Where is the story set? Which language or languages are spoken in these places? Do you think the characters in the story spoke to each other in English?
Where is the story set? (You can get clues from the names of the persons and places mentioned in it.)
The story is set in a town in Uttar Pradesh. The primary clue is the Lucknow Express train at the station. Additionally, the names Anil and Hari Singh, and the mention of a bazaar, indicate a typical North Indian setting.
The languages spoken in these places are primarily Hindi and Urdu.
No, the characters most likely did not speak to each other in English. Given their regional background and the local bazaar setting, they would converse in Hindi or Urdu. Hari Singh was still learning to write whole sentences, indicating he was not fluent in English conversation.
Explanation
The question requires students to use inferential skills based on textual clues. The mention of the 'Lucknow Express' directly connects the setting to Uttar Pradesh. The character names and the word 'bazaar' reinforce the Indian context. Since the setting is a town in UP, the vernacular languages (Hindi and Urdu) are the most logical modes of conversation. It is unlikely they spoke English, as Hari Singh was uneducated and just beginning to learn to write sentences, making casual English conversation improbable for their daily interactions.