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The Case of the Fifth Word Extra Question Answer Class 8 English Chapter 7
The Case of the Fifth Word Short Questions and Answers
Question 1.
Who is Encyclopedia and why is he called by this nickname?
Answer:
Encyclopedia is Leroy Brown, the son of Chief Brown, the police chief. He is called “Encyclopedia” because he has an extraordinary memory and vast knowledge, much like an encyclopedia book. He knows facts on many subjects and helps solve mysteries that even adults struggle with. Despite this, he prefers to be called by his real name, Leroy, especially by his parents and feachers. The nickname stuck because everyone else recognized his intelligence and ability to recall important details instantly.
Question 2.
What was Chief Brown’s reaction when he could not solve a case?
Answer:
When Chief Brown encountered a case he couldn’t solve, he would calmly clear his desk, put on his hat, and go home for dinner. He didn’t worry or stress but trusted that his son, Encyclopedia, would solve the case before the meal ended. This shows his confidence in Leroy’s abilities and his practical approach to difficult problems. Chief Brown never openly revealed that his son helped solve cases because he doubted anyone would believe that an eighth grader was such a brilliant detective.
Question 3.
How did Encyclopedia feel about helping his father?
Answer:
Encyclopedia never talked about helping his father because he didn’t want to seem different from other boys his age. He preferred to blend in and avoid drawing attention to his exceptional intelligence. Even though he was proud of his abilities, he chose to keep his detective work a secret, sharing it only with his parents and teachers who called him by his real name, Leroy. This shows his humility and desire for normalcy despite his extraordinary talents.
Question 4.
What role did the four-word code play in the story?
Answer:
The four-word code was a crucial clue that helped solve the mystery of the missing stolen jewellery. Nolan used the names of days of the week, dropping the letters d-a-y, to form four code words that pointed toward the hiding place of the loot. This clever use of language and codes required critical thinking to decode. It led Encyclopedia to discover that the jewellery was hidden inside a jug of earth where a young fir tree was growing, fulfilling the clue of the unwritten fifth word, “Fir.”
Question 5.
Why was the unwritten fifth word important?
Answer:
The unwritten fifth word “Fir” was key to finding the stolen jewellery because it indicated the jewellery’s hiding place—a jug of earth with a young fir tree. While Nolan wrote a four-word code for the days Monday through Thursday, the fifth day, Friday, was symbolized by “Fir.” Understanding this missing piece was essential for solving the mystery. Encyclopedia’s insight into this subtle clue demonstrated his sharp reasoning skills and helped bring the case to a successful conclusion.
Question 6.
What was Chief Brown’s dilemma regarding his son?
Answer:
Chief Brown’s dilemma was that he wanted to tell everyone about his son’s incredible detective skills but feared no one would believe that the best detective was an eighth grader. This made him keep silent about Leroy’s contributions to solving police cases. He felt pride but also frustration because his son’s talents went unrecognized publicly. This dilemma shows the challenges of being a gifted child who helps solve adult problems but must remain hidden due to disbelief and social expectations.
Question 7.
How did Nolan and Davenport relate to the robbery?
Answer:
Chief Brown suspected that Nolan and his friend Daniel Davenport were behind the jewellery robbery at the Diamond Mart. Although Nolan was questioned, he was never arrested due to lack of concrete proof. The two masked men held up the store and escaped with jewellery worth a million dollars. Chief Brown believed they planned to hide the loot until the situation cooled down. This suspicion set the stage for solving the mystery using clues and codes left behind by Nolan.
Question 8.
Describe the setting where the stolen jewellery was found.
Answer:
The stolen jewellery was found inside a twenty-gallon jug filled with earth, located in Nolan’s nursery where young fir trees were grown. This unusual hiding place was cleverly concealed and related directly to the clue from the coded message, specifically the “Fir” representing Friday. The setting in the nursery was an important part of the mystery because it connected Nolan’s secret code to the physical location of the stolen goods, demonstrating how subtle clues can reveal hidden truths.
The Case of the Fifth Word Long Questions and Answers
Question 1.
Describe the character of Chief Brown and his relationship with his son, Leroy (Encyclopedia). ^
Answer:
Chief Brown is depicted as a smart and decisive police chief who handles cases efficiently. Despite his high rank and reputation, he is humble and pragmatic, often relying on his son, Leroy, for help when faced with difficult cases. His relationship with Leroy is built on mutual respect and trust. Chief Brown recognizes his son’s extraordinary intelligence and detective skills but chooses not to reveal this to the public, fearing disbelief. He values his son’s privacy and wants him to have a normal childhood. Leroy, in turn, supports his father quietly, solving cases without seeking recognition. Their relationship is marked by love, support, and a shared commitment to justice, showing a strong family bond that combines professional partnership with father-son affection. Chief Brown’s dilemma of pride versus secrecy adds depth to their relationship, portraying the challenges of raising a gifted child in a demanding profession.
