Do you think the characters in the story were speaking to each other in English? If not, in which language were they speaking? (You can get clues from the names of the persons and the non-English words used in the story.)
No, the characters in the story were not speaking to each other in English. They were speaking in Hindi. This can be inferred from the clues present in the story. The names of the characters like Ramlal, Bholi, and Sulekha are typical Hindi names. Similarly, the name of the cow, Lakshmi, is also a Hindi name.
Furthermore, the non-English words used in the story such as Tehsildar (a revenue official) and the government scheme Beti Bachao Beti Padhao clearly indicate that the characters belonged to a Hindi-speaking region. The story is written in English for the readers' understanding, but the characters conversed in their native language, Hindi.
Explanation
The question tests the student's ability to identify linguistic and cultural context clues within the story. The names (Ramlal, Bholi, Sulekha, Lakshmi) and non-English terms (Tehsildar, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao) clearly point to Hindi as the language spoken by the characters. The story is set in an Indian village, and while it is written in English for the textbook, the characters would naturally converse in Hindi.
Solution Steps
Step 1: Identify the names of characters in the story - Ramlal, Bholi, Sulekha, Lakshmi
Step 2: Identify non-English words used - Tehsildar, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
Step 3: Conclude that these names and words are Hindi, indicating the characters spoke in Hindi, not English