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Japan and Brazil through a traveller’s eye, Comprehension I, 1. Exquistely well-mannered people' refers to,  Ans:Japanese, 2. What behaviour substitutes privacy in Japan?, Ans:Courtesy substitutes privacy in Japan., 3. The reference to public telephone suggest.,  Ans: a. How the Japanese respect privacy, 4. Why is bowing called 'quaint'?, Ans: The word 'quaint' means attractive in an old fashioned way. He calls, bowing 'quaint' because the Japanese bow to each other with the ceremonious solemnity of a courtier yet with a great deal of natural and inimitable grace., 5. Hierarchy in bowing demands,  a. Youngsters bow to their elders,  b. Wife bow to her husband,  c. Sisters bow to their brothers,  Ans,. (b) and (c), 6. What is the sign of appreciation in eating soup?, Ans: When a person is eating soup offered by a host or hostess, he must make a fearful noise so as to show his sign of appreciation; the host or hostess, will think that the guest is ill-mannered., 7. How are pavements in Brazil decorated? What does it tell us, about the people there?,  Ans:The grey pavements in the streets of Copacabana are often decorated, with beautiful black mosaics-unique type of decoration. We can infer, that the people are alive to the beauty in their surroundings and who have plenty of time for contemplation during their meditative and ambulatory exercises., 8. What happens when leisurely people in Brazil get a steering wheel in their hands?,  Ans: When leisurely people in Brazil get a steering wheel in their hands ,, they drive with great speed which would then be inclined to believe that gaining a tenth of a second is a matter of grave importance for all of them all the time., 9. Who do the drivers look out for when they are driving? Why?,  Ans: The drivers look out for pedestrians. They notice a pedestrian step off the pavement, he regards him as fair game, he takes aim and accelerates the vehicles. The pedestrian has to jump, leap and run for, their lives., 10. What distinguishes the war between drivers?, Ans: The war between the drivers is murderous but good tempered. They cut in, overtake on both sides and force the other person to brake violently, and commit all the most heinous crimes. But they smile at the other, person without any anger, hostility or mad hooting., 11. What does Mikes call, 'A man's castle', in Japan?, Ans: George Mikes calls a man's telephone receiver his castle., 12. How long will it take for you to Japan to be convinced that you, are among exquisitely well- mannered people.?,  Ans:It will take only a quarter of an hour in Japan for one to be convinced, that one is among exquisitely well-mannered people., 13. What should people on an overcrowded island do?,  Ans:People who live on a hopelessly overcrowded island have to respect one, another's privacy., 14. What are the twin functions of courtesy?,  Ans:The twin functions of courtesy are being courteous to one another in, speech and behavior and respecting one another's privacy., 15. Why does the writer say that a man's telephone receiver is his, castle?,  Ans:The author says that a man's telephone receiver is his castle because one can conduct one's most confidential business transactions,, their intimate love-quarrels in public in perfect privacy without the least fear of being overheard by anyone else., 16. Where do the bowing girls stand in Japanese stores?,  Ans:stand at the top of escalators., 17. Which places does the Tokaido line connect?,  Ans:Tokyo and Osaka., 18. What do the conductors in the Tokaido line do before checking, the tickets?,  Ans:Before the departure of the train, two conductors enter the carriage in a, slightly theatrical scene. They march to the middle of the coach, bow ceremoniously in both directions and then start checking the tickets., 19. Where did the writer meet a deer?,  Ans:The writer met a deer in one of the parts of Nara, which is a wild deer, park in Japan., 20. What are the pavements in the streets of Copacabana decorated, with?, Black Mosaic, Paragraph answers, Japanese Manners / Courtesy - substitute privacy, In the excerpt titled Manners', the writer talks about his visit to Japan. Upon arriving there, he is impressed by, the extremely well-mannered people. He also notices that, since the country is a very small one in terms of area, the people there have no privacy, even to talk on the phone. They respect one another’s privacy immensely. Courtesy has a double function there: it is courtesy and it is substitute privacy. They conduct their most confidential business transactions, their love -quarrels in public in perfect privacy.  But people respect others' privacy by not listening to their private talks they compensate for their lack of privacy by showing courtesy., Bowing, ‘George Mikes on his visit to Japan finds bowing quainter and more formal.  But, for the Japanese bowing is a natural practice in their culture. He says that it is so infectious that after a few hours we also start bowing ourselves. To the author it all looks puzzling; if one bows to the wrong man at the wrong time etc., He further adds that Japanese have a complicated hierarchy in bowing: who bows to whom, how deeply and for how long. It is hard to understand when two Japanese meet, they bow, neither is to straighten up before the other stands erect in front of him. They manage it in a split second without difficulty. Even the smallest difference in rank, standing age, social position is reflected subtly in that split second. Mikes says that there are clear-cut differences in position and basic rules in the family. The wife bows to her husband, the child bows to his father, younger brothers to elders and the sister bows to all brothers. Further giving examples he mentions that there are bowing girls who bow to all and sundry; coach conductors before they check the tickets; and the writer mentions that even a deer bowed to him before it snatched the food-bag from his hand., The writer notes that despite with their distinct manners, Japanese can turn into savages as soon as the bus arrives. Thus, bowing in Japan is a natural process while it is quaint and puzzling to the author., Eating Soup, One must make a fearful noise while eating soup in Japan, for it is a sign of appreciation.  When a person is eating soup offered by a host or hostess, he must make a fearful noise so as to show his sign of appreciation; otherwise, the host or hostess will think that the guest is ill mannered.It must be according to the expected levels of approval or it is thought to be an example of ill manners., Life of pedestrians, In the next excerpt 'Traffic in Brazil', talking about footpaths in Brazil, the writer say’s that they are very beautiful, well-decorated places, reflecting the sense of beauty of the citizens. The Brazilians do not hurry about at all, as along as they are walking. They around . But the same citizens, when they are behind a steering wheel, are entirely different people. The writer says that the main roads in Brazil are so crowded that the traffic that pedestrians find it impossible to cross from one side of the road to the other. They drive  fast, and target pedestrians who dare to step off the pavement. He narrates a humorous occasion where a person, on seeing his friend on the other side of the road, asks with surprise how he managed to cross over, and the friend replies that he could be there only because he was born on that side., Traffic/Driving in Brazil, Life in Brazil looks slow paced to the writer. He appreciates their aesthetic sense in decorating the grey pavements in Copacabana with beautiful black mosaics. But the same leisurely characters speed madly when they get to the steering wheel.  They are highly passionate about cars, though motor cars are extremely expensive. As soon as a driver notices a pedestrian step off the pavement, he targets him and accelerates in a fair game. The pedestrian has to run for dear life.  It’s a driver and pedestrian - hunter and prey game. They smile at each other amicably and move on.  Even the war between the drivers is murderous but good tempered. There is no anger, no hostility, no mad hooting.