Step Four B2.
1
READING & TRAINING
The Valley of Fear
KEY TO THE ACTIVITIES
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Page 7 – activity 1
1 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was the
second of ten children.
2 It is thought the character of
Sherlock Holmes is based on Dr
Bell, his university professor.
3 Conan Doyle worked as a doctor
on ships.
4 He married twice: once to Louise
Hawkins and then to Jean Leckie.
5 The Valley of Fear first appeared in
serialised form in the Strand
Magazine.
6 The Valley of Fear is very similar
to A Study in Scarlet .
7 The Sherlock Holmes stories often
start and end in Baker street,
London.
8 The Sherlock Holmes stories were
written at a time when science,
rationality and progress were
important.
9 Kingsley was Conan Doyle’s eldest
son.
10 Conan Doyle died in 1930.
Page 10 – activities 1 & 2
Open answers.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
AND EXIT TEST
Page 10 – activity 3
1A 2D 3B 4C 5F 6G 7H 8E
PART ONE
CHAPTER 0NE
Page 17 – activity 1
1A 2A 3B 4B 5D 6C 7C
Page 18 – activity 2
1 The victim was American. (D)
2 The victim was killed with/by a
shot from a sawn-off shotgun. (C)
3 When the victim was found a
candle was burning on the table.
(A)
4 The murderer probably escaped by
climbing out of the window. (B)
Page 18 – activity 3
1 Doctor Watson 2 Porlock
3 Inspector MacDonald 4 Mr Douglas
5 Mrs Douglas 6 Cecil Barker
Page 19 – activity 4
Possible answer: It would be
dangerous to give his real name.
He doesn’t want anyone to know that
he is giving Sherlock Holmes
K E Y T O T
information. Professor Moriarty
would probably kill him if he knew
about it.
Page 19 – activity 5
A A writer uses a pen name and an
actor/actress or a performer uses
a stage name.
B See answer key at back of book.
Page 19 – activity 6
Open answers.
Page 20 – activity 7
1 lived 2 criminals 3 respectable
4 offence 5 controlled 6 owners
7 obligation 8 stolen 9 successful
10 government
Page 20 – activity 1
Open answers.
CHAPTER TWO
Page 28 – activity 1
1 T
2 T
3 F – The card and the ring show
it was premeditated murder.
4 F – The candle had only burnt
a little.
5 F – The butler said that Mr
Douglas hadn’t cut himself for
a very long time.
6 T
Page 28 – activity 2
1 C drawbridge
2 A muddy footprints
3 F card/initials/number
4 B weapon/shotgun
5 H bicycle
6 G lamp
7 E wedding ring
8 D dumbbell
9 I mark/triangle/circle
H E A C T I V I T I E S
The correct order of the sentences is:
C, F, A, I, E, B, G, D, H
Page 29 – activity 3
Open answers.
Page 30 – activity 4
D Rich American Businessman Found
Dead in Country Mansion
Page 30 – activity 5
1 I received the call at eleven forty-
five.
2 When I arrived at the house, the
drawbridge was up.
3 The people in the house were
feeling confused and upset.
4 Mr Pennyworth, the doctor,
arrived shortly after I did.
5 The murderer had shot the victim
with a sawn-off shotgun/in the
face.
6 In the room there was a card with
some initials on it.
7 The murderer probably hid behind
the curtain.
8 The murderer had time to take off
the wedding ring and then to put
the other ring back on.
Page 31 – activity 6
Open answers.
Page 31 – activity 7
Open answers.
Page 32 – activity 1
1A 2B 3C 4B 5B
CHAPTER THREE
Page 39 – activity 1
1 E ...was in the kitchen.
2 C ...calling the servants.
3 A ...went to the front of the house
together.
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 K E Y T O T H E A C T I V I T I E S K E Y T O T H E A C T I V I T I E S

