The Hound of the Barkervilles

Activities

Before Reading

1. Read the back cover and the story introduction on the first page of the book. How much do you know now about this story? Choose the best words to complete this passage.

Dartmoor is a real place in England. It is easy to lose your way on this wild wet moor, and there are dangerous rocks covered in green plants, which hide the soft earth underneath. The weather can change very suddenly, from a dark sky to a thick mist. Once, a huge hound lived there -a dog from hell, that brought a horrible death to all who saw it. Only the great detective, Sherlock Holmes, could solve the mystery of this hound.

2. Can you guess what will happen in this story? Choose some answers to these questions.

1. Will anybody die in this story? If so, will it be...

c) A murderer.

2. If there is a death, will it be...

b) A death by drowning.

3. Will the Hound of the Barkervilles be...

b) A supernatural dog.

Activities

While Reading

Read chapters 1 to 4. What do you know about the case so far? Decide which of these statements are facts, and which are guesses. Explain why you think this.

1. Sir Charles Baskerville was murdered.

Guess, because Dr Mortimer believe that he died by natural causes.

2. Sir Charles walked to the gate in Yew Alley, but then ran to the end of the Alley.

Fact, because there was a change in his footprints from the whole foot to the toe.

3. He had stood at the gate in Yew Alley for some minutes.

Fact, because there was his cigar ash on the ground by the gate.

4. He was expecting to meet someone at the moor gate.

Guess, because we don't know if this is true or not yet.

5.There was a large dog in the Alley that night.

Fact, because there were his footprints around the death body of Sir Charles.

6. Sir Charles's death was caused by his weak heart.

Fact, because it's that Dr Mortimer thinks for the moment.

7. The Hound of the Baskervilles sent sir Charles mad with fear, which caused his heart to fail.

Guess, because Holmes think Sir Charles was mad with fear when he began to run.

Read Chapters 5 to 8, and answer these questions.

1. Five mysterious things happened to Sir Henry before he left London. What were they?

One of his new shoes was stolen, he received a warning letter from an unknown person, he was followed by a man with a large black beard, old shoe was stolen and the new shoe re-appeared in his hotel room.

2. Sir Henry had two uncles. What happened to them?

Roger was a criminal and he had to leave England because the police wanted him. James Demond was an old man who only wanted to live quietly and wouldn't want to be rich.

3. Who was Selden, and why were people frightened of him?

Selden was a dangerous criminal escaped from the prison.

4. How did Dr Watson know thet Barrymore was lying?

Barrymore said his wife wasn't crying but Watson saw Mrs. Barrymore after breakfast ant it was clear she had been crying.

5. Homles had a clever idea to prove that Barrymore was not the man in the taxi. Why didn't it work?

Because the boy who had taken the telegram said to Holmes that he gave it to Mrs. Barrymore, not to Barrymore.

6. Two mysterious things happened when Dr Watson met the Stapletons on the moor. What were they?

Mrs Stapletons said that Sir Henry had to leave this place.

Before you read Chapter 9, which of these statements do you agree or disagree with, and why?

1. There really is a dangerous hound on the moor.

I agree because the hound was seen by more people.

2. Sir Henry's life is in danger from a person, not a dog.

I agree because Mr. Stapleton wants the head of the Barkerville family to live in the Hall.

3. The danger will probably come from Barrymore.

I disagree because Barrymore doesn't have a reason to kill anybody.

4. There is no reason for Sir Henry to be afraid of the Stapletons.

I disagree because Mrs. Stapleton said that her brother wants the Hall.

Read Chapters 9 to 11. What do we learn in these chapters about the following?

1. Sir Henry and Miss Stapleton.

They fall in love.

2. Barrymore, Mrs Barrymore, and Selden.

Selden was Mrs. Barrymore's brother and Barryomore said to Selden with light that food was ready for him, and his light showed he where to take it.

3. The night Sir Charles died.

When Sir Charles died he was going to meet a woman. Her name began with L.L.

