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Unit 3 : THE CASE OF THE FIFTH WORD

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Let us do these activities (Page 1)

1. Work in pairs. Solve the crossword puzzle given below with the clues in the form of anagrams.

Clues:

  • Across: 3. Declare 6. Tucks 7. Heart 9. Felt 10. Sown 12. Sword 13. Evil
  • Down: 1. Aces 2. Read 4. Tool 5. Alps 6. Hooks 8. Mane 11. Loves

Answers:

Across:

  1. (3) CLEARED
  2. (6) STUCK
  3. (7) EARTH
  4. (9) LEFT
  5. (10) OWNS
  6. (12) WORDS
  7. (13) LIVE

Down:

  1. (1) CASE
  2. (2) DEAR
  3. (4) LOOT
  4. (5) PALS
  5. (6) SHOOK
  6. (8) NAME
  7. (11) SOLVE

2. Work in pairs. Match the different meanings of ‘case’ in Column 2 with the correct usage in the sentences in Column 1.

Column 1 Column 2
1. Lalit said that he could not sing but that was not the case as he sang melodiously later. (i) writing format
2. The lawyer was waiting for the case to be taken up in court. (ii) container
3. My pencil case is a gift from my grandmother. (iii) situation
4. The subject of a formal letter is written in title case. (iv) matter

Answers:

  • 1 – (iii): Lalit said that he could not sing but that was not the situation as he sang melodiously later.
  • 2 – (iv): The lawyer was waiting for the matter to be taken up in court.
  • 3 – (ii): My pencil container is a gift from my grandmother.
  • 4 – (i): The subject of a formal letter is written in title writing format.

Now, read the following text and find out which ‘case’ the title refers to.

Answer: The title ‘The Case of the Fifth Word’ refers to a (iv) matter or mystery that needs to be solved by the police.

Let us discuss (Page 4)

1. Complete the following statements with suitable reasons.

  1. Question: Leroy’s nickname was Encyclopedia and everyone called him by that name because…
    Answer: …his head was filled with facts from A to Z, just like a real encyclopedia. He read many books and never forgot what he read.
  2. Question: At the dinner table on Tuesday night, Chief Brown stared at his cream-of-mushroom soup as…
    Answer: …he had a mystery (a case) that he could not solve.
  3. Question: Encyclopedia sat quietly at the dinner table because…
    Answer: …he knew his mother and father were discussing the case for his benefit, so he could listen to the facts.
  4. Question: Nolan put the will on the kitchen table because…
    Answer: …he had a stroke and must have realised he was dying, so he used his last strength to make sure the will was found.

2. Do you think Chief Brown would need Leroy’s help to solve this case? If yes, why? If no, why not?

Answer: Yes, Chief Brown would need Leroy’s help. The text says that whenever Chief Brown had a case he couldn’t solve, he would go home to dinner, and Encyclopedia (Leroy) would solve it for him. Since Chief Brown was staring at his soup, it meant he had a difficult case, so he would need Leroy’s help.

Let us discuss (Pages 7-8)

1. Identify which of the following statements from part I and II of the story are facts or opinions.

  1. Statement: Encyclopedia’s father was the Chief of Police. Answer: Fact
  2. Statement: Everyone thought that Chief Brown must be the smartest police chief in the country. Answer: Opinion (This is what “everyone thought,” which is a belief, not a provable fact).
  3. Statement: An encyclopedia is a book or set of books filled with facts from A to Z. Answer: Fact (This is the definition of the word).
  4. Statement: Leroy’s friends said that he was like a library and computer rolled into one, and more user-friendly. Answer: Opinion (This is what his “pals said,” which is their judgment).
  5. Statement: Two masked men held up the Diamond Mart on Sixth Avenue. Answer: Fact (This event is stated as having happened).
  6. Statement: Nolan and Davenport had met while both were in prison in South Carolina. Answer: Fact (This is a background detail stated by Chief Brown).
  7. Statement: Chief Brown’s hunch was that Davenport and Nolan decided to hide the loot until things cooled down. Answer: Opinion (The word “hunch” means it was his feeling or belief, not a proven fact).
  8. Statement: Nolan wrote a four words code to tell Davenport where he had hidden the stolen jewellery. Answer: Fact (This is proven true by the end of the story).

2. Complete the table by choosing the character traits of Leroy given in the box below.

Box: cleverness, knowledgeable, keen listener, gentle, humble

Textual Evidences Traits
1. He read more books than anyone in Idaville, and he never forgot a fact. knowledgeable
2. Encyclopedia never spoke of the help he gave his father. He didn’t want to seem different from other boys. humble
3. Encyclopedia sat quietly. He knew his mother and father were discussing the case for his benefit. keen listener
4. Usually, he needed to ask only one question to solve a case before dessert. cleverness

Let us think and reflect (Pages 9-10)

1. Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.

