Chapter 6 - From mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil

Why do Claudia and Jamie wake up before dawn in this chapter?

• To queue before the museum opens
• To watch the sunrise on the rooftop

• To avoid being discovered by the museum staff

• To wash their clothes in the bathroom

Answer explanation

At the beginning of the chapter, Claudia and Jamie wake up early to wash and hide before museum staff arrive. They move 'like ghosts' during this routine (p. 42-43).

Where do Jamie and Claudia hide their belongings in the museum?

• Inside a locked cabinet
• In a Roman sarcophagus and behind a tapestry
• In the staff bathroom
• In a broom closet

Answer explanation

Claudia hides her violin case in an open Roman sarcophagus, Jamie hides his trumpet in a large urn, and their bags go behind tapestries (p. 44-45).

What strategy do they use to blend in on Sundays?

• They wear sunglasses and hats
• They avoid all public areas

• They pretend to be the curator’s children
• They join school groups and imitate students

Answer explanation

They blend into school tours, copying students and observing teachers (p. 47-48). Claudia learns to 'read' the museum environment.

What crucial clue does Jamie find on the statue’s velvet pedestal?

• A hidden signature by Michelangelo
• A crushed carpenter's symbol (an 'M')
• A date carved into the base
• A red paint stain

Answer explanation

Jamie spots an 'M' mark pressed into the velvet — Michelangelo’s symbol for marble blocks (p. 52-53).

How do Claudia and Jamie confirm the symbol belongs to Michelangelo?

• They ask a museum guard
• They recall it from an art class

• They find the symbol in a book at the museum bookstore

• Jamie recognizes it from a movie

Answer explanation

They browse a book on Michelangelo in the museum store and find the same symbol (p. 54). Claudia nearly screams in excitement.

Where do they type the anonymous letter to the museum?

• On a public typewriter on Fifth Avenue
• At the library computer
• On a stolen cell phone
• With pencil and museum paper

Answer explanation

They use an Olivetti public typewriter on Fifth Avenue to avoid handwriting traces (p. 56).

How does Jamie deliver the letter to the museum without getting caught?

• He puts it in a curator’s pocket
• He tapes it to the director’s door

• He pretends to be a student and hands it to the office

• He hides it in a sculpture

Answer explanation

Jamie confidently delivers the letter to the office claiming he's from a school group (p. 58), contrasting Claudia’s methodical nature.

Which phrase by Claudia shows her change in motivation?

• "I want to go home now."
• "I didn’t run away to come back the same."
• "Jamie, you’re unbearable!"
• "Let’s steal the statue."

Answer explanation

This phrase (p. 60) reflects Claudia’s emotional transformation — seeking growth and meaning through her adventure.

What does the crushed 'M' on the velvet suggest?

• That the statue was moved recently
• That Michelangelo personally marked the statue's base
• That someone tried to vandalize the statue
• That it’s a modern replica

Answer explanation

The symbol confirms Michelangelo personally marked the sculpture — a hidden 'signature' (p. 53).

What is the main theme highlighted in this chapter?

• The shift from fugitives to detectives

• The importance of honesty

• The danger of hiding in museums
• The value of money

Answer explanation

The chapter marks their shift from survival to solving a mystery, shown through metaphors and changed priorities (p. 55).