The Lock of the Whispering Archive - Comparing and contrasting characters (Grade 6)

What does Leah's dialogue, 'No way, Desmond. We can't give up now,' mainly show about her character?

• She thinks Desmond is lazy.

• She is determined and persistent.

• She knows the answer to the puzzle already.

• She is worried about being in the dusty room.

Answer explanation

Leah's statement shows her refusal to quit, which is a key part of her determined and persistent personality, contrasting with Desmond's desire to give up.

Which pair of quotes best contrasts Desmond's initial feelings of defeat with Leah's determination?

• "This is impossible, Leah." / "We can't give up now."

• "What? Another smudge of dirt?" / "The carvings on the chest tell us the order!"

• "Let's just go." / "The riddle said 'patience reveals the path.'"

• "It's just a broken old lock." / "Whoa. You were right."

Answer explanation

Desmond's quote "This is impossible, Leah" directly states his feeling of defeat, while Leah's response, "We can't give up now," shows her direct opposition and determination to continue. This pair provides the clearest contrast of their initial attitudes.

How are Leah's and Desmond's initial attitudes toward the difficult puzzle different?

• Leah is angry that the puzzle is hard, while Desmond is calm.

• Both characters are excited and work together from the start.

• Both characters are confused and want to ask for help.

• Leah is hopeful and keeps trying, while Desmond is frustrated and wants to quit.

Answer explanation

The passage contrasts Leah's hopeful statement, 'We can't give up now,' with Desmond's frustrated sigh, 'This is impossible, Leah... Let's just go.' This shows their different attitudes.

When Leah spots a potential clue on the chest, how does her reaction compare to Desmond's?

• Leah is excited and observant, while Desmond is doubtful and uninterested.

• Desmond is excited and points out the clue, while Leah is doubtful.

• Both characters are equally observant and spot the carved arrows at the same time.

• Leah thinks it's a smudge, while Desmond thinks it's an arrow.

Answer explanation

Leah shows excitement and observation by saying, "Wait a second... Come look at this!" In contrast, Desmond's doubtful and uninterested attitude is shown when he replies, "What? Another smudge of dirt?"

How does Desmond's final reaction ("Whoa. You were right.") show a change in his perspective compared to his initial attitude?

• It shows he has shifted from being doubtful and defeated to acknowledging that Leah's persistence was effective.

• It shows he is still frustrated that it took so long to solve the puzzle.

• It shows he believes he could have solved the puzzle on his own if he had more time.

• It shows he is now more determined than Leah to find the next puzzle.

Answer explanation

Desmond begins by saying the puzzle is "impossible" and wants to leave. His final surprised admission, "Whoa. You were right," demonstrates that he now sees the value in Leah's persistent approach, marking a clear change in his attitude.

Sort the following words and phrases based on which character's attitude they describe in the story.

Groups:

(a) Describes Leah

,

(b) Describes Desmond

• Observant

• Patient

• Hopeful

• Wants to give up

• Grumbled

• Frustrated

Answer explanation

Leah is described as hopeful ('We can't give up'), patient (quoting the riddle about patience), and observant (noticing the arrows). Desmond is described as frustrated ('This is impossible'), wants to give up ('Let's just go'), and he 'grumbled' about patience.

Match each quote from the story to the attitude it reveals.

• Feeling of doubt

• "This is impossible, Leah."

• Confident satisfaction

• "I told you we couldn't give up."

• Feeling of defeat

• "We can't give up now."

• Feeling of determination

• "What? Another smudge of dirt?"

Answer explanation

Desmond's quote 'This is impossible' shows he feels defeated. Leah's quote 'We can't give up now' shows her determination. Desmond's skeptical question 'Another smudge of dirt?' shows his doubt. Leah's final statement shows her satisfaction in proving that her persistent approach was correct.

Compare the attitudes of Leah and Desmond at the beginning of the story. How does their dialogue show their different points of view about the puzzle? Use at least one quote from each character to support your answer.

Answer explanation