WASHING DAY
Mrs. Ganapati , the neighbor of Mrs. Verma has come visiting. Mrs.Verma is busy
washing clothes and enlists Mrs. Ganapati’s help.
Mrs.Ganapati (Knocks at the door.) Anyone in?
Mrs. Verma (opening the door) Good morning Mrs.Ganapati, How nice to see you!
Mrs. Ganapati Hello, I thought I’d drop in and lend you a hand with setting down.
Mrs. Verma That is very kind of you. Do step inside.
Mrs.Ganapati What were you doing when I came in? Please do not let me interrupt your work.
Mrs.Verma I’ve finished cleaning the whole house. I had just gone in to finish with the washing.
Mrs. Ganapati Let me help you with the washing and then we can have a look around your house.
Mrs.Verma I usually do all my washing on Mondays.
Mrs. Ganapati What washing detergent do you use?
Mrs. Verma I prefer to buy a locally made soap powderas the laundry detergent. In my experience it is as effective as any of the expensive brands and much cheaper too.
Mrs.Ganapati Do you also starch and iron the clothes yourself?
Mrs.Verma I give the bigger clothes like bed sheets and towels to the dhobi (Washerman) shirts, under clothes and saris, I wash, starch and iron at home.
Mrs.Ganapati Here let me help you wring out the clothes which you rinse out. Then I will also hang them up to dry on the line outside.
Mrs. Verma Thanks a million. I apologize for putting you to work instead of entertaining you.
Mrs.Ganapati No need to apologize. We all have to do our own work.
Mrs.Verma How do you wash your woolens and nylons?
Mrs. Ganapati I wash the woolens very rarely. The nylons are very easy to wash and I prefer having synthetic drip dry clothes. They wear well and last for longer period. They are very easy to keep and look fresh.
Mrs.Verma I am saving up from my housekeeping in order to buy a washing machine.
Mrs.Ganapati My neighbor in Bangalore has one, she tells me that the electricity nearly always goes off, just when she wants to wash her clothes.
Mrs.Verma With so much of the washing having to be done at home, it would be more convenient to have a separate room with a large tub and a big sink as a laundry.
Mrs. Ganapati Yes, that would be very much easier. One could string out the clothes for drying also in the same room. It would be a great boon during the rainy season.
Mrs.Verma Well, the washing for this week is done at last. Let us sit down and have a cup of coffee.
(B) Vocabulary
Linen steam shrink
Apron drier soiled
Soapy breeze peg
Clothes dirty heavy
Phrases
Soap suds a very hot iron
Neatly folded the warm sun
Flapping in the a willing helper
Breeze
Meanings
Lend a hand to help.
Interrupt to disturb in between a conversation or work.
Detergent washing soap powder.
Wring squeeze, to take out the water.
Rinse to dip in clean water to remove all traces.
(C) Study the following responses
1 I always have my clothes washed at a laundry.
Response That is a very wasteful habit. It costs a lot more to give your clothes for washing to a laundry shop. Why not wash them at home instead of giving them to a dhobi?
2 I have no time to wash my clothes at home.
Response Do you not have anyone else at home? A wife or a mother or a sister who can do your washing?
3 No, I have no one at home. I live in a flat which I share with two friends.
Response Then I suppose it is best for you to carry your dirty clothes and have them washed at the laundry close to your office.
(D) Make suitable responses
1 Why did Mrs.Ganapati come to visit Mrs.Verma?
Response ___________________________________________________
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2 What was Mrs. Verma doing and how did Mrs.Ganapati help with the washing?
Response __________________________________________________
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3 Was Mrs.Ganapati in favour of buying a washing machine? Why?
Response __________________________________________________
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