Villa for Sale: 9th Class English Literature Reader Ch 13

Villa for Sale: NCERT 9th Class CBSE English Course Communicative: Literature Reader Interact in English Chapter 13

Question: 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 – Villa for Sale:

Question: Discuss with your partner the similarities and dissimilarities in your dream house.

Answer: For self-attempt.

Question: See page textbook on page 95.

Answer: For self-attempt.

Question: 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 1. it as she is in need of 2. Moreover, she is not in 3. of the house. Jeanne and Gaston, a couple, visit her with the aim of 4. the villa. While Jeanne is 5. high ceiling good surroundings about buying, Gaston detests the idea as he does not want his 6. in that house. Also, he finds the asking price of 7. to be expensive. When Jeanne and Juliette go around the house another customer 8. and starts talking to Gaston 9. him to be Juliette’s husband. Gaston 1o. a deal with the customer by which he is able to give 11. to the owner and 12. himself.

Answer:

1. sell
2. money
3. favour
4. buying
5. enthusiastic
6. in-laws
7. 200 thousand francs
8. walks in
9. taking
10. strikes
11. two hundred thousand francs
12. keep

Question: Answer the following questions briefly:

1. Why does Jeanne want to buy a villa?
2. Why is Gaston not interested in buying the villa in the beginning?
3. Mrs. A1 Smith makes many statements about the French. Pick out any two and explain them.
4. 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?
5. Who is better in business – Juliette or Gaston? Why?
6. Do you like / dislike Gaston? Give your reasons.

Answer:

1. Jeanne wants to buy a villa for her old parents.
2. Gaston is not interested in buying the villa in the beginning. He is very clear that his wife Jeanne is not buying the villa for themselves. She wants to put her father and mother in it. Her parents would take possession of it every year from April to September. They would also bring all her sister’s children with them. Therefore, he starts finding fault with the villa and its excessive price.
3. Mrs. A1 Smith makes many statements about the French. She asks Gaston to consult his wife before making a deal. Gaston replies that he need not consult her. Mrs. A1 Smith considers Gaston an ‘exception’. She comments, “Frenchmen usually have to consult about ten people before they get a move on.” Her next comment is that “the French think about the past all the time while Americans always think about the future. She also mocks at the funny way of the Frenchmen while doing business deals.
4. Juliette tells her maid that she wants “of get the wretched place off’ her hands. She is ready to sacrifice it at any price. But she doesn’t stick to her words. She demands two hundred and fifty thousand francs. Gaston finds it “decidedly excessive”. Then she tells him that she can’t let it go for less than two hundred thousand francs. She is interested in making a bargain. She accepts two hundred thousand francs when the final deal is made.
5. Gaston is definitely better in business. Juliette is also a hard bargainer. She pretends that she is going to sell the wretched place at any price. But she makes a bargain at two hundred thousand francs. She thinks that she is outsmarting Gaston. But Gaston proves more than her. He outsmarts both – Juliette and Mrs. A1 Smith. He buys the house in two hundred thousand and sells it for three thousands francs to Mrs. A1 Smith. In the bargain he saves a cool hundred thousand francs.
6. It is rather difficult to dislike Gaston. He is a man of this world with the vices and virtues of a worldly-wise businessman. He is not interested in buying the villa : He knows that his wife is simply trying to put up her father and mother in it. What is more, all the children of his wife’s sister will live with them. However, he changes his stand in the end. He realizes that he can earn one hundred thousand francs by outwitting both Mrs. A1 Smith and Juliette.

Question: Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow by choosing the correct options:

(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.

(a) Why is Juliette disappointed?

1. She is unable to get a role of cook in the films.
2. Her maid is leaving as she has got a role in the films.
3. She is unable to find a suitable buyer for her villa.
4. Gaston is offering a very low price for the villa.

Answer:

• (3.) She is unable to find a suitable buyer for her villa.

(b) Why does she call herself a fool?

1. She has decided to sell her villa.
2. There are no buyers for the villa.
3. She had bought the villa for more than it was worth.
4. The villa was too close to the film studios.

Answer:

• (1.) She has decided to sell her villa.

(B) ‘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.’

(a) What does Gaston mean by ‘take possession’?

1. Her parents would stay with them for a long time.
2. Juliette’s sister has many children.
3. Gaston does not like children.
4. Juliette’s sister’s children are badly behaved.

Answer:

• (1.) Her parents would stay with them for a long time.

(C) ‘While you were upstairs, I have been thinking a lot about your Papa and Mamma.’

(a) What is the discrepancy between what Gaston said earlier and what he says now?

1. Earlier he did not want Jeanne’s parents to stay with them but now he is showing concern for them.
2. Earlier he wanted Jeanne’s parents to stay with them but now he does not want them to come over.
3. Earlier he wanted to buy a house for them but now he wants them to come and stay in their villa.
4. Earlier he stayed in Jeanne’s parents’ villa but now he wants them to stay with him and Jeanne’s.

