Textbook Solution: Fourteen - II | Class 7 English Alive PDF Download

A. Write T for True and F for False.

Q1: Mr Oliver Farnsworth had to leave for Boston on very important business. 

Ans: (T)

Q2: Mrs Pringle was glad to know Mr Farnsworth was unable to attend the dinner party. 

Ans: (F)

Q3: Mrs Pringle wished Elaine to be more lively and confident. 

Ans: (T)

Q4: Mrs Pringle honestly wanted Mrs Tupper to bring along her house guests. 

Ans: (T)

Q5: Mrs Pringle advised Elaine to take a liking to the Prince of Wales. 

Ans: (T)

B. Answer these questions briefly.

Q1: According to Mrs Pringle, why did Oliver Farnsworth refuse the dinner invite?

Ans: Mrs Pringle suspects that Oliver Farnsworth refused the dinner invite not because of business but because he did not want to exert himself and was afraid of the blizzard.

Q2: "I don't know when I can give you a chance like that again!" What chance was Mrs Pringle talking about, and to whom?

Ans: Mrs Pringle was talking about the chance for Elaine to meet someone as wealthy and important as Oliver Farnsworth, who could be a match for her.

Q3: Why was Mrs Pringle all exhausted and angry after the phone calls from Oliver's secretary and the Tuppers?

Ans: Mrs Pringle was exhausted and angry due to the last-minute cancellations and changes, which disrupted her carefully planned seating arrangement and the evening's events.

Q4: How did Mrs Pringle wish Elaine to be, and why?

Ans: Mrs Pringle wished Elaine to be more lively and confident so that she would be more socially engaging and potentially attract the interest of influential guests like Oliver Farnsworth.

Q5: When the Tuppers decided to bring only six of their family, what did Mrs Pringle decide to do with the seating plan?

Ans: Mrs Pringle decided to remove two plates to adjust for the reduced number of guests, resulting in a total of twelve guests instead of fourteen.

Q6: Who were the two gentlemen waiting in the lower hall?

Ans: The two gentlemen were Mr Farnsworth's secretary and another who turned out to be the Prince of Wales.

Q7: Mrs Pringle kept cursing the blizzard since the start. Why then did she thank God for the blizzard in the end?

Ans: Mrs Pringle thanked God for the blizzard in the end because it unexpectedly led to the Prince of Wales attending her dinner, turning the evening into a success.

C. Think and answer these questions.

Ans: Initially, Mrs Pringle thought Oliver Farnsworth was inconsiderate and rude for cancelling last minute. However, her opinion changed when she realized he sent the Prince of Wales in his place, making her see him as the most considerate of men.

Q2: Do you think the play is funny? Give two situations which you found funny.

Ans: Yes, the play is humorous. One funny situation is Mrs Pringle's over-the-top reactions to each phone call, dramatically altering her mood and plans. Another humorous moment is when she commands Elaine to go to bed and threatens to send her milk and crackers instead of allowing her to attend the dinner.