CBSE Class 8 English The Case of the Fifth Word Worksheet Set 01

Fill in the Blanks

Question. The four words penned by Nolan were a code for the days of the __________ with “day” removed.
Answer: week
Explanation: The words stood for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, which are regular days of the week.

Question. Chief Brown could not __________ the puzzle of the four words.
Answer: figure out
Explanation: "Figure out" means to understand or solve something that seems tricky and confusing.

Question. Nolan and Davenport connected while they were both in __________ in South Carolina.
Answer: prison
Explanation: Both men became friends and planned their future crimes while locked up in jail together.

Question. Mrs. Brown could not solve Nolan's message, showing that the clue was intended for __________.
Answer: Davenport
Explanation: Nolan made the secret clue specially for his crime partner Davenport, not for ordinary people to solve.

True or False

Question. Leroy often boasted about helping his father solve mysteries.
Answer: False
Explanation: Leroy was very modest and quiet. He never showed off or bragged about helping his dad crack cases.

Question. The stolen loot was eventually found inside a young fir tree in Nolan’s nursery.
Answer: True
Explanation: Encyclopedia figured out that "fir" was the missing clue, and the police found the hidden jewels right under that fir tree.

Question. Chief Brown’s suspicion was based on evidence found at the crime scene.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Chief had no hard proof at the crime scene; he only had a strong inner feeling that the thieves hid the loot nearby.

Question. Mrs. Brown was able to unravel the meaning of “Nom Utes Sweden Hurts” herself.
Answer: False
Explanation: Mrs. Brown thought the words were grammar rules, tribes, and countries, so she could not solve the secret puzzle.

Vocabulary Activity - "Guess the Word"

Question. Define “hold-up” as mentioned in the chapter.
Answer: An armed robbery where criminals use weapons or threats of force to steal valuables.
Explanation: A hold-up is when bad people threaten others with weapons so they can take away money or jewellery.

Question. What does the word “stroke” mean in the context of the story?
Answer: A sudden serious medical condition in the brain that can cause a person to lose the ability to move or speak.
Explanation: A stroke is a sudden sickness that makes someone very weak and unable to move parts of their body.

Questions / Short Question Answers

Question. Who is Encyclopedia Brown and where does he reside?
Answer: Encyclopedia Brown is a clever young boy detective who lives in the town of Idaville, USA.
Explanation: Leroy Brown is an eighth-grader in Idaville who loves reading books and helps solve police cases.

Question. What made Chief Brown gaze at his soup on Tuesday night?
Answer: He was deeply worried and lost in thought over an unsolved robbery case.
Explanation: When people are thinking very hard about a tough problem, they often stare blankly at their food.

Question. Why did Nolan distrusted in the story?
Answer: Nolan was suspected because he was involved in past robberies with Davenport and left behind a secret coded message before dying.
Explanation: The police thought Nolan was guilty because he hung out with robbers and left a secret puzzle on his desk.

Question. Who is the speaker of the first line and to whom is she talking?
Answer: Mrs. Brown is speaking to her son, Encyclopedia Brown.
Explanation: Leroy's mother is talking to him at the dinner table about the strange words written on the paper.

Question. What was the secret message Nolan wrote?
Answer: The coded message was “Nom Utes Sweden Hurts,” scribbled on a desk calendar page.
Explanation: Nolan wrote four funny-looking words on a calendar sheet to hide where he buried the stolen treasure.

Question. Why was Davenport’s vanishing suspicious?
Answer: His disappearance occurred immediately after the jewellery hold-up, suggesting he fled to escape arrest.
Explanation: Running away right after a crime happens makes everyone believe that person helped commit the crime.

Question. What does “I can’t figure it out” show about the speaker’s understanding?
Answer: It shows that Mrs. Brown could only understand the words literally and could not decode the hidden meaning.
Explanation: Mrs. Brown tried her best, but she could not find the secret message hidden behind the words.

Question. How did Encyclopedia Brown crack the case?
Answer: He logically realized the four words represented days of the week, meaning the missing fifth word, "Friday" (fir), pointed to the fir tree hiding spot.
Explanation: Leroy noticed the days of the week pattern and knew "Friday" meant the jewels were under a young fir tree.

