Directions : Read the passage given below carefully and answer the question by selecting the correct/most appropriate options. 1. There is something we all want to do, although few of us readily admit it : Get rid of guests. 2. For nine months in the year, only my closest friends come to see me. Then, when temperatures start soaring in the plains, long-lost acquaintances suddenly remember that I exist, and people whom I am barely able to recognize appear at the front door, willing to have me put them up for periods ranging from six days to six weeks. 3. Occasionally, I am the master of the situation I inform them that the cottage is already bursting, that people are sleeping on the floor. If the hopefuls start looking around for signs of these uncomfortable guests, I remark that they have all gone out for a picnic. 4. The other day I received visitors who proved to be more thick-skinned than most. The man was a friend of a friend of an acquaintance of mine. I had never seen him before. But on the strength of this distant relationship, he had brought his family along. 5. I tried the usual ploy but it didn't work. The man and his family were perfectly willing to share the floor with any others who might be staying with me. 6. So I made my next move. 'I must warn you about the scorpions', I said. The scorpion-scare is effective with most people. But I was dealing with professionals. The man set his son rolling up the carpet. 'Sometimes centipedes fall from the ceiling', I said desperately. 7. We were now interrupted by someone knocking on the front door. It was the postman with a rejected manuscript, his arrival inspired me to greater inventiveness. 8. 'I'm terribly sorry', I said, staring hard at a rejection slip. 'I'm afraid I have to leave immediately. A paper wants me to interview the Maharishi. I hope you won't mind. Would you like the name of a good hotel ?' 9. 'Oh, don't worry about us', said the woman expansively. 'We'll look after the house while you are away.'
Which of the following does not apply to the unwelcome guests ?

Question

Accepted Answer

Option 4 is the correct answer because the passage does not provide any evidence or indication that the unwelcome guests lack the financial means to stay at a hotel. The passage focuses on the guests' behavior and their persistence in staying at the author's place, but it does not mention their financial situation or inability to afford a hotel stay.

1. **Explanation for Option 4:**
   - The passage describes the guests as being persistent and willing to stay at the author's house despite various deterrents. However, there is no mention of their financial status or any suggestion that they cannot afford a hotel. The guests' actions are driven by their desire to stay with the author rather than any financial necessity.

2. **Explanation for why other options are incorrect:**
   - **Option 1 (They are utterly shameless):** The passage clearly depicts the guests as shameless. They impose themselves on the author despite being unwelcome and ignore his attempts to dissuade them. This shamelessness is evident when they are willing to share the floor and even offer to look after the house in the author's absence.
   - **Option 2 (They want to enjoy themselves at the author's expense):** The guests' behavior indicates that they are looking to enjoy a stay at the author's house without considering his convenience. Their willingness to stay despite the author's attempts to deter them shows that they are interested in enjoying the benefits of staying at his place.
   - **Option 3 (They are thick-skinned):** The guests are described as thick-skinned because they are not easily deterred by the author's attempts to discourage them. They persist in their intention to stay, showing a lack of sensitivity to the author's discomfort.

In summary, Option 4 is correct because the passage does not address the guests' financial situation, while the other options accurately describe their behavior as depicted in the passage.