Extract 1

(i) Complete the following sentence with a suitable reason. Chief Brown’s dilemma can be called unique because…

Answer: …his son, who is only a young eighth grader, is the “best detective alive” and solves his most difficult cases, but he cannot tell anyone because they would not believe him.

(ii) What can be inferred about why Encyclopedia never spoke of the help he gave his father?

A. He is shy and lacks confidence in his abilities to share his insights.
B. He wants to avoid the jealousy others might feel about his skills.
C. He desires to blend with the other boys to prevent seeming different.
D. He is embarrassed about being smarter than most adults around him.

Answer: C. He desires to blend with the other boys to prevent seeming different.

(iii) The parents choose not to call their son ‘Encyclopedia’. Select the reason that is false.

A. For them he is more than his unique abilities; he is their child, with a personal identity.
B. Calling him by his real name reflects their affection and the desire to acknowledge him as an ordinary boy.
C. They want him to be remembered as different from the others around.

Answer: C. They want him to be remembered as different from the others around. (This is false; the text shows they and Leroy wanted him to seem like other boys).

(iv) What does the writer mean by the fact that Leroy was ‘stuck with’ the name Encyclopedia?

Answer: It means that he could not get rid of the nickname, even if he wanted to. Everyone else (besides his parents and teachers) used it, and he had no choice but to accept it.

Extract 2

(i) What does Chief Brown’s reaction of shaking his head suggest about his understanding of the four words?

A. He is confident that the words are a clue.
B. He is confused, unable to make sense of the words.
C. He believes the words are random and meaningless.
D. He thinks the words are unrelated to the case.

Answer: B. He is confused, unable to make sense of the words.

(ii) Identify whether the given statement is true or false. Mrs. Brown explained the actual meanings of the individual words rather than decoding the hidden message behind them.

Answer: True. (She explained ‘Nom’ as a grammatical term, ‘Utes’ as a tribe, and ‘Sweden’ as a country, not the code).

(iii) What does Mrs. Brown’s inability to decode the words suggest about the message?

Answer: It suggests that the message is a code and its meaning is hidden. It cannot be solved with regular knowledge of English or geography, but requires a different way of thinking.

(iv) Complete the following sentence suitably. The purpose of Encyclopedia’s reminder in the last line of the extract was to… (refocus the discussion on the context of the crime/suggest that the coded message was meant for Davenport/imply that the message was likely a clue about the location of the stolen jewellery)

Answer: …imply that the message was likely a clue about the location of the stolen jewellery.

2. Answer the following questions.

(i) Nolan and Davenport were very close. Support this statement with evidence from the text.

Answer: The text shows they were close because:

  • They became friendly in prison.
  • Davenport came to live with Nolan after prison.
  • Nolan used his last dying strength to write a will that left everything he owned, including his nursery, to Davenport.

(ii) Why did Davenport disappear right after the jewellery hold-up? What might his plans have been if, Nolan had not died?

Answer: Davenport disappeared because he was likely one of the robbers and needed to hide from the police. Chief Brown’s hunch was that he and Nolan planned to hide the stolen jewellery until things “cooled down.” If Nolan had not died, they would have probably met up later, once it was safe, to split the jewellery.

(iii) What does Mrs. Brown’s interest in the case tell us about her?

Answer: It shows she is intelligent (she remembers the old case and taught English ), observant, and very supportive of her husband and son. She helps the discussion along so Leroy can get the facts he needs to solve the mystery.

(iv) Explain why Chief Brown was proud of his son.

Answer: Chief Brown was proud of his son because Leroy was the “best detective alive” and could solve difficult mysteries that even the police could not solve.

(v) Why were Chief Brown’s suspicions regarding Nolan and Davenport justified, even when there was a lack of concrete proof?

Answer: His suspicions were justified because the two men had been in prison together , Davenport moved in with Nolan just one week before the robbery , and a clerk thought she recognised Nolan during the hold-up, even though she wasn’t sure.

(vi) Analyse the role of the four-word coded message in the story.

Answer: The four-word code (“Nom Utes Sweden Hurts” ) is the most important clue in the story. It was Nolan’s dying message to tell Davenport where the stolen jewellery was hidden. When Encyclopedia solves the code, it leads the police to the jewellery and proves that Nolan and Davenport were the robbers.

(vii) Write a character sketch on Leroy with the help of the character traits table given in ‘Let us discuss’ section.

Answer: Encyclopedia (Leroy) was a knowledgeable eighth grader who never forgot a fact that he read. He was also very humble; he never bragged about helping his father solve cases and just wanted to seem like other boys. He was a keen listener, who sat quietly at dinner to absorb all the facts of a case. This, combined with his great cleverness, allowed him to solve mysteries that puzzled even the Chief of Police.

