The Graduate -Indirect questions

Self-study activity:
Watch this short clip from The Graduate and note down the questions the receptionist asks Dustin Hoffman.

You may have noticed that all the questions the receptionist asks are direct. However, in this kind of situation English frequently uses indirect questions to sound more polite. Typical indirect questions start with an introduction. After the introduction, we use normal affirmative sentence word order (subject + verb):

Can you tell me... what time the train arrives?

For yes/no questions, we add if (or whether) after the introduction:
I'd like to know if... you would like a double or single room.
Could you tell me whether... you have any luggage?

For wh-questions we don't add any words:
I wonder... where your luggage is.
Do you think you could tell me... where it is?

The word order in indirect questions is similar to the word order in reported questions:
Direct question: What's the time?
Reported question: She asked what the time was.

Direct question: Where do you live?
Reported question: She wanted to know where I lived.

Self-study activity:
Get together with an English-speaking friend and ask each other the questions below using indirect questions:

Which day of the week do you prefer?
Where do you go to relax?
Do you watch soap operas on TV?
Who is the most interesting person you know?
What is your favourite building?
Which magazines do you usually read?
What are your best characteristics?
Who is the first person you fell in love with?
Can you remember the best teacher you've had?
What objects do you always carry with you?

You can read the key to the exercise and the transcript of the scene here.

This activity is adapted from Nick Peachy.