• 1. that was not the case→(iii) situation
• 2. the case taken up in court→(iv) matter
• 3. my pencil case→(ii) container
• 4. written in title case→(i) writing format

In the title, ‘case’ means (iv) a matter / mystery being investigated by a detective.

…his head was filled with facts from A to Z, just like an encyclopedia. He had read more books than anyone in Idaville and never forgot a fact, so his pals said he was like a library and a computer rolled into one.

…he had a mystery (case) that he could not solve. Encyclopedia and his mother knew that whenever he stared silently at his food, a baffling case was troubling him.

…he knew that his mother and father were discussing the case for his benefit. He listened patiently and gathered every fact so that he could help solve the mystery.

…he realised he was dying after his stroke and wanted to leave everything he owned — the palm-tree nursery and the secret clue to the hidden jewellery — to his partner Davenport. With his last strength he placed the will (with the coded calendar sheet) where it would surely be found.

Yes. The clue was a coded message — four strange words (Nom Utes Sweden Hurts) that neither Chief Brown nor even Mrs. Brown (a former English teacher) could decode. Only Leroy’s vast knowledge and sharp critical thinking could crack the simple-but-clever code and reveal where the jewellery was hidden.

Extra word not needed: gentle.

…he was extremely proud that his own son was the best detective alive, yet he could not tell anyone — because no one would believe that the greatest detective was just an eighth-grade boy. Having such a remarkable secret and being unable to share it is what made his situation so unusual.

C. He desires to blend in with the other boys to prevent seeming different.

C. They want him to be remembered as different from the others around. This is false — by using his real name, Leroy, the parents actually want him to feel like an ordinary child, not different.

It means the nickname had become permanently attached to him and he could not get rid of it. Whether he liked it or not, everyone (except his parents and teachers) kept calling him “Encyclopedia,” and there was nothing he could do to change it.

B. He is confused, unable to make sense of the words.

True. She defined each word literally (nominative, the Utes tribe, the country Sweden, hurts) but missed the secret code hidden inside them.

It suggests the message was a cleverly disguised code. The words look meaningless on the surface and make sense only to someone who already knows they are searching for a hiding place — exactly as Encyclopedia said. Even an educated, intelligent person like Mrs. Brown could be misled by the literal meanings.

…suggest that the coded message was meant for Davenport. By reminding everyone that Davenport had disappeared right after the hold-up, Leroy steers them towards the idea that Nolan was secretly signalling his partner.

Several details prove their closeness:

• They met in prison in South Carolina and became friendly because of shared interests.
• Davenport came to live with Nolan a week before the jewellery hold-up.
• They pulled the hold-ups together and decided to hide the loot together.
• Nolan’s will left everything, including his nursery, to Davenport — and with his dying breath he tried to tell Davenport where the jewellery was hidden.

Davenport disappeared to avoid being caught or questioned by the police. His plan was to lie low until things “cooled down,” then quietly return and collect his share of the hidden jewellery. Had Nolan not died suddenly, the two would have waited safely and divided the loot once the case was forgotten.

It shows that Mrs. Brown is intelligent, curious and well-educated (she had taught English and other subjects). She follows the facts closely, asks the right questions and even tries to decode the message herself — revealing a sharp, engaged and thoughtful mind.

Chief Brown was proud because Leroy was the best detective alive despite being only an eighth-grader. He solved cases that even the trained police could not, using his enormous knowledge and clever reasoning — and he did it quietly, before dinner was even over.

The circumstantial evidence strongly pointed to Nolan and Davenport: they had met in prison; Davenport moved in just a week before the robbery; a clerk thought she recognised Nolan; Davenport vanished afterwards; no jewellery was ever found; and finally the will plus the coded message proved their secret partnership. Together these clues made his hunch reasonable and well-founded.

The coded message is the heart of the mystery. It was Nolan’s dying message to tell Davenport where the stolen jewellery was hidden. The four words (days of the week minus “day”) point to the missing fifth day — Friday → “Fir” — revealing that the jewellery lay under the young fir tree. The code drives the entire plot and gives Encyclopedia the chance to display his brilliance.

Encyclopedia was a knowledgeable eighth-grader who never forgot a fact that he read. His head was like a library, and his friends compared him to a computer. Yet he was humble — he never boasted about helping his father solve cases and only wished to seem like an ordinary boy. He was a keen listener, sitting quietly to absorb every detail at the dinner table. Above all, he was remarkably clever, usually needing just one question to crack a case before dessert. Knowledge, humility, attentiveness and sharp reasoning made Leroy a truly extraordinary young detective.

