Step Four B2.
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READING & TRAINING
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
A STUDY
in Scarlet
KEY TO THE EXERCISES
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Page 7 – exercise 1
B In 1885 Conan Doyle received a
degree in medicine from Edinburgh
University.
C In 1887 A Study in Scarlet was first
published, in Beeton’s Christmas
Annual.
D In 1890 the second Sherlock
Holmes novel, The Sign of Four,
was published.
E In 1893 Conan Doyle’s wife was
diagnosed with tuberculosis.
F In 1901 The Strand magazine
published the first episode of The
Hound of the Baskervilles.
Page 7 – exercise 2
A On a ship. First as an arctic whaler,
and then travelling to Africa.
B He was a doctor, a politician, a
crime writer and a spiritualist.
C No, he felt his life was being taken
over by Sherlock Holmes and
wanted to end the stories. He
probably wanted to be
remembered for other things, too.
AND EXIT TEST
D The death of both his father and
wife in just a short space of time.
E Open answer.
Page 7 – exercise 3
1, 2 and 4 are connected to Sherlock
Holmes. 3 and 5 are connected to
Agatha Christie’s famous Belgian
detective, Hercule Poirot.
PART ONE - CHAPTER ONE
Page 19 – exercise 1
1C 2B 3C 4A
Page 20 – exercise 2
A5 B4 C2 D3 E1 F no
Page 20 – exercise 3
Possible answers: 1 He was brown
from the sun. 2 He was probably a
doctor. 3 He had been
shot/wounded. 4 He had hurt his
arm while he was in the army.
Page 21 – exercise 4
C
K E Y T O T H E
Page 21 – exercise 5
Open answers.
CHAPTER TWO
Page 21 – exercise 1
A-C Open answers. (Possible answers
C: there is no light in the room; there
is blood on the floor; the man has
something in his hand).
Page 21 – exercise 2
Mr Gregson at Scotland Yard, asking
for Holmes’ help in the case.
Page 28 – exercise 1
A Where did the murder take place?
In a house on Brixton Road.
B Who was investigating the case?
Scotland Yard – detectives
Gregson and Lestrade.
C What did the house look like? It
looked empty and sad and had a
small, untidy garden. Inside the
wallpaper was old and torn and
there was no furniture in the room
they were in.
D Did Lestrade think the murderer
was a man? No, he thought it was
a woman named Rachel.
E What did the man have in his
pocket? A gold watch and two
letters.
F What was the word (written) on
the wall? Rache.
Page 28 – exercise 2
1C 2D 3E 4A 5F 6B
Page 29 – exercise 3
1 was found/has been found 2 victim
3 is thought 4 have said 5 evidence
6 was murdered 7 motive 8 is
9 are looking 10 clues 11 is believed
12 have been asked 13 case
(deduction not needed)
E X E R C I S E S
Page 30 – exercise 4
1 The man is face down. 2 There is
no blood on the floor. 3 The
detective (left) doesn’t have a
moustache. 4 Holmes does not have
a hat. 5 There is a lamp, not a
candle, above the fireplace. 6 The
window frame is a different colour.
7 The detective doesn’t have the
telegram in his hand. 8 The victim is
not holding anything in his hand.
Page 30 – exercise 5
Part one:
A Watson B Holmes C Gregson and
Lestrade D Holmes E Watson
F Holmes.
Part two:
Holmes’ questions need more direct
answers, e.g., ‘Are you sure there’s no
injury?’ The answer is often yes or
no.
Part three: open answers.
Page 31 – exercise 6
Open answers.
CHAPTER THREE
Page 31 – exercise 1
Holmes says he knows these things
about the murderer: he is tall, with
small feet. He has a red face. He has
long fingernails on his right hand. He
smokes cigars. He also knows that he
arrived at the house in a cab with the
victim.
Page 31 – exercise 2
The cab he sees from the wheel
marks from the night before (only
one set of wheel marks). The
footprints show that he is tall but has
small feet. The scratch of his
fingernail when writing with the
blood on the wall show he writes with
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 K E Y T O T H E E X E R C I S E S K E Y T O T H E E X E R C I S E S

