Comprehension

A. State whether these sentences are True or False.

Q1. Miss Smith was a very rich girl.
Answer: This statement is False. Miss Smith was a poor girl who was begging for the price of a cup of tea.

Q2. Rosemary was a very compassionate woman.
Answer: This statement is False. Rosemary’s actions were driven by vanity and a romanticized view of poverty, not true compassion.

Q3. Philip did not want Miss Smith to dine with them.
Answer: This statement is True. Philip disapproved of Rosemary’s decision and wanted her to send Miss Smith away.

Q4. Rosemary had been married for a couple of years.
Answer: This statement is True. The text mentions that she had been married for two years.

B. Answer these questions in one or two words.

Q1. Which Russian author influenced Katherine Mansfield?
Answer: Dostoevsky.

Q2. In which street was Rosemary shopping when she met Miss Smith?
Answer: Curzon Street.

Q3. How many pounds did Rosemary give to Miss Smith?
Answer: Three pounds.

Q4. What is the cost of the enamel box that Rosemary wanted to buy?
Answer: Twenty-eight guineas.

Q5. What is the name of the main character of ‘A Cup of Tea’?
Answer: Rosemary Fell.

C. Answer these questions in a few words each.

Q1. What are the names of the two women characters in the story ‘A Cup of Tea’?
Answer: Rosemary Fell and Miss Smith.

Q2. What kind of a relationship do Rosemary and Philip share in ‘A Cup of Tea’?
Answer: They share a wealthy and seemingly loving relationship; Philip “absolutely adored” Rosemary.

Q3. How does Philip react towards Miss Smith?
Answer: He finds her “astonishingly pretty,” which provokes Rosemary’s jealousy.

Q4. Who was Miss Smith? Why did Rosemary send her back?
Answer: Miss Smith was a poor, thin girl begging for tea money. Rosemary sent her away after becoming jealous when Philip admired her looks.

Q5. Why did Philip disapprove of Rosemary’s decision to keep Miss Smith with them?
Answer: He disapproved because he saw Miss Smith’s beauty and knew Rosemary’s motives were not genuine charity but vanity.

D. Answer these questions briefly in your own words.

Q1. Write a brief character sketch of Rosemary Fell.
Answer: Rosemary Fell is a rich, fashionable woman who enjoys luxury and believes herself to be modern and generous. However, her compassion is shallow—she treats charity as an exciting experiment rather than a sincere act of kindness. She is insecure and easily swayed by her husband’s opinion.

Q2. Describe Rosemary’s encounter with Miss Smith.
Answer: After leaving an antique shop, Rosemary meets Miss Smith, a poor girl asking for tea money. Finding the situation “thrilling” and novel-like, Rosemary impulsively invites her home, imagining herself as a benevolent heroine.

Q3. How does Katherine Mansfield explore the theme of ‘class difference’ in ‘A Cup of Tea’?
Answer: The story contrasts Rosemary’s wealthy, privileged life with Miss Smith’s poverty. Mansfield shows how the rich often treat the poor as curiosities or projects rather than equals, exposing the superficial divide between compassion and condescension.

Q4. Why did Rosemary take Miss Smith home?
Answer: She did so out of curiosity and excitement, viewing the encounter as an adventure inspired by her love for Dostoevsky’s novels, not from genuine empathy.

E. Answer these questions in detail.

Q1. Examine in detail the various themes explored by Katherine Mansfield in her story ‘A Cup of Tea’.
Answer: The story explores class consciousness, the superficiality of charity, and gender insecurity. It contrasts the luxury of Rosemary’s life with Miss Smith’s destitution, exposing how the upper class romanticizes poverty. Mansfield also critiques materialism and vanity—Rosemary’s concern shifts from helping the poor to seeking her husband’s approval. The story subtly reveals how women in patriarchal society are conditioned to seek validation through beauty and wealth.

Q2. Comment on the significance of the title of the story ‘A Cup of Tea’.
Answer: The title symbolizes both simplicity and irony. For Miss Smith, a cup of tea is a basic human need—a symbol of warmth and survival. For Rosemary, it becomes a trivial social experiment and a means of self-display. The contrast between their perspectives exposes the gulf between the rich and the poor and underlines the story’s critique of superficial charity and class hypocrisy.