Let us learn (Pages 11-14)

II. Match the phrasal verbs from the text given in Column 1 with their meanings in Column 2.

Column 1 Column 2
1. put on (iv) wear (clothes, hat, etc.)
2. cooled down (iii) became normal or calmed
3. turned up (i) appeared, been discovered
4. make of (vi) have an idea or understanding of something
5. figure out (ii) solve a problem
6. got away with (v) escaped without being punished

Now, fill in the blanks with the phrasal verbs given in Column 1.

  • A. Finally, some important evidence about the case has turned up.
  • B. After I cooled down, I understood that I had made a big mistake.
  • C. I couldn’t figure out why he was angry with me.
  • D. He put on his special coat and went to his friend’s birthday party.
  • E. Ravi forgets to do his homework but he got away with it as teacher didn’t ask for it that day.
  • F. I do not know what to make of his behaviour.

Fill in the blanks in the following sentences by choosing the correct word pairs from the box given below.

(Box: week/weak, dying/dyeing, fore/four, peace/piece, break/brake)

  1. After running for 50 kilometres last week, I felt weak for two days.
  2. When the committee met yesterday, they brought four local cases to the fore.
  3. While learning to drive, Rina used too much force on the brake, causing the car to break down.
  4. He has composed a beautiful piece of music in order to bring peace to thousands of people.
  5. She was busy dyeing her hair not caring about the dying flowers in her garden.

III. Work in pairs to solve the puzzles given in the illustrations below and infer what they say.

  • Puzzle 1 (AGED AGED AGED): Middle Ages
  • Puzzle 2 (Try stand / 2): Try to understand
  • Puzzle 3 (Arrow up, uu): Two up
  • Puzzle 4 (GO It It It It): Go for it
  • Puzzle 5 (sense sense… one sense circled): Common sense
  • Puzzle 6 (M1LLION): One in a million
  • Puzzle 7 (ONCE, clock): Once upon a time
  • Puzzle 8 (R O A D S / R O A D S): Crossroads

IV. Find the correct order for the following spoonerisms.

Spoonerisms Answers (Correct Phrases)
1. knowing sits 1. sewing kits
2. it’s roaring with pain. 2. it’s pouring with rain.
3. plaster man 3. master plan
4. blarm wanket 4. warm blanket
5. tars and crucks 5. cars and trucks
6. shake a tower 6. take a shower
7. bead a rook 7. read a book
8. mardon me padam 8. pardon me madam

V. Now, fill in the blanks with the words in the box given below to complete the following sentences.

Detective stories are exciting, keeping readers guessing (i) who the real culprit is. They take place in settings (ii) where clues are hidden carefully. (iii) Though the mystery seems tricky, a clever detective always finds answers. Readers often wonder (iv) why criminals leave small but important clues. The challenge is to decide (v) which suspect is guilty. (vi) When the truth is revealed, everything makes sense. But one may wonder (vii) if they could have solved it themselves. These stories are fun (viii) because they make readers think till the very end.

VI. Combine the following pairs of sentences using the word given in brackets.

  1. Question: We gave him the signal. He was waiting for the signal. (that) Answer: We gave him the signal that he was waiting for.
  2. Question: We went to a place. The incident occurred there. (where) Answer: We went to the place where the incident occurred.
  3. Question: Teacher said she would retire soon. She is now nearly sixty. (who) Answer: Teacher, who is now nearly sixty, said she would retire soon.
  4. Question: It was the day. Half the class was absent. (when) Answer: It was the day when half the class was absent.

VII. Now, follow these steps to transform the sentences given as examples from direct speech to indirect speech.

(i) Direct: “What’s suspicious about that?” Mrs. Brown asked. Indirect: Mrs. Brown asked what was suspicious about that.

(ii) Direct: “What do you make of the four words, Leroy?” Indirect: Mrs. Brown questioned Leroy what he made of the four words.

(iii) Direct: “Wasn’t he mixed up in a jewellery robbery a few years ago?” Indirect: Mrs. Brown inquired if/whether he hadn’t been mixed up in a jewellery robbery a few years before.

(iv) Direct: “Didn’t you search Nolan’s house, dear?” Indirect: Mrs. Brown asked Chief Brown if/whether he hadn’t searched Nolan’s house.

(v) Direct: “Is there a young fir tree in Mr. Nolan’s palm-tree nursery?” Indirect: Mrs. Brown inquired if/whether there was a young fir tree in Mr. Nolan’s palm-tree nursery. (Note: The text states Encyclopedia asked this, but the exercise asks to report it as Mrs. Brown.)