his right hand and his fingernail must Page 42 – exercise 7 Page 50 – exercise 6 Page 60 – exercise 4
be long. There was ash from a cigar A nearest B murderer C confused 1 2 3 4 5 A We are kept guessing as
on the floor. It is not clear why he D drunk E lose F disappointed to what Holmes really
had a red face. 6 S C O T L A N D Y A R D
G man H tired I young does know and we want
Missing word: secretary T C R R R to know how he will
Page 39 – exercise 1
A 7 Q U I E T E arrive at his conclusion,
A F – He sent a telegram. Page 42 – exercise 8
N U V H B just like Watson does.
B T C F – It was only Holmes that gold wedding ring; found – Brixton
saw it. D T E F – He left a ring. Road; ask for (not apply); 221B Baker G A E 8 U R B A N Page 60 – exercise 5
FT Street. E 11 9 I N N E R E 2 and 4 were not found in
Page 39 – exercise 2 the room.
10 R A C H E N R
Part one: CHAPTER FOUR S L T 12 Page 61 – exercise 6
A4 B1 C5 D2 E6 F3 Page 49 – exercise 1 The pills.
O U 14 A 15 M
Part two: open answers.
1B 2C 3A 4A 13 N I E C E N W A Page 61 – exercise 7
Page 40 – exercise 3
Page 49 – exercise 2 A C A G He gives one to a sick dog.
1 must have come 2 might have been One pill is harmless, the
1 Arthur Charpentier used a stick to B 16 E U S T O N
3 might have lost the ring 4 must other pill kills the dog.
kill Drebber. D S I
have been Possible answers as to why
2 Drebber was staying at
Page 41 – exercise 4 R O F the murder had two pills: he
Charpentier’s Guest House.
3 The wedding ring was just a trick 17 A M E R I C A N N Y wanted to trick the victim
1 2 a.m. 2 no one 3 a light in one of
to give the police the wrong idea. into thinking he was going
the windows 4 called for help 5 tall, V I
4 Drebber became violent because to poison him and then kill
with a red face, wearing an overcoat E N
he was drunk. him another way. He wanted
6 an idiot/stupid
R G to trick the police, etc. Real
Page 41 – exercise 5 Page 49 – exercise 3 answer: he was giving his
CHAPTER FIVE
Crime type: murder Correct order: 2, 4, 1, 3 victim a choice over life and
At: 23, Brixton Road Page 59 – exercise 1 death to truly see if there
Page 50 – exercise 4 was justice.
Time reported: 2.30 a.m 1E 2D 3F 4B 5A 6C
To create suspense and not give all
Victim: M. Name: Enoch Drebber Page 59 – exercise 2
the details so we want to know more.
State of victim...: already dead
Possible answers: Chapter One: ‘But We don’t know D, H, or J. We only know G
Time of death: late evening/early
this is terrible! There’s been a in part.
morning Cause of death: poison?
murder.’ We want to know more
Name of other officers…: Lestrade Page 60 – exercise 3
about the murder. Chapter Two:
and Gregson (Scotland Yard)
‘Come, Doctor Watson… don’t waste Name and The victims Where the bodies Cause of death Clues
Suspect: M. Name: unknown
your time looking for Miss Rachel.’ description of the were found (if known)
Other information: tall, small feet, murderer (or
We want to know more about what
long fingernails. Smokes. Possibly Holmes’ suspect)
Holmes knows. Chapter Three: ‘His
American. Speaks German?
passenger had disappeared… That Jefferson Hope. Enoch Drebber – in a house in Brixton most likely poisoned the smell of poison
Page 42 – exercise 6 wasn’t an old woman.’ We want to Tall man, short feet, American, middle- Road on his lips, the
know who the passenger was. red face. Long aged, beard, often blood, the writing
Open answers.
fingernails. Probably drunk. on the wall
Page 50 – exercise 5 American. He’s a
cab driver.
Open answer.
Joseph Stangerson. in a room in the stabbed, possibly pills (one poisoned),
Drebber’s secretary. Halliday Hotel poisoned? the writing on the
3 Also American. wall, blood from
knife wound
 K E Y T O T H E E X E R C I S E S K E Y T O T H E E X E R C I S E S

