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There is probably no one among book-lovers who has not heard of Sherlock Holmes in the stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock Holmes's method of analyzing the most difficult problems was to notice the smallest facts, even if they seemed unimportant. His method never failed; the criminal always had to give up, and to become the prisoner of the great detective. Conan Doyle once arrived in Paris, after spending a month in the south of France. There was a long row of cabs outside the gate of the railway station. Conan Doyle got into the first cab and ordered the driver to take him to a good hotel. The driver was silent all the way to the hotel, but when Conan Doyle paid him, he said, "Thank you, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle". "How do you know who I am?" Conan Doyle asked in the greatest surprise. "I have never seen you before", the man answered, "so I can't pretend that I recognized you. But I read in the newspapers that you were expected in Paris after your vacation in the south of France. The train you arrived on came from the south of France. I could tell from your clothes, especially your hat, and also from the strange way you pronounce French words that you were English. These facts helped me to guess that you were probably Sir Arthur Conan Doyle". "Fine work! Wonderful!" Conan Doyle cried. "You analyzed the facts quite correctly. It's a pity you aren't a detective!" "Of course", the driver added, "your name is on both your travelling bags. I can't pretend that fact didn't help". Questions: 1. What is the main idea of the text?
2. Where did Conan Doyle once arrive in?
3. How did the cabman surprise Conan Doyle?
4. How did the cabman find out it was Conan Doyle?
5. What do you think about this story? Was it a real or fictitious story? Why?
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Questions:
1. What is the main idea of the text?
The main idea is that there are obvious things that are in plain sight. It isn’t always necessary to look for subtle cryptic clues to base our conclusions on.
2. Where did Conan Doyle once arrive in?
Conan Doyle arrived at the railway station in Paris, after spending a month in the south of France.
3. How did the cabman surprise Conan Doyle?
The cabman knew who Conan Doyle was, although Conan Doyle never introduced himself.
4. How did the cabman find out it was Conan Doyle?
He seemed to have used the deductive method of reasoning similar to that of Sherlock Holmes. Then he admitted that Conan Doyle’s name was on both of his travelling bags.
5. What do you think about this story? Was it a real or fictitious story? Why?
It’s a nice funny story and it made me smile. It could have happened to Conan Doyle in real life because there is nothing improbable about this episode.