Answer:

• (1.) Earlier he did not want Jeanne’s parents to stay with them but now he is showing concern for them.

(b) What does the above statement reveal about Gaston’s character?

1. He is selfish.
2. He is an opportunist.
3. He is a caring person.
4. He is a hypocrite.

Answer:

• (2.) He is an opportunist.

Question: 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.		greedy
(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.	Gaston
(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.	Juliette
(h)	I will be philanthropic and let you have it for two hundred thousand.
(i)	I have been thinking a lot about your Papa and Mamma. You see, I am really unselfish.		clever

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	critical
(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)	1 have never cared such a damned little about anybody’s opinion.	Gaston	overbearing / 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	cunning
(h)	I will be philanthropic and let you have it for two hundred thousand.	Juliette	boastful
(i)	I have been thinking a lot about your Papa and Mamma. You see, I am really unselfish.	Gaston	clever

Listening Task – Villa for Sale

Question: Listen carefully to the description of a Villa on sale. Based on the information, draw the sketch of the Villa being described.

Answer: For self-attempt.

Question: You are Jeanne. After coming home you realize that the villa was not actually bought and your husband has fooled both you and the landlady of the villa. You are filled with rage, disgust and helplessness because of your husband’s betrayal. Write your feelings in the form of a diary entry.

Answer:

Nogent-sur-Mame. 20th July, 20XX.

All my dreams have ended in smoke. My husband, Mr. Gaston, has fooled both of us, me and the landlady of the villa. It is too much. There’s a limit to everything. Mr. Gaston’s main concern is money. He knows it that I wanted to buy the villa not only for ourselves but also for my parents. The cunning Mr. Gaston went on finding faults with the villa only not to buy it. Then suddenly comes the change. I was surprised how he got ready to buy the villa in two hundred thousand. He had rejected it just a while ago. He was not ready to pay more than sixty thousand. I was overjoyed when he finally made the deal. I thought that the villa had been bought for us and my parents. Little did I know that Mr. Gaston was befooling all, myself, Juliette and Mrs. A1 Smith. He had earned a neat one hundred thousand francs in the …bargain. But I have lost both – the villa and my husband’s confidence.

Question: Now dramatize the play. Form groups of eight to ten students. Within each group, you will need to choose

• a director, who will be overall incharge of the group’s presentation.
• the cast, to play the various parts.
• someone to be in charge of costumes.
• someone to be in charge of props.
• a prompter.

Within your groups, do ensure that you

• read both scenes, not just your part within one scene if you are acting.
• discuss and agree on the stage directions.
• read and discuss characterization.
• hold regular rehearsals before the actual presentation. Staging

The stage can be very simple, with exits on either side representing doors to the outside and to the rest of the house respectively.

Answer: A classroom activity.

Reference To Context  – Villa for Sale

Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow:

Question: Not at all. Mind you, if someone had bought it on the very day I placed it for safe, then I might have felt sorry because I would have wondered if I hadn’t been a fool to sell it at all. 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.” (Page 96)

1. How would the speaker have felt if someone had bought the villa on the very day she placed it for sale?
2. What has been hanging on the gate for over a month now?
3. How does the speaker feel now?

Answer:

1. If someone had bought the villa on the very day she placed it for sale, the speaker might have felt sorry. She would have wondered if she had been a fool to sell at all.
2. The sign ‘Villa for Sale’ has been hanging on the gate for over a month now.
3. The speaker feels that she was the real fool the day she brought that villa.

Question: For the first week, I was annoyed every time I passed that ‘Villa for Sale’ sign. The neighbours seemed to look at me in such a strange kind of way that I began to think the whole thing was going to be much more of a sell than a sale. (Page 96)

1. Why was the speaker annoyed?
2. How did the whole thing become a ‘sell’ than a sale?
3. Name the speaker and the play from which these lines have been taken.

Answer:

1. The speaker was impatient to dispose of her villa and had put up a ‘Villa for sale’ sign for this purpose. She was annoyed as she couldn’t get a suitable buyer for the villa even waiting for a long time.
2. Juliette had waited for a long time but couldn’t find a suitable buyer for her villa. The whole thing became quite distressing and disappointing rather than a sale.
3. Juliette, the owner of the villa is the speaker and these lines have been taken from Sacha Guitry’s play ‘Villa for Sale’.

Question: That was a month ago and now I have only one thought, that is to get the wretched place off my hands. I would sacrifice it at any price. One hundred thousand francs if necessary and that’s only twice what it cost me. (Page 96)

1. What does the speaker think about the villa?
2. What is she ready for?
3. Is she really sacrificing the villa at any price? Give a reasoned answer.

Answer:

1. The speaker has only one thought in her mind. She wants to get the ‘wretched’ villa offher hands as soon as possible.
2. She is ready to sacrifice or get the villa offher hands at any price.
3. No, Juliette is a perfect saleswoman. Even the lowest price she may demand (one hundred thousand francs) is only twice what it cost her.

