Robinson Crusoe
by Daniel Defoe
Chapter 5
1. What was the thing Robinson Crusoe thinking about all the time? What were the possibilities of the thinking to be true?
= All this time he was thinking how he could get away from the island. If he had a boat, he could get to the next island. From there, he could get even farther, perhaps he could get to the mainland. Perhaps he could find a ship sailing to England. Such were his thoughts. He had to have a boat. He had to make boat.
2. What did he decide? Explain how he was trying to do this?
= He decided to make a boat as the Indians did. He cut down a great tree. That was very work and it took him twenty days. Then, with his axe, he cut out the centre of the tree. That was even harder work. It took him three months. Altogether, it took him nearly six months to make the boat. In the end, he was pleased with his work. He had a very fine boat, big enough to carry him and all his goods.
3. How did he get the boat into the water? Was he successful in doing this?
= He had to get the boat into the water. That proved impossible. He tried very hard but he could not move the boat at all. Then he tried to bring the water to the boat. He began to dig a stream from the sea to the boat.
He stopped when he realised that he needed ten or twelve years to finish digging such a stream. He was very unhappy to give up the work but he had to do so.
4. How long had he been in the island?
= By that time, he had been on the island for four years.
5. What were his outer garments?
= His clothes were worn out and he needed new ones. He made a cap for himself from the skins of some rabbits. From goat-skins he made a jacket and trousers. His shoes were made out of skins and so was his belt.
6. How was his over all look while he went out the island?
= He looked very strange when he went about the island. He carried an axe and a saw in his belt. He carried a basket on his back and his guns on his shoulders. His face was very brown from the sun. The hair that grew on his head he cut from time to time with scissors.
7. How long did it take Crusoe to cut down the tree?
= Twenty days.
8. How long did it take him to cut out the centre of the tree?
= Three months.
9. How long did it take him to make the boat?
= Six months.
10. Was Crusoe able to get his boat into the water?
= Crusoe was not able to get his boat into the water. It was an impossible task.
11. Why did Crusoe stop digging the stream?
= Crusoe stopped digging the stream when he realised that he needed ten or twelve years to finish such a stream.
12. What new clothes did Crusoe make?
= He made a cap of himself from the skins of some rabbits. He made a jacket and trousers from a goat-skin. His shoes were made out of skins and so was his belts.
13. How did Crusoe look?
= Crusoe looked very strange as he went about the island.
14. How did he cut his hair?
= He cut his hair from time to time with scissors.