Easy Reading · B1
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I

Episode I of XII

Knock, knock! ‘Who’s there?

A stranger arrives at Watson’s door

“Behind every knock lies a story waiting to be told.”

Before you read: Key words

Think about it: Imagine the doorbell rings at 7 o’clock in the morning. You open the door and see a young man with a bloody hand. What do you do?

Match the word to its meaning

Dr Watson speaking Hi! I’m Dr Watson.
I’m a doctor and the best friend of Sherlock Holmes.
This story begins not with Holmes — but with me.

One sunny morning, someone rang my doorbell very early.
I had no idea that this simple moment
would lead to one of the strangest cases I have ever seen.
↓ Worksheet PDF

It was summer, just after I got married. I returned to my medical practice. I no longer lived with Holmes on Baker Street but often visited him. One sunny morning, at seven o’clock, the doorbell rang. I went downstairs to answer it.

A young man stood there. He was nervous. His hand was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief.

“Good morning,” I said. “I’m Dr Watson. How can I help you?”

“Good morning, Doctor.” He shook my hand. “My name is Victor Hatherley,” he replied.

“Nice to meet you,” I said.

“Nice to meet you too,” Victor responded. “I’m sorry to bother you so early, but I’ve had an accident and need your help.”

I invited him inside and asked to see his injury. The bloody handkerchief around his hand immediately caught my attention.

He explained: “I suffered a serious accident last night. I travelled by train to find a doctor.”

However, it seemed there was more to his story than just an accident. Victor was nervous and upset. Suddenly, he let out a strange laugh. Concerned for his health, I offered him some water and a bit of brandy.

After a few minutes, he calmed down and apologised. Then, he revealed that the injury was far worse than it appeared. He didn’t just injure his thumb — he lost it entirely.

After you read

1. What time did Victor arrive at Watson’s house?

He arrived at seven o’clock in the morning.

2. What was wrapped around Victor’s hand?

A bloody handkerchief was wrapped around his hand.

3. Was it really an accident? Choose the best answer: yes, definitely / no, definitely not / we don’t know yet

We don’t know yet. Victor says it was an accident, but he seems to be hiding something.

Quiz 1 · Yes or No?

Read each question. Choose Yes, No, or I don’t know. Answer all questions, then click Check.

1. Did the Doctor use to live with Sherlock Holmes on Baker Street?

2. Did the Doctor invite Victor inside to play chess?

3. Did Victor lose his thumb in a strange and dangerous accident?

4. Was Victor’s injury caused by a paper cut?

5. Was the Doctor worried about Victor?

Characters

Sherlock Holmes
Detective
The greatest detective in England. He notices what everyone else misses, and he is never wrong about the things that matter.
Dr Watson
Holmes’s partner, narrator
Holmes’s loyal friend and the narrator of this story. A doctor who is the first to help Victor — and who brings him to Holmes.
Victor Hatherley
Hydraulic engineer
A young engineer who arrives at Watson’s door with a missing thumb and a very strange story to tell.
Colonel Lysander Stark
The mysterious client
A tall, thin man with a German accent who offers Victor a very well-paid but very secretive job.
Mrs Hudson
Holmes’s housekeeper
The cheerful housekeeper at 221B Baker Street. She always has breakfast ready and a kind word for everyone.
Elise
A woman at the house
A mysterious woman Victor meets at the colonel’s house. She seems frightened — and she has a warning for Victor.
Next episode → Or practise this episode first ↓

Past Simple Practice

Fill in the gaps

Write the Past Simple form of the verb in brackets. Press Enter or click Check.

Example: Watson opened (open) the door and saw a young man.

It (be) summer. Watson (go) downstairs to answer the door. A young man (stand) there.

Fill in the gaps

Write the Past Simple form of the verb in brackets.

Victor (shake) Watson’s hand. Watson (invite) him inside. He (offer) Victor some water and brandy.

Sentence order

Put the sentences in the correct order. Click what happened first, then second, then third, then fourth.

Watson invited Victor inside and looked at his hand.
The doorbell rang at seven o’clock in the morning.
Victor revealed he lost his thumb.
A young man with a bloody handkerchief introduced himself as Victor Hatherley.

Talk to Holmes

Sherlock Holmes has a few questions for you. Answer using Past Simple, just like in the story.

Holmes:

“Watson opened his door to a complete stranger at seven in the morning and helped him immediately. Have you ever helped a stranger? What happened?”

Holmes:

“Victor was very nervous, but he calmed down after a few minutes. What do you do when you feel nervous or upset? Did something make you nervous this week?”

Listening Practice

Listen to the audio above. Then fill in the missing words in the text and check your answers.

Speaking Practice

Record your answers

Press record and answer the questions out loud. No pressure, no grades. Just you and your English.

  1. What time did Victor arrive at Watson’s house?
  2. What was wrong with Victor’s hand?
  3. What did Watson offer Victor to help him calm down?
  4. Did Victor really have an accident, or was it something else?
  5. How do you think Victor lost his thumb?
  6. Would you open your door at 7 AM for a stranger?
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