know the importance of saying ‘ please’ to others. Good manners make us a socially accpeted person. It makes healthy relationship between individuals. 

New words:-

Undoubtedly - known for certain to be so

Discourtesy - not polite, rudeness

assault and battery - an attack which includes not only threats but the actual use of violence

burglar - thief who breaks into houses shops etc with the intention of stealing

retaliate - to do something bad to someone who has done something bad to you

assailant - an attacker

legislate - to make a law or laws

violence - action or feeling that causes damage, unrest etc

to box - to fight with the fists (closed hands)

haughty - a high opinion of oneself and often a low position of others

boorish - rude, uncultured

laceration - hurt feelings

slur - a cause of blame

redress - remedy, set right

vanity - pride

brooding over - spend time thinking anxiously or sadly about something

equilibrium - balance (of the mind, emotions)

bullied - threatened

insolent - very rude

henpecked –a husband who always does what his wife tells him to do

black eye – dark coloured skin around somebody’s eye ehere he or she has been hit

endorse - official agreement to the decision

martyrdom - the death or suffering of a martyr

morose - unhappy, very sad and ill tempered

Decalogue - the Ten Commandments

Verdict - judgement

intercourse - communication, conversation

resentment - anger

ordeal - difficult or painful experience

knave - a dishonest person

cheerfully - happily

squared - having no doubt, settled

countenance - a person’s face or expression

treading - pressing down something with foot

assured - confident

inexhaulstible - unlimited ,can never be finished

solicitious - caring or concerned, giving helpful care

irradiated - (here) spread or produced

uncouth - impolite, unrefined

benediction - a blessing

conciliatory - trying to win friendly feelings

panegyric - a speech or piece of writing praising someone highly

moral affront – insult, disrespect

boor - a rude insensitive person

Activity Sheet:

Q. Read the extract and complete the activities given below.(12)

The young lift-man in a City office whothrew a passenger out of his lift the othermorning and was fined for the offencewas undoubtedly in the wrong. It was aquestion of 'Please'. The complainantentering the lift; said,'Top'. The lift-mandemanded 'Top-please' and thisconcession being refused he not onlydeclined to comply with the instruction,but hurled the passenger out of the lift.This, of course was carrying a commenton manner too far. Discourtesy is not alegal offence, and it does not excuseassault and battery. If a burglar breaksinto my house and I knock him down, thelaw will acquit me, and if I am physicallyassaulted, it will permit me to retaliatewith reasonable violence. It does thisbecause the burglar and my assailanthave broken quite definite commands ofthe law, but no legal system couldattempt to legislate against badmanners, or could sanction the use ofviolence against something which it doesnot itself recognize as a legally punishableoffence. And whatever our sympathy withthe lift-man, we must admit that the lawis reasonable. It would never do if wewere at liberty to box people's earsbecause we did not like their behaviour, orthe tone of their voices, or the scowl ontheir faces. Our fists would never be idle,and the gutters of the City would run withblood all day.

A1.True or False (2)

Rewrite and state whether the following sentences are true or false.

i)The writer favours the step taken by the lift-man.

ii) Discourtesy is hardly a legal offence.

iii) According to the writer, the law is not irreasonable.

iv)The passanger said Top-please to the lift-man.

A2. Describe (2)

Describe the incident in the lift in about 50 words.

A3. Locate (2)

Locate the lines which prove the following statement.

“The law acquits any reasonable retaliation in self defence.”

A4. Personal Response (2)

Write any four polite expressions you use in your day-to-day life.

A5. Do as directed (2)  
                                                                                                                      

i) We did not like their behaviour.        

     (Make it affirmative)

ii) I knock him down.

    (Change the Voice)

A6. Vocabulary (2)

Fill in  the blanks with appropriate words given in the bracket and rewrite the sentences.

          (reasonable, attempt, concession, sympathy)

i) He had taken a very ----------- to get success.

ii) It was a -------------- measure to support the decision.

iii) A man without -----------in heart is like a stone.

iv) The students’ applied for the ------------ in the fees.