Three Blind Mice
Self-Assessment
Click on the correct option, and get your result
Self-Assessment
Click on the correct option, and get your result
Characters:
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→Molly Davis-wife of Giles and owner of Monkswell Manor, guest house
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→Giles-husband of Molly Davis and owner of Monkswell Manor, guest house
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→Mrs. Boyle-a retired magistrate
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→Christopher Wren-A young architect
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→Major Metcalf-a retired army officer
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→Mr. Paravicini-unexpected guest from Italy
Short Answer Type Questions
1.Who wrote three blind mice?
Answer: Agatha Christie wrote three blind mice.
2.How deep were the snow drifts?
Answer: The snow drifts were Five feet deep.
3.Who was the first victim?
Answer: Mrs. Maureen Lyon was the first victim.
4.Name the farm.
Answer: The name the farm was Longridge Farm.
5.Name the mode of transportation Sergeant Trotter used to reach Monkswell Manor.
Answer: The mode of transportation Sergeant Trotter used to reach Monkswell Manor was Skis.
6.How was the person whom the police were anxious to interview?
Ans: The man whom the police were anxious to interview wore a dark overcoat and a light homburg hat, was of medium height, and wore a woolen scarf.
7.Who was the second victim?
Answer: Mrs. Boyle was the second victim.
8.What incident was reported on the wireless?
Answer: The awful condition of weather and murder of Mrs. Lyon were reported on the wireless.
9.What is the farmer’s wife’s weapon according to nursery rhyme?
Answer : Carving knife is the farmer’s wife’s weapon according to nursery rhyme.
11.Where did Giles come from?
Answer: Giles came from Lincolnshire
12.What was the course which Sergeant Trotter take in his training?
Answer: Sergeant Trotter took the course of psychology in his training.
13.Who noticed the issue with the sign of the guesthouse?
Answer: Molly Davis noticed the issue with the sign of the guesthouse.
14.Whom did Molly Davis feel uncomfortable with?
Answer: Molly Davis felt uncomfortable with Mr. Paravicini.
15.Who made Mrs. Boyle surprised?
Answer: Mr. Paravicini made Mrs. Boyle surprised.
16.What song was whistled by the murderer?
Answer: Three Blind Mice was the song which was whistled by the murderer.
17.Name the guest house which was owned by Mr.Giles and Molly Davis.
Answer: Monkswell Manor was the guest house which was owned by Mr.Giles and Molly Davis.
18.Who was the first guest at Monkswell Manor?
Answer: Mr.Christopher Wren was the first guest at Monkswell Manor.
19.Name the place where a brutal murder of Mrs.Lyon occurred.
Answer: Culver Street was the place where a brutal murder of Mrs.Lyon occurred.
20.Name the room which was given to Mr.Paravicini.
Answer: The green room was the name of the room which was given to Mr.Paravicini.
21.What did Molly Davis and Giles open as their business?
Answer: Molly Davis and Giles opened guest house as their business.
22.Name the room which was given to Mrs.Boyle.
Answer: The blue room
23.In what section of the city did the crime take place?
Answer: Paddington
24.Name the hat the murderer wore.
Answer: Felt
25.What surname was used by Mollie and Giles.
Answer: Ralston
26.How much were the guests paying to stay at Monkswell Manor?
Answer: 7 guineas
27.What was the name of the superintendent of the police?
Answer: Superintendent Hogben
28.During what season does the story take place?
Answer: Winter
29.What was Mrs. Lyon’s real name?
Answer: Maureen Gregg
30.Who was the third victim?
Answer: Mrs. Molly
31.Who built st. Paul?
Answer: Sir Christopher Wren
32.Whom did Mrs. Boyle doubt?
Answer: Mr. Wren
33.Name the newspaper Sergeant Trotter picked up from the dresser.
Answer: The Evening Standard of February 19th
34.Which room was given to Mr. Paravicini?
Ans: The green room
35.What was Mr. Davis doing when Mrs. Boyle was murdered?
Ans: Mr. Davis was upstairs in his bedroom examining the telephone extension there.
36. How did Detective Sergeant Trotter manage to defeat the problems caused by the weather?
Ans: Detective Sergeant Trotter arrived on a pair of skis to defeat the problems caused by the weather.
37.What was wrong with the sign Giles made for the guest house?
