The Case of the Fifth Word

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

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.

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

Answer:

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

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 ____________

1. Leroy’s nickname was Encyclopedia and everyone called him by that name because his head was full of facts from all the books he read.

2. At the dinner table on Tuesday night, Chief Brown stared at his cream-of-mushroom soup as he was stuck on a mystery he could not solve.

3. Encyclopedia sat quietly at the dinner table because he knew his parents were discussing the case so he could help.

4. Nolan put the will on the kitchen table because he was dying and wanted it to be found easily.

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

Yes, Chief Brown needed Leroy’s help because the message was difficult to understand. Leroy thought differently and found the trick using the fifth word on dictionary pages. His clever thinking helped solve the mystery.

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.

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

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 he knew his son was a very good detective, but people would not believe that a young boy could solve cases better than trained 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

(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

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

Leroy did not choose the nickname, but people 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

(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?

The message is hidden and cannot be understood by the words alone. It needs careful thinking and understanding of 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)

tell that the message was a clue to find out the stolen jewellery.

II. Answer the following questions.

1. Nolan and Davenport were very close. Support this statement with evidence from the text.

Nolan and Davenport met in prison and became close friends. After their release, they worked together on a jewelry robbery. Nolan trusted Davenport and shared a secret four-word message about the hidden loot.

2. Why did Davenport disappear right after the jewellery hold-up? What might his plans have been if Nolan had not died?

Davenport disappeared to avoid the police. He planned to meet Nolan later, use the coded message to find the stolen jewelry, and share the loot after the police stopped searching.

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

Mrs. Brown is intelligent, curious, and likes solving problems. As a teacher, she is observant and thinks carefully. Though she could not solve the puzzle, she enjoyed using logic and helped her family solve the crime.

4. Explain why Chief Brown was proud of his son.

Chief Brown was proud of Encyclopedia because he was very intelligent, observant, and good at solving problems. Though only in eighth grade, Encyclopedia solved difficult cases. His humble nature and help also earned his father’s respect.

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

Chief Brown’s suspicions were logical. Nolan and Davenport had criminal records, disappeared after the robbery, and left a strange note. These clues strongly suggested that they were involved in the crime.

6. Analyse the role of the four-word coded message in the story.

The four-word code, “Nomutes Sweden Hurts,” seemed meaningless at first. Encyclopedia solved it by using the dictionary and found the hidden clue, “Under steps,” showing his clever thinking and solving skills.

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

Leroy is a hardworking, kind, and responsible person. He is honest and helpful to others. He cares about his family and does his duties sincerely. He is also brave and determined when he faces problems. Though he may have some weaknesses, his good nature and willingness to help others make him a good and likeable person.

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.

Column 1	Column 2
1. put on	A. appeared, been discovered
2. cooled down	B. solve a problem
3. turned up	C. became normal or calmed
4. make of	D. wear (clothes, hat, etc.)
5. figure out	E. escaped without being punished
6. got away with	F. have an idea or under-standing of something

Answer:

Column 1	Column 2
1. put on	D. wear (clothes, hat, etc.)
2. cooled down	C. became normal or calmed
3. turned up	A. appeared, been discovered
4. make of	F. have an idea or under-standing of something
5. figure out	B. solve a problem
6. got away with	E. 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 _______________.

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.

Weak/Week, dyeing/dying, fore/four, piece/ peace, break/ brake

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.

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

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	1. Snowing 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. 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)

We gave him the signal that he was waiting for.

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

We went to a place where the incident occurred.

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

Teacher, who is nearly sixty, said she would retire soon.

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

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 ____________

Rohan questioned why I had stopped talking to him.

2. “Did you enjoy the family gathering yesterday?” asked my aunt.

My aunt asked ____________

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 ____________

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 ____________

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 ____________

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

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.

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.

True

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

False

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

True

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

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

Let us Speak (Pages 118-119)

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

Now, practise reading the following words.

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.

Phrases for Turn-taking

• If I may say something...

• May I draw the attention of this group...

• If I may interrupt...

