Idiom of the episode
“This agreement smells fishy.”
To smell fishy — to seem suspicious, strange, or not quite right.
“He offered me money but wouldn’t explain why. It smelled fishy to me.”
Before you read: Key words
- secrecy the state of keeping something hidden or secret таємність
- remote far from towns and other people; isolated віддалений
- crucial extremely important; absolutely necessary надзвичайно важливий
- guinea an old British gold coin worth one pound and one shilling гінея (стара британська монета)
Match the word to its meaning
“And this is completely secret?” I asked. “No talking or writing about it — before, during, or after?”
“You already promised,” he replied.
“Good.” He suddenly jumped up, opened the door, checked the hallway, and came back. “Clerks can be curious, you know. Now we’re safe to talk.”
He sat close to me, looking at me seriously. I felt uneasy about this thin man’s strange behaviour but stayed calm.
“Please, get to the point,” I said. “My time is valuable.”
“How does 50 guineas for a night’s work sound?”
“Perfect,” I answered.
“It’ll only take an hour. We need your opinion on a broken hydraulic machine.”
“Sounds simple and well-paid,” I said.
“You’ll need to come tonight,” he continued, “to Eyford, near Reading. Take the last train. I’ll pick you up at 11:15.”
“Will I need to stay overnight?” I asked.
“Yes, our place is remote.”
“Can’t I come earlier?”
“No, coming late is important. That’s why we’re offering such high pay.”
I thought about the money and agreed.
“I’ll come,” I said. “But what exactly is the job?”
He explained: they discovered valuable fuller’s earth on their land. To buy the neighbouring fields secretly, they started mining and needed the hydraulic machine to work. Keeping it a secret was crucial.
I promised not to tell anyone. He stared at me one last time, shook my hand, and left.
After you read
1. How much was Victor offered for one night’s work?
He was offered 50 guineas — a very large sum for one night.
2. What did Stark say the hydraulic machine was used for?
Stark said they were mining fuller’s earth — a valuable natural material found in the ground.
3. Name two things about Stark’s behaviour that seemed “fishy” to you.
He jumped up to check the hallway for listeners. He refused to say who recommended Victor. He insisted on midnight and complete secrecy. Victor had to come at night and alone.
Past Simple Practice
Fill in the gaps
Write the Past Simple form of the verb in brackets.
Example: He jumped (jump) up and checked the hallway.
He (jump) up, (open) the door, and (check) the hallway. Victor (feel) uneasy but (stay) calm.
Fill in the gaps
Write the Past Simple form of the verb in brackets.
Victor (agree) to come. Stark (shake) his hand and (leave). Victor (promise) not to tell anyone.
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 ignored the warning signs because the money was good. Have you ever made a decision that felt wrong but you did it anyway? What happened?”
Holmes:
“Stark checked the hallway to make sure no one listened. Have you ever shared a secret with someone? Did it stay secret?”
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 Stark offer Victor, and what did he ask in return?
- Why did Stark insist on midnight? What is your guess?
- What details made the situation “smell fishy”?
- Would you have accepted this job? Why or why not?
- Use the idiom “to smell fishy” in a sentence about your own life.