Question: Oh! I’m fed up with the place. Because nobody really wants it! What time did those agency people say the lady would call? (Page 96)

1. Who was fed up with the place and why?
2. Who was coming and what was her objective of coming there?
3. Was the speaker really ready to sacrifice her villa ‘at any price’?

Answer:

1. Juliette, the owner of the villa was fed up with the place as she couldn’t get a suitable buyer for it. She was distressed at not selling it as she had expected.
2. Mr. Gaston and Jeanne were coming to see and buy Juliette’s villa.
3. No, the speaker, Juliette was only pretending to sacrifice her villa at any price. She wanted not even a franc less than two hundred thousand, twice the actual cost of the villa.

Question: They want a cook in the film as well. They asked me if I knew of anybody suitable. You said just now. Madame, that times were hard. …Would you like me to get you the engagement? (Page 97)

1. Who were ‘they’ and what did they want?
2. Who had said that “times were hard” and to whom?
3. What did the speaker say about the ‘engagement’?

Answer:

1. “They” were the people at Joinvilla Studio. They wanted someone to play the role of a cook in their forthcoming film.
2. Once Juliette, disappointed and dejected, declared that “times were very hard” for her. She was speaking to her maid.
3. The speaker told Juliette that she had already talked to the people at the Studio regarding her role as a cook in the film. She was only waiting for her reply.

Question: “They might take you on for eight days, Madame. That would mean eight hundred francs. It’s really money for nothing. You would have to peel potatoes one minute and make an omelette the next, quite easy.” (Page 97)

1. Who would take and whom for eight days?
2. What would working for eight days mean?
3. Why would she have to peel potatoes and make an omelette?

Answer:

1. The people at the Joinville Studio could employ Juliette for eight days for the role of a cook in a film.
2. Working for eight days would mean a cool eight hundred francs.
3. She would have to peel potatoes and make an omlette as her role as a cook in the film demanded it.

Question: “It’s not lbr us … it’s for your parents. You are simply trying to make me buy a villa so that you can put your father and your mother in it. You see, I know you. If you got want you want, do you realize what would happen? We would spend the month of August in the villa, but your parents would take possession of it every year from the beginning of April until the end of September.” (Page 99)

1. Why is she trying to make him buy a villa?
2. What would happen, if she got what she wanted?
3. Does the speaker want to buy the villa? If not, why?

Answer:

1. Gaston thinks that his wife Jeanne is trying to make him buy villa not for them but for her parents.
2. Her parents would take possession of the villa and would bring even her sister’s children with them.
3. No, the speaker is not interested in buying the villa. He knows that his wife is simply trying to make him buy it for her parents.

Question: What’s more they would bring the whole tribe of your sister’s children with them. No! I am very fond of your family, but not quite so fond as that. (Page 99)

1. Who is the speaker and what is the occasion?
2. What is the speaker’s fear?
3. Explain: “but not quite so fond as that.”

Answer:

1. Mr. Gaston is the speaker of these lines. He has come with his wife Jeanne to see Juliette’s villa which is for sale.
2. The speaker knows that his wife Jeanne is buying the villa to put her father and mother in it. His fear is that they will also bring her sister’s children to live with them.
3. Mr. Gaston says that he is quite fond of her wife’s family. But he reminds her very frankly that he is not so fond of her family as to keep her sister’s children with him in his house.

Question: ‘Quite so. I have, but you haven’t. Anyway, there’s no use discussing it. I will not buy a villa and that ends it.’ (Page 100)

1. Who is speaking and to whom?
2. What has the speaker made while this other person hasn’t?
3. What does the speaker finally decide and why?

Answer:

1. Mr. Gaston is speaking here to his wife Jeanne.
2. The speaker claims that he has made a fortune and earned the money. He tells his wife that she hasn’t earned that money.
3. The speaker finally decides not to buy Juliette’s. He fears that his wife wants him to buy it for her parents.

Question: 1 tell you what I will do. I will be philanthropic and let you have it for two hundred thousand. (Page 102)

1. Who is telling whom?
2. Why does the speaker claim to be philanthropic?
3. Is the speaker really trying to be philanthropic? Give an example from the text.

Answer:

1. Juliette, owner of the villa, is talking to Mr. Gaston.
2. The speaker claims to be philanthropic as she is ‘sacrificing’ the villa at a throwaway price just to help Mr. Gaston and Jeanne.
3. No, the speaker has no intention to be philanthropic. She is a perfect saleswoman who doesn’t want to sell the villa not even a franc less than two hundred thousand.

Question: You are an exception. Frenchmen usually have to consult about ten people before they get a move on. (Page 103)

1. Who is the speaker and what is her profession?
2. Why is the speaker interested in buying that villa?
3. Why does the speaker feel that Mr. Gaston is an exception?

Answer:

1. The speaker is Mrs. A1 Smith, a Hollywood actress who was going to sho*ot some films at the Paramount Studio.
2. Mrs. A1 Smith was interested in buying the villa as it was near Paramount Studio where she was going to shoot some films.
3. The American lady, Mrs. A1 Smith thinks that Frenchmen can’t decide anything promptly. They consult about ten people before deciding a thing. Mr. Gaston was an exception as he made the deal so fast and without consulting anyone.