• Sorry for this interruption...

• I would like to add to what (speaker) mentioned a few minutes ago...

Phrases for Expressing Agreement

• I’m totally in agreement with that...

• That’s absolutely true.

• There’s no question about that...

• I fully agree...

• I am with (speaker) on this...

Phrases for Expressing Disagreement

• I’m afraid I don’t agree...

• Not quite so...

• I’m sorry, but I don’t quite agree...

• Maybe I’m wrong...

• If you look at it this way, then...

Group Discussion: The Interesting Aspects of a Mystery Story

Moderator: Good morning, everyone. Today, we are going to discuss the interesting aspects of a mystery story. Let us hear everyone’s views. Who would like to begin?

Speaker 1: I think the suspense is the most interesting part of a mystery story. We want to know what will happen next.

Speaker 2: I fully agree. I also enjoy the clues in a mystery. We can try to solve the mystery along with the characters.

Speaker 3: If I may say something, I think the unexpected twists make mystery stories exciting. The ending is often different from what we expect.

Speaker 4: I’m totally in agreement with that. I also like the characters who investigate the mystery. Their intelligence and courage make the story interesting.

Speaker 5: I’m afraid I don’t agree completely. For me, the setting is very important. A dark house, an old building, or a lonely place can make the story more mysterious.

Speaker 1: If I may interrupt, I would like to add that solving the puzzle is also enjoyable. Readers get a chance to use their own thinking skills.

Speaker 2: That’s absolutely true. We look for clues and make guesses while reading.

Moderator: These are all good points. We have discussed suspense, clues, twists, characters, setting, and solving the mystery. All these elements make a mystery story interesting and keep readers engaged.

Moderator: Thank you, everyone, for sharing your ideas. We can try reading more mystery stories and discuss how the writers create suspense.

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:

Report on Inter-school Art Exhibition

Inter-school Art Exhibition
By a Member of the Art and Craft Club

Our school organised an Inter-school Art Exhibition on 20 August 2026 in the school hall. Students from five nearby schools took part in the exhibition.

Many beautiful paintings, drawings, crafts, and models were displayed. The main themes were nature, Indian culture, and saving the environment. Students and teachers visited the exhibition and praised the artwork.

A small prize-giving ceremony was held at the end. The best artworks were given prizes and certificates. The exhibition was a great success and gave students a chance to show their creativity and talent.

Submitted by:
A Member
Art and Craft Club

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:

1. Teach / Learn

2. Hate / Love

3. Good / Evil

4. Tree / Woman

5. Man / Bird

6. Pillars / People

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.

Set 1: Book

(i) I have a spine but no bones, and countless leaves without a tree.

(ii) Open me up, and I can take you to another world without moving a step.

(iii) I am filled with printed words and cover stories from front to back.

Set 2: Clock

(i) I have a face that never smiles and hands that never hold anything.

(ii) I run all day and night, yet I never leave my spot on the wall.

(iii) My steady ticking and numbers tell you when it is time for class.

Set 3: Pencil

(i) I am sharp at the start, but I get shorter and smaller the more I work.

(ii) If I make a mistake, my rubber cap can easily wipe it away.

(iii) I am made of wood with lead inside, used every day to write and sketch.

Set 4: School Bag

(i) I start the day completely stuffed and grow light by the time you reach home.

(ii) I have several zippered mouths to swallow your daily gear.

(iii) You strap me onto your shoulders every morning to carry your books.

Set 5: Water Bottle

(i) I have a neck without a head and wear a tight cap on top.

(ii) I am hollow inside, waiting to be filled whenever you head out.

(iii) Students reach for me right after games period to quench their thirst.

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.

An encyclopedia is a reference book that gives information about many subjects. It contains facts, explanations, and background knowledge. Topics are usually arranged in alphabetical order. Encyclopedias may cover many subjects or focus on one subject, such as animals, science, or history.

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.

Brave – courageous, bold, fearless
Small – little, tiny, short
Begin – start, commence, open
Difficult – hard, tough, challenging
Quiet – silent, peaceful, calm