NCERT Textbook: Expert Detectives - Class 7 PDF Download

 Page 1


86/HONEYCOMB
6
Before you read
Nishad, a boy of seven (also called Seven because his
name means the seventh note on the musical scale) and
his ten-year-old sister Maya are very curious about one
Mr Nath. Then one day the children’s marble rolls into
Mr Nath’s room, and Nishad gets a chance to see him. Is
he a crook on the run? Why is his face badly scarred?
Why has he no friends?
Nishad’s mother, a doctor, knows Mr Nath as a patient,
who is very polite.
s we walked back towards the clinic
Seven said, “He doesn’t look anything
like a monster, Maya. But did you see how thin
he is? Maybe he’s very poor and can’t afford
to eat.”
“He can’t be poor if he’s a crook on the run,” I
told him. “He’s probably got millions of rupees
stashed away somewhere in that room.”
“Do you really think he’s a criminal, Maya? He
doesn’t look like one,” Nishad looked doubtful.
“Of course he’s one, Seven,” I said, “and
he certainly isn’t starving. Mr Mehta told us
that Ramesh brings his meals up from the
restaurant downstairs.”
A
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
stashed
away:
hidden away
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
Expert Detectives
I
Rationalised 2023-24
Page 2


86/HONEYCOMB
6
Before you read
Nishad, a boy of seven (also called Seven because his
name means the seventh note on the musical scale) and
his ten-year-old sister Maya are very curious about one
Mr Nath. Then one day the children’s marble rolls into
Mr Nath’s room, and Nishad gets a chance to see him. Is
he a crook on the run? Why is his face badly scarred?
Why has he no friends?
Nishad’s mother, a doctor, knows Mr Nath as a patient,
who is very polite.
s we walked back towards the clinic
Seven said, “He doesn’t look anything
like a monster, Maya. But did you see how thin
he is? Maybe he’s very poor and can’t afford
to eat.”
“He can’t be poor if he’s a crook on the run,” I
told him. “He’s probably got millions of rupees
stashed away somewhere in that room.”
“Do you really think he’s a criminal, Maya? He
doesn’t look like one,” Nishad looked doubtful.
“Of course he’s one, Seven,” I said, “and
he certainly isn’t starving. Mr Mehta told us
that Ramesh brings his meals up from the
restaurant downstairs.”
A
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
stashed
away:
hidden away
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
Expert Detectives
I
Rationalised 2023-24
EXPERT DETECTIVES/87
“But Maya, Mr Mehta told us he doesn’t work
anywhere, so how can he possibly have money to
pay for food?” Nishad said.
“Exactly!” I exclaimed. “He must have lots of
money hidden somewhere, maybe in that trunk
in his room. It’s probably full of silver and gold
and jewels and...”
“What rubbish,” Nishad interrupted.
“I know I’m right, stupid,” I told him. “By the
way, Seven, did you see his scars? I couldn’t, it
was too dark, but I bet he got them during a shoot-
out with the police or something.”
“Mummy told us quite clearly they were burn
scars,” Nishad said firmly.
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
Rationalised 2023-24
Page 3


86/HONEYCOMB
6
Before you read
Nishad, a boy of seven (also called Seven because his
name means the seventh note on the musical scale) and
his ten-year-old sister Maya are very curious about one
Mr Nath. Then one day the children’s marble rolls into
Mr Nath’s room, and Nishad gets a chance to see him. Is
he a crook on the run? Why is his face badly scarred?
Why has he no friends?
Nishad’s mother, a doctor, knows Mr Nath as a patient,
who is very polite.
s we walked back towards the clinic
Seven said, “He doesn’t look anything
like a monster, Maya. But did you see how thin
he is? Maybe he’s very poor and can’t afford
to eat.”
“He can’t be poor if he’s a crook on the run,” I
told him. “He’s probably got millions of rupees
stashed away somewhere in that room.”
“Do you really think he’s a criminal, Maya? He
doesn’t look like one,” Nishad looked doubtful.
“Of course he’s one, Seven,” I said, “and
he certainly isn’t starving. Mr Mehta told us
that Ramesh brings his meals up from the
restaurant downstairs.”
