Expert Detectives and Mystery of the Talking Fan

Easy (15)

1. What is Nishad's nickname?
   • Seven (correct)
   • Maya
   • Ramesh
   • Mr. Nath

   Why: Nishad is also called Seven because his name means the seventh note on the musical scale.

2. What profession is Nishad's mother?
   • Teacher
   • Doctor (correct)
   • Lawyer
   • Chef

   Why: Nishad's mother is a doctor and knows Mr. Nath as a patient.

3. What item rolled into Mr. Nath's room, giving Nishad a chance to see him?
   • A ball
   • A book
   • A marble (correct)
   • A toy car

   Why: The children's marble rolled into Mr. Nath's room, leading to Nishad's first encounter.

4. What did Nishad give Mr. Nath when he visited him alone?
   • A book
   • A bar of chocolate (correct)
   • Some money
   • A drawing

   Why: Nishad gave Mr. Nath a bar of chocolate, showing his concern.

5. What is the name of the restaurant from which Ramesh brings food for Mr. Nath?
   • Girgaum Restaurant
   • Shankar House Cafe
   • The downstairs restaurant (correct)
   • Mr. Mehta's Eatery

   Why: Ramesh brings food from 'the restaurant downstairs'.

6. What does Maya suspect Mr. Nath has hidden in his room?
   • Old clothes
   • Books
   • Silver, gold, and jewels (correct)
   • Secret documents

   Why: Maya believes Mr. Nath has hidden treasure, like silver, gold, and jewels.

7. What is the main characteristic of the 'talking fan' in the poem?
   • It sings songs
   • It makes a lot of noise (correct)
   • It tells stories
   • It gives instructions

   Why: The 'talking fan' is characterized by its 'electrical chatter' or noise.

8. What solved the mystery of the talking fan?
   • Replacing it
   • Oiling its motor (correct)
   • Turning it off
   • Cleaning its blades

   Why: Oiling the fan's motor made it quiet and solved the 'mystery'.

9. Maya believes Mr. Nath's scars were from a shoot-out with the police.

   Why: Maya speculated that the scars were from a police shoot-out, while Nishad said their mother confirmed they were burn scars.

10. Mr. Nath receives many letters at Shankar House.

    Why: Maya's fact list states that Mr. Nath 'doesn’t receive any letters'.

11. The children got an unexpected holiday because of heavy snowfall.

    Why: The holiday was due to heavy monsoon rains and flooded roads, not snowfall.

12. Mr. Nath lives in Room ______ of Shankar House.

    Why: Mr. Nath resides in Room 10 of Shankar House.

13. The fan's 'chatter' was described as being ______.

    Why: The poem describes the fan's chatter as 'electrical'.

14. Identify the character who believes Mr. Nath is a criminal.
    • Nishad
    • Maya (correct)
    • Ramesh
    • Mr. Nath

    Why: Maya is convinced Mr. Nath is a criminal, while Nishad is more sympathetic.

15. Which character is known for being very polite, according to Nishad's mother?
    • Nishad
    • Maya
    • Mr. Nath (correct)
    • Ramesh

    Why: Nishad's mother describes Mr. Nath as a very polite patient.

Medium (15)

1. Why does Maya believe Mr. Nath cannot be poor, despite Nishad's observation of his thinness?
   • He wears expensive clothes.
   • He pays cash and tips well for his meals. (correct)
   • He lives in a fancy apartment.
   • He drives a luxurious car.

   Why: Maya infers Mr. Nath isn't poor because he pays cash and tips Ramesh well for his meals.

2. What is Nishad's primary motivation for wanting to befriend Mr. Nath?
   • To find out if he is a criminal.
   • To understand why he is so thin and lonely. (correct)
   • To get a reward for solving a mystery.
   • To prove Maya wrong about everything.

   Why: Nishad wants to understand Mr. Nath's loneliness and thinness, driven by empathy.

3. According to Maya, why do criminals often look ordinary?
   • To blend in and avoid suspicion. (correct)
   • They are naturally ordinary people.
   • They cannot afford to look extraordinary.
   • It is a requirement for their crimes.

   Why: Maya argues that criminals look ordinary to avoid being identified, citing a newspaper example.

4. What does the phrase 'He ran as still as water' imply about the fan after it was oiled?
   • It stopped working completely.
   • It started moving very slowly.
   • It became completely silent. (correct)
   • It began to leak water.

   Why: The phrase means the fan became quiet, like still water, after being oiled.

5. Match the character with their primary view of Mr. Nath.

   Why: Each character has a distinct perspective on Mr. Nath based on their interactions.

6. Match the characteristic with the person it describes.

   Why: These descriptions are directly from the text for each character.

7. Match the character's action or belief with their name.

   Why: Each action or belief is attributed to the correct character in the story.

8. Match the cause with its effect in the story.

   Why: These pairs correctly link events and their direct consequences in the narrative.

9. What is the term for changing round the initial sounds of two or more words accidentally, as mentioned in the 'Try this' section?

   Why: The accidental swapping of initial sounds in words is called a spoonerism.

10. What does Maya call Nishad when he expresses doubt about Mr. Nath being a criminal?

    Why: Maya calls Nishad 'stupid' when he questions her theories.