Question: You folk are queer. You think about the past all the time. We always think about the future. (Page 104)

1. What do the words “You” and “We” stand here for?
2. Why does the speaker say that Frenchmen are ‘queer’?
3. How do the speaker and her countrymen differ from Frenchmen?

Answer:

1. Here the word ‘You’ stands for Frenchmen and ‘We’ stands for the Americans.
2. The French people are really funny and strange as they always think about the past unlike the Americans.
3. The speaker and her countrymen always think about the future while Frenchmen think about the past all the time.

Extract Based Questions (3 Marks each) – Villa for Sale

Read the extract given below and answer the questions / complete the sentences that follow:

Question: “While you were upstairs, I had been thinking a lot about your papa and mamma.”

1. Who spoke these words and to whom?
2. How does the statement differ from the statement made by him earlier?
3. What impression do you form about the speaker? (Board Term I 2015, BR7GWHM)

Answer:

1. Gaston speaks these words to jeanne.
2. Earlier he did not want Jeanne’s parents to stay with them but now he is showing concarn for them.
3. He is a selfish and hypocritical man.

Question: Mind you, if someone had bought it on the very day I placed it for sale, then I might have felt sorry because I would have wondered if I hadn’t been a fool to sell at all.

1. How long ago had the speaker put up her Villa for sale?
2. Why would she have considered herself a fool if she had managed to sell it on the day she put up the notice?
3. In what way is. her remark ironic? (Board Term I 2014, FROK4WI)

Answer:

1. The speaker had put up her villa for sale more than a month ago.
2. Because then she would have realized the villa’s true Worth too late.
3. She is fooled by Gaston and loses a lot of money. (CBSE Marking Scheme, 2014) (1 × 3 = 3)

Question: Please don’t joke, Gaston. What this lady says is perfectly right. Will you tell me, Madame, what price you are asking for the Villa?

1. Who asks Gaston not to joke? Who does ‘this lady’ refer to?
2. What was the joke told by Gaston?
3. Why was Gaston joking while speaking to the lady? (Board Term I 2014, NCT-R)

Answer:

1. Jeanne asks Gaston not to joke. ‘This lady refers to Juliette.
2. ‘On the principle of people who like children and haven’t any can always go and live near a school’.
3. Gaston was joking because he was not at all interested in buying the villa. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question: “You are an exception.Frenchmen usually have to consult about ten people before they get a move on listen! Do you or don’t you want to sell this house?”

1. Who is the speaker of these lines?
2. Who is being talked about here?
3. What is the nationality of the speaker? (Board Term I 2012, Set 34)
   

Answer:

1. Mrs. Al. Smith a Hollywood filmmaker.
2. Frenchmen.
3. American. (1 × 3 = 3)
   

Question 5: “You said just now, Madame, that times were hard…”
Would you like me to get you the engagement?

1. Who speaks these lines and to whom?
2. Were ‘times’ really bad for Madame?
3. What ‘engagement’ was the speaker talking about? (Board Term I 2012, Set 35)

Answer:

1. These lines are spoken by the Maid to the Juliette.
2. Yes, the times were really bad for the Madame.She was hard pressed for money.
3. The speaker was talking about the rote of a cook in a film. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question: “Nobody thinks about anything else round here now. You see, they pay so well. The manager is offering a thousand francs for a real beggar who has had nothing to eat for two days.”

1. Who is the speaker of these lines?
2. To whom is she speaking?
3. What proposal does she make to the listener? (Board Term I 2012, Set 37)

Answer:

1. The Maid.
2. Juliette.
3. The Maid proposes to the listener to take up a rote in a film in order to supplement her dwindling income. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question: “That was a month ago and now I have only one thought, that is to get the wretched place off my hands. I would sacrifice it at any price.One hundred thousand francs if necessary and that’s only twice what it cost me.”

1. Who is the speaker in the above lines?
2. ‘Why does the speaker refer to the place as ‘wretched’?
3. How much will the speaker sell the place for? (Board Term I 2012, Set 38)

Answer:

1. Juliette.
2. Juliette was in need of money and no one had come to purchase the villa yet. So, she refers to the place as wretched.
3. 100 thousand francs. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question: “I made a hundred thousand francs and a Corot!”

1. Who is the speaker here? What question is he / she answering?
2. ‘A Corot’ What does this expression mean in the conversation?
3. What quality of the speaker’s character is revealed here? (Board Term I 2012, Set 39)

Answer:

1. The speaker is Gaston. He is talking about the profit he has made.
2. A Corot refers to the painting of the great French painter.
3. It shows that the speaker is shrewd and money-minded. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question: “I am going upstairs for a moment. If that is the lady, tell her I will not be long. It won’t do to give her the impression that I am waiting for her.”

