NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 13 – Villa for Sale
Page No 95:
Question 1:
If you could buy your dream house today what are some specific features you would want for your house? Write them in the bubbles below.
Answer:
Pointers have been provided for students’ reference.
It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.
Question 2:
Discuss with your partner the similarities and dissimilarities in your dream house.
Answer:
This question is to be answered on the basis of students’ own understanding and experience.
It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.
Page No 108:
Question 4:
Copy and complete the following paragraph about the theme of the play using the clues given in the box below. Remember that there are more clues than required.
| Sell, buying, house, enthusiastic, comes, 200 thousand francs, taking, favour, get, sleeps, money, 300 thousand francs, unhappy, his in-laws, walks in, strikes, keep |
Juliette, the owner of a villa wants to _________ it as she is in need of __________. Moreover, she is not in _________ of the house. Jeanne and Gaston, a couple visit her with the aim of __________ the Villa. While Jeanne is ___________ about buying, Gaston detests the idea as he does not want his __________ in that house. Also, he finds the asking price of ___________ to be expensive. When Jeanne and Juliette go around the house, another customer __________ and starts talking to Gaston _______ him to be Juliette’s husband. Gaston _________ a deal with the customer by which he is able to give ___________ to the owner and __________ one thousand francs for himself.
Answer:
Juliette, the owner of a villa wants to sell it as she is in need of money. Moreover, she is not in favour of the house. Jeanne and Gaston, a couple visit her with the aim of buying the Villa. While Jeanne is enthusiastic about buying, Gaston detests the idea as he does not want his in-laws in that house. Also, he finds the asking price of house to be expensive. When Jeanne and Juliette go around the house, another customer walks-in and starts talking to Gaston taking him to be Juliette’s husband. Gaston strikes a deal with the customer by which he is able to give 200 thousand francs to the owner and keep one thousand francs for himself.
Question 5(a):
Why does Jeanne want to buy a villa?
Answer:
Jeanne wants to buy a villa because she wants to accommodate her parents in the villa as well as spend a holiday with her husband at the villa.
Question 5(b):
Why is Gaston not interested in buying the villa in the beginning?
Answer:
Gaston was not interested in buying the villa in the beginning because he was very well aware of the fact that the villa was being bought by his wife for his in-laws and not for their personal use.
Question 5(c):
Mrs. Al Smith makes many statements about the French. Pick out any two and explain them.
Answer:
Pointers have been provided for students’ reference.
It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.
Mrs. Al Smith makes the following statements about the French:
(1) “You French people have a cute way of doing business.” By this statement, Mrs. Al Smith is pointing towards the cleverness of the French in doing business. They would attract a prospective buyer by advertising for sale but will negotiate the price later.
(2) “Frenchmen usually have to consult about ten people before they get a move on.”
Here, Mrs. Al Smith is indicating towards the indecisive nature of the French people.
Question 5(d):
Juliette says “… now I have only one thought that is to get the wretched place off my hands. I would sacrifice it at any price.” Does she stick to her words? Why/Why not?
Answer:
Juliette did not stick to her words because she quotes a hefty price of two hundred and fifty thousand francs for the villa and she finally sells it for two hundred thousand francs. Her greed for wealth leads to change in the course of actions.
Question 5(e):
Who is better in business -Juliette or Gaston? Why?
Answer:
Gaston is better than Juliette in business because he manages to earn one hundred thousand francs out of a property that was not owned by him. He sells Juliette’s villa to Mrs. Al Smith for three hundred thousand francs.
Question 5(f):
Do you like/dislike Gaston? Give your reasons.
Answer:
This question is to be answered on the basis of students’ own understanding and experience.
It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.
Page No 109:
Question 6-a(a:
‘But the sign has been hanging on the gate for over a month now and I am beginning to be afraid that the day I bought it was when I was the real fool.’
Why is Juliette disappointed?
(i) She is unable to get a role of cook in the films.
(ii) Her maid is leaving as she has got a role in the films.
