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Easy and detailed summary of “A Question of Trust” by Victor Canning for Intermediate students. Includes about the writer, about the lesson, theme, and 100 difficult words with simple meanings. Helpful English study notes.
About the Writer: Victor Canning
Victor Canning was a famous British writer born in 1911 in Plymouth, England. He was known for writing short stories, novels, and detective tales. His works often had humor, mystery, and clever characters. Before becoming a full-time writer, he worked as a teacher and later served in the British Army during World War II. Many of his stories show human nature, wit, and moral lessons. “A Question of Trust” is one of his most popular stories. It teaches us that cleverness and dishonesty do not always bring success.
About the Lesson: “A Question of Trust”
“A Question of Trust” is a short and interesting story about Horace Danby, a man who looks honest but secretly steals to buy rare books. He thinks that stealing from rich people is not a big crime. The story shows how overconfidence and blind trust can lead to failure. It also presents a twist when Horace is cheated by a clever lady thief. The story beautifully mixes humor, crime, and irony, showing that trust is a dangerous thing when placed in the wrong hands.
Summary of the Lesson
Horace Danby was a middle-aged man who made locks and lived a decent life. Outwardly, he looked honest and gentle, but he had a strange habit—once a year, he would rob a rich house. He used the stolen money to buy expensive books, which was his only passion. Horace was proud of his planning and careful work.
One summer, Horace planned to rob a house called Shotover Grange. He had studied the house carefully. He knew the servants went to the movies every Sunday, and the owners were away for a holiday. He also learned that the jewels were kept in a safe protected by an electric alarm.
Horace entered the house through a small window after wearing gloves to avoid fingerprints. He began his work confidently. But suddenly, he heard a soft voice. It was a young lady pretending to be the owner of the house. She told Horace that she needed his help to open the safe because she had to take her jewels before the police came.
Horace believed her and helped her open the safe. The lady thanked him sweetly and let him go. Horace felt proud that he had helped a lady. But soon, the real owners returned and found the jewels missing. The police investigated and found Horace’s fingerprints on the safe because he had removed his gloves while opening it.
When Horace was arrested, he told the police about the lady, but no one believed him. There was no proof, and the lady’s identity was never found. In the end, Horace was sent to prison. Inside jail, he made locks for the prison gates and regretted trusting the wrong person.
The story ends with an ironic twist — a thief who used to rob others was himself robbed by a smarter thief. It teaches that dishonesty and overconfidence always lead to loss.
Theme of the Lesson
The main theme of “A Question of Trust” is trust and deception. The story shows that trust, when given to the wrong person, can cause harm. Horace trusted a stranger without thinking and paid for it. The story also explores irony, as the thief himself becomes the victim of theft.
Another theme is honesty versus greed. Horace considered himself an honest thief because he robbed only the rich and never harmed anyone. But the story proves that a crime is a crime, and dishonest actions always end badly.
Lastly, the story gives a moral lesson — one should not use cleverness for wrong purposes. Real intelligence is in doing good, not in cheating others.
100 Difficult Words with Meanings (in Simple English)
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Trust – belief or faith
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Deception – act of cheating
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Honest – truthful
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Thief – person who steals
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Robbery – act of stealing
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Jewellery – ornaments made of gold or silver
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Rare – uncommon
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Hobby – favorite activity
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Crime – unlawful act
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Clever – smart
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Planning – making a plan
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Careful – attentive
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Confident – sure about something
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Gentle – kind and polite
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Strange – unusual
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Passion – strong liking
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Expensive – costly
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Servants – people working in a house
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Vacation – holiday
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Electric – powered by electricity
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Alarm – warning signal
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Window – glass opening in a wall
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Gloves – cloth for hands
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Fingerprints – marks of fingers
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Voice – sound of speaking
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Pretending – acting as if something is true
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Owner – person who possesses something
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Safe – a strong box for keeping valuables
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Jewel – precious stone
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Police – law officers
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Believed – trusted
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Proof – evidence
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Identity – who someone is
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Arrested – caught by police
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Prison – jail
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Regret – feel sorry
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Smarter – more intelligent
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Victim – person who suffers
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Cleverness – intelligence
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Loss – something lost
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Greed – desire for more
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Honest-looking – seeming truthful
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Irony – opposite result of expectation
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Unlucky – unfortunate
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Mistake – wrong action
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Locked – closed with a key
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Unlock – open
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Disguise – hiding true identity
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Escape – run away
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Curious – eager to know
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Magazine – printed book of articles
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Information – facts
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Habit – something done often
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Wealthy – rich
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Protect – keep safe
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Electrician – person who works with electricity
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Caught – captured
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Innocent – not guilty
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Gentleman – polite man
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Dangerous – full of risk
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Situation – condition
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Trouble – problem
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Respectable – worthy of respect
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Valuable – precious
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Property – thing owned
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Crime scene – place of theft
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Evidence – proof
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Guilty – responsible for a crime
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Newspaper – printed news paper
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Fear – feeling of danger
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Opportunity – chance
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Surprised – shocked
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Realized – understood
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Stranger – unknown person
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Expression – look on face
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Shame – feeling of guilt
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Memory – something remembered
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Silence – no sound
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Doubt – lack of trust
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Cleverly – smartly
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Carefully – with attention
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Kindness – act of being kind
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Simple – easy
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Nervous – worried
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Situation – condition
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Disappear – vanish
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Secret – hidden information
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Richness – having wealth
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Precious – valuable
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Gentlemanly – polite and good
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Foolish – silly
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Lonely – alone
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Perfect – without mistake
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Believable – easy to believe
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Ignorant – lacking knowledge
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Confession – accepting a crime
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Punishment – penalty for wrong
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Forgive – to pardon
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Lesson – moral or teaching
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Truth – real fact
Short answer Type Questions
Q.-1. How Horace was aware of all the details of the house?