Rewrite the following sentences in Reported Speech (Page 16)

VIII. Rewrite the following sentences in Reported Speech.

  1. Question: “Why did you stop talking to me?” asked Rohan. Rohan questioned…
    Answer: Rohan questioned why I had stopped talking to him.
  2. Question: “Did you enjoy the family gathering yesterday?” asked my aunt. My aunt asked…
    Answer: My aunt asked if/whether I had enjoyed the family gathering the day before.
  3. Question: “When will you visit us again?” asked my grandmother. My grandmother inquired…
    Answer: My grandmother inquired when I (or we) would visit them again.
  4. Question: Madavi said to Ravi, “Will you come with me to meet our old teacher tomorrow?” asked Madavi. Madavi asked Ravi…
    Answer: Madavi asked Ravi if/whether he would go with her to meet their old teacher the following day.
  5. Question: My friend said, “What gift are you planning to give your brother?” My friend inquired…
    Answer: My friend inquired what gift I was planning to give my brother.
  6. Question: “Shall I carry these notebooks to the staffroom, Ma’am?” asked Veenu. Veenu asked her teacher…
    Answer: Veenu asked her teacher if/whether she should carry those notebooks to the staffroom.

Complete the following paragraph… (Page 17)

IX. Complete the following paragraph by transforming the dialogue in indirect speech.

(Dialogue source: )

  1. Question: Aditi asked Rahul 1. …
    Answer: …if/whether he had seen anyone leave a package near the lift.
  2. Question: Aditi asked Rahul 2. …
    Answer: …what time he had seen that happen.
  3. Question: Aditi further inquired 3. …
    Answer: …if/whether he had been able to see his face.

Let us listen (Page 17)

I. You will listen to a podcast… As you listen, mark the statements 1-4 as true or false. II. You will once again listen to the podcast. As you listen, complete the given sentences…

Answer: The answers for the “Let us listen” sections cannot be provided as they require listening to an audio file that is not included in the document.

Let us write (Page 19)

I. Now, as a member of the Art and Craft Club, write a report on an ‘Inter-school Art Exhibition’ organised by your school. Include the necessary details.

Answer: (Here is a sample report based on the format provided in the book.)

Inter-school Art Exhibition

by Priya Sharma, Member Art and Craft Club

New Delhi, 25 October 20XX: An Inter-school Art Exhibition was organised by our Vidyalaya from 23 October 20XX to 24 October 20XX in the school auditorium. Ten schools from across the city participated in the event.

The exhibition was declared open by the Chief Guest, Mr. Arun Vijay, a famous local artist, on Saturday, 23 October. The auditorium was filled with wonderful paintings, sculptures, and craft items, all based on the theme ‘Mystery and Magic’. The stalls from each school showed amazing talent and creativity.

The exhibition was held from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on both days. A large number of students, parents, and teachers visited the exhibition and appreciated the hard work of the participants. Following the exhibition, a poster-making competition was also held on the final day.

The winning teams were awarded trophies and certificates by the Chief Guest during the closing ceremony. Addressing the students, he said, “Art is a wonderful way to express your inner world.” The Inter-school Art Exhibition was a great success, showcasing exceptional talent and teamwork.

Let us explore (Page 21)

I. Work in pairs. Read the words and observe the images given below.

Answers (What can be seen in the images):

  1. Image 1: Two faces looking at each other, or a white vase.
  2. Image 2: The word “teach”
  3. Image 3: The word “hate”
  4. Image 4: The word “GOOD” in white, with the word “EVIL” hidden in the black parts of the letters.
  5. Image 5: An old woman looking down and to the left, or a young woman looking away over her right shoulder.
  6. Image 6: The head of a duck, or the head of a rabbit.

II. Read the steps to play a language game… One example with three hints: (i) I display information for all to share, with a swipe I’m clean and bare. (ii) I am rectangular or a square, whom neither teacher nor student can spare. (iii) I am mostly black, sometimes green, now in white too I am seen.

Answer (Name the Mystery Object): Blackboard (or Chalkboard / Whiteboard)

III. Visit the library and look for an encyclopedia. What is it? Check how it is different from a dictionary.

Answer:

  • What is it? An encyclopedia is a book or set of books filled with facts from A to Z about many different subjects.
  • Difference: A dictionary is a book that tells you the meaning, spelling, and pronunciation of words. An encyclopedia is a book that gives you detailed information and facts about subjects, such as people, places, events, and ideas.

IV. Choose any five words and find out their alternative words from the thesaurus.

Answer: (This is an activity for students to do. Here is an example answer.)

  1. Smart: clever, bright, intelligent, sharp
  2. Solve: answer, figure out, decode, crack
  3. Hidden: concealed, secret, buried, unseen
  4. Quietly: silently, peacefully, softly
  5. Help: assist, aid, support, advise

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