Chapter 7: The Case of the Fifth Word Question Answer

The Case of the Fifth Word Question Answer – Let us do these activities before we read. (Page 101)

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

Note: An anagram is a word or phrase that is made by rearranging the letters in a different order to make a new word or phrase. For example, ‘Neat’ is an anagram of ‘a net.’

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
Answer:

II. Work in pairs. Match the different meanings of ‘case’ in Column 2 with the correct usage in the sentences in Column 1. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Answer:

The Case of the Fifth Word Class 8 Question Answer – Let us Discuss (Page 104)

I. Complete the following statements with suitable reasons. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
1. Leroy’s nickname was Encyclopedia and everyone called him by that name because ____________
2. At the dinner table on Tuesday night, Chief Brown stared at his cream-of- mushroom soup as ____________
3. Encyclopedia sat quietly at the dinner table because ____________
4. Nolan put the will on the kitchen table because ____________
Answer:
1. He had read a lot of books and never forgot anything, so he knew as much as an encyclopedia.
2. He was lost in contemplation, attempting to figure out the weird four-word message he found in Nolan’s notepad.
3. He could see that something was wrong with his father and was waiting for an invitation to join the talk.
4. He wanted to make sure that Davenport got the secret message in the four words, which told him where the stolen jewelry was.

II. 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 to solve this case because the coded message was carefully hidden and hard to figure out using normal logic. Chief Brown and Mrs. Brown were both intelligent adults, yet they could not figure out what the four odd phrases meant. Leroy was able to solve the mystery by figuring out the trick with the fifth word on dictionary pages. He was smart and liked to think outside the box. His special method of putting clues together made him very important to solving the case.

Class 8 English The Case of the Fifth Word Question Answer – Let us discuss. (Page 107 – 108)

Read the difference between fact and opinion on Page 107 of NCERT Textbook
Identify which of the following statements from part I and II of the story are facts or opinions. One example has been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
1. Encyclopedia’s father was the Chief of Police. – Fact
2. Everyone thought that Chief Brown must be the smartest police chief in the country.
3. An encyclopedia is a book or set of books filled with facts from A to Z.
4. Leroy’s friends said that he was like a library and computer rolled into one, and more user-friendly.
5. Two masked men held up the Diamond Mart on Sixth Avenue.
6. Nolan and Davenport had met while both were in prison in South Carolina.
7. Chief Brown’s hunch was that Davenport and Nolan decided to hide the loot until things cooled down.
8. Nolan wrote a four words code to tell Davenport where he had hidden the stolen jewellery.
Answer:
1. Fact
2. Opinion
3. Fact
4. Opinion
5. Fact
6. Fact
7. Fact
8. Fact

II. Complete the table by choosing the character traits of Leroy given in the box below. There is an extra word that you do not need. One example has been done for you.

Answer:

The Case of the Fifth Word Class 8 Questions and Answers – Let us think and reflect (Pages 108-110)

I. Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.
1. Chief Brown would have liked to tell everyone about his only child. But who would believe him? Who would believe that the best detective alive was an eighth grader? So, he said nothing.
Encyclopedia never spoke of the help he gave his father. He didn’t want to seem different from other boys. But there was nothing he could do about his nickname. He was stuck with it.
Only his parents and teachers called him by his real name, Leroy. Everyone else called him Encyclopedia.
(i) Complete the following sentence with a suitable reason.
Chief Brown’s dilemma can be called unique because ____________.
Answer:
He knew his son was the best detective around, but no one would believe that a kid could solve major problems better than professional adults.

(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.

(iv) What does the writer mean by the fact that Leroy was ‘stuck with’ the name Encyclopedia?
Answer:
It suggests that Leroy did not choose the nickname and probably did not like it, but everyone around him used it so often that he had to accept it.

2. Chief Brown studied the four words: Nom Utes Sweden Hurts. He shook his head and passed the notebook to Mrs. Brown again. “Can you figure it out?”
“Nom is a shortening of nominative, a grammatical term,” stated Mrs. Brown, who had taught English and other subjects in high school. “Utes is an American Indian tribe. Sweden is a country in northern Europe. Hurts is hurts. ”
She lifted her gaze to Encyclopedia and shook her head.
“I can’t figure it out,” she confessed.
“Davenport disappeared right after the hold-up, ” Encyclopedia reminded her.

(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

(iii) What does Mrs. Brown’s inability to decode the words suggest about the message?
Answer:
It means that the message is ingeniously hidden and can not be easily understood by only looking at the words’ literal meanings. It needs you to think beyond the box or know more about the situation.

(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 jewelry.

II. Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
Nolan and Davenport were very close. Support this statement with evidence from the text.
Answer:
People said that Nolan and Davenport met in prison and became great friends there. Once they were free, they planned a jewelry theft together. Nolan trusted Davenport enough to send him a secret four-word coded message regarding where the concealed loot was. This shows how close and trusting they were.

Question 2.
Why did Davenport disappear right after the jewellery hold-up? What might his plans have been if Nolan had not died?
Answer:
Davenport ran away to avoid getting caught and to stay out of the way while the police were looking into the robbery. If Nolan had not died, Davenport probably planned to meet him later, use the secret message to get the stolen jewelry back, and then share the loot once the hunt had slowed down.

Question 3.
What does Mrs. Brown’s interest in the case tell us about her?
Answer:
Mrs. Brown’s interest demonstrates that she is smart, curious, and likes to think about tough problems. Because she used to teach English and other courses, we can tell that she is analytical and perceptive. Even though she could not figure out the riddle, her willingness to work on the case demonstrates that she values logic and logical reasoning, which is in line with her family’s interest in solving crimes.

Question 4.
Explain why Chief Brown was proud of his son.
Answer:
Chief Brown was pleased of Encyclopedia because he was very smart, could see things clearly, and could think logically. Encyclopedia was only in eighth grade, but he was regularly able to solve hard problems that stumped grownups who had been working on them for a long time. His father had a lot of respect and regard for him because he was humble and quietly helped his father.

Question 5.
Why were Chief Brown’s suspicions regarding Nolan and Davenport justified, even when there was a lack of concrete proof?
Answer:
There was good circumstantial evidence to support Chief Brown’s allegations. Their criminal past, the fact that they disappeared right after the crime, and the strange message found in Nolan’s notebook all pointed to their involvement. These hints made his guess seem reasonable and rational, even if there was no clear confirmation.

Question 6.
Analyse the role of the four-word coded message in the story.
Answer:
The main puzzle of the mystery was the four-word coded message: “Nomutes Sweden Hurts.” At first, it seemed pointless, but Encyclopedia’s smart analysis showed that the fifth word on the matching page in the dictionary for each phrase held the secret message: “Under steps,” which was the clue to where the stolen jewelry was. The code made the mystery more complicated and showed how smart Encyclopedia was at figuring things out.

Question 7.
Write a character sketch on Leroy with the help of the character traits table given in ‘Let us discuss’ section.
You may begin it like this:
Encyclopedia was a knowledgeable eighth grader who never forgot a fact that he read.
Answer:
Encyclopedia was an eighth student who knew a lot and never forgot anything he read. He was a great young detective since he was very alert and had a logical mind. Even though he was very smart, he was humble and did not want to talk about how he helped his dad solve police cases. He liked to keep down to earth and fit in with other youngsters his age. People called him “Encyclopedia” because he knew so much. He was always able to find hints that other people missed and solved difficulties with calm logic. He was a fantastic investigator because he was quiet, humble, and smart. He was also a nice and trustworthy person.

The Case of the Fifth Word Question Answer Class 8 – Let us learn (Pages 111-117)

I. Match the phrasal verbs from the text given in Column 1 with their meanings in Column 2. You may refer to a dictionary.

Answer:

Now, fill in the blanks with the phrasal verbs given in Column 1.
A. Finally, some important evidence about the case has _______________.
B. After I _______________, I understood that I had made a big mistake.
C. I couldn’t _______________ why he was angry with me.
D. He _______________ his special coat and went to his friend’s birthday party.
E. Ravi forgets to do his homework but he _______________ it as teacher didn’t ask for it that day.
F. I do not know what to _______________ his behaviour.
Answer:
A. turned up
B. cooled down
C. figure out
D. put on
E. got away with
F. make of

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

1. After running for 50 kilometres last _________________, I felt _________________ for two days.
2. When the committee met yesterday, they brought _________________ local cases to the _________________.
3. While learning to drive, Rina used too much force on the _________________, causing the car to _________________ down.
4. He has composed a beautiful _________________ of music in order to bring _________________ to thousands of people.
5. She was busy _________________ her hair not caring about the _________________ flowers in her garden.
Answer:
A. turned up
B. cooled down
C. figure out
D. put on
E. got away with
F. make of

III. Leroy solved the mystery of the missing fifth word with his critical thinking abilities. Work in pairs to solve the puzzles given in the illustrations below and infer what they say. One example has been done for you.

Answer:
Middle-aged, Try to understand, Up to you, Go for it, Sixth sense, One in a million, Once upon a time, Crossroads

IV. Spoonerism is a mistake made when speaking, where the first sounds of the words in a phrase or a sentence are exchanged with each other.
This usually gives a funny meaning.
Some examples of spoonerism are saying ‘wrong load’ instead of ‘long road’, ‘round of mice’ instead of ‘mound of rice’.

