NCERT Solutions Class 7, English, Honeycomb, Prose, Chapter- 6, Expert Detectives.
Comprehension Check
1. What did Nishad give Mr Nath? Why?
Solution:
Nishad gave a bar of chocolate to Mr. Nath. He did so because he wanted to peep into his room and his trunk.
2. What is “strange” about Mr Nath’s Sundays?
Solution:
On every Sunday, Mr. Nath was with a tall, fair, stout man wearing spectacles in his room who used to talk a lot unlike Mr. Nath.
3. Why did Nishad and Maya get a holiday?
Solution:
They got a holiday as the school did not open because of heavy rain. The streets were flooded and there was an unexpected holiday.
Working with the Text
1. What does Nishad find out about Mr Nath from Ramesh? Arrange the information as suggested below.
- What he eats
- When he eats
- What he drinks, and when
- How he pays
Solution:
- He is not very particular about what he eats. It is always the same food—two chapatis, some dal and a vegetable.
- Mr. Nath takes two meals every morning and evening.
- He drinks two cups of tea, one in the morning and one in the evening.
- He pays by cash and tips well.
2. Why does Maya think Mr Nath is a crook? Who does she say the Sunday visitor is?
Solution:
Maya thinks that Mr. Nath is a crook because he is strange, unfriendly and does not receive letters. She thinks that he is an escaped criminal having a lot of money looted by him. Moreover, he does not work and sits in his room all day. Regarding the spectacled visitor who visits Mr. Nath on Sundays Maya thinks that he must be his accomplice or a helper in crime.
3. Does Nishad agree with Maya about Mr Nath? How does he feel about him?
Solution:
No, Nishad didn't agree with Maya about Mr. Nath. He felt that he must be so lonely and wanted to have friends. He said that he was not a criminal because he was so thin and looked poor and starving.
He argued with Maya that he can't be a bad man if he gave Ramesh such generous tips.
Working with Language
1. The word ‘tip’ has only three letters but many meanings. Match the word with its meanings below.
(i) finger tips – be about to say something
(ii) the tip of your nose – make the boat overturn
(iii) tip the water out of – the ends of one’s fingers the bucket
(iv) have something on – give a rupee to him, the tip of your tongue to thank him
(v) tip the boat over – empty a bucket by tilting it
(vi) tip him a rupee – the pointed end of your nose
(vii) the tip of the bat – if you take this advice
(viii) the police were – the bat lightly touched tipped off the ball
(ix) if you take my tip – the end of the bat
(x) the bat tipped the ball – the police were told, or warned
Solution:
(i) finger tips - the end of one's fingers
(ii) the tip of your nose - the pointed end of your nose
(iii) tip the water out of the bucket - empty a bucket tilting
(iv) have something on the tip of your tongue - be about to say something
(v) tip the bot over - make the boat overturn
(vi) tip him a rupee - give a rupee to him, to thank him
(vii) the tip of the bat - the end of the bat
(viii) the police were tipped of - the police were told, or warned
(ix) if you take my tip - if you take this advice
(x) the bat tipped the ball - the bat lightly touched the ball
2. The words helper, companion, partner and accomplice have very similar meanings, but each word is typically used in certain phrases. Can you fill in the blanks below with the most commonly used words? A dictionary may help you.
(i) business ...............
(ii) my ................ on the journey
(iii) I’m mother’s little ....................... .
(iv) a faithful ..................... such as a dog
(v) the thief’s .......................
(vi) find a good ......................
(vii) tennis/ golf / bridge ...................
(viii) his .................... in his criminal activities
Solution:
(i) business partner
(ii) my companion on the journey
(iii) I'm mother's little helper
(iv) a faithful companion such as a dog
(v) the thief's accomplice
(vi) find a good helper
(vii) tennis/golf/bridge partner
(viii) his accomplice in his criminal activities
3. Now let us look at the uses of the word break. Match the word with its meanings below. Try to find at least three other ways in which to use the word.
(i) The storm broke – could not speak; was too sad to speak
(ii) daybreak – this kind of weather ended
(iii) His voice is beginning – it began or burst to break into activity
(iv) Her voice broke and – the beginning of daylight she cried
(v) The heat wave broke – changing as he grows up
(vi) broke the bad news – end it by making the workers submit
(vii) break a strike – gently told someone the bad news
Solution:
(i) The storm broke – it began or burst into activity
(ii) daybreak – the beginning of daylight
(iii) His voice is beginning to break – changing as he grows up
(iv) Her voice broke and she cried – could not speak; was too sad to speak
(v) The heat wave broke – this kind of weather ended
(vi) broke the bad news – gently told someone the bad news
(vii) break a strike – end it by making the workers submit
Speaking
1. Play detectives with each other. Find a person in your class (or some other acquaintance) to speak to. Find out the answers to the questions given below. Be careful to ask your questions in a polite and inoffensive way. Do not force the person to answer you. Then allow the person to ask you the same questions.
(i) Name?
(ii) What newspapers or magazines does the person read?
(iii) How long has the person lived at the current address?
(iv) What does she/he do during the day, i.e. the daily routine?
(v) What do neighbours and friends say about the person?
(vi) Who are his/her visitors and what are his/her eating
habits? (You can ask a few others about this.)
(vii) What do you think about the person
Solution:
The answers will be different from each other. Still a specimen of possible answers is given below :
(i) The person’s name is ..
(ii) He reads India Today, Outlook and Readers’ Digest etc.
(iii) That is his permanent address or he has been living here for…… years.
(iv) His daily routine is working and playing games and going to various places for marketing.
(v) Neighbours and friends find the person very friendly and ever ready to help others.
(vi) His visitors are mostly his colleagues. He is very careless about his diet. He drinks hard liquour at least twice a week. But he remains well-behaved. Usually he likes Chinese or fast food.
(vii) I think the person seems to be a nice and helpful person. I have never found him fighting with anybody.