1. Who speaks these words to whom?
2. Who is the ‘lady’ here? Why is she expected to visit the speaker?
3. What does the speaker try to pretend here? (Board Term I 2012, Set 40)

Answer:

1. Juliette to her maid.
2. The lady is Jeanne who had come to see the villa. .
3. Juliette was trying to show that she was not waiting for Jeanne. She didn’t want to seem too eager. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question: “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.”

1. Who is the speaker in the above extract?
2. What sign has been hanging on the gate for more than a month?
3. Why does the Speaker feel that she was a fool? (Board Term I 2012, Set 41,42)

Answer:

1. Juliette.
2. for Sale’ was the sigh hanging on the gate for more than a month.
3. The speaker felt that she was foolish to have purchased the villa. She also felt that she had paid more than it was worth. (1×3=3)

Question: “I am going upstairs for a moment. If that is the lady, tell her I will not be long. It won’t do to give her the impression that I am waiting for her.”

1. Why is the speaker going upstairs?
2. ‘It Won’t do to give her the impression’, what impression is the speaker talking about?
3. What character traits of the speaker are revealed in the above passage? (Board Term I 2012, Set 43)

Answer:

1. The speaker is going upstairs to avoid the lady.
2. The speaker is talking about the impression that there were no buyers for the villa.
3. The speaker is calculating, clever and pretentious. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question: “You are an exception. Frenchmen usually have to consult about ten people before they get a move on.”

1. Who is the speaker?
2. Why is the speaker interested in buying that villa?
3. Why does the speaker feel that Mr. Gaston is an exception? (Board Term I 2012, Set 44)

Answer:

1. Mrs. Al. Smith, a Hollywood film maker.
2. The speaker is interested in buying the villa because it is near Paramount Studios where she was supposed to shoot for a movie.
3. The speaker feels that Mr. Gatson is an exception because he made the deal very fast and did not consult anyone. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question: “I tell you what I will do. I will be philanthropic and let you have it for two hundred thousand.”

1. Who is the speaker?
2. What is the speaker going to do?
3. What is two hundred thousand? (Board Term I 2012, Set 45)

Answer:

1. The speaker is Juliette.
2. The speaker is going to sell her villa.
3. Two hundred thousand francs is the selling price for the villa. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question: “You folk are queer. You think about the past all time. We always think about the future.”

1. Who are ‘you’ and ‘we’ here?
2. What is the difference between ‘you’ and’ we?
3. Why does the speaker can “you” queer? (Board Term I 2012, Set 46)

Answer:

1. ‘You’ are the Frenchmen while ‘we’ are the Americans.
2. Difference between the Frenchmen and the Americans is in the thinking about past and future respectively.
3. The speaker calls the Frenchmen queer because they think about the past. (1 × 3 = 3)

Short Answer Type Questions (30-40 Words) (2 marks each)

Question: What was the maid’s suggestion to Juliette in the play ‘A Villa For Sale’?  (Board Term I,2015 6SOOKQ5)

Answer:

Value Points: Maid shows concern-suggests she join the movie she was acting in offers to teach her cooking.

Detailed Answer: As Juliette’s business was hitting an all time low, her maid suggested her to play the part of a cook in a movie so as to earn some money she also offered to teach her cooking.

Question: Why was Mrs. Al Smith not interested in going over the house? (Board Term I,2015 6SOOKQ5)
Answer:

Value Points: She wanted to bring it down and raise a new building. (CBSE Marking Scheme, 2015)

Detailed Answer : Mrs. Al Smith, an American lady, wanted a place near Paramount where she was going to shoot some films so she wanted to bring the villa down and raise a new building convenient for her So she was not interested in going over the house.

Question: Does Sacha Guitry’s ‘ A Villa For Sale’ define human behaviour through the character of Gaston? Give reasons. (Board Term I,2015 BR7GWHM)

Answer: Yes, the playwright, devised Gaston’s character to satirize the vices that exist in man owing to competition for material acquisitions.Gaston is selfish and makes every attempt not for his wife. (CBSE Marking Scheme, 2015)

Question: Why does Juliette call her house ‘a wretched place’? (Board Term I,2015 BR7GWHM)

Answer:

Value Points:

• Juliette could not get any prospective buyers.
• The sign ‘For Sale’ had been put up for one month. (CBSE Marking Scheme, 2015)

Detailed Answer: The sign ‘For Sale’ had been put up for one month by Juliette. She was expecting a healthy deal, but could not get any prospective buyers. This set her calling her house ‘a wretched place’,

Question: Why is Gaston not interested in buying the villa in the beginning? (Board Term 1,2013 AGRO091; 2012, Set 28)

Answer: Gaston was reluctant to buy the villa because he thought his wife was buying it for her parents, who would bring her sister’s children with them.

Question: What is your impression about Mrs. Al Smith? (Board Term I, 2013 XIT1MG7; 2012, Set 37)

Answer: Mrs. Al. Smith is a rich American lady who is engaged in making films. She is a self-opinionated, over-confident and a brusque lady. She is prejudiced against the French people and has a high opinion of Americans. In the end, she is outsmarted by Gaston, who is a Frenchman.