A
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
stashed
away:
hidden away
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
Expert Detectives
I
Rationalised 2023-24
EXPERT DETECTIVES/87
“But Maya, Mr Mehta told us he doesn’t work
anywhere, so how can he possibly have money to
pay for food?” Nishad said.
“Exactly!” I exclaimed. “He must have lots of
money hidden somewhere, maybe in that trunk
in his room. It’s probably full of silver and gold
and jewels and...”
“What rubbish,” Nishad interrupted.
“I know I’m right, stupid,” I told him. “By the
way, Seven, did you see his scars? I couldn’t, it
was too dark, but I bet he got them during a shoot-
out with the police or something.”
“Mummy told us quite clearly they were burn
scars,” Nishad said firmly.
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
Rationalised 2023-24
88/HONEYCOMB
“Perhaps the police had to set his house
on fire to force him out,” I suggested. Seven
looked unsure.
On the Monday following Mamma’s birthday,
Seven went alone with her to the clinic at Girgaum
as I was spending the evening with a schoolfriend.
When they returned, Nishad told me he’d been to
see Mr Nath and I felt most annoyed that I hadn’t
been there.
Seven had been quite upset about Mr Nath’s
gaunt appearance and was sure that he was
starving. He told me that he had knocked loudly
on Mr Nath’s door that evening and said, “Open
the door quickly, Mr Nath.”
The man had opened it and asked him, “Lost
another marble?”
He had obviously recognised my brother.
“No,” said Nishad. He had taken the man’s
hand in his own, and thrust a bar of chocolate
into it.
“Did you get a chance to peek into the trunk,
Seven?” I asked.
Nishad looked disappointed. “He didn’t even
ask me in,” he said. Then he smiled. “But I did
find out something, Maya. I went down to
the restaurant where Ramesh works and talked
to him.”
“Good for you, Mr Detective,” I said, patting
him on the back, “I hope you questioned him
properly.”
Seven looked pleased. “Ramesh told me that
he takes two meals for Mr Nath every morning
and evening, and two cups of tea, one in the
following:
coming
after
________________
________________
________________
________________
gaunt: sickly
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
peek: look
quickly and
secretively
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
Rationalised 2023-24
Page 4


86/HONEYCOMB
6
Before you read
Nishad, a boy of seven (also called Seven because his
name means the seventh note on the musical scale) and
his ten-year-old sister Maya are very curious about one
Mr Nath. Then one day the children’s marble rolls into
Mr Nath’s room, and Nishad gets a chance to see him. Is
he a crook on the run? Why is his face badly scarred?
Why has he no friends?
Nishad’s mother, a doctor, knows Mr Nath as a patient,
who is very polite.
s we walked back towards the clinic
Seven said, “He doesn’t look anything
like a monster, Maya. But did you see how thin
he is? Maybe he’s very poor and can’t afford
to eat.”
“He can’t be poor if he’s a crook on the run,” I
told him. “He’s probably got millions of rupees
stashed away somewhere in that room.”
“Do you really think he’s a criminal, Maya? He
doesn’t look like one,” Nishad looked doubtful.
“Of course he’s one, Seven,” I said, “and
he certainly isn’t starving. Mr Mehta told us
that Ramesh brings his meals up from the
restaurant downstairs.”
A
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
stashed
away:
hidden away
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
Expert Detectives
I
Rationalised 2023-24
EXPERT DETECTIVES/87
“But Maya, Mr Mehta told us he doesn’t work
anywhere, so how can he possibly have money to
pay for food?” Nishad said.
“Exactly!” I exclaimed. “He must have lots of
money hidden somewhere, maybe in that trunk
in his room. It’s probably full of silver and gold
and jewels and...”
“What rubbish,” Nishad interrupted.
“I know I’m right, stupid,” I told him. “By the
way, Seven, did you see his scars? I couldn’t, it
was too dark, but I bet he got them during a shoot-
out with the police or something.”
“Mummy told us quite clearly they were burn
scars,” Nishad said firmly.
