Before you read: Key words
- cuttings small pieces cut from a newspaper or magazine to keep газетні вирізки
- scheme a secret or dishonest plan схема, змова
- identical exactly the same in every way ідентичний, однаковий
- deduction a conclusion reached by careful thinking and logic дедукція, логічний висновок
Match the word to its meaning
Holmes and I listened carefully as Victor finished his story.
“When I reached the station, I asked the porter about Colonel Lysander Stark, but he never heard of him. I asked about a police station, but the nearest one was three miles away. I decided to wait until I got back to London before talking to the police,” Victor said.
Holmes stood up and took a large book filled with newspaper cuttings from the shelf. He turned the pages slowly until he found what he was looking for.
“Look at this, Watson,” he said. “A hydraulic engineer went missing over a year ago. He left his house late at night and nobody saw him again. The details are almost identical.”
He found another cutting and laid it beside the first. “A second engineer. Disappeared under similar circumstances.”
Holmes closed the book and looked at us. “And I believe I know why Colonel Stark drove Victor around in circles for an hour,” he said. “Victor believed he was far from Eyford. But that was not true. A fresh horse, on dark country roads, can circle back. I believe the house is very close to Eyford — perhaps only a mile or two away. The colonel wanted Victor to think he was far from help.”
This was a brilliant deduction. Victor nodded slowly. It made perfect sense.
“Stark has done this before,” Holmes continued. “He used the same method each time. He silenced anyone who discovered his scheme.”
We knew we had to act fast.
After you read
1. What did Holmes find in his book of newspaper cuttings?
He found reports of two hydraulic engineers who went missing in almost identical circumstances — they both left their homes late at night and were never seen again.
2. What was Holmes’s deduction about the house?
Holmes believed the house was very close to Eyford — perhaps a mile or two away. The colonel drove in circles to make Victor think he was far from help, but the fresh horse was a clue that it was a short journey.
3. What did Holmes say Stark did to protect his scheme?
Stark silenced anyone who discovered his scheme. The missing engineers were people who found out the truth.
Past Simple Practice
Fill in the gaps
Write the Past Simple form of the verb in brackets.
Example: Holmes took (take) a book from the shelf.
Holmes (stand) up and (take) a book from the shelf. He (turn) the pages until he (find) what he was looking for.
Fill in the gaps
Write the Past Simple form of the verb in brackets.
Holmes (close) the book and (look) at them. Victor (nod) slowly. It (make) perfect sense. They (know) they had to act fast.
Sentence order
Put the sentences in the correct order.
Talk to Holmes
Sherlock Holmes has a few questions for you. Answer using Past Simple.
Holmes:
“I noticed that two engineers disappeared in almost identical circumstances. Have you ever noticed a pattern that other people missed? What did you do with that information?”
Holmes:
“I deduced that the house was close to Eyford from a single clue — a fresh horse. Have you ever reached an important conclusion from a small detail? What was it?”
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.
- What did Holmes find in his book of cuttings?
- Explain Holmes’s deduction about the location of the house in your own words.
- Why is the fresh horse an important clue?
- What do you think happened to the other missing engineers?
- Do you think Holmes is always right? Why or why not?