Chapter: 15. The Crown Of Diamonds
Practice Paper Answer Key
A. Answer these questions.
What valuable public item did the “noblest personages in England” offer as collateral to Mr. Holder? The “noblest personages in England” offered the Crown of Diamonds as collateral to Mr. Holder. Besides Mr. Holder, Arthur, and Mary, who was the only other person who frequently visited the house at Streatham? The only other person who frequently visited the house at Streatham was Arthur’s friend, Sir George Burnwell. What specific part of the Crown of Diamonds was found missing after Mr. Holder rushed into his sitting room? One of the crown’s gold corners, with three of the diamonds, was found missing. Why did Mr. Holder go to Sherlock Holmes for help, and whose advice was he following? Mr. Holder went to Sherlock Holmes for help because the Crown of Diamonds, a national treasure, had been damaged while in his care, and his son was arrested for the theft. He sought Holmes’s help on the advice of the police. Describe Sherlock Holmes’s actions immediately upon reaching Fairbank, Mr. Holder’s house. Immediately upon reaching Fairbank, Holmes walked all around the house, through the gardens and the lane at the back. He then walked into the house, looking at all the windows, particularly the big hall window overlooking the stable lane. B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.
“It is unlikely that he would have made any sound if he had intended to steal the crown.”
a. Who said this?
* Sherlock Holmes said this.
b. What specific sound was being referred to?
* The specific sound being referred to was the closing of Arthur’s bedroom door, which the police thought might have been the noise that woke Mr. Holder.
c. How did this statement challenge the police’s initial theory about the sound?
* This statement challenged the police’s initial theory by introducing the logical idea that a thief, particularly one like Arthur who seemed to be acting stealthily at night, would not make a sound that would alert others. This implied that the sound was made by someone else or for another purpose. “Burnwell is a man with a bad character and no morals who led Mary to believe that he was in love with her.”
a. Who said this, and to whom?
* Sherlock Holmes said this to Mr. Alexander Holder.
b. What action of Burnwell’s does this statement explain?
* This statement explains Burnwell’s action of convincing Mary to steal the Crown of Diamonds.
c. What does this reveal about Mary’s true relationship with Burnwell?
* This reveals that while Mary may have genuinely believed Burnwell loved her, his “love” was manipulative and self-serving, aimed at exploiting her to gain possession of the valuable crown. C. Think and answer.
The story uses the word “misgivings” to describe Mr. Holder’s feelings about taking the crown home. If you were in Mr. Holder’s position, what specific “misgivings” might you have had about keeping such a valuable item in your personal residence? (Student’s imaginative response) If I were Mr. Holder, my misgivings would include the immense responsibility of safeguarding such a priceless national treasure outside of a secure bank vault. I’d worry about the lack of security at home compared to a bank, the potential for a break-in, the danger it might put my family in, or even simply the stress of being personally responsible for something so valuable. The risk of damage or loss, and the public shame that would follow, would weigh heavily on me. Sherlock Holmes often observes small details that others overlook. Discuss how the author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, builds suspense and leads the reader to question Arthur’s guilt, even when the evidence seems to point to him. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle expertly builds suspense and casts doubt on Arthur’s guilt through several subtle clues and Holmes’s questioning. Firstly, Arthur’s mysterious silence, rather than a denial, immediately makes the reader wonder about his motive. Then, Holmes’s immediate skepticism and his point that Arthur wouldn’t make a sound if he intended to steal, contradicts the initial police theory. The mention of Mary glimpsed by the window, Arthur being barefoot, and Holmes’s meticulous search for external footprints (leading to Burnwell’s) are all details that, though small, consistently point away from Arthur as the obvious culprit. These hints, combined with Holmes’s quiet confidence that he has “solved the case” even before all evidence is presented, keep the reader questioning and anticipating the true revelation. Arthur shows immense loyalty and love for Mary, even at his own expense. Do you think his decision to protect Mary by remaining silent was a noble one, or was it misguided? Justify your answer. (Student’s answer will vary, focus on justification) Noble: One could argue it was noble because it stemmed from a deep love and desire to protect someone he cared about, even if it meant personal suffering. It shows self-sacrifice. In a moral sense, he prioritized another’s perceived well-being over his own immediate self-interest. Misguided: Alternatively, it was misguided because it led to him being falsely accused, arrested, and nearly ruining his own life and his father’s reputation. His silence made it harder for the truth to come out, prolonging the distress for everyone involved. Open communication, even if difficult, would have been a more effective path to justice and resolution. Ultimately, while the intent might have been noble, the execution was flawed and had negative consequences. 
Answer key