Question: How did Jeanne react to Gaston’s decision to purchase the villa? (Board Term I,2012, Set 51)

Answer: Jeanne was extremely surprised at Gaston’s decision to purchase the villa. She was taken aback by her husband’s views and his sudden change of plans.

Question: What proposal does the maid make to Juliette? Why? (Board Term I,2012, Set 35)

Answer: The maid’s proposal to Juliette was that she should accept the role of a cook in a film as she was facing great financial difficulties.

Question: Why did Gaston quote three hundred thousand francs for the villa? (Board Term I,2012, Set 52)

Answer: Gaston did not want to spend money on a villa that would later be utilized more by his wife’s parents and her sister’s children. He quoted only three thousand francs for the villa with an expectation that the owner would refuse to sell off the villa at such a low price and he then would not be forced by his wife any longer.

Question: Why was Jeanne so desperate to buy a villa in the play, ‘A Villa for Sale’? (Board Term I,2012, Set 38)
Or
Why does Jeanne want to buy a villa? (Textual)

Answer: Jeanne was desperate to buy a villa for her parents so that they could come and stay with Jeanne for a month or so every year. She also wanted to make a modern kind of study.

Question: Who is better in business – Juliette or Gaston? Why? (Board Term I,2012, Set 53; 2010, Set C1, C2)
Or
How does Gaston eventually prove himself better in business than Juliette? (Board Term I,2010, Set 1)

Answer: Gaston was a better businessman as he outsmarts Juliette in making a deal. Juliette waits for one month before, Gaston sells it within seconds, without even buying it, and that too at a much higher price.

Question: Briefly describe Mrs. Al Smith. (Board Term 1- 2012, Set 55)

Answer: Mrs. Al Smith is an American lady who works in films. She is a rich business woman who does not like, to waste time. She is highly self-opinionated and a jingoist. She is thoroughly professional by nature and quick in taking decisions.

Question: What were the expectations of Juliette after putting the ‘Villa for Sale’ sign? (Board Term I 2012, Set 59)

Answer: Juliette was facing hard time as her business was running very low. She decided to sell off her villa. Since it was near Joinville, the French Hollywood, she was expecting to find a buyer soon who would be willing to buy it for a good price.

Question: Explain “the whole thing was going to be much more of a sell than a sale.” (Board Term 12012, Set 63)

Answer: Juliette had put her villa for sale expecting a healthy deal but even after a period of one month, she could not strike a good deal as there were hardly any buyers. This set her thinking that the task of selling the villa may not be a profitable proposal. Rather it may prove to be a great disappointment.

Question: What were the flaws pointed out by Gaston in the villa put up for sale by Juliette? (Board Term I 2012, Set 63)

Answer: Gaston pointed out that the garden was merely a yard with a patch of grass in the middle. The salon was impossible and the one existing could not be called a salon. He felt that the 25 yards of cretonne and a desk of paint was no special offer at all.

Question: “On the principle of people who like children and haven’t any can always go and live near a school.” Explain this comment contextually. (Board Term I 2012, Set 65)

Answer: Gaston made this comment in response to Juliette’s observation that even though the garden of the villa was very small yet it made no difference as it was surrounded by other gardens. In harmony with this line of thought, people who don’t have children of their own but like children, ran go and live near a school

Question: In what way did Juliette flatter Jeanne? (Board Term I 2012, Set 67)

Answer: Juliette flattered Jeanne by saying that the villa would suit her as she suited it and also by saying that there was no other graceful house for the elegant lady Jeanne.

Question: Why is Mrs. Al Smith in a hurry? (Board Term I 2012, Set 69)

Answer: Mrs. Al Smith was a film maker. She did not waste time as she always had a lot of work to do. She did not have time for petty things. Hence, she was always in a hurry.

Question: Why was Juliette disappointed? (Board Term I 2012, Set 70)

Answer: Juliette was in a hurry to dispose off the villa as her business was very low. As the villa was near Joinville, near French Hollywood, she was expecting to find a buyer soon for a lucrative price. She felt disappointed as she was unable to find a suitable buyer for her villa even after a month.

Question: Why did Mrs. Al Smith want to buy the Villa? (Board Term I 2010, Set B1)

Answer: Mrs. Al Smith was an American lady who worked in films. She wanted a place near Paramount where she was going to shoot some films as it would be quite convenient for her.

Question: Give any two personality traits of Jeanne. Support your answer with examples. (Board Term I 2010, Set C2)

Answer: Two personality traits of Jeanne are as follows:

1. Jeanne is easily impressed. Juliette’s praise of her impresses her and she Feels flattered.
2. She is docile. She takes her criticism lightly.

Question: In the end, Gaston has changed his views of buying the Villa. Give reasons to support your answer. (Board Term I 2010, Set A1)

Answer: He has done better business during the absence of Juliette and Jeanne. Being an opportunist, he Ranges his mood of buying the Villa in the end.