4 G ...down the stairs. story is set, is a fictional place in at one point. can’t answer 1.
5 H ...study telling Mrs Douglas to go Sussex, England. 3 friendly, happy, cheerful 1 We do not know why the murderer
back to her room. 5 Scotland Yard, which was founded Mrs Douglas: chose to use a loud shotgun.
6 D ...with Mrs Douglas all night. in 1829, is the name of the main 1 scared but quiet 2 We now know that Mr Douglas is
7 B ...the lamp was. office of the London police force. 2 shocked but friendly, a little unable to remove the wedding ring
8 F ...they couldn’t see anything out 6 The Sherlock Holmes Museum, nervous, charming from his hand – it is not on the
of the window. which is in Baker Street, is popular 3 happy, cheerful dead body since the murdered man
with tourists. B was not Mr douglas but the cyclist
Page 39 – activity 2
1 Dr Watson thinks that they share – his enemy, Ted Baldwin.
1 Barker met Douglas in California, Page 41 – activity 7
some secret and are hiding 3 The missing dumbbell was used to
where they worked in a successful Student’s game. something. weigh down the package of clothes
mining company. 2 Open answers. etc to the bottom of the moat.
Page 42 – activity 1
2 Douglas was a widower when he 4 We learn that the cyclist was the
left California. He met his second Open answers. Page 50 – activity 5
man who was killed, and so the
wife in England. Student’s game. bicycle was not used to escape.
3 Barker thought that a secret CHAPTER FOUR
Page 50 – activity 6 Page 60 – activity 3
society was after John and wanted
to kill him. Page 48 – activity 1 A 1B 2A 3E 4C 5D 6F B and C are now different
4 His first wife Ettie died a year 1A 2C 3D 4B 5B The slippers made the mark in
the study. Page 60 – activity 4
before Barker met him.
Page 49 – activity 2 B The cyclist was wearing a grey 1 Ted Baldwin
5 He didn’t like to be near other
men. 1 Mr Holmes asked the butler suit, short yellow coat and cap. 2 mark of a Lodge/ a triangle in a
6 One of John Douglas’s faults was to come in. Possible answers: Today a cyclist circle burnt onto his arm
his jealousy./Barker had seen John 2 He was wearing a pair of bedroom would wear (cycling) shorts, t- 3 22.45/ quarter to eleven
Douglas act jealously. slippers. shirt, special cycling shoes or 4 Cecil Barker
3 I left them and carried on walking. trainers, helmet, gloves, reflective 5 shot/face/sawn-off shotgun
Page 39 – activity 3 4 Watson asked if Holmes had or bright clothing. 6 Possibe accident/self-defence
1D 2C 3F 4B 5A 6E solved it. involving John Douglas
Page 51 – activity 7
5 Neither of them is telling the truth.
Page 40 – activity 4 Open answers. Page 61 – activity 5
6 ‘Watson, can you lend me your
Open answers. umbrella, please?’ Possible answers:
Page 52 – activity 1
7 Watson said that he had to ask 1 She’s been running.
Page 40 – activity 5 Open answers.
Holmes himself. 2 He’s been talking on the phone.
Open answers. 3 She’s been painting.
Page 49 – activity 3 Page 52 – activity 2
Page 41 – activity 6 4 He’s been swimming.
Uncomfortable: confused, agitated, 1T 2T 3F 4F 5F 6T 7F 8T
5 Someone has been writing a letter.
1 Dr Watson, who also lived in Baker shy, nervous, alarmed, scared, angry, 6 Someone has been washing their
Street, often helped Holmes with shocked, worried CHAPTER FIVE clothes/doing the washing.
his detective work. Relaxed: friendly, calm, cheerful,
2 The Valley of Fear, which was Page 60 – activity 1 Page 61 – activity 6
charming, patient, happy, arrogant
published in 1914, was one of Could be either: quiet 0H 1G 2E 3B 4C 5I 6A 7F 1A 2A 3C 4B 5D 6C 7D 8D
Conan Doyle’s later works. D not needed
3 Conan Doyle, who was born in Page 50 – activity 4 Page 62 – activity 7
Edinburgh, was a very active and Page 60 – activity 2 Open answers.
A Cecil Barker:
creative man. 1 calm We now know the answers to
Page 62 – activity 8
4 The village of Birlstone, where this 2 friendly but a bit arrogant, angry questions 2, 3 and 4, but we still
Open answers.

