The
Case of the Sharp-Eyed Jeweller
(By
Nicolas Bentley)
Word Meaning
1. Undertaker a person whose job is to prepare dead
bodies for cremation
2. Yankee American
3. Filigree made from delicate twisted silver
wire
4. Turquoise a bluish green stone
5. Rinkets small items of jewellery
6. Mend repair
7. Extraordinary uncommon, out of ordinary
8. Detective spy
10. Foils hampers
11. Virtue goodness
12. Pastime amusement
13. Unusual uncommon
Q:1 How does the narrator introduce himself in the
story?
Ans: The narrator- William Morris, an assistant at
Regnier’s very humbly introduces himself as an ordinary man. He claims to use
his common sense and power of observation to the full. He talks about his love
for watching people closely and reading detective stories.
Q:2 What was narrator’s hobby ? In what way was it a
‘little out of the ordinary’?
Ans The narrator’s hobby was the study of crime and
criminals. Ordinarily, people do not have such off-beat hobbies. This hobby
demanded a keen power of observation and full use of common sense. Normal
hobbies have no such requirement,hence his hobby was a little out of the
ordinary.
Q:3 Describe the young woman standing on the opposite
side of the street. What was strange about her?
Ans: The lady stood staring into the undertaker’s
show- window for fifteen to twenty minutes. This behaviour seemed to be very
odd to the narrator as there was nothing but some photographs of grave-stones
and two urns for holding the ashes of the dead which had nothing interesting to
offer.
Q:4 Why did the disappearance of the flower ring upset
Mr Regnier?
Ans: The ring was extremely beautiful with diamonds
and rubies set in the shape of a flower. Being three centuries old, it was very
expensive and Mr Regnier had a great fascination for it. Hence its
disappearance upset him.
Q:5 How did the young woman’s entry into the shop at
the time when they were searching for
the ring strike the narrator by surprise?
Ans: The young woman had been outside Regnier’s for a
good fifteen to twenty minutes. Her entry at such a criminal time when the ring
was being searched for , appeared to be odd to the narrator who couldn’t take
it as purely coincidental.
Q:6 Why did the lady purposely drop the wrapping of
the brooch and pose it to be accident ?
Or
“I say as if by accident because in fact it was no
accident at all. It was a cunning trick.” What cunning trick had the young
woman played?
Ans: Being a part of the well-made plan of stealing
the ring from Regnier’s, the lady posed to drop the wrapping accidently to gain
time to take off the ring from below the counter where the American had stuck
it with chewing gum.
Q:7 Why was Mr.
Regnier’s face turned white as a sheet when he came out of the office?
Ans : Regnier’s
face turned white as a sheet as having recovered nothing from the American , he
felt guilty for harassing an innocent and respectable American. Moreover the
loss of such a beautiful and an expensive ring also troubled him.
Q:8 What was Mr. Regnier’s reaction on learning that
the ring had been found?
Ans: On seeing the ring Mr Regnier was extremely astonished.
His joy knew no bounds and his expression of gratitude was clearly visible.
Curious to know the entire story, he sank into a chair almost gasping.
Q:9 Explain the message of the story.
Ans:
The story conveys the message that even an ordinary person becomes
extra-ordinary if one uses one’s common sense to the full and keeps one’s eyes
wide open. Even the smartest of the crooks cannot dupe you if you keep your
presence of mind.
HOTS
Q:10
“ Intelligence is using common sense to the full”. Discuss with reference to
the story.
Ans:
It is well accepted saying that intelligence is using common sense to the full.
The main character of the story William Morris uses his eyes and common sense
more than us. He makes deep study of crimes and criminals. It is because of
this particular trait he is able to foil robbery bid at the Regnier’s.
Q. Imagine
yourself to be the young lady . Write a diary entry relating how the jeweller’s
vigilant assistant foiled your well – made plan to steal the ring.
Ans: Saturday
30th October, 2020
7PM
It was indeed a
very unlucky day today. I had planned to steal flower ring from Regnier’s as it was the most antique as well as costly
too. My friend planned well but unfortunately the assistant of Regnier was very
vigilant and sharp minded. As i put the ring in the left pocket he knew, I was
right handed and was using left hand .He suspected me and threat to hand over
to police. So I handed over the ring and fled up from there. I am regretting
for my mistake, so that is the black day in my life.
ABC
Q: Imagine you
are William Morris . Your common sense and keen observation enabled you to
solve the case of the missing ring. Write a diary entry expressing your
feelings about the whole matter/
Ans: Saturday
30th October, 2020
7PM
What an eventful day it was ! My hobby of
observing people and their behaviour enabled me to prevent the theft of an
expensive ring from the Regnier’s. In the morning , I noticed a young lady
standing in front of the undertaker’s shop for quite a while then an American
entered the shop to buy a ring. He had no knowledge of jewellery and judged
them only by their price. I showed him three trays of ring but when I turned to
take out the fourth tray , I noticed that the expensive flower ring was missing
. I was sure that the American had stolen it but i had no proof . After few
minutes the young lady who had been standing in front of the undertaker’s shop
came in to get a cheap brooch repaired. She intentionally dropped the wrapper
in which the brooch was wrapped to
divert my attention . It was then recollected all the strange things about the
American and the lady and finally traced
the ring. I felt really happy and satisfied.