4. The man on the moor who was not Selden.

The man looked like a gentleman. He was living in one of the old stone huts on the moor.

5. Mrs Laura Lyons and Sir Charles.

Laura Lyons wanted Sir Charles to help her. She asked him to meet her in the garden instead of in the house because she thought that wouldn't be sensitive a woman going at night to the house of an unmarried man.

Before you read Chapter 12, can you guess who the man on the moor is?

A small boy who must have a very strong character, with grey eyes, thin and worn, buy bright, wide-awake and dark skin.

Read Chapters 12 to 14, and complete these two paragraphs with the right names.

Dr Watson learnt from Holmes that Mrs. Stapleton was not Stapleton's sister, but his wife. Stapleton was also very friendly with Laura Lyons, who hoped to merry him. Stapleton planned to tell Laura Lyons that he not was married, in the hope that she would help them. When Holmes and Watson found the body on the moor, at first they thought it was Sir Henry. Then they realized that it was Selden, wearing Sir Henry's clothes, which had been given to him by Barrymore. The hound had been hunting people because of the scent on Henry's clothes. Then Stapleton arrived, and was cleary disappointed that tha dead man was not Sir Henry.

Read Chapters 15 to 16. Who said this, and to whom? Who or what were they talking about?

1. "Is it like anyone you know?"

Holmes to Watson when he was fixed on one of the pictures of the past Baskervilles on the wall, because Holmes said that the picture was like Stapleton.

2. "But you have told me again and again not to do that."

Sir Henry to Holmes when Holmes wants him to drive drive to the Stapleton's house and then, send the driver away.

3. "He frigthened me into staying silent."

Mrs. Stapleton to Holmes when Stapleton told Laura that she cannot say nothing about the letter and the meeting.

4. "They must not know that somebody is watching them."

Holmes to Watson when Watson had to look through the windows to know where were Stapleton and Sir Henry and what were they doing.

5. "It is the one thing that could make my plans go wrong."

Holmes to Watson when the fog covered the path of Sir Henry and not disappeared in the next quarter of an hour and they cannot to see nothing.

6. "Look out! It's comming!"

Holmes to Watson when Sir Henry passed closed to where they where hidden looking over his shoulder again and again.

Before read Chapter 17, can you guess what will happen?

1. The hound will kill Sir Henry.

2. Holmes and Watson will shoot the dog in time.

3. Stapleton will be caught and sent to prison.

4. Somebody will fall into the marsh in the fog and drown.

Read Chapters 17 and 18, and answer these questions about Stapleton's plan.

1. Why did he want to kill Sir Charles and Sir Henry?

Because if Sir Charles and Henry both died Stapleton would inherit the Barkerville lands and fortune.

2. What part did the phosphorus and Sir Henry's shoes play in his plan?

Hound's mouth and teeth stone with blue flames. There were rings of blue fire round its eyes because Stapleton put phosphorus paint on the hound in the hut beside the house. Stapleton give Sir Henry's shoes to the Hound.

3. What did he make his wife and Laura Lyons do?

Stapleton looked Mrs. Stapleton in a room and beat her.

4. What happened to Stapleton in the end?

He probably heard the noise of our guns and run away.

Activities

After Reading

1 Here is one of Dr Watson's letters to Holmes, written after his first day in Devon. Put these parts of sentences together, and join them with these linking words.

Dear Holmes,

1- We arrived late yesterday eveningt at Baskerville Hall,

14- Which is a most grim unwelcoming building.

2- On the drive from the station we heard about the escape of a prisoner,

17- Whose name is Selden - you'll remember the case.

3- At the Hall we were met by the butler, Barrymore,

12- Who has a black beard just like the man in the taxi.

4- So I decided to check at the local post office

21- That yopur telegram had been given to Barrymore himself.

5- It hadn't. The stupid boy had given it to Barrymore's wife,

13- because she claery had been crying - I saw her red eyes!