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
Rationalised 2023-24
88/HONEYCOMB
“Perhaps the police had to set his house
on fire to force him out,” I suggested. Seven
looked unsure.
On the Monday following Mamma’s birthday,
Seven went alone with her to the clinic at Girgaum
as I was spending the evening with a schoolfriend.
When they returned, Nishad told me he’d been to
see Mr Nath and I felt most annoyed that I hadn’t
been there.
Seven had been quite upset about Mr Nath’s
gaunt appearance and was sure that he was
starving. He told me that he had knocked loudly
on Mr Nath’s door that evening and said, “Open
the door quickly, Mr Nath.”
The man had opened it and asked him, “Lost
another marble?”
He had obviously recognised my brother.
“No,” said Nishad. He had taken the man’s
hand in his own, and thrust a bar of chocolate
into it.
“Did you get a chance to peek into the trunk,
Seven?” I asked.
Nishad looked disappointed. “He didn’t even
ask me in,” he said. Then he smiled. “But I did
find out something, Maya. I went down to
the restaurant where Ramesh works and talked
to him.”
“Good for you, Mr Detective,” I said, patting
him on the back, “I hope you questioned him
properly.”
Seven looked pleased. “Ramesh told me that
he takes two meals for Mr Nath every morning
and evening, and two cups of tea, one in the
following:
coming
after
________________
________________
________________
________________
gaunt: sickly
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
peek: look
quickly and
secretively
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
Rationalised 2023-24
EXPERT DETECTIVES/89
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.
“Ramesh told me something very strange, Maya,”
Seven added. “Almost every Sunday, he carries two
lunches to Mr Nath’s room and the same man is
with him each time. He’s tall, fair, stout and wears
spectacles. Ramesh says his visitor talks a lot, unlike
Mr Nath who hardly speaks.”
“Well done, Nishad,” I told him. “Now that we’ve
made some progress with our inquiries, we’ll have
to sort out all the facts like expert detectives so
that we can trap the crook.”
“How you do go on, Maya,” Seven sighed. “How
can you possibly imagine he’s a crook? He looks
so ordinary!”
“Criminals can look quite ordinary, smarty,” I
retorted. “Did you see the picture of the Hyderabadi
housebreaker in the papers yesterday? He
looked like any man on the street.” Nishad
looked doubtful.
The monsoons broke the next day. Dark clouds
accompanied by blinding flashes of lightning
and roaring rolls of thunder burst with all
their fury, flooding the streets with a heavy
downpour. School was to have reopened after the
summer holidays, but no traffic could move
through the flooded roads and there was an
unexpected holiday.
I thought I’d spend the time usefully. I sat at
my desk in our bedroom with a sheet of paper
before me.
tips well:
gives a
generous tip
(money in
thanks for
services)
________________
________________
________________
________________
sort out:
arrange
systematically
crook:
criminal
(informal)
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
Rationalised 2023-24
Page 5


86/HONEYCOMB
6
Before you read
Nishad, a boy of seven (also called Seven because his
name means the seventh note on the musical scale) and
his ten-year-old sister Maya are very curious about one
Mr Nath. Then one day the children’s marble rolls into
Mr Nath’s room, and Nishad gets a chance to see him. Is
he a crook on the run? Why is his face badly scarred?
Why has he no friends?
Nishad’s mother, a doctor, knows Mr Nath as a patient,
who is very polite.
s we walked back towards the clinic
Seven said, “He doesn’t look anything
like a monster, Maya. But did you see how thin
he is? Maybe he’s very poor and can’t afford
to eat.”
“He can’t be poor if he’s a crook on the run,” I
told him. “He’s probably got millions of rupees
stashed away somewhere in that room.”
“Do you really think he’s a criminal, Maya? He
doesn’t look like one,” Nishad looked doubtful.
“Of course he’s one, Seven,” I said, “and
he certainly isn’t starving. Mr Mehta told us
that Ramesh brings his meals up from the
restaurant downstairs.”
A
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
stashed
away:
hidden away
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
Expert Detectives
I
Rationalised 2023-24
EXPERT DETECTIVES/87
“But Maya, Mr Mehta told us he doesn’t work
anywhere, so how can he possibly have money to
pay for food?” Nishad said.