Question: Why did the maid agree to act in the film? (Board Term I 2010, Set A1)

Answer: Her mistress gave her a fixed salary and she would earn much more by acting daily for one hour only. So, the maid agreed to act in films to add spice to her salary.

Question: Gaston was indeed a clever businessman. Explain. (Board Term I 2010, Set B2)

Answer: Gaston really proved to be a clever businessman. Very cleverly he sold Juliette’s Villa, pretending to be its real owner, for three hundred thousand francs. He then bought the villa for two hundred thousand francs, thus making a cool hundred thousand francs profit for himself.

Question: While you were upstairs, I have been thinking a lot about Papa and Mama. Describe how Gaston contradicts himself through this dialogue. (Board Term I 2010, Set C2)

Answer: Earlier, he did not want Jeanne’s parents to stay with them, but now he is showing concern for them.

Long Answer Type Questions (80-100 Words) (4 Marks each)

Question: Do you agree that Mrs, Al Smith is the representative of the American outlook. How? (Board Term I 2014, FROK4WI)

Answer: I do agree that Mrs. Al Smith is the representative of American outlook. She is always complaining that the French people have a queer way of doing business. They usually consult ten people before they decide on anything. She takes pride in saying that the Americans only think about the future whereas the French stick to the past. Thus she is proud of her culture and critical of the French. She also believes that Frenchmen are apprehensive and backward looking. She is not justified in her opinion. Gaston proves that he is a shrewd businessman who can outsmart any American.

Question: Why was Mrs. Al Smith not interested in going over the house? (Board Term I 2014, MZPO310)

Answer: Being an American filmmaker, Mrs. A1 Smith wanted a place near Paramount where she was going to shoot some films. She wanted to knock the villa down and build a bungalow in its place. So, she wasn’t interested in going over the house. Moreover, she trusts and believes others easily. She does not care to examine and analyse Others when she presumes that Gaston is the owner of the villa, she asks him the price of the villa and gives him a Cheque for the amount and leaves the place in a hurry.

Question: Gaston clinched a deal with Mrs. Al Smith and made a good profit. Will you call his deed a businessman’s skill or unethical practice?Discuss the values Gaston lacked and what would you have done if you had been Gaston? (Board Term I 2014, ZEZDXJX)
Or
How was the sale of the villa a battle of wits between Gaston and Juliette in the play ‘villa for sale’?Discuss the values Gaston should have possessed with regard to moral ethics. (Board Term I 2014, FROK4WI)

Answer – Villa for Sale:

Value Points:

• Juliette had thought of giving away the villa at only double the price she had bought it. – later changes her mind on seeing Gaston and Juliette – quotes a really high price – lower it only a little
• Gaston – not interested in buying the villa – initially – changes his mind on meeting Mrs. Al Smith.
• Juliette doesn’t harm anybody – does business ethically.
• Values – moral standards, rightful, concerned, trustworthy.

Detailed Answer: Juliette had thought of giving away the villa at only double the price she had bought it But later she changed her mind on seeing Gaston and Jeanne and quoted a price really higher then its actual worth. Gaston too was not interested in buying the villa but eventually changed his mind on meeting Mrs. Al Smith. Juliette didn’t harm as she did business ethically. On the contrary, Gaston was unethical, manipulative, unscrupulous and opportunistic. He first rolls in his villainy and never bothers about social or moral values.Thus,Gaston should have possessed moral standards, righteousness and truth.

Question: Imagine you are Gaston. Write a letter to your father telling him how chance and intelligent thinking helped you make a huge profit (150 words). (Board Term I 2012, Set 39)

Answer – Villa for Sale:

43, Ashok Vihar, New Delhi

16th September, 20xx

Dear Father,

I am thrilled today as I have struck upon a deal in which I have made a huge profit.

Jeanne had a craze for a villa. I was not keen on buying one, so only went to have a look for Jeanne’s satisfaction. Juliette, the owner of the villa, demanded two hundred thousand francs which I felt was quite high. When Jeanne had gone upstairs to see the villa, I came across Mrs. Al Smith, who was keen to buy the villa for three hundred thousand francs. 1 realized it was a good opportunity to make a profit. So, I pretended to be the owner of the house and struck a good deal with Mrs. Al Smith making a profit of hundred thousand francs, i am sure you would appreciate my presence of mind. See you soon.

Yours affectionately,

Gaston

Question: You are Gaston. Write a diary entry expressing your Joy on having made a huge profit by selling the villa. Also, share your feelings of regret for cheating your unsuspecting wife. Write the diary entry in about 150 words. (Value Based Question) (Board Term I 2012, Set 34)

Answer – Villa for Sale:

Saturday 30th December, 20xx 10.00 p.m.