• 1. put on→(iv) wear (clothes, hat, etc.)
• 2. cooled down→(iii) became normal or calmed
• 3. turned up→(i) appeared, been discovered
• 4. make of→(vi) have an idea/understanding of something
• 5. figure out→(ii) solve a problem
• 6. got away with→(v) escaped without being punished

A. Finally, some important evidence about the case has turned up.

B. After I cooled down, I understood that I had made a big mistake.

C. I couldn’t figure out why he was angry with me.

D. He put on his special coat and went to his friend’s birthday party.

E. Ravi forgets to do his homework but he got away with it as the teacher didn’t ask for it that day.

F. I do not know what to make of his behaviour.

1. After running 50 kilometres last week, I felt weak for two days.

2. When the committee met yesterday, they brought four local cases to the fore.

3. While learning to drive, Rina used too much force on the brake, causing the car to break down.

4. He has composed a beautiful piece of music in order to bring peace to thousands of people.

5. She was busy dyeing her hair, not caring about the dying flowers in her garden.

Detective stories are exciting, keeping readers guessing who the real culprit is. They take place in settings where clues are hidden carefully. Though the mystery seems tricky, a clever detective always finds answers. Readers often wonder why criminals leave small but important clues. The challenge is to decide which suspect is guilty. When the truth is revealed, everything makes sense. But one may wonder if they could have solved it themselves. These stories are fun because they make readers think till the very end.

Extra words not needed: whose, how.

1. We gave him the signal that he was waiting for. (example)

2. We went to a place where the incident occurred.

3. The teacher, who is now nearly sixty, said she would retire soon.

4. It was the day when half the class was absent.

(i) Mrs. Brown asked what was suspicious about that.

(ii) Mrs. Brown questioned Leroy what he made of the four words.

(iii) Mrs. Brown inquired whether he had been mixed up in a jewellery robbery a few years before.

(iv) Mrs. Brown asked Chief Brown whether he had searched Nolan’s house.

(v) Mrs. Brown inquired whether there was a young fir tree in Mr. Nolan’s palm-tree nursery.

1. Rohan questioned why I had stopped talking to him.

2. My aunt asked whether I had enjoyed the family gathering the day before.

3. My grandmother inquired when I would visit them again.

4. Madavi asked Ravi whether he would go with her to meet their old teacher the following day.

5. My friend inquired what gift I was planning to give my brother.

6. Veenu asked her teacher whether she should carry those notebooks to the staffroom.

1. Aditi asked Rahul whether he had seen anyone leave a package near the lift.

2. Aditi asked Rahul what time he had seen that happen.

3. Aditi further inquired whether he had been able to see his face.

1. Observation skills help improve your common sense. — False (they make you more aware, help you decide better and improve memory).

2. Rushing through tasks helps you focus better and observe more. — False (rushing causes missed details; you should slow down).

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

4. Incorporating these tips will soon lead to success. — False (it leads to noticing things you never noticed before).

1. It is important to slow down and take your time to notice several aspects around you more clearly.

2. The more senses like hearing and smelling you use, the more information you absorb.

3. People who are curious tend to be better observers.

4. When you make a note of things, it helps reinforce the details in your memory.

5. Practising mindfulness helps a person stay engaged with their surroundings.

1. I would love to have a magic carpet, because it would let me travel anywhere in the world quickly and explore new places without spending money.

2. With a magic paint brush I would draw books, school bags and warm clothes for children who cannot afford them — so that no child goes without learning or care.

3. Yes, I would use it for others, because a gift that helps the needy brings far greater joy than using it only for myself.

Things: paintbrush, fortress, feast, twig

Actions: winding, drawing, bows

Emotions / feelings: joy, fear, cold

1. Initially the tone is playful and innocent (Gopi draws in the sand).

2. When the Zamindar enters, the tone shifts to tension and suspense.

3. In the final part the tone becomes triumphant and celebratory as Gopi escapes and the villagers rejoice.

1. The poem mostly follows a simple rhyme scheme — ABCB — which adds a rhythmic flow (e.g. rice / nice rhyme in lines 2 & 4).

2. This poem belongs to the narrative (or ballad) poetry genre, as it tells a story through verse.

For example — “She paints a mighty river wide, / Its currents fast and deep.” The words create a clear picture of a huge, rushing river. (Other examples: “Paint gold and rubies, emeralds bright” or “A feast of sweets and tea.”)

