Артур Дойл - Приключения Шерлока Холмса / The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (сборник)

A cab was already here. Two policemen sat inside. Inspector Martin rose and said:

“It is time for us to go.”

“Can I see her?”

“No, she is not ready for this. Mr. Holmes, I’m pleased to work with you. I hope that if I have another important case, I’ll be lucky to meet you again.”

We stood at the window and watched the cab. I turned my back and saw a piece of paper which Slaney had thrown on the table. It was the note which Holmes had written to him.

“See if you can read it, Watson,” he said, with a smile.

There was this little line of dancing men.

“If you use the code which I have explained,” said Holmes, “you will find that it means simply ‘Come here at once’. I was sure that he wouldn’t refuse, because he couldn’t even imagine that someone else except Mrs. Cubitt could write it. So, my dear Watson, finally we’ve managed to use these dancing men for something good, when they have been so often the agents of evil. And I think that I was right, now you can add this curious story to your collection. It’s three-forty, our train is soon. We’ll be back in Baker Street for dinner.”

Only one word of epilogue. The American, Abe Slaney, was sentenced to death [152]at Norwich. But the punishment was changed to hard labour [153], as it was proved that Hilton Cubitt had fired first. As for Mrs. Hilton Cubitt, I only know that she recovered completely, and that she still remains a widow. She has devoted her life to the care of the poor and to the administration of her husband’s estate.

1. What did Abe Slaney do after he had been attacked?

1) He started fighting.

2) He started laughing.

3) He started crying.

4) He was so amazed that he couldn’t do anything.

2. Why was Slaney shocked when Holmes told him that Mrs. Cubitt was hurt?

1) He never shot at women.

2) He didn’t want to believe that she could have commited suicide.

3) He loved her.

4) He thought that he missed.

3. Why did he say that he had a right to her?

1) They were married.

2) He was too confident.

3) They were engaged.

4) He usually got everything what he wanted.

4. Why did Elsie run away from Slaney?

1) He threatened her.

2) He hit her.

3) She wanted to be independent.

4) She found out that he was a cheater.

5. Who invented the secret writing with the dancing men?

1) the boss of the gang

2) Elgie

3) Abe Slaney

4) Sherlock Holmes

6. How did Slaney know that Elsie was reading his messages?

1) She washed them out.

2) She left an answer once.

3) She called him.

4) It is not mentioned in the text.

7. Did Slaney want to kill Elsie’s husband?

1) Yes, he did. Mr. Cubitt made him mad.

2) Yes, he did but he couldn’t do it.

3) No, didn’t. He wanted just to frighten him.

4) No, he didn’t but Elsie asked him for it.

8. Why was Abe’s punishment changed?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

9. Choose the right verbs:

She asked me to…………… and said that it…………… her heart if anyone…………… something.

1) went away, would break, found out

2) go away, will break, found out

3) go away, would break, would find out

4) go away, would break, found out

10. Complete the sentences with these words and expressions:

set a trap, in no way, was sentenced, commit, put, made

1) This…………… me mad, and I caught her arm and tried to pull her through the window.

2) Abe Slaney…………… to death at Norwich.

3) So you killed Mr. Cubitt and nearly made Mrs. Cubitt to…………… suicide.

4) The least that you can do for her is to say to the world that she was…………… responsible for his tragic end.

5) Don’t tell me that she helped to…………… for me!

6) In a second Holmes…………… a pistol to the man’s head.

11. Insert the right prepositions:

after, of, out(2), into, with, to(3), in(2)

1) I had a room downstairs and could get……… and……… every night.

2) She has devoted her life……… the care of the poor.

3) Mrs. Hilton Cubitt has been accused……… the murder of her own husband.

4) I heard nothing until that boy came……… a note, which made me walk here and give myself……… your hands.

5) ……… her marriage……… this Englishman I found……… where she was.

6) But I came here……… answer……… a letter from Mrs. Hilton Cubitt.

12. Complete the table:

13. Questions to think about:

1) What helps Sherlock Holmes to solve such difficult riddles?

2) Is Slaney the only man who is guilty in this story?

3) For whom do you feel sorry?

4) What are the starting point, culmination and outcome of this story?

5) Try to reconstruct the alphabet of the dancing men.

abilityспособность

absent-mindedрассеянный

accusationобвинение

accuseобвинять

accustomedпривыкший

acrossчерез, сквозь

actдействовать

activeактивный

additionдополнение

addressобращаться

administrationуправление

admirationвосхищение

adventureприключение

adviceсовет

adviseсоветовать

afraidиспуганный

afterwardsпозже, потом

againснова

againstпротив

agentпосредник

agreeсоглашаться

aheadзаранее

airвоздух

allowпозволять

almostпочти

aloneодин

alreadyуже

althoughхотя

alwaysвсегда

amazementудивление

amazingудивительный, ошеломляющий

amusementудовольствие, развлечение

analysisанализ, исследование

angryзлой, рассерженный

annoyдосаждать

anotherдругой

answerответ, отвечать

anxietyбеспокойство

anxiousбеспокойный

anywayво всяком случае

appealобращение

appearпоявляться

appropriateподходящий

armрука

armchairкресло

armedвооруженный

arrangementрасстановка

arrestарестовывать

arriveприбывать

askспрашивать

asleepспящий

associationассоциация

assumeпредположить

at lastнаконец

at leastпо крайней мере

at onceсразу же

attackатаковать

attentionвнимание

authorавтор

avoidизбегать

basisоснование

be (was, were)быть, являться

beautifulкрасивый

become (became, become)становиться

begумолять

begin (began, begun)начинать

behindпозади

believeверить

bellколокольчик, звонок

belongпринадлежать

besideрядом

betterлучше, сравн. ст. от good

betweenмежду

birdптица

bloodкровь

bodyтело

bossбосс

bothоба

break (broke, broken)ломать

breatheдышать

brewварить

bring (brought, brought)приносить

broadширокий

bulletпуля

burnгореть

businessдело, история

busyзанятый

buy (bought, bought)покупать

cabэкипаж

calculationподсчет

callзвонить, звать

calmспокойный

can (could)мочь, уметь

cancelотменять

candleсвеча

careзабота, заботиться

carefulосторожный, внимательный

carriageвагон, повозка

caseслучай, дело

catch (caught, caught)ловить, поймать

centreцентр

centuryвек, столетие

certainlyконечно, безусловно

chainцепь

chairстул

chalkмел

changeменять

cheatобманывать

cheaterмошенник

cheekщека

chemicalхимический

сhequebookчековая книжка

childishдетский

choiceвыбор

choose (chose, chosen)выбирать

churchцерковь

cleverумный

clientклиент