Before you read: Key words
- wound an injury where the skin is cut or broken рана
- bandage a strip of cloth wrapped around an injury пов'язка
- palm the flat inside part of your hand долоня
- swelling a part of the body that has become larger due to injury набряк
Match the word to its meaning
“Was it an accident?” I asked, concerned.
“No, definitely not,” he answered quickly.
“What? Was it an attack?”
“Yes, very serious,” he replied.
“You’re scaring me.”
I cleaned and bandaged his wound. He didn’t complain, but I could see he was in pain.
The injury to his thumb was severe, but I needed to ensure there was no additional damage.
“Victor, I need to check the rest of your hand, arm, and other parts of your body to make sure nothing else is hurt,” I said, gently examining him.
He nodded, and I carefully checked his fingers — index, middle, ring, and little finger. They all appeared uninjured.
“Can you move each finger for me? Start with your index finger.”
Victor followed my instructions, moving each one. “It hurts a bit, but they’re fine,” he said.
“Good. Now let me check your palm and wrist.” I inspected the palm of his hand, noting a few scratches but no deep cuts. His wrist seemed unharmed, too.
I moved to his shoulder, carefully feeling for any signs of swelling or tenderness. “And here?”
“It’s fine, Doctor. Just my thumb is injured,” he assured me.
Satisfied that no other part of his hand or arm was affected, I stepped back.
“Let’s check your legs,” I said.
I carefully examined his knee, noting no swelling. Moving down, I checked his feet, toes, and heels.
“Nothing seems out of place, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry,” I said.
Before wrapping up, I asked, “What about your back or neck? Any discomfort?”
Victor shook his head. “No, everything else feels alright.”
“It seems your thumb is the only serious injury.”
I was determined to find out the truth. It felt like there was more to the story than he was saying.
After you read
1. Was Victor’s injury an accident?
No. Victor said it was definitely not an accident — it was a very serious attack.
2. What did Watson check after the thumb?
Watson checked Victor’s fingers, palm, wrist, shoulder, legs, feet, back, and neck.
3. How did Watson feel at the end of the check-up? Choose: satisfied / worried / bored
He felt satisfied that the thumb was the only injury, but worried because he sensed Victor was hiding something.
Past Simple Practice
Fill in the gaps
Write the Past Simple form of the verb in brackets. Press Enter or click Check.
Example: Watson cleaned (clean) and bandaged the wound.
Watson (ask) if it was an accident. Victor (answer) quickly: “No, definitely not.” Watson (bandage) the wound carefully.
Fill in the gaps
Write the Past Simple form of the verb in brackets.
Watson (inspect) the palm of Victor’s hand. He (step) back, satisfied. Victor (shake) his head. “Everything else feels alright.”
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:
“Watson checked Victor from head to toe — fingers, wrist, shoulder, legs. Have you ever had a medical check-up? What did the doctor check?”
Holmes:
“Victor was in pain but he didn’t complain. Are you good at hiding pain or discomfort? Did something hurt or bother you 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.
- Was Victor’s injury an accident?
- What parts of Victor’s body did Watson check?
- What does “better safe than sorry” mean? Do you agree?
- Why do you think Watson was determined to find out the truth?
- What do you think happened to Victor the night before?