Ans- Horace read about the house in a magazine. He also visited it before the robbery. He noted every small thing like doors, windows, and alarms. That is why he knew all the details.
Q.-2. What was his hobby? How did he manage to fulfil his hobby?
Ans-Horace loved reading rare and expensive books. To buy them, he used to steal money and valuable things. He thought robbery was the best way to fulfil his hobby.
Q.-3. How did the lady spoil his plan?
Ans-The lady pretended to be the owner of the house. She caught Horace red-handed and tricked him into opening the safe for her. After that, she took everything and left.
Q.-4. What kind of tricks did she play on Horace?
Ans-The lady acted smartly. She lied to Horace, saying she needed the jewels to hide from the police. She made him open the safe and later betrayed him by stealing the jewels herself.
Q.-5. What did the young lady ask Horace to do for her?
Ans-The young lady asked Horace to open the safe for her because she said she had to hide her jewels. Horace trusted her and opened the safe without any doubt.
Q.-6. What is 'Shotover Grange' in the story?
Ans-‘Shotover Grange’ is the name of the house where Horace planned to rob. It belonged to a rich family who went away for the weekend, giving Horace a chance to steal.
Q.-7. What story did Horace tell the police when he was arrested?
Ans-Horace told the police that he was innocent. He said he was called to the house to open the safe by the owner’s wife. But the police did not believe his story.
Q.-8. What was the reason behind his habit of robbery?
Ans-Horace loved fine books but did not have enough money to buy them. So, he started stealing to get money. He believed he robbed only rich people and did no harm.
Q.-9. Describe his way of planning.
Ans-Horace planned everything very carefully. He studied the house, time, alarm system, and family routine. He chose the best time to enter and made sure no one could catch him easily.
Q.-10. How did Horace enter the house?
Ans-Horace entered the house by cutting the glass of a window. He wore gloves to avoid fingerprints. He moved quietly inside, thinking no one was there.
Long answer Type Questions
Q.-1. How can we say that the lady was more professional than Horace Danby?
Ans-The lady was more professional because she easily fooled Horace. She acted smartly, used clever words, and made him believe her false story. She did not leave any proof behind. Horace was caught by the police, but she escaped safely with the jewels. Her cleverness showed she was a real expert in crime.
Q.-2. Sketch the character of Horace Danby.
Ans-Horace Danby was an honest-looking man but secretly a thief. He loved reading expensive books. He robbed only rich houses to buy books. He was intelligent and careful but very simple at heart. He easily trusted others. His overconfidence and lack of experience made him a victim of the clever lady’s plan.
Q.-3. Describe the whole incident between Horace and the lady.
Ans-Horace entered the house to steal the jewels. Suddenly, a young lady appeared and pretended to be the owner. She said she needed the jewels to avoid police trouble. Horace believed her and opened the safe. The lady took the jewels and left. Later, the police arrested Horace for the same theft.
Q.-4. What were his plans for his latest robbery? Explain.
Ans-Horace planned to rob Shotover Grange carefully. He studied the house and its security system. He chose a day when the servants and owners were away. He decided to take the jewels and leave no fingerprints. Everything was ready, but his plan failed when the clever lady fooled him into opening the safe.
Q.-5. How was Horace Danby cheated by the lady in the story ‘A Question of Trust’?
Ans-The lady pretended to be the owner of the house and told Horace she needed the jewels to hide from the police. Horace trusted her and opened the safe for her. After stealing the jewels, she escaped quietly. Later, Horace was caught by the police, proving he was completely cheated by her.
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