English lessons with Sherlock Holmes - The Blue Carbuncle

Inspector Bradstreet
Commissioner Peterson
Jon Horner (plumber)
James Ryder (Butler)
Henry Baker (British Museum steward)
The Countess

1) Who is first arrested for the theft?
2) How did Peterson come by the goose?
3) How much does the countess offer in reward for the Blue Carbuncle?
4) What deductions does Sherlock make from his examination of the hat? What are the reasons for each deduction?
5) How does Sherlock find out that Henry Baker is ignorant of what the goose had inside?
6) Where does Henry Baker buy the goose, and where does he get the money?
7) Why does the goose salesman refuse to tell Sherlock where he bought the goose from?
8) How does Sherlock trick the goose salesman into telling him where he had bought the goose from?
9) How does Holmes persuade James Ryder to go with them?
10) How does the stone get into the goose?
11) Why does Holmes let Ryder go?
12) What justification does he give to Watson?

Peculiar

Stubborn

Obstinate

Modest

Humble

Strange

Respectable

Uncomfortable

Sinister

Very clever

Timid

Content

Ingenious

Capricious

Whimsical

Reputable

Satisfied

Corrupt and harmful

Awkward

Shy

Now use the words in the following sentences:

1) Mr Henry Baker was a ?????? and ?????? man, who worked in the British Museum.
2) Holmes was ?????? that the goose was country bred.
3) It was extremely ??????? that Peterson found the diamond in his goose.
4) Holmes is never ??????? until he finds the solution to the riddle.
5) Jewels always have a ??????? history due to the fact that they are the focus of crime.

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Come by/across s.t

Make s.o do s.t

Turn s.t into s.t

Find s.t by accident

Be after s.t

Change s.t from one thing to another

Sold out (of s.t)

Escape / Run away

Make off

Escape unpunished for s.t

Carry on

Ruminate on s.t

Think s.t over

Continue

Put s.o up to s.t

Run out of s.t

Get away with s.t

Run to s.w

Make for s.w

Look for s.t

Now use the words in the following sentences:

1) Peterson ??????? the goose one evening, when he saw a scuffle.
2) After stealing the diamond Peterson went out, ????????? his sister's house in order to ???????? things ??????
3) When Holmes and Watson got to the market the salesman had already ???????? ???????of geese.
4) James Ryder ????????? the blue carbuncle and that's why he was in the market asking for geese.
5) James Ryder said that the maid had ??????? him ???????? it. He was a coward and didn't want to take responsibility for his actions.
6) Sherlock Holmes let James off because he didn't want to ???????? James Ryder ???????? a criminal for the rest of his life.

In charge of

complain

Make a fuss

Twenty four

Make enquiries

Be pitiful

A couple of dozen

Responsible for

Clear off!

Ask questions

On the contrary

Get out!

I make a living in

Be on good terms with

Be in the good books with

Really want to

Have mercy!

I work in

Long to

In reverse

Now use the words in the following sentences

1) Ah, Mr Holmes - you are the person I have ??????? meet.
2) I ????????? in the British Museum.
3) If you want to be ??????????? with the wife, I suggest that you buy this goose.
4) I'd like a ?????????? geese for the Christmas club.
5) I didn't want to ?????????? so I didn't go to the police.

1) Want to do (+ to + infinitive) [promise, threaten, offer]
2) Tell s.o to do (object + to + infinitive) [ask, warn, advise, order, persuade]
3) Congratulate s.o on doing (object + preposition + gerund) [accuse s.o (of), thank s.o (for), praise s.o (for)]
4) Avoid doing (+ gerund) [deny, admit, regret, suggest, recommend]
5) Insist on doing (+ preposition + gerund) [apologise for]
6) Say that (+ that + clause) [promise, insist, suggest, deny, admit, regret]
7) Tell s.o that [assure, persuade, convince, warn, (NOT ask)]

