TS 10th Class English Guide Unit 3C The Never – Never Nest

Telangana SCERT TS 10th Class English Guide Pdf Unit 3C The Never – Never Nest Textbook Questions and Answers.

TS 10th Class English Guide Unit 3C The Never – Never Nest

Comprehension:

I. Answer the following Questions:

Question 1.
Aunt Jane thought that she had given away 2000 pounds instead of 200 pounds? What made her think so?
Answer:
Aunt Jane saw that Jack and Jill had all the modern comforts such as car, piano, refrigerator, radiogram and so on and thought that it was wonderful. But she was surprised to see them with all those things though Jack’s earnings were meagre. At one time, she worried about the cheque given them by her for their wedding present. She doubtful whether she had given away 2000 pounds instead of 200 pounds.

Question 2.
What surprised Aunt Jane most?
Answer:
Aunt Jane thought that they would pay a great deal for rent as the house in which they were living was very lovely. But, Jack told her that they didn’t pay rent. He also told her that the house was theirs. This news surprised Aunt Jane most.

Question 3.
“And the piano? …………… And the furniture?” What do these questions suggest ?
Answer:
These questions suggest us that Jack and Jill owned all their things on instalment basis.
When Aunt Jane came to know this from them, she was surprised and asked them the above questions. She thought that it was all absurd.

Question 4.
Would you have bought so many things if you were Jack? Why?
Answer:
If I were Jack, I wouldn’t have bought so many things like he did. I would have bought only one or two things on instalment basis. So that I wouldn’t have fallen into debts. If a person purchases many things on instalment basis, he has to pay more money towards the instalments. But when he finds it difficult to pay off them, he will then proceed to a money lender to take loan. Thus, one can’t get rid of one’s debts if one buys many things on instalment basis. Hence, I don’t go to buy many things on instalment basis.

Question 5.
Who do you think first understood Aunt Jane? Substantiate your answer.
Answer:
I think, Jill first understood Aunt Jane. Before her leaving Aunt Jane gave them a cheque worth 10 pounds and asked them to pay off one of their bills and own at least one thing. When Jack went out to see Aunt Jane to the bus, Jill sent the cheque to Dr. Martin. She wanted to own their baby with just one more instalment. We understand that Jill understood Aunt Jane and tried to follow her advice.

Question 6.
What would you have done with the 10 pounds if you were Jack/Jill?
Answer:
If I were Jack/Jill, I would have paid off one of my bills and made atleast one thing completely ours.

Question 7.
Did your parents buy anything by an easy instalment scheme? Do you support or oppose this scheme? Why?
Answer:
My parents bought a car by an easy instalment scheme. I don’t support this instalment scheme. If one buys things on instalment basis, one has to pay a lot towards interest. Thus one has to pay more money than actually needed. Sometimes, we are not able to pay off our instalments. Then we opt to borrow money from a money lender on a high rate of-interest. Thus, the system of instalment keeps us permanently in debt. Hence I strongly oppose the instalment scheme.

Question 8.
Write a critical review of the play, ‘The Never-never Nest’ bringing out the point of view of the writer.
Answer:
“The Never- Never Nest”, whose playwright is Cedric Mount, is a one-act play, depicting a naive couple Jack & Jill, who bought each & every luxury of life on installments & are living cheerfully without even being aware that they would be struggling under the burden in the near future.

The title of the play — “The Never- Never Nest” has two ‘never’ in it, ensuring that the nest would never be built. The double negative is emphasizing the impossibility of home.

The ‘nest’ in the title, literally refers to the home of birds.

Birds make their home by collecting straws & twigs of various trees. The nest acts as their temporary home as they do migration with respect to the changing weather conditions. Also, they are not safe, as different animals might attack their nest anytime. The same is the case with Jack & Jill.

The word ‘nest’ is a suggestion of instability. It is suggesting a temporary home. The couple can be attacked by the money-lenders anytime if the installments are not paid on the designated time.

Moreover, they have not just purchased home on installments, rather they brought each & everything of the house like furniture, piano, radiogram & even the car on installments. At the end of the play, humor takes on wings when we got to know that the couple had their baby on installments.

The word ‘nest’ in the title may also be interpreted as a source of humor, especially satire, which the playwright tried to bring. Birds take a lot of time to build their nest as they have to collect several straws & twigs from different places. They work very hard. But, in this play, both Jack & Jill show their instant gratification for luxuries & had brought them on installments without saving any money. That is, the word ‘nest’ acts as a contrary word for such a house.