Ans: Giles made a little mistake by missing a letter on the sign. The sign appeared to be ‘Monkwell Manor’ instead of Monkswell Manor.
38..What song did the murderer whistle?
Ans: The murderer whistled ‘Three Bind Mice.’
39.Name the guest who arrived at the guest house at first.
Ans: Mr. Wren arrived at the guest house at first.
40.Name the guest house which was owned by Giles and Molly Davis.
Ans: The guest house ‘Monkswell Manor’ was owned by Giles and Molly Davis.
41.Who came to find Mrs. Casey to 74 Culver Street?
Ans: The man with the whispery voice came to find Mrs. Casey to 74 Culver Street.
42.Who was murdered at the beginning of the story ‘Three Blind Mice’?
Ans: Mrs. Lyon was murdered at the beginning of the story ‘Three Blind Mice’.
43.”Your husband is afraid for you.”- Who said to whom? Why did her husband become afraid for her ?
Ans: Mr. Paravicini said this to Mrs. Molly Davis.
Her husband became afraid to leave Molly Davis alone with Mr. Paravicini as he knew the sadistic tendencies of Mr. Paravicini .
44.What information did Sergeant Trotter take from all people after Mrs. Boyle’s murder?
45.What did Mrs. Boyle tell Major Metcalf when he blamed her for sending three children to Longridge Farm?
Ans: Mrs. Boyle told Major Metcalf that the farm people seemed very nice and were more anxious to have the children. She said that there was no reason to blame her. As she could look after herself properly, she did not tell Trotter about Longridge Farm.
46.What did Trotter ask all the guests about Mrs. Lyon? How did the guests respond to his question?
Ans: Trotter asked all the guests about their connection to the case of Mrs. Lyon’s death.
After listening to Trotter , the guests said that they did not have any knowledge or connection with the murder case of Mrs. Lyon.
47.What did Superintendent Hogben talk to Mrs. Davis over the telephone?
Ans: Superintendent Hogben informed Mrs. Davis that he had sent Detective Sergeant Trotter to Monkswell Manor.He talked to Mrs. Davis to impress her husband carefully about Trotter so that he would listen to what Trotter had to tell them and to follow his instructions indirectly.
48.What did Sergeant Trotter explain about the purpose of his visit?
Ans: Sergeant Trotter explained that he was at Monkswell Manor to investigate the connection of Mrs. Lyon’s murder and ensured that the people were safe. Actually he was trying to prevent the next murder which would be in Monkswell Manor.
49.What did Molly Davis observe as she looked up at the newly painted board?
Ans: As Molly Davis looked up at the newly painted board, she observed the hoarding of Monkswell Manor ,Guest House that Giles had made. It looked quite professional. The ‘T’ of Guest house tottered uphill , and the end of Manor was slightly crowded, but on the whole it was a wonderful job that Molly Davis accepted.
50.What news did Molly Davis and Giles hear on radio?
Ans: Molly Davis and Giles heard the news that consisted of serious warnings about weather , the usual deadlock in foreign affairs , spirited quarrelling in the Parliament, and a murder in Culver street ,Paddington.
51.Name the guest house which was run by Giles and Molly. Name the three guests who first came to stay in the guest house.
Ans: Monkswell Manor is the guest house which was run by Giles and Molly.
The three guests who first came to stay in the guest house were Mr. Wren, Mrs. Boyle and Major Metcalf.
52.Name the detective and the inspector who investigated Mrs. Lyon’s murder?
Ans: The name of the detective was Detective Kane ,and the name of the inspector was Inspector Paraminter.
53.Who informed Molly that someone had stolen Trotter’s skis?
Ans: Christopher Wren informed Molly that someone had stolen Trotter’s skis?
Long Answer Type Questions
1.Why had Molly and Giles decide to put the house on the market? What difficulties did they face to do so?
Ans: According to Molly, the house was like a big, rambling old house which was full of stuffy ,old fashioned Victorian furniture. It had a nice garden, but terribly overgrown with only one old gardener.
When Molly and Giles had decided to put the house on the market, they faced two difficulties. Firstly, there weren’t any small cottages or flats to be found. Secondly ,all the furniture of the house was very large in size.
2.How did Molly Davis describe Monkswell Manor? How did Molly get an idea of running a guest house? Explain the exterior of the guest house.