3 4
 K E Y T O T H E A C T I V I T I E S K E Y T O T H E A C T I V I T I E S

Hiding Places 4 farmers 5 skills 6 museum Page 77 – activity 5 5 McMurdo shot the man in Chicago
7 society 8 film 1 Doctor Watson is telling the story. because he said he was going to
Page 66 – activity 1 go to the police.
Page 76 – activity 1 John Douglas wanted him to tell
1 John Douglas. the story. 6 McGinty says that Ettie can choose
2 When Sherlock Holmes knew 1 Jack McMurdo is travelling in a between the two men which one
2 Ettie Shafter, Jacob Shafter, Mike
about the hiding place he realised train. she wants to marry.
Scanlan and Jack McMurdo are the
John Douglas was not really dead 2 He meets a miner called Scanlan.
new characters in the story. Page 91 – activity 2
and that the murder victim was 3 He then has an argument with the
someone else. policemen. Page 77 – activity 6 1B 2B 3C 4C 5A 6C
3 Hiding places were used by the rich 4 Jack is outside the Shafter’s house. Open answers. Page 92 – activity 3
and powerful, often kings and 5 Ettie Shafter is opening the door to
queens. Jack. Page 78 – activity 7 1 with 2 city 3 found 4 with
4 They were mainly used by people 6 Jack falls in love with her and 1C 2E 3A 4F 5D 5 least 6 been 7 printing 8 known
who need somewhere safe to hide wants to marry her. 9 looking 10 is
Page 78 – activity 8
because of their religion. Page 93 – activity 4
Page 76 – activity 2 Open answers.
5 Priest’s holes.
1 handsome 2 travelling 3 told Open answers.
6 He went into hiding because of the
civil war at the time and also 4 greeted 5 introduced 6 stay Secret Societies Page 93 – activity 1
because he was married to a 7 should 8 careful 9 argue
Page 82 – activity 1 1D 2A 3F 4G 5C 6B 7E 8H
Roman Catholic. 10 admiringly 11 carry 12 very
13 fell 14 agreed 1T 2F 3F 4F 5F 6T Page 94 – activity 2
7 They were very similar to Birlstone
House. Page 77 – activity 3 Page 82 – activity 2 1 widow 2 warned 3 gathered
8 The Pianist. Open answers. 4 blindfolded 5 rolled up 6 nodded
H 7 nodded 8 felt faint 9 applause
Page 66 – activity 2 Page 83 – activity 1
T A F A S
1 in the 17th century. 1D 2A 3F 4C 5B 6E CHAPTER THREE
R G C A N E T G T
2 it belongs to a private owner.
3 a film. A R A D D C L O R A Page 83 – activity 2 Page 100 – activity 1
4 tour the gardens. V E R M I S S A V A L L E Y Open answers. 1D 2B 3A 4B 5D
5 there is a forest. E E E I N H O R E R D E
6 secret garden. L T F R T O M R R G D CHAPTER TWO Page 101 – activity 2
Page 66 – activity 3 L E U I R U E Y Y U Possible answers:
Page 91 – activity 1 1 I’d better not write another article
Open answers. I D L N O L E
1 McMurdo had not been to see about the Scowrers. They might
N G D D McGinty because he had to find kill me next time.
PART TWO G L U a job. 2 I’d better leave Vermissa Valley
Y C 2 Mr Shafter told McMurdo to leave soon – there are too many bad
CHAPTER ONE E because he didn’t want a member people and terrible things
D of the Ancient Order of Freemen happening.
Page 69 – activity 1
staying in his house. 3 I’d better not marry Ted Baldwin –
1 D 2 fictional place name Page 77 – activity 4 3 McMurdo promised Ettie that no he is a cruel man and wouldn’t
3A 4B 5C harm would come to her or her make me happy.
Because it tells the story of John
Page 69 – activity 2 Douglas, and explains why he wanted father. 4 I’d better call Sherlock Holmes to
to pretend to be dead. 4 Ted Baldwin shows McMurdo the help me with this case. We need
1 coal 2 mining 3 industry strange mark on his arm. his skills and experience.