Question 2.
Explain how Nolan’s code worked and why it was difficult to solve.
Answer:
Nolan’s code was ingenious and challenging because it disguised the days of the week in a cryptic way. He took the names of the days Monday through Thursday and dropped the letters “d-a-y,” leaving the remaining letters to form unusual words like “Nom” for Monday and “Utes” for Tuesday. This forced anyone decoding it to think abstractly and recognize patterns that weren’t obvious. The unwritten fifth word, “Fir,” symbolizing Friday, added another layer of complexity because it wasn’t explicitly written, requiring the solver to infer its existence. The code was difficult because it relied on both linguistic manipulation and contextual knowledge— understanding it was about days of the week and that the missing word referred to a fir tree linked to the jewellery’s hiding place. Such a code needed a sharp, logical mind to decipher, which Encyclopedia demonstrated through his keen reasoning and insight.
Question 3.
Discuss the themes of secrecy and recognition in the story.
Answer:
Secrecy and recognition are central themes in the story. Chief Brown keeps his son’s detective work a secret because he fears the world wouldn’t believe a young boy could solve complex cases. This secrecy protects Leroy’s identity and allows him to live a normal life but also means his talents go unrecognized publicly. Encyclopedia himself chooses not to boast about his help, preferring anonymity over fame. This tension highlights the difficulty gifted individuals sometimes face—balancing their extraordinary abilities with societal expectations and disbelief. Recognition is ultimately less important than the pursuit of truth and justice for both father and son. The story suggests that true worth isn’t always publicly acknowledged but is valued in personal relationships and inner satisfaction.
Question 4.
How does the story demonstrate the importance of teamwork and trust?
Answer:
The story highlights teamwork and trust through the relationship between Chief Brown and Encyclopedia. While Chief Brown holds the official authority as police chief, he trusts his son’s intelligence and insights to solve cases. Encyclopedia, in return, respects his father’s role and supports him discreetly. Their collaboration shows how different strengths can combine •to solve problems effectively. Trust is vital—they rely on each other without needing public acknowledgment. This dynamic also extends to other characters, such as Mrs. Brown, who supports the investigation. The stoiy emphasizes that successful outcomes often come from cooperation and confidence in others’ abilities, rather than working alone.
Question 5.
Why did Nolan hide the jewellery in the nursery and use a code?
Answer:
Nolan hid the jewellery in the nursery and used a code to protect the stolen goods and delay their discovery. By concealing the loot in a large jug of earth with a growing fir tree, he chose an inconspicuous and natural hiding spot unlikely to be searched quickly. The code served as a secret map, ensuring only someone who understood the clues—likely his accomplice—could find the jewellery later. This plan allowed Nolan to safeguard the jewellery until it was safe to retrieve, avoiding immediate detection by the police. The use of a code added complexity, making it difficult for others to interpret without specialized knowledge or sharp reasoning.
Question 6.
Analyze how Encyclopedia’s character challenges typical stereotypes about children in detective stories.
Ans. Encyclopedia challenges stereotypes by being a child who is not only intelligent but also mature, humble, and capable of outsmarting adults. Unlike many stories where children are sidekicks or helpers, Encyclopedia is the primary detective solving complex crimes. His knowledge and reasoning skills surpass those of grown¬ups, which is unusual for his age. He also balances his intellect with a desire to fit in socially, showing emotional maturity. This portrayal breaks the typical mold of children in detective stories, presenting a protagonist who commands respect and responsibility while navigating the challenges of youth.
Question 7.
What role does the setting play in the unfolding of the story’s mystery?
Answer:
The setting is crucial, especially Nolan’s nursery with the young fir trees, which provides the physical location of the hidden jewellery. The nursery is an unexpected place for stolen goods, making the mystery more intriguing. It ties directly to the coded clue “Fir,” linking the abstract code to a real-world place. Other settings, such as the police station and the Brown family home, show the personal and professional worlds colliding. The setting helps build suspense and grounds the story in familiar, believable environments that contrast with the cleverness of the crime and its solution.
Question 8.
Describe the role of language and wordplay in the story’s puzzle.
Answer:
Language and wordplay are central to the story’s puzzle. Nolan’s code creatively manipulates the names of the days by dropping letters and forming new words, requiring careful thought and a sharp eye for patterns. This linguistic trickery challenges the solver to think beyond literal meanings. The puzzle relies on recognizing that the four code words stand for days of the week and that the missing fifth word connects to the physical clue “Fir,” This clever use of language makes the mystery engaging and highlights the importance of words and meanings in detective work.
