Making a point
1. A man arrives an hour late for a meeting. His boss asks:
The answer is b. The boss is telling the employee he has been keeping people waiting.
2. A boy is being very annoying. His sister asks him:
The answer is a. This is a threat not a question. The sister is saying 'If you don't stop that, I will hit you.'
3. A policeman stops a speeding motorist. He asks:
The answer is a. The policeman is going to tell the motorist how fast he was going, no matter what the motorist says.
4. I say my team will win and it does. I say to my friend:
The answer is c. I remember what I said, but I want my friend to tell me.
5. Joe ignores a question three times. Bill asks him:
The answer is c. If Bill thought Joe really was deaf, there would be no point in asking the second question.
6. Fred's wife comes home, slams the door and throws her bag across the room. He asks:
The answer is b. Obviously Fred's wife is upset. His question really means 'What is the problem?'
7. A man says something rude about his mother-in-law. His wife asks:
The answer is a. The wife heard exactly what the man said. She is telling him to apologize or have an argument.
8. A man screams with pain. The dentist asks:
The answer is c. The dentist knows the man is in pain. He wants details of the problem.