Question. Why did everyone call Leroy by the title “Encyclopedia”?
Answer: Because he read more books than anyone else and remembered every single fact, just like an encyclopedia.
Explanation: An encyclopedia is a giant book of facts, and Leroy's head was packed with facts just like that book!

Question. What were Nolan's and Davenport's criminal connections?
Answer: They were partners in crime who carried out robberies together and planned to hide the loot until things cooled down.
Explanation: Both men were criminal partners who hid stolen jewellery until the police stopped looking closely.

Question. How does the story present Encyclopedia Brown’s character?
Answer: The story presents him as an extraordinary eighth-grader who is knowledgeable, observant, humble, and never boasts about his brilliance.
Explanation: Leroy is super smart and solves big mysteries, but he stays polite, calm, and never brags.

Question. Name the literary device used when Mrs Brown explains each word literally.
Answer: Literal interpretation (and dramatic irony).
Explanation: Mrs. Brown thinks about normal dictionary meanings instead of seeing the secret word game.

Question. How did Mrs. Brown explain the coded message?
Answer: She interpreted the words literally, treating “Nom” as nominative, “Utes” as a tribe, “Sweden” as a country, and “Hurts” as physical pain.
Explanation: She read the words like a school teacher, so she missed the fun weekday puzzle hidden inside.

Question. Who is being told to “see for yourself”?
Answer: Chief Brown is being urged by his son, Encyclopedia Brown.
Explanation: Leroy is asking his father to look closely at the paper to discover the clever secret pattern.

Question. What traits helped Encyclopedia Brown solve the case?
Answer: His sharp observation, logical thinking, calm attitude, and ability to connect the words with the calendar helped him decode the clue.
Explanation: Leroy stayed calm, looked at small clues carefully, and used his brain like a puzzle master.

Question. Why did Chief Brown move his head from side to side?
Answer: He shook his head because he was completely puzzled and could not make any sense of the message.
Explanation: People shake their heads when they feel stuck and cannot solve a difficult problem.

Question. What does the story show about children’s intelligence?
Answer: It shows that children can be just as smart or even more perceptive than adults because their minds are flexible and creative.
Explanation: Kids can think outside the box and solve tricky riddles that adults miss because kids have open minds.

Question. What conclusion can be drawn about Encyclopedia’s thinking process from this moment?
Answer: It shows that he thinks deeply, spots patterns instantly, and works out solutions in his head before speaking.
Explanation: Leroy's mind works very quickly, connecting clues in seconds without panicking.

Question. What life lesson does the story The Case of the Fifth Word teach readers?
Answer: It teaches that careful observation, sharp logic, and humility are powerful tools, and that one should never underestimate young minds.
Explanation: Being quiet, observant, and thoughtful helps you solve big problems, and children can do great things.

Question. What do the four words truly indicate according to Encyclopedia?
Answer: They represent the days Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with "day" removed and letters scrambled.
Explanation: The words are just shortened names of weekdays written down as a secret code.

Question. What does Chief Brown’s question “They do?” reveal about his state of mind?
Answer: It shows his surprise, confusion, and amazement at how easily his son understood the clue.
Explanation: The police chief was shocked that a schoolboy could spot the answer so fast.

Question. Name the literary device in the repetition of “They do?”
Answer: Repetition for emphasis.
Explanation: Repeating words makes the dialogue feel natural and shows how surprised a person is.

Question. What does this brief exchange reveal about the relationship between father and son?
Answer: It reveals mutual love, trust, and deep respect, showing the father values his son's brilliant mind.
Explanation: Chief Brown and Leroy have a warm family bond, and the dad respects how clever his son is.

Question. Why did Encyclopedia’s father never inform anyone about his son’s help in solving cases?
Answer: He feared no one would believe an eighth-grader was the best detective in town, and he wanted to protect his son's normal life.
Explanation: Chief Brown wanted Leroy to enjoy being a normal kid without everyone making a huge fuss over him.

Question. How did Encyclopedia learn there was a young fir tree in Nolan’s nursery?
Answer: After deducing that the fifth word was "Friday" (fir), he asked his father a specific question to confirm its presence in the nursery.
Explanation: Once Leroy figured out the word sounded like "fir," he checked with his dad to see if a fir tree was planted there.