William Morris
I.
Understanding the Story
A.
Each statement given below contains a wrong word/phrase, which makes it false.
Underline
the wrong word/phrase and rewrite the correct statement in the space
provided.
Ans.
1.The narrator owns the Regnier's jewellery shop.
The
narrator is an assistant at the Regnier's jewellery shop
2.
The Regnier's sells high-priced modern jewellery
The
Regnier's sells the high priced antique jewellery.
3.
The young woman standing on the opposite side of the Regnier's was staring at
the
displayed
jewellery.
The
young woman standing on the opposite side of the Regnier's was staring at the
displayed
urns of holding the ashes.
4.
The narrator showed the American five trays of rings in all.
The
narrator showed the American four trays of rings in all.
5.
The young woman said she had come to the Regnier's to sell her filigree brooch.
The
young woman said she had come to the Regnier's to get repaired her filigree
brooch.
6.
The young woman hid the flower ring in the right pocket of her purse.
The
young woman hid the flower ring in the left pocket of her coat.
B.
Answer the following questions in about 30 words each.
1.My
hobby is perhaps a little out of the ordinary. What is the narrator's hobby?
Why
does he consider it 'out of the ordinary’?
2.
Why did the narrator find the behaviour of the woman standing outside the
Regnier's
strange?
3
Her arrival at this moment struck me as rather strange. Why did the narrator
find
the
young lady's arrival at that point of time strange?
4.
Do you think the young lady had accidentally dropped the paper in which her
brooch
was wrapped? If not, why did she do so?
5.
Where did the narrator find the ring from? How did he know it would be there?
Ans,
1. The narrator's hobby is to observe people and their behaviour. He uses his
keen
eyes
and common sense more than an ordinary man. He considers it out of the
ordinary
because people never do such things like observing people.
Ans2.
The young woman was staring at the shop of undertaker. There was nothing to be
stared at that shop because the window had two urns for holding the ashes of
the
dead and some photographs of stones. That
behaviour of the woman seemed strange
to
the narrator.
Ans3.
When the young lady entered into the Regnier's shop,everyone including the
American was searching the flower ring that suddenly disappeared from the tray.
That was the same lady who was observed by the narrator as a strange woman.
That struck the narrator's mind.
Ans4.
The young lady intentionally dropped the paper in which the brooch was wrapped.
It was her trick. When the narrator bent down to take up the paper, at that
time she picked up the flower ring which was placed at the edge of the counter
with the help of chewing gum.
Ans5.
The narrator found the ring from the young lady. She kept it in the left pocket
of her coat. He came to know about this by using the common sense that the
young lady
had
cleverly used her left hand. She arrived after the flower ring had disappeared.
Then,
she played a trick at dropping the paper that allowed the narrator to combine
all
the incidents together.
E.
What impression do you form of William Morris? (About 80 words)
Ans.
William Morris is an intelligent man. He truly observes the things around him.
The
young
lady was staring at the undertaker's shop which seemed strange to the narrator.
But
more than his intelligence, William uses his common sense. His common sense
and
keen eyes helped him to arrange all the incidents from the beginning to the
end.
He
observed people rightly. He noticed that in the beginning, the American was
having
chewing
gum in his mouth which disappeared just after the flower ring was found
missing.
B.
But she was not wearing black or any other sign of mourning.
(a)
Why is black' considered to be a sign of mourning?
Ans.
Black' is considered to a be a sign of mourning because in the particular
religion, especially in the Christian world it is believed that we pay homage
to the departed soul by wearing black clothes.
(b)
Why do you think some people wear ‘white’ also for the same reason?
Ans.
Some people wear white also tor the same reason because it is considered pious
and we are able to remember the departed soul, by thinking of his deeds.
(c) Should colour be given more importance or
heart felt feelings?
Ans.
It is certainly the heart felt feelings which should be given more importance
because
no matter what colour you wear, it is the feeling you keep for the person
that matters the most.
II.
Life Skills
A.
Why did William Morris make a Sign to Miss Susskind betore speaking to the
American about the flower ring?
Ans.
William Morris made a sign to Miss Susskind before speaking to the American
about the flower ring, he asked her to come and stand beside him, so that she
can keep a watchful eye.
B.
Why was it important to conduct a thorough search on the American before
reporting
the
matter to the Insurance Company?
Ans.
Before reporting the matter to the Insurance Company it was very important that
the staff at the Regnier's does a thorough search, because blaming someone
without a proof would prove detrimental
to the company.
C.
Why were the American and his accomplice not handed over to the police?
Ans.
The American and his accomplice were not handed over to the police because
Mr.
Morris noticed that they were very frightened and nervous and hence he pitied
them.
V.
Values
Miss
Susskind is mostly seen to be calm and composed throughout the story. She does
not
react impulsively. Do you think she is right in doing so? Why/ Why not?
Ans.
Miss Susskind is mostly seen to be calm and composed throughout the story. She
does not react impulsively. She is right in doing so because when she becomes
upset and nervous and says- ‘tsk, tsk’, so it is right on her part to be calm
and composed.
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