“Exactly!” I exclaimed. “He must have lots of
money hidden somewhere, maybe in that trunk
in his room. It’s probably full of silver and gold
and jewels and...”
“What rubbish,” Nishad interrupted.
“I know I’m right, stupid,” I told him. “By the
way, Seven, did you see his scars? I couldn’t, it
was too dark, but I bet he got them during a shoot-
out with the police or something.”
“Mummy told us quite clearly they were burn
scars,” Nishad said firmly.
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
Rationalised 2023-24
88/HONEYCOMB
“Perhaps the police had to set his house
on fire to force him out,” I suggested. Seven
looked unsure.
On the Monday following Mamma’s birthday,
Seven went alone with her to the clinic at Girgaum
as I was spending the evening with a schoolfriend.
When they returned, Nishad told me he’d been to
see Mr Nath and I felt most annoyed that I hadn’t
been there.
Seven had been quite upset about Mr Nath’s
gaunt appearance and was sure that he was
starving. He told me that he had knocked loudly
on Mr Nath’s door that evening and said, “Open
the door quickly, Mr Nath.”
The man had opened it and asked him, “Lost
another marble?”
He had obviously recognised my brother.
“No,” said Nishad. He had taken the man’s
hand in his own, and thrust a bar of chocolate
into it.
“Did you get a chance to peek into the trunk,
Seven?” I asked.
Nishad looked disappointed. “He didn’t even
ask me in,” he said. Then he smiled. “But I did
find out something, Maya. I went down to
the restaurant where Ramesh works and talked
to him.”
“Good for you, Mr Detective,” I said, patting
him on the back, “I hope you questioned him
properly.”
Seven looked pleased. “Ramesh told me that
he takes two meals for Mr Nath every morning
and evening, and two cups of tea, one in the
following:
coming
after
________________
________________
________________
________________
gaunt: sickly
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
peek: look
quickly and
secretively
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
Rationalised 2023-24
EXPERT DETECTIVES/89
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.
“Ramesh told me something very strange, Maya,”
Seven added. “Almost every Sunday, he carries two
lunches to Mr Nath’s room and the same man is
with him each time. He’s tall, fair, stout and wears
spectacles. Ramesh says his visitor talks a lot, unlike
Mr Nath who hardly speaks.”
“Well done, Nishad,” I told him. “Now that we’ve
made some progress with our inquiries, we’ll have
to sort out all the facts like expert detectives so
that we can trap the crook.”
“How you do go on, Maya,” Seven sighed. “How
can you possibly imagine he’s a crook? He looks
so ordinary!”
“Criminals can look quite ordinary, smarty,” I
retorted. “Did you see the picture of the Hyderabadi
housebreaker in the papers yesterday? He
looked like any man on the street.” Nishad
looked doubtful.
The monsoons broke the next day. Dark clouds
accompanied by blinding flashes of lightning
and roaring rolls of thunder burst with all
their fury, flooding the streets with a heavy
downpour. School was to have reopened after the
summer holidays, but no traffic could move
through the flooded roads and there was an
unexpected holiday.
I thought I’d spend the time usefully. I sat at
my desk in our bedroom with a sheet of paper
before me.
tips well:
gives a
generous tip
(money in
thanks for
services)
________________
________________
________________
________________
sort out:
arrange
systematically
crook:
criminal
(informal)
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
Rationalised 2023-24
90/HONEYCOMB
Comprehension Check
1. What did Nishad give Mr Nath? Why?
2. What is “strange” about Mr Nath’s Sundays?
3. Why did Nishad and Maya get a holiday?
II
I wrote in large block letters:
CATCHING A CROOK
Expert Detectives: Nishad and Maya Pandit
By Appointment to the Whole World
Then I began writing. About half an hour later,
I turned towards Seven who was lying on his
tummy, chin cupped in his palms, reading
comics. “Want to hear what I’ve written?” I asked.
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
—————–
by appoint-
ment to:
officially
chosen (by
someone
important)
Rationalised 2023-24