Passage : Two musicians dwelling in one house gave lessons to pupils on the piano, and the man next door, who objected to his peace being disturbed in this way, took his revenge by banging on tin cans, and otherwise making things unpleasant for the musicians. I do not know what the law said on the subject. It may be admitted that the annoyances were equal in effect, but they were not the same in motive. In the one case, the motive was the reasonable one of earning an honest living; there was no deliberate intention of being offensive to the neighbours. In the other case, the motive was admittedly to make a demonstration against the neighbours. What is to be done in such circumstances? It is not an offence to play the piano in one's own house even for a living. On the other hand, it is hard, especially if you don't like music, or perhaps even more if you do, to hear the scales going on, on the piano next door, all day. The question of motive does not seem to be relevant. If my neighbour makes noises which render my life intolerable, it is no answer to say that he makes them for a living and without intending to destroy my peace. He does destroy my peace and it is no comfort to be assured that he does not mean to. Hazlitt insisted that a man may play the trombone in his own house all day if he took reasonable measures to limit the annoyance to his neighbours; but Hazlitt has probably never lived beside a trombone. I find my argument is leading me to the side of the tin can gentleman, and I don't want it to do that, for my sympathies are with the musicians. And yet - Well, let us avoid a definite conclusion altogether and leave the incident to make us generally a little more sensitive about the feelings of our neighbours. They cannot expect us never to play the piano; but the amenities of neighbourliness require that we should mutually avoid being a nuisance to each other as much as we can.
Fill the blank space with the best among the given alternatives : "It is no comfort to be assured that he does not mean to" can be re-written as ______.
The assurance does not help
Understanding Phrases in the Passage: Rewriting "It is no comfort to be assured that he does not mean to"
The question asks us to find an alternative phrasing for the sentence "It is no comfort to be assured that he does not mean to" based on the given passage about neighbourly annoyances from musicians and a tin can banger.
Let's break down the original sentence: "It is no comfort to be assured that he does not mean to".
- "assured that he does not mean to": This refers to the neighbour being told or having confirmation that the person making the noise (whether musicians or the tin can banger) does not *intend* to cause annoyance.
- "It is no comfort": This means receiving this assurance does not provide any relief, ease, or help regarding the actual annoyance being experienced. The noise is still disturbing, regardless of the intent.
So, the sentence essentially means that knowing the lack of intent doesn't make the problem (the disturbance) any better or easier to bear.
Now let's evaluate the options provided:
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It is a comfort to be assured that he means to
This option states the opposite of the original sentence. The original says it is *no* comfort; this option says it *is* a comfort. Therefore, this is incorrect.
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The assurance does not help
The original sentence says "It is no comfort". Lack of comfort implies that the assurance is not helpful or useful in alleviating the discomfort caused by the noise. This option, "The assurance does not help", accurately captures the meaning of "It is no comfort to be assured...". The assurance provides no practical relief or benefit.
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The assurance is not honest
The original sentence does not question the truthfulness or honesty of the assurance. It only talks about the *effect* or *usefulness* of the assurance (or lack thereof) in providing comfort. This option introduces the idea of dishonesty, which is not implied in the passage or the sentence. Therefore, this is incorrect.
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Comfort cannot be assured
This option is a misinterpretation. The original sentence is about a *specific* assurance (that he doesn't mean to cause annoyance) not providing comfort. It is not a general statement that comfort can never be assured in any situation. Therefore, this is incorrect.
Based on the analysis, the option that best restates "It is no comfort to be assured that he does not mean to" is the one that says the assurance itself provides no help or benefit regarding the discomfort.
Therefore, "The assurance does not help" is the most accurate equivalent phrase.
Important Questions from Reading Comprehension
What is the meaning of ‘intrigued’?
What are ice shelves?
What are icebergs?
When the iceberg turns upside down, it appears ________.
The use of science in its simple form has helped man to ____________