11. What is the name of the house where Mr. Nath lives?

    Why: Mr. Nath lives in Shankar House, specifically Room 10.

12. Arrange the events in the order they occurred in the story.

    Why: The marble incident first, then Nishad's solo visit, then his talk with Ramesh, and finally Maya's fact-listing.

13. Sequence Maya's actions as she tries to solve the mystery.

    Why: Maya's theories progress from initial speculation about scars to listing facts and then identifying the visitor as an accomplice.

14. Which part of the fan is responsible for its 'chatter' before it was oiled?
    • The blades
    • The motor (correct)
    • The switch
    • The stand

    Why: The poem states that 'somebody oiled His little whirling motor' to stop the chatter.

15. Based on the story, which physical feature of Mr. Nath made Nishad think he was poor?
    • His scarred face
    • His thinness (correct)
    • His old clothes
    • His quiet nature

    Why: Nishad observed Mr. Nath's thinness and concluded he might be poor and unable to afford food.

Hard (10)

1. Assertion (A): Maya is convinced that Mr. Nath is a criminal. Reason (R): Mr. Nath's solitary lifestyle and scarred face are definitive proof of his criminal past.

   Why: Maya is convinced, but her reasons are based on speculation, not definitive proof.

2. Assertion (A): Nishad is determined to befriend Mr. Nath. Reason (R): Nishad believes Mr. Nath is a dangerous criminal who needs to be apprehended.

   Why: Nishad wants to befriend Mr. Nath out of empathy, not because he thinks he's a criminal.

3. Assertion (A): The 'talking fan' in the poem stopped talking after its motor was oiled. Reason (R): Oiling the motor eliminated the friction that caused the noisy 'chatter'.

   Why: Oiling reduces friction, which in turn stops the noise (chatter) of the fan.

4. Maya and Nishad are investigating Mr. Nath. Maya believes his lack of friends and reclusive nature are signs of a criminal trying to hide. Nishad, however, thinks he is lonely and wants to understand why. Which of the following best describes the difference in their investigative approaches?
   • Maya focuses on gathering concrete evidence, while Nishad relies on intuition.
   • Maya interprets observations through a lens of suspicion, while Nishad seeks empathetic understanding. (correct)
   • Nishad is more experienced in detective work, whereas Maya is a novice.
   • Both Maya and Nishad share the same objective but use different methods.

   Why: Maya's approach is driven by suspicion, while Nishad's is driven by empathy and a desire to understand.

5. Consider the information gathered by Nishad from Ramesh about Mr. Nath's eating habits: 'two meals every morning and evening, and two cups of tea, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Ramesh says he’s not very particular about what he eats, it’s always the same food — two chapattis, some dal and a vegetable. Mr Nath pays cash and tips well.' Based on this, what can be inferred about Mr. Nath's lifestyle?
   • He enjoys a varied and luxurious diet.
   • He prefers simplicity and routine in his meals. (correct)
   • He struggles financially to afford food.
   • He cooks his own meals frequently.

   Why: The consistent, simple meals and lack of particularity suggest a preference for routine and simplicity.

6. The poem 'Mystery of the Talking Fan' uses personification. Which of the following characteristics are attributed to the fan, making it 'talk'?
   • It has a voice and can communicate thoughts.
   • It has 'chatter' and a 'whirling motor' that makes noise. (correct)
   • It expresses emotions like anger and sadness.
   • It has eyes and can observe its surroundings.

   Why: The fan's 'talk' is its noisy 'chatter' from its 'whirling motor', not actual communication.

7. Which of the following are reasons why Maya believes Mr. Nath is a criminal?
   • He doesn't work and sits in his room all day. (correct)
   • He has no visitors except for one man on Sundays. (correct)
   • He is very polite to Nishad's mother.
   • He pays cash and tips Ramesh well.

   Why: Maya sees his unemployment and limited visitors as suspicious, suggesting hidden activities.

8. Which of the following details about Mr. Nath are confirmed by Ramesh?
   • He eats two chapattis, dal, and a vegetable. (correct)
   • He has a visitor every Sunday. (correct)
   • He has burn scars on his face.
   • He is a crook on the run.

   Why: Ramesh confirms Mr. Nath's regular meals and the Sunday visitor, but not his scars or criminal status.

9. Observe the image of the children. Which child is more likely to be Maya, based on their typical roles and expressions in the story?
   • The child with a thoughtful, slightly doubtful expression.
   • The child with a determined, assertive expression, pointing or leading. (correct)
   • The younger child, often quiet and observant.
   • The child who is more easily convinced by others' theories.

   Why: Maya is the assertive, theory-driven 'expert detective', contrasting with Nishad's more thoughtful nature.

10. The poem describes the fan's 'chatter' and its 'whirling motor'. Which of the following visual elements would best represent the 'mystery' that was 'spoiled' by oiling?
    • A fan with perfectly still blades.
    • A fan with visible smoke coming from its motor.
    • A fan with sound waves emanating from its noisy motor. (correct)
    • A fan with a broken blade.

    Why: The 'mystery' was the fan's 'chatter' (noise), so sound waves best represent it.