The repetition emphasises the threat and points the warning at each and every one of the Zamindar’s men, not just one person. It builds a sense of fear, urgency and drama, making the warning sound forceful and frightening.

• 1. The magic paintbrush→(iii) the power of art & imagination to change the world
• 2. The grand fortress→(i) greed and the desire for wealth
• 3. The river and the beast→(ii) barriers to protect Gopi from the Zamindar’s anger

“While Gopi uses the magic brush to help others, the Zamindar wants to use it for personal gain. This contrast drives the moral of the story.” — True.

careful and secretive nature.

It marks the secret, trusting handover of a precious magical gift. Done quietly so the village would not know, it shows the man has chosen Gopi specially and is entrusting her with great power — and the responsibility to use it for good (only for the poor).

…wants the magic to help the needy who cannot afford basic things, rather than make the rich even richer. He believes the gift should serve kindness and fairness, not greed.

A. The Magic Brush’s Secret — the whole extract stresses keeping the brush hidden (“Hush! We mustn’t let the village know”).

…magical power and wonder. The extraordinary magic — painted things turning real — was so amazing that word of it travelled everywhere.

Because the things Gopi painted magically came to life and became real, useful gains for the people — food, tools, clothes and more, all obtained through the power of the brush rather than by ordinary means.

B is false. The Zamindar did not request Gopi — he ordered/commanded her. Corrected: “The Zamindar orders/commands Gopi to paint a grand fortress and jewels.” (He says, “I order you to paint for me…”)

It reveals that he is greedy, arrogant, selfish and power-hungry. He wants riches “enough to rule this land,” showing a hunger for wealth and domination rather than any concern for others.

Gopi had sworn to use the brush only to help the poor and needy. The Zamindar wanted it out of pure greed and lust for power. By refusing, she kept her promise and protected the true purpose of the gift. Helping a cruel, greedy ruler would have betrayed the man’s trust and harmed the poor — so her refusal was both honest and brave.

Her action is justified as self-defence — she only threatened, without actually harming anyone, in order to escape a powerful tyrant and protect herself and the villagers. It was a clever, non-violent way to drive him off. (Personal:) I might first have tried painting a tall wall or a thick forest to block their path, giving the men a chance to turn back peacefully before any threat was needed.

It shows the victory of good and kindness over greed and cruelty, and celebrates community and shared joy. Gopi uses her gift not for herself but for everyone’s happiness — a feast, music and songs of victory — reinforcing the poem’s message that true power lies in helping others.

She is principled, honest, brave and compassionate. She stands firmly by her values even when threatened with prison, showing she cannot be frightened or tempted into doing wrong.

The title “The Magic Brush of Dreams” is apt because the brush magically turns wishes and dreams into reality — food for the hungry, tools for workers, and freedom for Gopi. It represents hope, imagination and the power to make people’s dreams come true, which is exactly what the poem is about.

I would paint clean water, hospitals and homes for people who have none, schools and books for children, and green trees to fight pollution. Like Gopi, I would use it only to help those in need and to make the world kinder and healthier.

• 1. His speech drew loud applause→(iii) got a reaction
• 2. will draw huge crowds→(iv) attract
• 3. Plants draw water from the soil→(vi) absorb
• 4. the train was drawing into the station→(v) moving
• 5. she drew the curtains→(i) opened
• 6. drew a piece of paper from the folder→(ii) pulled out

• 1. Phew!→(v) relief
• 2. Eek!→(vii) alarm
• 3. Ouch!→(ii) pain
• 4. Yippee!→(vi) delight
• 5. Whoa!→(i) surprise
• 6. Oops!→(iii) mistake
• 7. Hey!→(iv) attract attention

Sample sentences: Phew! The exam is finally over. Ouch! That really hurt my finger. Yippee! We won the match! Whoa! That building is enormous. Oops! I spilled the water by mistake.

Natural: 1, 3, 7, and 8

Man-made: 2, 4, 5, and 6

This is a prediction activity, so answers may vary with the photos. (The living root bridge in #1 is sometimes counted as man-made, since people grow it; an ice-stupa in #4 may also be classed either way.)

India is home to several rare species of flora and fauna that thrive in its diverse ecosystems.

It suggests these phenomena are strange, surprising and mysterious — examples of nature behaving in extraordinary, hard-to-explain ways. They are not ordinary sights; they “mystify” us and spark our imagination.

A. inspiration ; creativity. Just as a spark ignites the imagination, inspiration ignites creativity (the same “trigger → faculty” relationship).

True.