Therefore, the title of this act is appropriate as it connotes the theme of the act — the pathetic condition of the couple, leading a luxurious life on installment basis under their charming nest, which is too on easy monthly installments.

Question 8.
Describe Jack’s house and the furniture that impressed Aunt Jane ?
Answer:
Jack’s house is a cosy one and the sitting room is full of pretty furniture. The things that charm Aunt Jane are the car, the piano, the refrigerator, the radiogram and so on. Aunt Jane thinks that they are wonderful and she is impressed by them.

Question 9.
Why did Aunt Jane refuse to sit on the furniture ?
Answer:
When Aunt Jane comes to know that Jack and Jill have bought all their things on instalment basis, she refuses to sit on the furniture. She really hates to borrow. “Cash down” is her motto. She has never owed a penny in her life.

Question 10.
What easy sources did Jack speak about to Aunt Jane to repay instalments ?
Answer:
Jack tells Aunt Jane that the things will be their after the payment of easy instalments. Jill says to her that there was a rise of five shillings the previous year and Jack modestly says that he is expecting a ten shilling rise that Christmas. He wants to pay off his instalments with his raised salary.

Question 11.
Who is the real owner of the house and other things till the payment of ail the instalments? Why do you think so?
Answer:
The finance corporation (Mr. Sage’s / Marks’s) spencer is the real owner of the house and other things till the payment of all the instalments. I think so because, one of the above (or all the above) mentioned corporations could have financed money for their buying their house and the other things.

Question 12.
What was the argument of Jack in support of purchasing the house on instalment basis ?
Answer:
Aunt Jane was astonished to hear that Jack and Jill had bought their house on instalment basis. Jack told her that he had to pay only ten pounds and then some instalments. He argued that it was uneconomic to go on paying rent year after year, when one could buy and enjoy a home.

Oral Activity:

Your dream mobile is on sale at a never before discount. Your earnings are just enough to manage life. If the shop offers an instalment facility, will you buy it ?

Question.
In groups, talk about the advantages and disadvantages of instalment schemes.
Answer:
I won’t buy my dream mobile even if the shop offers an instalment facility as my earnings are just enough to manage life. If I buy it on instalment basis, I have to pay more money towards its principal and interest. But with my meagre earnings I won’t bear it. Hence, I don’t opt to buy things on instalment basis.

Group 1
Instalment schemes give the low-salaried persons opportunity to buy goods or items that they would otherwise been unable to buy them. They can’t bear such a large amounts of money at one time to buy a thing.

Group 2
Yes, you are correct. On instalment basis, even poor people can buy expensive things. The poor and the low-income groups are really thankful to this system.

Group 3
The instalment system makes it easier to buy very expensive things because the payment is spread over a period of time. The persons who buy things on instalment basis don’t face any difficulty to pay off their bills.

Group 4
We strongly oppose the instalment system. Though we pay off some of our instalments, the thing won’t be ours till the payment of all our instalments. The buyer has to pay an additional amount of money in the form of interest.

Group 5
We totally agree with you. Our buying things on instalment basis make us extravagant. When one buys many things on instalment basis one has to pay more money towards instalments. He finds it difficulty to pay off them. Hence, he has to consult a money¬lender to borrow money to pay off one’s bills. Thus, he may permanently be in debts.

Group 4
The buyer ends up spending a very long time paying for the thing he/she has bought. Because of this easy instalment system, buyers are tempted to buy things even though they don’t need.

Group 1
But this system gives the buyers a chance to enjoy the things eventhough they don’t pay off all the amount of money. They eventually own them that they can’t afford without facing any financial pressure. The low-income persons will make their dreams true by this system.

Group 3
We hate this instalment scheme. ‘Cash down’ – is our motto. Buying things by instalment keeps us permanently in debt. After some days, the buyers will have to lose all the things they buy on instalments when they can’t pay off their bills.

Writing Activity:

Buying things by easy instalments keeps you permanently in debt. Write down your points in favour/against the proposition.

Afterwards, work in pairs and have a debate in the class
Answer:
Under instalment purchase scheme, a fixed amount is paid at the time of purchase and the rest of the amount is to be paid in instalments, which may be monthly, quarterly, half yearly or yearly as per the agreement signed between the customer and the seller. An instalment is the amount which is paid by the customer at regular intervals after the initial payment.

Points in favour of the proposition “Buying things by instalments keeps you permanently in debt.”

If a person buys things on instalment system, he has to pay more money towards interest. When he finds it easy having the things on instalment basis, he tries to purchase more things which actually he doesn’t need. He simply pays a little initial amounts and keeps the things in his house.

