Expert Detectives

NCERT Solutions for Class 7th: Ch 6 Expert Detectives Honeycomb

Sharada Dwivedi

Page No: 89

Comprehension Check

1. What did Nishad give Mr Nath? Why?

Answer

Nishad gave a bar of chocolate to Mr. Naphtha because he thought that Mr. Nath was poor and starving.

2. What is “strange” about Mr Nath’s Sundays?

Answer

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?

Answer

The monsoon broke and flooded the streets with a heavy downpour. Therefore, no traffic could move through the flooded roads so Nishad and Maya got an unexpected holiday.

Page No: 93

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

Answer

Nishad finds out from Ramesh that Mr. Nath  took two meals in a day every morning and evening. He was not particular about what he eats, it's always the same food - two chapattis, some dal and a vegetable. He drank two cups of tea, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  He pays cash and tips well.

Page No: 94

2. Why does Maya think Mr Nath is a crook? Who does she say the Sunday visitor is?

Answer

Maya thought that Mr. Nath was a crook because of his strange appearence and he did not work. He never talked to anyone at Shankar House though he had been living there for more than a year. He had scars on his face which according to Maya, must have been the burn scars which would have got when police had set his house on fire. Moreover, he didn't receive any letters and had only one visitor to visit him.
She said that the Sunday visitor must be his accomplice in crime and he came every now and then to give part of it to his partner.

3. Does Nishad agree with Maya about Mr Nath? How does he feel about him?

Answer

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

Answer

(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

Answer

(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

Answer

(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