Ans: Molly Davis described Monkswell Manor as a big ,rambling old house which was full of stuffy ,old-fashioned Victorian furniture. Though it had a nice garden, it was terribly overgrown since the war as only one gardener had been left there.
When the solicitor told Molly and Giles that someone would buy Monkswell Manor with all furniture for a hotel or guesthouse. He said that the house was in very good repair as the late Miss Emory had done extensive repairs and modernizations of the house just before the war. It was in good shape with a little deterioration. Listening to the solicitor’s words , Molly had got an idea of running a guest house as their own.
The guest house looks like it has been handled down through several generations, but has been somewhat neglected due to dwindling recourses. The windows are tall and there is a large arched doorway which leads to the entrance hall and the front door.
3.Who was Sergeant Trotter? Why did he cut the telephone wires? Who was Georgie?
Ans: Sergeant Trotter was one of the abused children , and his real name was Jim. He was Georgie’s brother.
He cut the telephone wires so that Mollie could not ring back to the police station. Georgie was an abused child who died in the Longridge farm because of the ill-treatment of Mrs. Lyon and her husband.
4.Who was Christopher Wren? How did Mr. Wren look? Why did he leave his previous job?
Ans: Christopher Wren was a deserter from the army.
Mr. Wren had a high-pitched ,almost querulous voice and stood revealed in the light of the hall as a young man with a shock of light, sunburned hair ,and pale and restless eyes.
He left his job because his mother was killed in an air red. The death of his mother made him confused and unable to go back to join his previous job.
5.Why did Mr. Giles dislike Christopher Wren? What doubt he had in Molly Davis? What was the result of his doubt?
Ans: Mr. Giles thought that Mrs. Molly had an affair with Christopher Wren. He noticed Molly to like Christopher Wren’s company ,and he guessed that she used to maintain a close relationship with him.
Mr. Giles doubted that Mrs. Molly suggested Christopher Wren to come at Monkswell Manor so that Molly could stay with Christopher Wren and nobody could understand about their affair. Mr. Davis blamed her to be infidel to her husband and criticized Molly that she knew about Christopher Wren before her marriage.
As a result Mr. Giles also said that Molly suggested Mr. Wren to come at Monkswell Manor as a guest so that she could spend her life with Mr. Wren. He became jealous with Mr. Wren , and quarreled with Molly.
6.Where was Mrs. Boyle when she was murdered? How was she murdered? Where did all the people stay at Monkswell Manor when Mrs. Boyle was murdered?
Ans: Mrs. Boyle was in the library of Monkswell Manor when she was murdered.
Mrs. Boyle listened to the wireless alone in the library. Someone whistled the opening notes of ‘Three Blind Mice’. Mrs. Boyle responded without fear, conversing with the person only she could see. Suddenly she was strangled with a tie of the raincoat, and she died.
When Mrs. Boyle was murdered, Mr. Wren and Mr. Davis were in their separate bed rooms, Mrs. Molly Davis was cooking in the kitchen, Major Metcalf was in cellar and Mr. Paravicini was in drawing room.
7.What did Trotter say to Molly and Giles about Longridge Farm case?
Ans: Trotter told Molly and Giles about Longridge Farm case that Mrs. Lyon and her husband mistreated their three foster children, resulting in the death of the youngest child who was twelve years old. Mrs. Lyon whose real name was Maureen Gregg and his husband were sentenced for their crime. Her husband died while trying to escape from the jail ,but Maureen served her sentence. After her release , she was strangled to death.
Trotter also explained that the police suspected the oldest boy of the abused children, who would now be twenty-three years old, of being killer and the police believed that the girl of the abused children was adopted by someone.
8.Who was the second victim? What was the reason of Mrs. Boyle’s murder? Where did the murder take place? How did the group react after the murder?
Ans: Mrs. Boyle was the second victim.
When Mrs. Boyle was the billeting officer, she sent three children to Longridge Farm in which the youngest boy of the abused children died because of ill-treatment .
The murderer thought that Mrs. Boyle was responsible for the death of the youngest boy.
The murder took place in the library of Monkswell Manor, the guest house.
After Mrs. Boyle’s death all people of the group were crowded in the kitchen. Major Metcalf, Mr. Wren, Mr. Giles and Mr. Paravicini looked at one another being shaken. Molly’s face became white in fear and she was trembling with excitement. She drank a glass of whisky for the sixth times which Sergeant Trotter forced her to drink. Being angry Sergeant Trotter looked round at the assembled people. He asked Molly what she had heard or seen in the hall.
