In the following question, a sentence is given in Direct speech. Choose the option that best expresses the same idea in Indirect or reported speech. Mother said, "Do not step out of the house in the summer season."

Introduction / Context:
This Direct and Indirect speech question deals with a negative imperative, where a mother warns her children not to go outside during the hot summer. The task is to choose the reporting verb and structure that best preserve the original meaning and tone. Such questions check understanding of how to report negative commands and suggestions in formal English, which is very relevant for competitive examinations.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Direct speech: Mother said, "Do not step out of the house in the summer season."
• The speaker is the mother, and the implied listeners are her children.
• The sentence is a negative command or strong piece of advice.
• The phrase "step out of the house" means "go outside".
• The time phrase "in the summer season" describes the period during which they should avoid going out.

Concept / Approach:
For negative imperatives in Direct speech, Indirect speech usually follows the pattern: subject + advised, warned, or told + object + not to + base verb. The choice of reporting verb depends on the tone. In this case, the mother is protecting the children from heat, so "advised" is very suitable. "Requested" sounds too weak, "threatened" sounds too harsh, and "persuaded" suggests negotiation rather than instruction. The reporting verb is in the past tense, and the command becomes an infinitive structure with "not to step out of the house".

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
The final sentence "The mother advised the children not to step out of the house in the summer season." clearly conveys that the mother is giving careful guidance, not begging, threatening, or bargaining. The structure "not to step out" is grammatically correct for reported negative commands. The meaning and scope of the original warning are preserved, and nothing important has been added or lost.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A uses "requested", which suggests a polite plea rather than strong parental advice about safety. Option B uses "threatened", which implies the mother will do something harmful if the children disobey, a different and much harsher meaning. Option C with "persuaded" implies that the children first wanted to go out and the mother tried to convince them, which is not stated in the original. Only option D accurately expresses a caring prohibition in standard reported speech form.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes ignore the emotional tone and simply focus on tense, leading them to choose any grammatically possible option. Another frequent mistake is writing "advised that the children do not step out", which is acceptable but less common and not present among the given options. Remember that negative imperatives are usually reported with "not to" plus the base verb in exam patterns.

Final Answer:
The most appropriate reported speech sentence is The mother advised the children not to step out of the house in the summer season.