5 6
 K E Y T O T H E A C T I V I T I E S K E Y T O T H E A C T I V I T I E S

5 I’d better not touch anything until would leave Vermissa Valley in 8 What – Holmes advised Douglas
the London police arrive – they about six months.
CHAPTER 5 to leave England.
will want to see everything exactly 6 Chester Wilcox left his house Page 120 – activity 1 9 What – John Douglas’s real name
how it was when I found it. because somebody warned him was Birdy Edwards.
6 I’d better tell Holmes about Mrs that he was in danger. 1E 2G 3B 4H 5F 6I 7D 8C 10 Who – Professor Moriarty was
Douglas’s behaviour – it could be 7 Brother Morris told McMurdo Page 120 – activity 2 helping the Americans to find
important to the case. about a private detective who was 1 Who – Birdy Edwards was John Douglas.
after the Scowrers and wanted to pretending to be Jack McMurdo.
Page 101 – activity 3 Page 121 – activities 3, 4
destroy their society. 2 What – The men were going to
Possible answer: 8 Ettie and McMurdo planned to Open answers.
powerful violent sly greedy kill the investigator when he
escape together; Ettie would wait arrived. Page 121 – activity 5
Page 101 – activity 4 until the McMurdo came to get her 3 Why – McMurdo told Scanlan to 1C 2A 3D 4C 5B 6D 7A 8C
and they would leave together. leave the house that night
Possible answer:
because he didn’t want him to be Page 122 – activity 6
powerful intelligent brave sensible Page 110 – activity 2
involved in the violence and Open answers.
Page 102 – activity 5 Possible answer:
Good things: He works sometimes, arrested by the police.
AFTER READING
Open answers. 4 When – The Freemen arrived at
even though he can use false money; Page 124 – activity 1 Picture
he doesn’t kill anyone; he doesn’t tell nine o’clock.
Page 102 – activity 6 summary
Boss McGinty about Brother Morris; 5 What – Boss McGinty was
1 up 2 off 3 out 4 up 5 out arrested and then eventually 1H 2M 3F 4B 5K 6L 7O 8D
6 down he wants to leave the Lodge and go 9 G 10 N 11 J 12 A 13 I 14 C 15 E
away with Ettie; he is kind to Ettie. hanged.
Page 102 – activity 7 Bad things: He is involved in violence 6 Who – Ettie Edwards died in Page 126 – activity 4 – Vocabulary
and knows what with the other men California.
1E 2D 3C 4B 5G 6A 7F 8H 1
of the Lodge do; he makes his own 7 Where – John Douglas was working
W
Page 103 – activity 1 money illegally; he doesn’t tell the in the mining industry in California
when he met Cecil Barker. I
1T 2F 3T 4F 5T 6F police about the society in court; he D
blows up Chester Wilcox’s house; he
O
CHAPTER FOUR wants to kill the detective.
2 W 3
Page 110 – activity 1 Page 110 – activity 3 B E F
1 His landlady, Mrs MacNamara, 1 Brother Morris (C) 2 Boss McGinty 4 P L A S T E R O
gave McMurdo the note. (E) 3 a man in court (A) 4 Brother I 5 O
2 Brother Morris asked McMurdo to Morris (B) 5 Ettie Shafter (D) N H 6 T
meet him to talk about the Order’s Page 111 – activity 4 7 D O S P
criminal activities. B F 8 B U T L E R
1 was reported 2 was left 3 broke
3 McMurdo told McGinty that L O S I I 10
4 left 5 was found 6 was believed
Brother Morris had offered him a 9 A P P L A U S E P N D
7 wrote 8 told 9 were written
job in his shop but that he had C D K P T R
refused. Page 112 – activity 5
K 11 W A D E E 12 A
4 The witnesses say they were not 1D 2E 3A 4B M E R IN
sure about the identity of the
Page 113 – activity 1 A 13 B L O W U P 14 S H O T G U N
attacker/what the attacker looked
like. 1 $ 2 $ 3 $$ 4 $$$ 5 $$ 6 $$$ I E D
5 McMurdo promised Ettie that they 15 D U M B B E L L 16 M I N E R S