But when he tries to pay off his instalments, he finds it difficult to pay them all. He has to face financial problems. His poor financial position takes him to a money-lender to borrow the money he needs to pay off the bills. He has to pay more money towards interest. He may not clear his debts later and thus he has to face financial crisis. Thus, instalment scheme keeps one permanently in debts.

Eventhough one has paid some of the cost of the thing, one doesn’t get the ownership until one finishes paying all the instalments. One has to spend a very long time paying for the thing one has bought. Because of the easy instalment scheme, one is tempted to buy things that one doesn’t need.

Points against the proposition, “Buying things by instalments keeps you permanently in debts.”

Instalment scheme enables a person to buy costly goods on covenient terms of payment. This scheme encourages the buyer to save at regular intervals so as to pay the instalment basis. This system gives the low-income earners the opportunity to buy goods which they actually unable to buy them because of their low wages and poor financial condition.

They can’t bear such a large amounts of money at one time to buy a thing. Even poor people can buy expensive things through this instalment system. Their dreams would come true with this system. They don’t face financial crisis under this system as the payment is spread over a period of time. This system gives the buyers a chance to enjoy the things even though they don’t pay off all the instalments.

They eventually own them that they can’t afford without facing any difficulty. Buyers don’t feel the heavy burden of the prices of the goods. But, they need to take little care about the instalments they have to pay. They shouldn’t go for the things which they don’t need. They must calculate their income and expenditure. They should estimate their financial position. Then only they should buy things/goods on instalment basis.

DEBATE

Pair work

Pair – 1

Pupil A:
This system gives the low-salaried earners the opportunity to buy things / goods which they actually unable to buy them because of their low wages and poor financial condition.

Pupil B:
I strongly object you. If a person buys things on instalment system, he has to pay more money towards interest. Hence, he has to face financial crisis.

Pair – 2

Pupil C:
Even poor people can buy expensive things through the instalment scheme. Their dreams would come true with this system. They don’t face financial crisis under this system. In fact they develop the habit of ‘savings’ to pay off their regular bills. The payment is spread over a period of time. Hence, there is no burden on the buyer. This sytem gives the buyers a chance to enjoy the things even though they don’t pay off all the instalments.

Pupil D:
No, I don’t agree with you. I really hate instalment system. “Cash down and carry the thing”, is my motto. I don’t want to become a borrower when one finds it easy having the things on instalment basis, one tries to buy more things which actually he doesn’t need. One has to face financial problems. Instalments keeps one permanently in debts.

Project Work:

I. Influence of technical gadgets on human relations.

Visit five houses in your neighbourhood and collect the information in the given format related to human relations i.e., spending quality time with the members of the family and friends, sharing and caring. Analyse the information and write a report by adding your opinion on how the modern gadgets are influencing human relations and present it before the class.

Answer:

1. Kishore’s House

Type of Gadgets	Human relations before the accessibility	Human relations after the accessibility
1. Television	Human relations are maintained properly.	There is a gap among the family members
2. Mobile phones	All the family members move friendly and they share their feelings.	They don’t take care of the other family members.
3. Computer/Internet	Human relations are cordial.	They don’t find enough time to spend with their family members and friends

2. Prakash’s House

Type of Gadgets	Human relations before the accessibility	Human relations after the accessibility
1.	Television            The family members spend more time with one another	The family relations are Ok.They sit along with other family members and watch T.V
2. Mobile phones	They don’t find enough time to spend with their friends and family members	They always talk with their friends on phone.
3. Computer/Internet	The old people are well taken care of. They share their feelings among them.	They don’t have time to spend with their family friends.

3. Ramya’s House

Type of Gadgets	Human relations before the accessibility	Human relations after the accessibility
1. Television	Human relations are maintained properly.	There is a gap among the family members
2. Mobile phones	All the family members move friendly and they share their feelings.	They don’t take care of the other family members
3. Computer/Internet	Human relations are cordial.	They don’t find enough time to spend with their family members and friends

4. Sneha’s House

Type of Gadgets	Human relations before the accessibility	Human relations after the accessibility
1. Television	The family members spend more time with one another	The family relations are Ok. They sit along with other family members and watch T.V
2. Mobile phones	They don’t find enough time to spend with their friends and family members	They always talk with their friends on phone.
3. Computer/Internet	The old people are well taken care of. They share their feelings among them.	They don’t have time to spend with their family friends.

