The Kidnapping of Clarissa Montgomery

The Kidnapping of Clarissa Montgomery

Author:-  

ROBIN KLEIN (born 28 February 1936) is an Australian writer.She is famous for writing books for children.Some of her famous works include Hating Alison Ashley , Halfway Across The Galaxy and Turn Left  and Came Back to Show You I Could Fly.She lives in Melbourne,Australia.She has won many awards for her books.She lives near Melbourne,Australia.

Summary

When Clarissa is kidnapped, she bosses her captors into doing the job right, or her way. But her parents don't want her back and the crooks are stuck with her.

WORD MEANINGS :-

1. Abduction-The action of taking someone away against their will.
2. Snarled-Spoke in an unpleasant,angry way.
3. Loaded-very rich (here)
4. Scat-To tell someone to go away.
5. Dealt out-Gave cards to Clarissa to play.
6. Jeered-Shouted or laughed at the kidnappers.
7. Corny-old fashioned,dull.
8. Ambush-an attack from a hidden position.
9. Pier-A structure built from the land over water and used for getting on and off boats.
10. Draughty-old and uncomfortable because of currents of cool air.
11. Supervise-watch
12. Bristling-standing up,to be covered with.
13.  Anxiously-uneasily
14. Barn-a farm building used for storing grains.
15. Frowning-Showing anger.
16. Real Estate Business-Business of land property and construction.
17. Conviction-a strong belief or opinion about something.
18. Admonished-(here) warned the kidnappers firmly.
19. Butterfingers- Someone who has a tendency to drop things.
20. Ransom-the money paid to free somebody who has been captured illegally (kidnapped)

Complete the sentences:-

1.This story is about the kidnapping of  Clarissa .

2. Humphrey thought that Clarissa was in shock .

3. Two things that bring out Humphrey's kindness are making food for Clarissa and letting her play poker.

4.The character who doubled ransom money was Clarissa herself.

5.When the briefcase lid was opened, they found bricks and a typed letter.

B. Read the lines and answer the questions that follow.
1. ‘Get rid of the red queen and keep the clubs.’
 a. What do these words tell us about Clarissa?
 Ans.These words tell us that Clarissa was quite good at playing poker game.
 b. How does the author use Clarissa’s knowledge of an adult game to create humour?
Ans. The author uses Clarissa's knowledge as an adult game to create humour because usually little girls are not good at playing poker. It tells the readers that Clarissa was not a regular or normal child.
 
2. ‘It’s not very nice, if you ask me,” Spud said disgustedly.
a. What disgusted Spud?
Ans. Clarissa won all the poker games by cheating and that disgusted Spud.
b. Why did he say these words?
Ans. Spud thought Clarissa had cheated at poker and he was unhappy about it.

3. ‘Clarissa pocketed her winnings and went to bed. She slept very well……examined the barn’

a. Bring out the difference between the state of kidnappers and that of Clarissa.
Ans. Clarissa behaved very uncharacteristically for a child who has been kidnapped .She seemed very relaxed while her kidnappers were uncomfortable and worried.
b. Contrast ‘slept very well’ and ‘dozing fitfully’.
Ans. The kidnapped child slept very well while the kidnappers where dozing fitfully. This was a very funny turn of events where the kidnappers and the kidnapped had changed places. 
C. Use the substantial word in sentence of your own.
Ans.  I ate a substantial amount of food before leaving for office.

4. “And what would you suggest then, Miss Smarty.”

a. Why did Clarissa dismiss the kidnappers’ plan as useless?
Ans. Clarissa dismissed the kidnappers' plan as useless because she thought that collecting ransom from a hollow tree was too corny, with a lot of detectives lying in wait it was risky.
b. What was her suggestion?
Ans. . She suggested that kidnappers should demand her guardian to put the money in a briefcase in a plastic bag and drop it off the pier. Then one of them could get it wearing scuba gear.

5. ‘Some place where they can’t set up an ambush, of course’

a. How did Clarissa use her suggestion to get involved in the process of collecting ransom?

Ans. Clarissa used her suggestion that they collect it from the pier to get involved in the plan of collecting the ransom. Seeing as none of the kidnappers knew how to scuba dive and she did, they had to include her in the plan.

b. Did her plan work? Explain.
Ans. Yes her plan worked. She agreed to scuba dive and collects the ransom only if she got a part of the share. The kidnappers agreed.

6. Who did you sympathize with in the end?
Ans. The ending was very humorous the kidnapping didn't go as planned and one can almost sympathize with the kidnappers as Clarissa tortures them.

7. Fiction often exaggerates a situation to create humour. Which aspects of Clarissa’s behaviour do you think are exaggerated?
Ans . Some aspects of Clarissa's behaviour seem exaggerated, for instance her talent at poker is unbelievable for child, and so are her scuba diving skills. She was not at all afraid of the kidnappers and instead she bossed them around, going so far as to execute her own plan, dismissing that of the kidnappers or the criminals.

8. Discuss the irony in the story.
Ans. The biggest irony is that the kidnapped becomes the boss herself. And instead of being afraid that she has been forcibly taken around, she becomes the leader of the gang.