Dear Diary,

Jeanne’s craze for a villa led Us to Juliett’s villa. I was uninterested in buying the villa but went there to have a look for Jeanne’s satisfaction. When the ladies went for an inspection of the villa, there was an entry of Mrs. Al Smith. She was in a great hurry and hence, mistook me to be the owner of the villa. Taking advantage of the situation, 1 got her to make a deal, thereby earning a profit of a hundred thousand francs. My wife was pleasantly surprised when I finalized the deal with Juliette. Although I am happy to strike this deal, at the same time I regret cheating my wife, Jeanne. She does not suspect my actions. Tomorrow, I shall tell her the reality. Hope she too will excuse me this time. I pledge not to cheat her again in the future. It was immoral and unethical to indulge in such an act. I shouldn’t have betrayed her confidence. I shall apologise to her, first thing in the morning.

Thank you diary.

Question: Imagine you are Jeanne Gaston’s wife. You come to know about Gaston’s dishonest deal. Write a letter to Mrs. Juliette revealing the truth mid requesting her to cancel the deal with Gaston and to sign a fresh, deal with Mrs. A1 Smith in 150 words. (Value Based Question) (Board Term I 2012, Set 50)

Answer – Villa for Sale:

43, Ashok Vihar, New Delhi

2nd January, 20 xx

Dear Juliette,

I am greatly disheartened and shocked by the unprincipled behaviour of my husband. He has showed his true colors of cleverness. He has proved himself to be shrewd, calculating, business-minded and opportunistic. Initially, he was unwilling to buy the villa for he feared that the villa would be occupied by my parents and sister’s children. Later I was shocked when I came to know the truth that he has cheated both you and me. He has made a handsome profit out of the deal.

f am shocked to realize that my feelings are not important to him. I have lost trust in my husband and want to teach him a lesson. I request you to kindly cancel the deal with Gaston and sign a fresh deal with Mrs. Al Smith.

Thanks,

Yours truly,
Jeanne

Question – Villa for Sale: You are Jeanne. After coming home, you realize that the villa was not actually bought and your husband has fooled both you and the landlady of toe villa. You are filled with rage, disgust and helplessness because of your husband’s betrayal. Write your feelings in the form of a diary entry. (Board Term I 2012, Set 41)
Or
You are Jeanne. After coming home you realize that the villa was not actually bought and your husband has fooled both you and toe landlady of toe villa. You are angry as you find yourself in a helpless situation. Express your feelings in your diary. (Board Term I 2012, Set 48)

Answer – Villa for Sale: Sunday 20th October, 20xx 10:00p.m.

Dear Diary,

I am full of disgust after being cheated by Gaston today. I am disheartened to learn that I have been fooled by him. It was very selfish of him to say that he was buying toe villa for my parents, hater, I was shocked when I came to know the truth. He has cheated both Juliette mid myself. Now, 1 understand why he was in such a hurry to buy toe villa. He has proved himself to be very practical and money minded. How could he be so uncaring of my feelings? I am feeling very depressed and curse the day when I got married to him. His behaviour has lately been very unprincipled and unscrupulous, I wish Gaston would have behaved better I feel so helpless because of his betrayal I have decided I shall not talk to him.

Goodnight.

Question: What does the sale of toe villa reveal about Gaston? (Board Term I 2012, Set 44)

Answer – Villa for Sale: Jeanne wanted the villa for her parents and her sister’s children. Gaston was not at all enthralled on account of it and found fault in the villa and said that the price was too high for the purchase. Juliette, the owner of the villa offered two hundred thousand francs while Mrs. Al Smith was ready to buy it for three hundred thousand francs. As Mr. Gaston was mistaken for the owner, he struck the deal iii order to make money. Gaston is an opportunist. He was clever and hypocritical. He could turn any situation to his advantage. He had great presence of mind and insight into Mrs. Al Smith’s psychology,

Question – Villa for Sale: Do you think Gaston is a shrewd businessman or a plain cheater? Give reasons to support your answer. (Value based) (Board Term I 2012, Set 60)

Answer: Gaston was not a cheater, but a shrewd businessman. He had a strong business instinct. Seeing Mrs. Al Smith, he sensed profit. He showed presence of mind by posing as the owner of the villa and selling it for three hundred thousand francs. He then bought the villa for two hundred thousand francs, thereby making a clear and effortless profit of one hundred thousand francs.

Question – Villa for Sale: You are Gaston. You reveal your fake deal with Mrs. Al Smith to your wife Jeanne and she leaves you to stay with her parents. Write a letter to her expressing your repentance over the issue and requesting her to come back. (Value Based Question) (Board Term I 2012, Set 54)

Answer – Villa for Sale:
73-A, Joinville
Britain
14th October, 20xx

Dear Jeanne,

I was well aware of the fact that you wanted toe villa for your parents. Though I was disinterested in the beginning, I had reconciled with the situation. Entry of Mrs. Al Smith made me sense profit and I could not refrain myself from making toe deal with her I had.no intention of hurting you or anyone else. I just tried to grab the opportunity that came to me. I am sorry for the betrayal and will surely undo toe wrong. ! shall buy an equally elegant villa for your family. But please come back early.

Waiting for you,

Gaston