© 2008 Black Cat Publishing,

7 an imprint of Cideb Editrice, Genoa, Canterbury 8
 E X I T T E S T
True or false
1 Decide if these sentences about the story are true (T) or false (F). Correct
the false ones.
T F
1 Inspector MacDonald was Sherlock Holmes’s assistant.
2 Mr Barker knew both Mr and Mrs Douglas in America.
3 Mr Barker was the first to tell everyone about the murder.
4 Mr Douglas was hiding in the same place as a king once hid.
5 Vermissa Valley was the real name of the Valley of Fear.
6 Jack McMurdo did not really love Ettie but he needed
her for his plan.
7 Jack McMurdo killed two people but he saved
another man’s life.
8 Brother Morris was not really a bad man.
9 Jack McMurdo’s real name was John Douglas.
10 Only Boss McGinty was sentenced to death.
11 Ted Baldwin came to England to kill his old enemy.
12 Birdy Edwards died in an accident while he was sailing.
Summary
FCE 2 You are going to read a summary of Jack McMurdo’s life in the Valley of
Fear. Four paragraphs have been removed. Choose the one that best fits
each gap. Choose from the paragraphs A-E. There is one extra paragraph
which you do not need to use. There is an example at the beginning (0).
One evening a young man, Jack McMurdo, was travelling on a train. He
said was a member of the Ancient Order of Freemen. One of the miners
on the train was also a Freeman and told him he should see Master
McGinty at the Lodge in Vermissa.
1 .............
Mr Shafter explained about the Scowrers. A man called Ted Baldwin also
wanted to marry Ettie. When McMurdo told Mr Shafter he belonged to
the Order he told him to leave the house. McMurdo then went to the
Lodge to see Boss McGinty.
9 Photocopiable © 2008 Black Cat Publishing
E X I T T E S T
2 .............
McMurdo went to stay in another house and became a full member of the
Lodge. At a meeting, the Lodge decided that the men should give a
‘warning’ to the editor of a local newspaper who had written an article
critising them. They went to his house and beat him violently. McMurdo
told them not to kill him and they left.
3 .............
One day, a Lodge member called Brother Morris told him that a detective
was after them. McMurdo told the others that this man had offered to
pay him money for information on the Scowrers.
4 .............
McMurdo went outside and seemed to be talking to someone. Then he
came back in the room and told them all he was Birdy Edwards. The police
arrived and arrested McGinty and his gang.
A Later, McMurdo was arrested for beating up the editor but he was
released. Ettie was unhappy about his involvement with the Lodge, but
McMurdo promised her that he would resolve everything soon and they
would go away together.
B Jack paid Jacob Shafter and his daughter Ettie to stay at their house; he
found a job. He soon fell in love with Ettie and he went to talk to Jacob
Shafter about his feelings.
C They agreed Birdy Edwards should not leave the valley alive. McMurdo
said he would tell him to come to the house where he was staying. That
night they all waited for Birdy Edwards to arrive.
D No one wanted to talk to Jack because they thought he was a traitor.
They couldn’t believe that they had given him so much information and
he had gone to the police.
E When McMurdo got there, McGinty asked him why he left Chicago; he
wanted to know if he could still print fake dollars. He also said that
Ettie was free to choose between him and Ted Baldwin because they
were both members of the Lodge.
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 E X I T T E S T K E Y T O T H E E X I T T E S T

Who said what? True or false

3 Match these word to the characters who said them. Activity 1
1 F – Inspector MacDonald worked for Scotland Yard.
1 How did you get those names? 2 F – He only knew Mr Douglas.
2 We’ll find nothing in London. 3 T
3 You have no right to ask such questions. 4 T
5 T
4 We’ve been married for five years. 6 F – He loved her but he had to wait until he had finished his plan before
5 He had a pair of bedroom slippers on. moving away with her.
6 Mr Holmes is independent. 7 F – He never killed anyone in Chicago. He saved the lives of the editor and
Chester Wilcox.
7 Whatever happens in the future, you have done enough. 8 T
8 There are some men who won’t leave me alone until I’m dead. 9 F – His real name was Birdy Edwards. He took the name John Douglas in
9 I wouldn’t have let you into my house if I knew that. California.
10 F – Eight other gang members were sentenced to death.
10 This young lady is mine.
11 T
11 So you can still make these fake dollars? 12 F – He was lost overboard while he was on a ship in South Africa.
12 I’ll be ready when you come for me.
13 I was chosen to break up your gang. Summary
14 I just need more time. Activity 2
1B 2E 3A 4C
Inspector Macdonald Sherlock Holmes Mr Douglas
Ames Dr Watson Birdy Edwards Master McGinty
Who said what?
Jacob Shafter Ettie Shafter
Activity 3
1 Inspector Macdonald
2 Sherlock Holmes
3 Cecil Barker
4 Mrs Douglas
5 Ames
6 Dr Watson
7 Mrs Douglas
8 MrDouglas
9 Joseph Shafter
10 Ted Baldwin
11 Master McGinty
12 Ettie Shafter
13 Birdy Edwards
14 Sherlock Holmes

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