[Samwise]

It's page 15 from a Mcgraw-Hill science workbook.

But I agree, it is rather silly.

Good grief! If Mr. Jeeves can't answer the question how is a kid supposed to figure it out. :^)

Could this be the answer? It can't be determined from this information. ???

[Lil'freeper]

It's in science book? It reads like an open-ended, creative writing exercise.

[sharktrager]

Honestly there is no way to definitively answer based on the description. For example, a piece of wood painted in that pattern would fit, which could be one of those large pencils from kindergarten as well. And if you take things like smell, while they CAN be useful, they may not be. Were I to place an object in a cedar case for a few weeks then carry it on a hot day you could duplicate those smells without that information having any relevance to what the object is.

I would say that any "correct" answer would have to include the disclaimer that it is but one of many possible interpretations given the limited information.

[Vor Lady]

If the book was published recently then the answer has to be 'Bush's fault' somehow. Maybe it is some rare wood artifact that his policies caused to be destroyed or some such nonsense.