Find the correct order for the following spoonerisms.
1. knowing sits
2. it’s roaring with pain.
3. plaster man
4. blarm wanket
5. tars and crucks
6. shake a tower
7. bead a rook
8. mardon me padam
Answer:
1, Snowing kits
2. It’s pouring with rain
3. Master plan
4. Warm blanket
5. Cars and trucks
6. Take a shower
7. Read a book
8. Pardon me, madam

V. Read the following sentences from the text and study the highlighted words.
1. Everyone thought that he must be the smartest police chief in the country.
2. She read what he had copied.
3. They tell where the jewellery is hidden.
4. “Nom is a shortening of nominative, a grammatical term,” stated Mrs. Brown, who had taught English and other subjects in high school.
5. “Nolan and Davenport had met,” Chief Brown said, “while both were in prison in South Carolina.”
6. When he came up against a case he couldn’t solve, he acted at once.
7. The code is simple, especially as it’s written on a sheet from a calendar.
8. They became friendly because of shared interests.
9. Encyclopedia solved the case for him before dinner was over.
Now, fill in the blanks with the words in the box given below to complete the following sentences. There are two extra words that you do not need.

Fill in the blanks with the words in the box given below to complete the following sentences. There are two extra words that you do not need.
Detective stories are exciting, keeping readers guessing (i) ____________ the real culprit is. They take place in settings (ii) ____________ clues are hidden carefully. (iii) ____________ the mystery seems tricky, a clever detective always finds answers. Readers often wonder (iv) ____________ criminals leave small but important clues. The challenge is to decide (v) ____________ suspect is guilty. (vi) ____________ the truth is revealed, everything makes sense. But one may wonder (vii) ____________ they could have solved it themselves. These stories are fun (viii) ____________ they make readers think till the very end.
Answer:
(i) who
(ii) where
(iii) Though
(iv) why
(v) which
(vi) When
(vii) if
(viii) because

VI. Combine the following pairs of sentences using the word given in brackets. One example has been done for you.
1. We gave him the signal. He was waiting for the signal, (that)
Answer:
We gave him the signal that he was waiting for.

2. We went to a place. The incident occurred there, (where)
Answer:
We went to a place where the incident occurred.

3. Teacher said she would retire soon. She is now nearly sixty, (who)
Answer:
Teacher, who is nearly sixty, said she would retire soon.

4. It was the day. Half the class was absent, (when)
Answer:
It was the day when half the class was absent.

VIII. Rewrite the following sentences in Reported Speech.

1. “Why did you stop talking to me?” asked Rohan.
Rohan questioned ____________
Answer:
Rohan questioned why I had stopped talking to him.

2. “Did you enjoy the family gathering yesterday?” asked my aunt.
My aunt asked ____________
Answer:
My aunt asked if I had enjoyed the family gathering the previous day.

3. “When will you visit us again?” asked my grandmother.
My grandmother inquired ____________
Answer:
My grandmother inquired when I would visit them again.

4. 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 he would go with her to meet their old teacher the next day.

5. 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. “Shall I carry these notebooks to the staffroom, Ma’am?” asked Veenu. Veenu asked her teacher
Answer:
Veenu asked her teacher if she would carry those notebooks to the staffroom.

IX. Read the conversation between Aditi | and Rahul.
Aditi : Did you see anyone leave a package near the lift?
Rahul: I noticed a man wearing a bluejacket drop it off.
Aditi : What time did you see this happen?
Rahul: It was around 6:45 p.m.
Aditi : Were you able to see his face?
Rahul: He wore a hood and so I couldn’t see his face.

Complete the following paragraph by transforming the dialogue in indirect speech.
Aditi asked Rahul 1 ____________
Rahul replied that he had noticed a man wearing a blue jacket drop it off.
Aditi asked Rahul 2 ____________
Rahul replied that it had been around 6.45 p.m.
Aditi further inquired 3 ____________
Rahul said that he had worn a hood, so he couldn’t see his face.
Answer:
1. if he had seen anyone leave a package near the lift.
2. at what time he had seen that happen.
3. if he had been able to see his face.