8- Today I met the Stapletons, a brother and sister,

15- while his sister warned me that Sir Henry was in danger.

9- There was nothing very strange about Stapleton himself,

18- Who have been living near the Hall for two years.

10- And the last thing - while I walking to Stapleton,

20- I heard a strange, deep cry coming over the moor.

11- Stapleton told me it was the Hound of the Baskervilles,

19- but I know you won't believe that, my dear Holmes!

2 Here are passages from two different diaries. Find the best word to fill each gap. Then say who wrote each passage, and what was happening in the story at the time.

Miss Stapleton's diary: How can I prevent him from killing poor Sir Henry? He has already brought that horrible hound to the hurt beside the house, and put the phosphorus paint on it, ready for tonight. It has had nothing to eat, so it will be very hungry. It will tear Sir Henry's throat out… What can I do? I am sure he will beat me again, but I'm going to argue with him one last time...

Laura Lyons's diary: I have just learnt that he is a married man. The woman who calls herself his sister is in fact his wife. At first I couldn't believe it, but then Sherlock Holmes showed me the papers which proved it. How unlucky I am, I never seem to choose the right man. I thought this man loved me, but he has lied to me again and again. And he is suspected of murdering poor Sir Charles, who was kind to me. Well I have told his secrets now, and I hope he will be punished.

3 Here is a page from Holmes's notebook. What does Holmes know or suspect about these people? Put the right names with the right notes.

1- Laura Lyons: in love with and hopes to marry Stapleton.

2- Mrs Stapleton: wife, but pretends to be sister.

3- Supernatural Hound: a creature from hell taking revenge on Sir Hugo's family? - no!

4- Barrymore and wife: both inherited 500 pounds from Sir Charles.

5- Mr Stapleton: looks very like Sir Hugo - must be a Baskerville?

6- Mrs Stapleton: trying to prevent Stepleton killing Sir Henry?

7- Laura Lyons: helped Stapleton to kill Sir Charles?

8- Mr Stapleton: would inherit Baskerville fortune before James Desmond.

9- Barrymore and wife: easy life when living alone athe Hall.

10- Supernatural Hound: made to look supernatural by owner? - how?

4 Here is another page from Holmes's notebook, about his thoughts and the clues he has collected. Complete them in your own words.

1- The warning letter sent to Sir Henry in London smelt of perfume, so it probably belonged to a woman.

2- Two of Sir Henry's shoes were stolen from hotel, but the new, unworn one was put back because it didn't have Sir Henry's smell.

3- When the stolen shoes were changed, I lknew that the hound wasn't supernatural.

4- The man following Sir Henry in London had a thick black beard. A beard makes someone very recognizable, so it must be a false beard.

5- I shall go down to the moor hide somewhere, in order to investigate. I shan't tell Watson about this plan because he is too kind with me.

6- Stapleton used to live in the north of England, but before that he came from South America, where married.

7- There is no proof for either the murder or the attempted murder, so I will hide and trap him when he is acting.

5 What did you think about this sroty? Do you agree (A) os disagree (D) with these ideas? Can you explain why?

1. It is easy to belive in a supernatural hound in a wild place like Dartmoor.

I agree because if really there is something supernatural everybody knows that it must be in a places like Dartmoor.

2. The three women in the story - Mrs Barrymore, Miss Stapleton, Laura Lyons - were all dishonest people.

I disagree because I think Laura Lyons is a good person on the bottom.

3. Holmes' plan for trapping Stapelton was a very dangerous one, because it put Sir Henry's life in danger. Why didn't he just find the hound and shoot it?

6 Watson asked Holmes this question, but the great detective did not have an answer. Can you think of an answer?

Imagine that Stapleton's plan was successful - Sir Henry dies ans Stapleton then inherits the Baskerville lands and fortune. But it would look very strange that Stapleton was living close to Baskerville Hall and using a false name. How would he explain that to the police?

Probably because he didn't want the people knows who he was and then, when became rich, go away and make business.