1) 'I didn't do it, I swear!'
Jon Horner denied
2) 'Why don't you go and see Sherlock?'
Mr Peterson's wife suggested
3) 'Why should I offer a reward?'
The countess refused
4) 'We should find Henry Baker'
Watson recommended
5) 'I owe you 8 pounds and a penny'
Henry Baker admitted
6) 'If it's a bird you're after, I'd get to him as soon as possible'
The barman advised
7) 'Will you have a glass of beer with us?'
Holmes offered
8) 'I made a bet with Watson that the bird is country bred.
Holmes insisted
9) 'If you come here asking for geese again, I'll set the dog on you!
The salesman threatened
10) 'I know a lot about the goose and can assist you if you come with me.'
Holmes persuaded
11) 'I have almost every link in the chain - you need tell me very little, Mr Ryder.
Holmes warned
12) 'I'll never do anything like this again, I swear!
James Ryder promised

Comprehension

1) Jon Horner, the plumber
2) He saw a group of men assault the owner of the goose. When he ran over in his uniform they all ran away and left the goose behind.
3) 1000 pounds
4)
The owner is an intellectual man. The size of the hat means the man has a large brain.
The owner was wealthy 3 years ago but has now fallen upon rough times. - The hat is 3 years old and of the best quality. If he hasn't bought a new hat for 3 years, it means he doesn't have so much cash available.
The owners wife no longer loves him - The hat hasn't been looked after properly.
The owner doesn't have gas in his house - There are candle wax stains on the hat
5) He offers to give him back the remains (leftovers) of the goose as well as the new goose which he had bought for him. Henry Baker declined the offer, so he cant have known what was in the bird.
6) He buys the goose from the Alpha Inn and he collects the money by selling his books.
7) Because someone else has been bothering him with questions about his geese supplier and so he is suspicious.
8) He lies and says that he has made a bet with Watson that the goose was bred in the country. The salesman cant resist and tells him that he has lost the bet because the goose was bred in the town.
9) He tells him that he can help him find his goose.
10) Ryder forced it down the goose's throat when he wanted to hide the stone.
11) Ryder begs him for mercy and Holmes acquiesces.
12) Prison will turn him into a worse criminal.

Adjectives

Peculiar = Strange
Obstinate = stubborn
Humble = modest
Respectable = Reputable
Sinister = Corrupt and harmful
Timid = shy
Ingenious = Very clever
Whimsical = Capricious
Satisfied = Content
Awkward = Uncomfortable

1) humble and respectable
2) obstinate
3) peculiar
4) satisfied
5) sinister

Phrasal verbs

Come by/across s.t = Find s.t by accident
Turn s.t into s.t = Change s.t from one thing to another
Be after s.t = Look for s.t
Sold out (of s.t) = Run out of s.t
Make off = Escape / Run away
Carry on = Continue
Think s.t over = Ruminate on s.t
Put s.o up to s.t = Make s.o do s.t
Get away with s.t = Escape unpunished for s.t
Make for s.w = Run to s.w

1) came by
2) made for. think things over
3) sold out
4) was after
5) put him up to it
6) turn James Ryder into

Expressions

In charge of = Responsible for
Make a fuss = Complain
Make enquiries = Ask questions
A couple of dozen = 24 (dozen = 12)
Clear off! = Get out!
On the contrary = In reverse
I make a living in = I work in
Be in the good books with = Be on good terms with
Have mercy! = Pity me!
Long to = Really want to

1) longed to
2) make a living in
3) be in the good books with
4) couple of dozen
5) make a fuss

Reporting verbs

1) denied doing it
2) suggested going to see Sherlock
3) refused to offer a reward
4) recommended finding
5) admitted owing him 8 pounds
6) advised him to get a bird
7) offered him a glass of beer
8) insisted that the bird was country bred
9) threatened to set the dog on them
10) persuaded him to go with them
11) warned him that he had almost every link
12) promised never to do anything like that again.