Swiss Family Robinson Chapter 5
Improving our home
1- How did Mr. Robinson and his sons plant the tree?
They used stalks of bamboo to support the slim, young trunks until
they grew strong.
2- What did Robinson do to keep the house of pigeons and
hens safe?
He decided to make coops for them out of gourds and hang them
from the trees.
3- What did they decide to do with the wreck?
They decided to sink the wreck.
4- What happened to their ship after they put gun powder on
the deck?
They lit it just before sailing away. By the time they reached the
shore, the ship had blown up.
5- When did the family realize that their isolation seems final?
When the ship had blown up.
6- Where did they go to the next morning after blowing the
ship?
They decided to explore the interior of the island.
7- What did they see on their path to the forest?
They saw unusual trees like a guava tree whose fruit looked like an
apple, a candleberry tree, and India rubber trees.
8- How did Fritz make waterproof boots and shoes?
He made waterproof boots and shoes from the milky sap of India
rubber trees.
9- What did they use beans from coca trees for?
They used to make a tasty chocolate drink.
10- What did Robinson and Jack do to search for Grizzle?
They followed the prints of Grizzle's hooves.
11- Why was it difficult to find the Grizzle?
They saw that the Grizzle seemed to have joined a herd of larger
animals and they lost his trail.
12- What did Robinson and Jack see when they were looking
for Grizzle?
They saw a herd of buffalo.
13- How did they make the herd of Buffalo run away?
The father shot and killed the leader. The sound of the gunshot
made the herd of buffalo run away.
14- What did the dogs attack during their search for Grizzle?
The dog attacked a buffalo calf.
15- Why did Robinson decide to save the bull’s life?
Because he thought that they could tame him to use as a beast of
burden.
16- How could they stop the bull’s resistance?
Firstly, they tied its front legs then made a hole in the inside of the
animal’s nose, Next, they passed a rope through the hole. Finally,
they freed the animal and pulled the rope.
17- What did they name their new pet?
He named his new pet Fangs.
18- What did Robinson suggest to do with the eagle?
He suggested that he capture it and train it to hunt, as one would do
with a falcon.
19- What did his wife ask Mr. Robinson to build for the tree
house?
His wife asked him to build a staircase to the tree house because It
was too hard for her to climb up and down the rope ladder all the
time.
20- How could they make bees fly away?
They blew smoke into the tree to calm the bees down. Then they
were able to remove the bees, hives and all. After that, they
covered the holes in the trunk so the bees could not return.
21- What did they use to build the staircases?
They were able to turn the inside of the tree into a staircase. They
cut an opening to fit the door they had brought from the captain's
cabin. Then they hung the door, hinges and all. They cleared the
rotten wood from the centre of the tree and placed the trunk of a
young tree inside. They use this trunk as the centre of their spiral
staircase they cut notches in the trunk of the young tree and then
cut corresponding notches in the old tree. Then they fitted wooden
steps into these notches, nailing them in tight.
22- What did they use to make shoes?
They used the sand and Indian rubber.
23- How could they have water in their new house?
They began by making a dam in the river upstream. Then they led
the water down by bamboo pipes. It flowed into the turtle's shell
that they had saved. The extra water flowed off through the hole
made by Fritz's harpoon.