The Case of the Fifth Word Extract Based Questions and Answers
I. Encyclopedia’s father was Chief of Police. Everyone thought that he must be the smartest police chief in the country. Chief Brown was smart and quick. He didn’t sit around and worry. When he came up against a case he couldn’t solve, he acted at once. He cleared his desk, put on his hat, and went home to dinner. Encyclopedia solved the case for him before dinner was over. 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.
Question 1.
What did Chief Brown do when he faced a case he couldn’t solve?
A. He called for a team meeting
B. He stayed late at the office
C. He went home for dinner
D. He contacted another detective
Answer:
C. He went home for dinner
Question 2.
Complete the sentence:
Chief Brown didn’t tell anyone about his son solving cases because ____________
Answer:
people wouldn’t believe that the best detective was an eighth grader.
Question 3.
What was Encyclopedia’s nickname based on?
A. His love for books
B. His knowledge of many facts
C. His father’s profession
D. His school achievements
Answer:
B. His knowledge of many facts
Question 4.
How did Chief Brown feel about telling others that his son helped him solve cases?
A. He was proud and told everyone
B. He didn’t want to tell anyone because they wouldn’t believe him
C. He was unsure about his son’s abilities
D. He was angry at his son
Answer:
(iv) B. they wouldn’t believe him.
II. At the dinner table on Tuesday night, Chief Brown stared at his cream-of-mushroom soup. Encyclopedia and his mother knew what that meant. He had a mystery he could not solve. “Tim Nolan died yesterday, ” he announced in a matter-of-fact manner. “That name is familiar,” Mrs. Brown said. “Wasn’t he mixed up in a jewellery robbery a few years ago?”
“Five years ago,” Chief Brown replied. “Two masked men held up the Diamond Mart on Sixth Avenue. They got away with a million dollars worth of jewellery. ”
“Ithought Tim Nolan was arrested, ’’Mrs. Brown said. “He was questioned, not arrested, ” Chief Brown corrected. “I always believed that Nolan and a friend, a man named Daniel Davenport, pulled the hold-ups. There wasn’t any proof, though. ” Encyclopedia sat quietly. He knew his mother and father were discussing the case for his benefit.
Question 1.
Who was believed to have pulled off the Diamond Mart robbery?
A. Tim Nolan and Daniel Davenport
B. Chief Brown and Nolan
C. Mrs. Brown and Encyclopedia
D. Two unknown strangers
Answer:
A. Tim Nolan and Daniel Davenport
Question 2.
Is the given sentence True or False? Encyclopedia understood that his parents were discussing the case for his benefit.
Answer:
True
Question 3.
Complete the sentence:
The robbery took place at the Diamond Mart on ____________
Answer:
Sixth Avenue
Question 4.
Why did Encyclopedia stay quiet during the discussion?
Answer:
He knew his parents were discussing the case for his benefit
The Case of the Fifth Word Extra Questions for Practice
Passage For Comprehension
Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow:
To tell Davenport where he had hidden the stolen jewellery, Nolan wrote a four-word code. As the key to the code, he wrote the four words on a sheet from a desk calendar.
The four words stood for days of the week. Nolan dropped the letters d-a-y. Then he used the other letters to form words. So, Nom = Monday, Utes = Tuesday, Sweden = Wednesday and Hurts – Thursday.
The unwritten fifth word was Fir, or Friday. The jewellery was found inside a twenty-gallon jug of earth from which grew the young fir tree in Nolan’s nursery—just as Encyclopedia had foreseen.
Question 1.
Where was the stolen jewellery hidden according to the code?
A. In a safe at the Diamond Mart
B. In a twenty-gallon jug of earth with a young fir tree
C. Under a loose floorboard
D. Inside a toolbox
Question 2.
What did Nolan use as the key to his four-word code?
A. A newspaper headline
B. A sheet from a desk calendar
C. A page from a dictionary
D. A map of the nursery
Question 3.
Who correctly guessed the location of the jewellery?
Question 4.
What did Nolan drop from the names of the days of the week to form the code words?
Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1.
Who died according to Chief Brown’s announcement?
Question 2.
What did Mrs. Brown say about Tim Nolan’s involvement in the robbery?
Question 3.
How much jewellery was stolen in the Diamond Mart robbery?
Question 4.
Was Tim Nolan arrested for the robbery?.
Question 5.
Who did Chief Brown believe was involved in the hold-ups?
Long Answer Type Questions
Question 1.
Why did Encyclopedia’s parents and teachers call him by his real name?
Question 2.
What does the story suggest about the value of critical thinking?
Question 3.
How does the story illustrate the theme of intelligence and youth?
Question 4.
What lessons can readers learn from Encyclopedia’s approach to solving the mystery?
Question 5.
Why did Chief Brown keep Leroy’s detective skills a secret?
Question 6.
What does the story teach about problem-solving?