Page 61 – exercise 8 PART TWO – CHAPTER ONE Page 75 – Internet project Page 87 – exercise 4
All of these objects could be used Page 74 – exercise 1 Student’s activity. Open answers but possible adjectives
except possibly a fingernail or a letter A T B F – they were going to find a include:
Page 76 – exercise 4
(unless first poisoned or with new place to live. A – hardworking, dedicated, poor
explosives, etc.). Money could be a A 5 B 2 C 4 D not needed E 1 F 3 B – dedicated, cruel, powerful,
C F – they took them to Utah.
motive, but not a weapon. D T E F – he did not oppose the Page 76 – exercise 5 drunk, violent
Open answers. marriage. C – weak, cruel, powerful
1 to 2 these 3 that 4 with 5 called
Page 61 – exercise 9 F T G T H F – she had to choose 6 of 7 after 8 had 9 such 10 more Page 88 – exercise 5
between Stangerson or Drebber’s sons.
The man is too small to reach the Page 77 – exercise 6
I F – she was extremely sad. Y P V S G Y F D D D I X G V I
button on the 13th floor so he presses
Open answer. M V C I G S Q N Y S N M N N R
the button for the 9th floor, which is Page 74 – exercise 2
X U R F O X Q Q U B M D I G U
where he can reach, and goes up the Open answers. Possible answers: V K U G S L M E Y Y E A K E H
rest of the stairs. Of course, when he A The telegram found in the room CHAPTER TWO
M T E C L F E X P T G D R J P
remembers his umbrella he can use that says ‘JH is in Europe’. We know Page 77 – exercise 1 H N L E S U Q N A H K W O G D
to reach the button of the 13th floor! Jefferson Hope is the murderer and D Z V N B E U E C T W V Q W N G
here his past life in America is S E J P A S I X M G T G D H M
London in the 1880s introduced. We also read the names Page 86 – exercise 1
H A Z U K D Z R E Z Z M R R F
Stangerson and Drebber, so we A6 B3 C2 D7 E4 F8 G5 H1 E P O W E R F U L C M F A J I
Page 65 – exercise 9 realise we will now find out that E D R D Z R D N K J R M H U R
A F – the introduction of the the motive is connected to Page 86 – exercise 2
T R Y V K R O K U P N Z S W N
Education Act changed things. something which happened in We don’t yet know: C, E. We know: A, R Q M B U Q Q O I F D I Q F F
B F – they are similar. America, not London. B, D, F (partly). Answers: A – Salt
Z L I N K A E W P P D P J F H
C T D T E F – there were not enough B Yes, because he becomes rich and is Lake City; B – Yes, they were
M A K R X S D W S I R Q M W O
houses and living conditions were happy raising Lucy as his daughter, wealthy; D – The ring belonged to
terrible. but the only problem is polygamy the woman he loved and it was a
F F – it was a period of peace and and the fact he therefore doesn’t symbol of his revenge; F (we know
security for the rich. take a wife. this in part) – He wanted revenge for Page 88 – exercise 6
C Possible answers: scared, alone, the fact they killed John Ferrier and Open answers. (Possible answers
Page 65 – exercise 2
afraid but hopeful. died because of them. We don’t know include the fact that both Drebber
Open answers. why he chose the pills or why
Page 75 – exercise 3 and Stangerson were in a way guilty
Stangerson was stabbed. of murder themselves. Hope did
Name of religion Central Holy places Place of worship Holy text something that he shouldn’t have
Page 86 – exercise 3
figure(s)/founder done, but this was not such an
Possible answers: We don’t really
Buddhism Siddharta Tibet temple the Four Noble unusual way of resolving such a thing
know them at the beginning and
Gautama Truths at this time).
because they are the victims, maybe
Christianity Jesus Christ Jesrusalem church The Holy Bible we even feel sorry for them and we Page 88 – exercise 7
want the murderer to be caught. Now Watson, Gregson, Stangerson,
Islam the Prophet Mecca mosque the Qur’an we probably don’t feel sorry for Jefferson.
Muhammad Drebber or Stangerson because of
what happened to John and Lucy. We Page 88 – exercise 8
Judaism Abraham, Moses Jerusalem, Mount synagogue, temple
Sinai possibly even think of Jefferson Hope 1C 2E 3D 4A 5B
(before the murder) as a hero.