(iii) She is unable to find a suitable buyer for her villa.
(iv) Gaston is offering a very low price for the villa.
Answer:
(iii) She is unable to find a suitable buyer for her villa.
Question 6-a(b:
Why does she call herself a fool?
(i) She has decided to sell her villa.
(ii) There are no buyers for the villa.
(iii) She had bought the villa for more than it was worth.
(iv) The villa was too close to the film studios.
Answer:
(iii) She had bought the villa for more than it was worth.
Question 6-b(a:
‘But your parents would take possession of it, every year from the beginning of spring until the end of September. What’s more they would bring the whole tribe of your sister’s children with them.’
What does Gaston mean by ‘take possession’?
(i) Her parents would stay with them for a long time.
(ii) Jeanne’s sister has many children.
(iii) Gaston does not like children.
(iv) Juliette’s sister’s children are badly behaved.
Answer:
(i) Her parents would stay with them for a long time.
Question 6-c(a:
‘While you were upstairs, I have been thinking a lot about your Papa and Mamma.’
What is the discrepancy between what Gaston said earlier and what he says now?
(i) Earlier he did not want Jeanne’s parents to stay with them but now he is showing concern for them.
(ii) Earlier he wanted Jeanne’s parents to stay with them but now he does not want them to come over.
(iii) Earlier he wanted to buy a house for them but now he wants them to come and stay in their villa.
(iv) Earlier he stayed in Jeanne’s parents’ villa but now he wants them to stay with him and Jeanne.
Answer:
(i) Earlier he did not want Jeanne’s parents to stay with them but now he is showing concern for them.
Question 6-c(b:
What does the above statement reveal about Gaston’s character?
(i) He is selfish.
(ii) He is an opportunist.
(iii) He is a caring person.
(iv) He is a hypocrite.
Answer:
(ii) He is an opportunist.
Page No 110:
Question 7:
Select words from the box to describe the characters in the play as revealed by the following lines. You may take the words from the box given on the next page.
Lines from the Play
|
Speaker
|
Quality revealed
| |
a.
| One hundred thousand francs if necessary and that’s only twice what it cost me. | ||
b.
| If you don’t want the house, tell me so at once and we’ll say no more about it. | ||
c.
| No! I am very fond of your family, but not quite so fond as that. | ||
d.
| Quite so. I have, but you haven’t. | ||
e.
| I have never cared such a damned little about anybody’s opinion. | ||
f.
| On the principle of people who like children and haven’t any can always go and live near a school. | ||
g.
| The garden is not very large, but you see, it is surrounded by other gardens. | ||
h.
| I will be philanthropic and let you have it for two hundred thousand. | ||
i
| I have been thinking a lot about you. Papa and Mamma. You see, I am really unselfish. |
| Cunning, clever, witty, smart, innocent, humorous, haughty, overbearing, critical, domineering , disapproving, materialistic, dishonest, practical, greedy, cruel, boastful. |
Answer:
Lines from the Play
|
Speaker
|
Quality revealed
| |
a.
| One hundred thousand francs if necessary and that’s only twice what it cost me. |
Juliette
|
Greedy
|
b.
| If you don’t want the house, tell me so at once and we’ll say no more about it. |
Jeanne
|
Haughty
|
c.
| No! I am very fond of your family, but not quite so fond as that. |
Gaston
|
Disapproving
|
d.
| Quite so. I have, but you haven’t. |
Gaston
|
Domineering
|
e.
| I have never cared such a damned little about anybody’s opinion. |
Gaston
|
Haughty
|
f.
| On the principle of people who like children and haven’t any can always go and live near a school. |
Gaston
|
Witty
|
g.
| The garden is not very large, but you see, it is surrounded by other gardens. |
Juliette
|
Smart
|
h.
| I will be philanthropic and let you have it for two hundred thousand. |
Juliette
|
Boastful
|
i
| I have been thinking a lot about you. Papa and Mamma. You see, I am really unselfish. |
Gaston
|
Clever
|
