Before you read: Key words
- orphan a child whose parents have died сирота
- hydraulic operated by the pressure of a liquid, especially water гідравлічний
- inherited received money or property from someone who died успадкував
- consultation a meeting with an expert to get professional advice консультація
Match the word to its meaning
“You should know,” he began, “that I’m an orphan and live alone in London.”
“What do you do?” asked Holmes.
“I’m a hydraulic engineer. I trained for seven years with a well-known company, Venner & Matheson, in Greenwich. Two years ago, after my father passed away, I inherited some money and started my own business on Victoria Street.
“Starting out on my own was tough. In two years, I had only three consultations and one small job. I earned just £27 and 10 shillings. Every day, I sat in my office from 9 AM to 4 PM, waiting for clients.
“But yesterday, just as I was about to leave, my clerk told me a man wanted to see me. His card said: ‘Colonel Lysander Stark.’
“He walked in — a tall, very thin man, well-dressed, around 40 years old.
“‘Mr Hatherley?’ he asked in a German accent. ‘You’ve been recommended as a skilled engineer who can keep secrets.’
“I felt both flattered and curious. ‘May I ask who recommended me?’
“‘That’s not important right now,’ he replied. ‘I know you live alone, which is good because this job requires absolute secrecy.’
“I nodded. ‘I understand. If I give my word to keep a secret, you can trust me.’
“He stared at me intensely before asking, ‘Do you promise?’
“‘Yes, I promise,’ I replied.”
After you read
1. What is Victor’s job, and how long did he train for it?
Victor is a hydraulic engineer. He trained for seven years with Venner & Matheson in Greenwich.
2. How much money did Victor earn in two years?
He earned just £27 and 10 shillings — a very small amount for two years of work.
3. What did Colonel Stark say Victor was recommended for?
Stark said Victor was recommended as a skilled engineer who could keep secrets.
Past Simple Practice
Fill in the gaps
Write the Past Simple form of the verb in brackets.
Example: Victor trained (train) for seven years.
Victor (inherit) some money after his father (pass) away. He (start) his own business on Victoria Street.
Fill in the gaps
Write the Past Simple form of the verb in brackets.
A tall, thin man (walk) in. He (ask) in a German accent: “You’ve been recommended.” Victor (feel) both flattered and curious.
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:
“Victor sat in his office every day for two years, earning almost nothing. Have you ever worked very hard for a long time without much reward? How did you feel?”
Holmes:
“Stark said Victor was recommended — but refused to say by whom. Have you ever been in a situation where you didn’t get the full story? How did you react?”
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 is Victor’s profession and how did he build his career?
- Why was starting his own business difficult for Victor?
- How did Colonel Stark behave when he met Victor?
- Why do you think Stark chose Victor specifically?
- Would you promise to keep a secret without knowing what the secret is?