One should never judge a book by its cover. Explain with reference to Ausable and how he outwits Max with his presence of mind.
(The Midnight Visitor)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:17 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Ausable is fat, wheezy, and unimpressive — far from the typical image of a sharp, dashing spy. Yet appearances are deceptive. When Max threatens him at gunpoint, Ausable calmly invents a fictitious balcony outside his window, making it sound completely real with convincing details about the room's history. He then fabricates the arrival of "police" at the door. Believing both stories, Max steps onto the non-existent balcony to hide and falls to his death. Ausable's sharp mind and calm composure defeat an armed enemy without a single weapon — proving one should never judge a book by its cover.
Source: The Midnight Visitor, Chapter 3
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Explanation
- 3 marks = ~3 key points: (1) Ausable's unimpressive appearance, (2) the fake balcony story, (3) the fake police — leading to Max's fall.
- Examiners want you to link the proverb explicitly to Ausable's appearance vs. his actual skill.
- Do not retell the whole story — focus on the contrast and the two tricks (balcony + police).
- End with a conclusion that ties back to the question's proverb — this earns the final mark.