9.What report was given to inspector Parminter from the fingerprint department regarding the murdered woman? What information did Mrs Casey give about Mrs Lyon’s murder?
Ans: The person who was murdered ,called herself as Mrs Lyon but in reality she was Maureen Gregg who got released from Holloway two months ago after completion of her sentence.
She had been known to bring a man home with her once or twice being drunkard without showing fear of anything . She did not think herself in any danger. The murderer rang the bell and was informed by Mrs. Casey to go up to the second floor. Being unable to describe him, Mrs. Casey told that he was medium in height and seemed to have a bad cold and lost his voice. She did not hear the man go out or anything of suspicious nature. When she took tea to her lodger , she saw her strangled.
10.What were the only clues the police have in the case of the murder of Mrs. Maureen Lyon?
Ans: A notebook with two address was found at the crime scene of Mrs. Lyon in which the first was Seventy-Four Culver street and the other address was Monkswell Manor along with the words ‘Three Blind Mice’. So Trotter thought that there must have been a connection between the Longridge Farm business and someone who was in Monkswell Manor.
11.Why did Molly become scared after talking to Superintendent Hogben over the telephone?
Ans: Superintendent Hogben informed Molly that he had sent Detective Sergeant Trotter to her guest house requesting her to impress her husband to listen to what Trotter would tell them carefully, and to follow his instructions. As the police was about to come in Monkswell Manor , Molly thought seriously about the reason for which the police could come in their guest house that made her scared after talking to Superintendent over the telephone.
12.What did inspector Parminter do after talking to Bill?
13.What did Molly say to Mrs. Boyle about Mr. Wren’s profession? How did Mrs. Boyle react them? What did Molly tell her when Mrs. Boyle made a comment on Mr. Wren?
Ans: Molly told Mrs. Boyle that Christopher Wren was an extremely brilliant young architect. After listening to Molly, Mrs. Boyle said with a snap that she had heard of sir Christopher Wren who was an architect and famous for St. Paul. Mr. Wren’s parents called him by that name because they expected to see their son as a successful architect but Mr. Wren had not become popular like Sir Christopher Wren. So Mrs. Boyle doubted his reputation and said that Mrs. Molly should have made some inquiries about him.
Molly said that She needed to know about seven guineas which Mr. Wren paid her every week. It did not matter for her whether she liked her guests.
14.What did Joe report to inspector Parminter?
15.Who discovered that the phone was not working? Why did the phone not work? How did Christopher react then?
Answer: Major Metcalf discovered that the phone was not working.
Though Molly Davis thought that The telephone became dead because of snowdrifts , telephone lines were cut by Trotter and did not work.
Then Christopher laughs hysterically.
16.How was Mrs. Boyle ? How did she come in Monkswell Manor? Who confronted Mrs. Boyle? What information was revealed about her?
Ans: Mrs. Boyle was a large, forbidding-looking woman with a resonant voice and a masterful manner. Her natural aggressiveness had been heightened by a war career of persistent and militant usefulness.
She came in the local taxi.
Major Metcalf confronted Mrs. Boyle.
Mrs. Boyle was one of the judges who had assigned the children to the foster parents. Mrs. Boyle acknowledged this ,but denied any further contact or responsibility for what happened to the children.
17. What seemed the only answer to Mrs. Boyle’s problem? Why had she chosen to come Monkswell Manor?
Ans: The hotel or boarding house seemed the only answer to Mrs. Boyle’s problem.
Mrs. Boyle’s house had been requisitioned by the army, needed through repairing and redecorating before she could return to it, and the difficulties of a domestic help made a return to it impactable in any case. Her friends were largely scattered and dispersed. Presently she would find a suitable job , but at the moment it was a case of marking time. So she had chosen to come to Monkswell Manor.
18.What had deprived Mrs. Boyle to get a legitimate cause of complaint? What did Mrs. Boyle like more than comfort?
The fact that Mrs. Boyle’s breakfast had been excellently cooked and served with good coffee and homemade marmalade, in a curious way annoyed her still more.It had deprived her of a legitimate cause of complaint.
Mrs. Boyle liked to find fault in others more than comfort.