The Church of Joseph Smith Salt Lake City temple (church) the Book of
Jesus Christ of Mormon
Latter-day Saints
(Mormons)
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 K E Y T O T
Page 88 – exercise 9
2 and 3 are pronounced [sn]. Son as
a separate word is pronounced as a
strong sound, not a weak sound. In all
the surnames ‘-son’ is pronounced as
a weak sound.
Page 89 – exercise 10
A3 B4 C6 D1 E5 F2
Page 89 – exercise 11
1 HIJACKER 2 PICKPOCKET
3 SHOPLIFTER 4 MUGGER
5 BURGLAR 6 KIDNAPPER
The missing word is: HITMAN.
Page 89 – exercise 12
Open answers.
The Mormons
Page 93 – exercise 1
1A 2D 3C 4B
Page 94 – Internet project
Student’s activity.
Page 94 – exercise 2
Possibly negative. Although they are
the victims we feel that they are dead
because they wouldn’t accept Lucy
and John’s choices. We learn about
polygamy, and also in this case see a
negative side of it. In the eyes of the
author they appear controlling and
intolerant.
Page 94 – exercise 3
Open answers.
(some of the information to discuss
these questions can be found by
using a search engine on the Internet
and key words – Mormons + wives
and marriage, Mormons + church).
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H E E X E R C I S E S K
CHAPTER THREE
Page 100 – exercise 1
Lestrade is driving the carriage, the
others are inside the carriage.
Page 100 – exercise 2
A It was the only thing he had to
remind him of Lucy. He lost it after
he showed it to the victim as he
killed him. Jefferson returned the
house to try and get it but met the
policeman and pretended to be
drunk. He sent a friend to get it
from Holmes and Watson.
B Jefferson was poor and had to get
many different jobs. We know that
he worked as a cleaner in America
and a cabdriver in London.
C We know that he held a knife to
Drebber’s throat and gave him a
choice between two pills – one
poisoned, the other not. He then
took the other pill himself. Drebber
died and he showed him the
wedding ring. Jefferson did the
same thing with Stangerson. But
Stangerson did not take the pills.
Instead he jumped at him, and so
Jefferson stabbed him.
D He was standing in the cabdriver’s
yard when a young boy said that
someone wanted a cab in Baker
Street. He went there not
suspecting anything and was
arrested by Holmes.
Page 100 – exercise 3
The identity of the person who came
to collect the ring.
Page 101 – exercise 4
London. Possible answers: They have
an engine. You no longer need a
horse! They all look the same:
probably the carriages were different
shapes and colours.
E Y T O T H
Page 101 – exercise 5
Open answers.
CHAPTER FOUR
Page 102 – exercise 1
Watson is looking happy and curious.
He also looks like he admires Holmes.
Holmes looks happy and satisfied
with his investigations.
Page 102 – exercise 2
1A 2B 3B 4C
Page 102 – exercise 3
Open answers.
Page 107 – exercise 1
A F – Jefferson Hope was dead.
B T C T D T E T F F – he was
amused.
Page 107 – exercise 2
B The man must have been poisoned.
C The dead man must have been
afraid or angry and probably knew
his killer.
D The murderer must have wanted it
very much. It probably reminded
him of a woman.
E The telegram must have been to
warn Drebber and Stangerson that
Jefferson Hope was looking for
them.
F The murderer must have been the
cab driver.
E E X E R C I S E S
Page 108 – exercise 3
1 amazement 2 conclusion
3 scientific 4 evolution 5 explained
6 solution
Page 108 – exercise 4
Open answers, but possible answers
include:
A Sherlock Holmes is obviously not
stupid, but certainly a bit arrogant
in the way he is convinced that his
answers are right just because of
his own deductions. These are not
always based on facts that are
definite or scientific.
B No, they probably aren’t as stupid.
Conan Doyle makes them more
stupid, so that Sherlock Holmes
appears to be clever.
C There probably are other possible
solutions to some of the clues, e.g.
maybe the murderer wasn’t the
cabdriver, but he paid a cabdriver
to commit the murder.
Page 109 – exercise 5
Open answers.
Page 109 – exercise 6
Open answers.
 E X I T T E S T E X I T T E S T