Class 8 English Chapter 7 Question Answer – Let us listen (Page 117)

I. You will listen to a podcast about ways of improving observation skills. As you listen, mark the statements 1-4 as true or false. (Refer to the NCERT Textbook Page 151 for transcript.)
1. Observation skills help improve your common sense.
Answer:
True

2. Rushing through tasks helps you focus better and observe more.
Answer:
False

3. Taking notes or making sketches helps with what you observe.
Answer:
True

4. Incorporating tips on observation skills will soon lead to success.
Answer:
True

II. You will once again listen to the podcast. As you listen, complete the given sentences by filling in the blanks with one to three exact words you hear.
1. It is important to slow down and ____________ to notice several aspects around you more clearly.
2. The more senses like hearing and smelling you use, the more ____________ you absorb.
3. People who are ____________ tend to be better observers because they seek to understand what they notice.
4. When you make a note of things, it helps reinforce the ____________ in your memory.
5. Practising mindfulness helps a person stay ____________ with their surroundings.
Answer:
1. take your time
2. information
3. curious
4. details
5. engaged

NCERT Class 8 English Poorvi Chapter 7 Question Answer – Let us Speak (Pages 118-119)

I. Read the following words from the text loudly with the help of pronunciation guide given in brackets.

Answer:
Do it yourself.

II. Work in groups of five or six. Conduct a group discussion on the topic, ‘The Interesting Aspects of a Mystery Story’.

Guidelines

• The moderator initiates the discussion inviting the speakers to share their views on the subject.
• The speakers take turns to put forth their view point using polite expressions to agree or disagree.
• The speakers may interrupt by raising their hands to add or clarify a point.
• The moderator ensures equal participation of all the members in the group, consolidates views, and calls upon other speakers to respond.
• The moderator sums up the points of discussion, suggests guidelines for future action and thanks the members of the group.

Note: Choose a moderator. Decide upon the duration of the discussion.

Answer:
Do it yourself

Class 8th English Chapter 7 The Case of the Fifth Word Question Answer – Let us write (Pages 119-121)

I A report is written for an event that has already occurred. The purpose of a report is to provide fist-hand details of an incident or event. It presents the information in a proper sequence.

Read the sample report written about the ‘Inter-school Football Tournament organised by your Vidyalaya.

Note the format, content, and language used.

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:

Inter-school Art Exhibition
By Manvi Sharma

On October 14, 2024, our school, KV GC CRPF, had a lively Inter-school Art Exhibition in the school auditorium. The Art and Craft Club and the Department of Fine Arts worked together to put on the event, which saw enthusiastic participation from more than 15 well-known schools in the city.
The famous artist Ms. PUNITA SHARMA opened the show by lighting the ceremonial lamp and telling students to keep developing their artistic potential. The exhibition’s theme was “Colors of Culture,” and the artworks did a great job of showing India’s rich history, festivals, and traditions.
Each school showed out their best art, which included paintings, drawings, sculptures, and crafts made from recycled materials. People really liked that you used recyclable materials and natural dyes. A lot of people liked and spoke about our school’s work, “Nature’s Harmony,” which was a 3D wall painting made of clay and paper.
A group of experienced judges looked at the entries and judged them on how creative, innovative, well-made, and relevant they were to the theme. The first place went to DONBOSCO Public School, then KV GC CRPF, and finally DPS PUBLIC SCHOOL. The end of the show was marked by a short cultural performance and the handing out of prizes.
In general, the event was a huge success. It encouraged young students to be creative, work together, and appreciate art. We hope to host more events like this in the future that will be fun and educational.

The Case of the Fifth Word Class 8 NCERT Solutions – Let us explore (Page 121)

I. Work in pairs. Read the words and observe the images given below. Check if your answers match. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

These are optical illusions which may trick the eye and make you think that you can see two different things.
Answer:
Do it yourself.

II. Read the steps to play a language game—Name the mystery object.
1. Divide the class into teams.
2. Each team chooses an object and prepares three hints to enable the other teams to name the object.
3. Each team takes turns to name the object given by the other team.
4. If a team names the object with the first hint, they get 20 points, with the second hint 10 points, and with the third hint 5 points.
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.
(in) I am mostly black, sometimes green, now in white too I am seen.
Answer:
Do it yourself.

III. Visit the library and look for an encyclopedia. What is it? Check how it is different from a dictionary. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
Answer:
An encyclopedia is a book (or series of books) that gives you a lot of information about many different topics. Most of the time, the articles are in alphabetical order and are authored by specialists who include facts, explanations, and background information. There are generic encyclopedias, like Encyclopedia Britannica, and subject-specific encyclopedias, like Encyclopedia of Animals or Encyclopedia of Science.

IV. A thesaurus is a reference book or digital tool that provides a collection of words with similar meanings, allowing users to find alternative words or phrases to express the same idea. Choose any five words and find out their alternative words from the thesaurus.
Answer:
1. Happy
Synonyms: delighted, glad, pleased, satisfied, ecstatic

2. Fast
Synonyms: Quick, Rapid, Swift, Speedy, Hasty

3. Beautiful
Synonyms: stunning, charming, elegant, attractive, lovely.

4. Smart
Synonyms: sharp, brainy, intelligent, clever, bright.

5. Angry
Synonyms: upset, irritated, mad, furious, annoyed