5. Dharma Teja’s House

Type of Gadgets	Human relations before the accessibility	Human relations after the accessibility
1. Television	The family relations are good.	The family relations are good.
2. Mobile phones	They find enough time to spend with their family members and friends.	They chat on their phones with their friends. They don’t find time to spend with thier family members
3. Computer/Internet	The family relations are pleasent.	They spend all their time in chatting and sending and receiving E mails.

REPORT

The gadgets such as television, mobile phones and computer/internet has their own effect on human relations. In most of the families, there is a lot of changes before and after the accessibility of technological gadgets. This report is about examining the effect of the technical gadgets on human relations. The gadgets affect one’s friendships, social lives, family relations, general health and personal achievements.

It is observed that the gadgets have a negative impact on relations specially with family. Many parents complain against their children that they are using computers and mobile phones so that they don’t find time to interact with the family members. As far as watching TV is concerned, all the family members sit in one place and watch the programmes. Thus, watching TV is useful in maintaining proper family relationships.

Before the accessibility of these gadgets, proper human relationships are maintained. The family relationships are cordial. They share their feelings with one another. They spend more time with their family members. They take care of their family members. They give value to other family members’ views. The children find time to play and spend with their friends.

But after the accessibility of technological gadgets, we observe a lot of change in family relations, relations with friends, sharing, caring, health etc. The parents are complaining that their children are spending most of their time in using the gadgets. They don’t even try to interact with their family members. They always watch TV programmes, talk on phones and sit in front of computers.

They don’t even find time to go to their friends and spend with them joyously. They don’t care for their family members. They don’t share their feelings with their family members. As they use their gadgets for longer periods of time, they are facing health problems. Their performance is not good in their studies. They become addicts of these gadgets. They can’t stay even a minute without the gadgets.

Although the technological gadgets have their own advantages, they have a negative influence upon the quality of our lives in some ways. As we can’t live without them in this modern world, we have to find a way to reduce the negative impact of those gadgets.

Self Assessment:

How well have I understand this unit?
Read and tick (✓) in the appropriate box.

Answer:

The Never – Never Nest Summary in English

‘The Never – Never Nest’ is a comic, one-act play written by Cedric Mount. The play tells us about the merits and demerits of buying things on instalment basis. The writer points out that the instalment system enables the low-income people to have things. On the other hand, this system makes people extravagant. They fall into the habit of borrowing which destroys them.

Jack and Jill were a young married couple. One day Aunt Jane visited them. She was pleased to see their cosy house and beautiful furniture. They were enjoying all the modern comforts. They had a radiogram, a car, a piano, a refrigerator. Aunt Jane thought that it was wonderful. She was surprised to know that they had all those tuings even though Jack’s salary was not very high.

Aunt Jane worried whether the cheque given by her to them for their wedding present was for two hundred pounds or two thousand pounds. She couldn’t understand how they could possess all those things. She feft that the rent for such a house must be very high. Jack replied that the house was theirs. He explained to her that they had purchased the house on instalment basis. They had to pay only ten pounds in cash and a few quarterly instalments to own the house.

Aunt Jane came to know that they had bought everything on instalment basis. Jack’s salary was only pounds a week. But, he had to pay actually to seven pounds eight and eight pence a week. When Aunt Jane asked Jack how he could pay the instalment amount, he replied that he could borrow money from the Thrift and Providence Trust Corporation for the payments. Aunt Jane was shocked to hear it.

Aunt Jane couldn’t want to stay at their house any more. Before her leaving, she gave them a cheque worth 10 pounds and asked them to pay off one of their bills and make at least one article completely theirs. When Jack went out to see Aunt Jane to the bus, Jill sent the money to Dr. Martin. But Jack had different thoughts. He wanted to pay off two instalments on the car.

Jack got angry when he heard that the cheque was sent to the doctor. Jill told him that they had to pay one more instalment and the baby would really theirs. The end of the play is ironical. The play is really a satire on the modern man’s craving for things on instalments.

Glossary:

villa (n) = small house standing in its own garden;
cosy (adj) = warm and comfortable;
shriek (n) = a high loud cry;
exclaim (v) = speak with strong feelings;
thingummy (n) = a word used in spoken English, when the name of an object his been forgotten;
tartar (n) = an irritable, hard to cope with person ;
phew (interj.) = expression of tiredness, shock or relief ;
lounge (n) = sitting room ;
uneconomic (adj) = not likely to be profitable ;
relent (n) = decide to be less strict, determined or harsh ;
endorse (n) = write one’s name on the back of a cheque ;
infant (n) = child during the first few years of life ;
black out (n) = temporary loss of consciousness ;