19.What appeared to be an answer to prayer for Mr. Paravicini and why? How was he?
Ans: Mr. Paravicini’s car was overturned in a snowdrift. He got himself out and was making his way as best he could .He listened to a howling blizzard still. He was along the road and saw the board of Monkswell Manor guest house. It was like an answer to prayer for Mr. Paravicini.
He was an elderly man with a small black beard and Mephistophelean eyebrows. He moved with a young and jaunty step in spite of gray at his temples.
20.How was Major Metcalf ?
Ans: Major Metcalf was an impassive, unemotional, middle-aged man of spruce military appearance ,who had done most of his service in India. He appeared satisfied with his room and its furniture ,and while he and Mrs. Boyle did not actually find mutual friends, he had known cousins of friends of hers- “the Yorkshire branch”, out in Poonah. His luggage , however, two heavy pigskin cases, satisfied even Giles’s suspicious nature.
21.Why was Molly chosen as the third victim? How was the third murder prevented? Was Mollie at fault? How did Trotter react to his ruined plans?
Ans: The child who died in the Longridge Farm, wrote a letter to Molly. He begged for help in a letter. Though as a teacher Molly should have tried to find out the reason of her student’s absence, Molly ignored the letter. So Jim who was Sergeant Trotter in disguise , wanted to take revenge on Mollie , and chose her as the third victim.
No, Mollie was not faulty because Molly’s sister was considered as Mrs. Molly Davis by Sergeant Trotter.
When Major Metcalf arrested Sergeant Trotter, he told that Georgie would be angry with him.
22.Who doubted Mr. Giles and why? Why did Mr. Giles go to London? What did he hide from Molly and Davis and Why?
Ans: Mrs. Molly doubted Mr. Giles. Mrs. Molly got London Edition of the Evening Standard newspaper. Molly knew that Mrs. Lyon was murdered before two days in London on the same day when Mr. Giles was in London. So he doubted Mr. Giles as a murderer of Mrs. Lyon.
Mr. Giles went to London to buy an anniversary present for Molly.
Mr. Giles hid that he went to London.
Giles wanted to give a surprise through giving present to Molly. So he hide that he went to London to buy an anniversary gift for Molly.
Exercise
A. Answer the following questions in a complete sentence:
1.How did the end of the Manor look?
2.Describe the man who came to Culver street.
3.How did the newly painted board look?
4.Where and why had Giles gone in ‘Three Blind Mice’?
5.Describe the furniture of Monkswell manor.
6.Where did Mr. Giles serve as a midshipman in 1940?
7.What is meant by the phrase ‘tete-a-tetes’?
8.Why did Sergeant ask Major Metcalf to go to Mr. Davis’s bedroom?
B. Answer the following questions in about 100 words:
1.How did Molly Davis inherit Monkswell Manor? How was it turned into a guest house?
2.“The paper pinned to the dead woman’s body had the writing”–What was written in the paper?
What did those written words indicate? How did the woman become dead?
3.Who was Mrs. Boyle? How was she murdered? Where did her murder take place ?
4.Bring out the dramatic significance of the opening scene of the play ‘Three Blind Mice’.
5.Who was the unexpected guest at Monkswell Manor? How was his appearance when Molly saw him peering through the bannisters? What made him arrive unexpectedly at the guest house?
6.Which room will the guests are going to come and when?
7.Why is making breakfast worst in ‘Three Blind Mice’?
8.Briefly describe the character of the people who came to stay in Monkswell Manor.
9.Describe the quarrel that Giles and Molly had after Christopher Wren left the kitchen till Mr. Paravicini enters it.
10.Briefly describe the ending of the play after Molly began to play piano.
11.Justify the title of the play ‘Three Blind Mice’.
12.Describe the setting of the play ,and comment on the ending of the play.
13.How did Sergeant Trotter reach Monkswell Manor? What did Sergeant Trotter inform Giles and Molly in the study room?
14.Write a character sketch of Mr. Wren.
15.In what manner was the murder mystery unraveled?
Word-Meaning:
♦Wheezing-breathing with difficulty, ♦toiled-made great effort, ♦shabbily-in poor condition, ♦handy man -a man who is good at doing practical jobs outside and inside the house, ♦venture-a new undertaking, ♦rambling-go from one place to another, ♦enormous-large