love for a young man, Jefferson Hope. Fortunately her father

1 What can you remember about the events in the story? Complete the
accepts him but the Mormons don’t. They want her to marry one
sentences with the correct information.
of the elders’ sons.
1 The letter Holmes received was from.............................. 3 Both men are very powerful and are determined to use their
position in the Mormon community to make John Ferrier change
2 The first murder took place in..............................
his mind. John Ferrier soon receives threats and knows he must
3 When the detectives looked in Enoch Drebbers’ pockets they
leave if he is to protect both himself and Lucy.
found..............................
4 But just when we think they have found freedom something
4 The murderer returned to the house because..............................
terrible happens. Jefferson goes to hunt for food but returns to
5 Holmes said that word ‘Rache’ was.............................. find the grave of his friend, John Ferrier. Lucy has also
6 When Holmes jumped onto the cab to follow the old disappeared. Hope decides to return to Salt Lake City to rescue
woman.............................. Lucy from the Mormons, but it is too late, she is already married,
7 Drebber and Strangerson left their hotel to go to the station to very unhappily, to one of their sons.
.............................. 5 Jefferson Hope chases Drebber and Strangerson across America
8 Gregson said they had found the murderer. He said he was and finally to Europe, where he catches up with them in London.
.............................. We know the rest of the story. Now we only need to know how
Jefferson killed his victims.
9 Lestrade went to the Halliday Inn to find Stangerson but
..............................
10 In the room at the Halliday Inn they found .............................. A Jefferson Hope meanwhile has gone away from Salt Lake City, to
make money so that he can marry Lucy. John Ferrier waits for
11 Holmes gives a pill to ..............................
Jefferson to return. The three run away secretly at night.
12 Jefferson said that he continued working as a cab driver because
B The new story is set in a North American desert. As the only survivors
..............................
of a group of 21 people travelling to the west, the situation for John
13 Jefferson took the pills from .............................. Ferrier and a little girl, Lucy, appears hopeless. But then they meet a
14 Holmes is not told the identity of .............................. caravan of Mormons who take them to start their new life in Salt Lake
Photocopiable © 2006 Black Cat Publishing

Photocopiable © 2006 Black Cat Publishing

FCE 2 You are going to read a summary of the two chapters in Part Two set in
America. Three paragraphs have been removed. Choose one (A-D) to fit
each gap. There is one paragraph you don’t need to use.
1 In Part Two, Conan Doyle changes not only the location but also
the style to give us what seems to be a completely new story. It is
only when we read on that we realise that he is giving us all we
need to know to solve the rest of the mystery.
2 As the years go by everything goes well for John Ferrier, but
trouble lies ahead in the form of now older beautiful Lucy and her
City.
C Lucy dies broken-hearted but Hope still manages to get into the city to
take Lucy’s wedding ring from her lifeless body. But this is just the
start of his desire for revenge.
D It is at this point that we see a less happy side of their life within the
Mormon community. The two men who want Lucy to marry their sons,
a certain Drebber and Strangerson, are already known to us, but we
only know them as the victims. We now start to find out more about
their characters.

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 K E Y T O T H E E X I T T E S T

1
1 …Detective Gregson of Scotland Yard.
2 …a house in Brixton Road.
3 …a business card with the victim’s name on it, a gold watch and two
tickets for a boat from Liverpool to New York.
4 …he wanted to get back the ring he had dropped.
5 …the German word for revenge.
6 …she disappeared and Holmes understood that it was really a young man
dressed as an old woman.
7 …catch a train to Liverpool.
8 …Arthur Charpentier, an officer in the Royal Navy.
9 …he had been murdered.
10 …a book, a pipe, a glass of water and a box containing two pills.
11 …the landlady’s dog.
12 …he came to Europe to follow Stangerson and Drebber and needed to
work, because he had no money to return to America.
13 …a laboratory where he worked in America.
14 …the friend who helped Jefferson Hope.

2
1B 2D 3A 4C

© 2006 Black Cat Publishing,

an imprint of Cideb Editrice, Genoa, Canterbury

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