…engage the reader’s curiosity and create a sense of suspense. The question “what if there’s a sea that disappears?” hooks the reader and prepares them for the surprising content.

A. Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A). The sea seems to disappear precisely because the tide retreats far during ebb tide.

B. one of its kind.

It conveys that the sea playfully hides and reappears, like a game. The water retreats far away during low tide (hiding) and returns during high tide (seeking), so visitors watch it vanish and come back — a fun, mysterious and surprising sight.

They provide a natural, strong and lasting way to cross rivers and waterways, especially during the heavy monsoons when bamboo and wooden bridges quickly rotted away. Grown from intertwined roots, they cost no building materials, are eco-friendly, can last for hundreds of years, and reflect the people’s deep knowledge of their land and culture — solving an age-old problem.

It is the only crater in India formed in basaltic rock by a meteorite impact, and it ranks among the largest such craters in the world. Its perfectly circular shape holds a unique saline lake, making it a rare blend of celestial (meteorite) impact and terrestrial beauty.

To celebrate the diversity, mystery and beauty of India’s natural heritage, to spark the reader’s wonder and curiosity, to fill us with pride, and to encourage exploration, eco-tourism and the protection of these places — blending scientific intrigue with the magic of folklore.

It makes the writing lively and engaging. The questions arouse curiosity and create suspense, while the vivid descriptions paint clear mental pictures. Together they draw readers in and make them eager to learn more about each wonder.

I found the Chandipur Beach the most interesting, because the idea of a sea that vanishes for kilometres and then returns feels truly magical. It is amazing that something as ordinary as the tide can create such a mysterious, “disappearing” wonder.

1. I have read many stories to name a few.

2. Do you know when this little town came into existence?

3. His hard work has helped him to no end.

4. There are no simple solutions to the age-old problem of traffic jams.

5. He opened the ancient wooden box and stared at the treasure in disbelief.

6. The garden is in full glory in spring with lots of beautiful flowers in bloom.

1. mysterious, puzzling, baffling → enigmatic

2. mighty, gigantic, huge → colossal

3. breath-taking, stunning, awe-inspiring → spectacular

4. peaceful, calm, tranquil → serene

5. unusual, peculiar, foreign → exotic

• 1. odds and ends→(vii) small, unimportant things
• 2. on and off→(v) sometimes, occasionally
• 3. mix and match→(i) put different things together for a range of possibilities
• 4. all or nothing→(viii) done completely or not at all
• 5. part and parcel→(ii) complete part of or belong to
• 6. pick and choose→(iii) choose only the best
• 7. sooner or later→(iv) at some time in the future
• 8. leaps and bounds→(vi) increase or develop very quickly

Sample sentence: The city has grown by leaps and bounds in the last ten years.

1. The glowing marble monument looks even more spectacular in the moonlight.

2. The amazing view of the Himalayas from Darjeeling attracts visitors from all over the world.

3. The Sun Temple in Konark features intricately carved stone wheels and walls.

4. Standing at a height of 182 m, the Statue of Unity is dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

5. The scattered islands of the Andaman and Nicobar offer some of the cleanest beaches in India.

1. Dancing is a great way to express emotions. — G (example)

2. Travelling can broaden your perspective. — G

3. The falling leaves signalled the arrival of autumn. — P

4. She enjoys cooking new recipes for her family. — G

5. Reading helps improve your vocabulary. — G

6. He watched the shimmering stars in the night sky. — P

7. Forgetting the keys inside, Kanchan locked the door. — P

1. Entering the room, Nitesh saw his friend sitting in the corner. (example)

2. Walking carelessly, Smitha slipped on the doormat.

3. Sleeping for eight hours is good for health.

4. Feeling happy about the result, Ranjith called his parents.

5. After being encouraged by her father, Meena joined the course.

1. The brother was taken aback to see the posted pictures. — False (he simply “liked” them; the sister couldn’t believe her eyes).

2. The brother admitted to not knowing about his sister’s favourite picture. — True

3. The sister stated that the rainbow mountain was like any other mountain. — False

4. The brother was aware of the reason for the formation of colours on the mountain. — True

5. The brother was surprised to learn the mountain was covered with snow till recently. — True

6. The sister understood nature’s role in the beauty of the mountain. — True

So the four true statements are 2, 4, 5 and 6.

The glowing insect is a firefly (also called a glow-worm). In Hindi it is commonly called jugnu (जुगनू). Like the sea micro-planktons, it produces its own light through a chemical reaction in its body — bioluminescence.