По следам детективов: увлекательные истории для изучения английского языка

It is no wonder they say that a talented person is talented in everything. This catchphrase fully reflects the personality of Arthur Conan Doyle, the legendary writer, poet, physician, sportsman, and spiritualist. This list goes on indefinitely. Well, I happen to think that Arthur Conan Doyle was an all-rounder, successful in anything he did. He was a man of great intelligence and boundless energy. However, at the same time, his life was full of contradictions and paradoxes. After all, judge for yourself: how could a skilled physician believe in the existence of fairies and ghosts? Could it be that, somewhere deep in his heart, he was still a child? He was so desperate for the supernatural that strange things started to happen in his life. Did you know that his first book was mysteriously lost in the post? Can it really be true that we attract what we believe? Let’s look for answers to these and other questions and trace the remarkable life of the greatest writer of all time – Arthur Conan Doyle.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the “literary father” of Sherlock Holmes, the most popular fictional character in the history of literature. The legendary writer was born on May 22, 1859, in Edinburgh, into a prosperous family. His mother, Mary, was a lively and well-educated woman who had a passion for books. Arthur would often say that he inherited his storytelling talent from her. Doyle’s father, Charles, was an illustrator and a watercolorist; a member of a well-respected artistic family. However, a lot of his talent was wasted because of his health issues. Charles always felt he could do more. As I see it, he was constantly haunted by fears, doubts, and unfulfilled dreams of becoming a prominent artist. Among other things, Charles became more and more depressed and frustrated because he was unable to provide for his family. Unfortunately, he spent his later years in asylums and nursing homes. Certainly, the difficult situation in the family couldn’t but leave a trace on the character of the legendary writer.

The Doyle family struggled financially. Everything rested on the shoulders of Arthur’s mother: running the household, bringing up children, and taking care of the family. She struggled to create a calm home and а peaceful atmosphere and told her children tales of brave knights. As I see it, this circumstance greatly affected the legendary writer’s personality and worldview: Arthur Conan Doyle was guided by high moral principles all his life. When little Arthur turned nine, his wealthy relatives offered to pay for his studies. The family council decided to send him to a boarding school. Honestly, it was an unpleasant experience for him as corporal punishment was very common in most boarding schools in England.

Did you know that Arthur Conan Doyle was a keen sportsman? Since his school days, he had been interested in sports and also succeeded in this field. He was the first goalkeeper in the history of Portsmouth. What may come as a surprise is that Arthur Conan Doyle played under the pseudonym “A. C. Smith” rather than under his own name. Apart from football, the legendary writer also played cricket, golf, and rugby. And that was not all. Arthur competed in the amateur billiards championship and was a fan of boxing. Interestingly, Arthur Conan Doyle was a frequent visitor to Switzerland and helped popularize skiing among the English. I guess that, like many creative people, he found inspiration in nature. Many may agree that there’s nothing more exciting than watching breathlessly as snow-white clouds, resembling giant mythical creatures, disappear behind a mountain top.

Our life depends on the decisions we make. So, choosing a career is very important. As I see it, Arthur Conan Doyle made the right decision that changed his life forever. Contrary to the family tradition, Doyle didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps. He decided to pursue a career in medicine. While being a medical student, he met his future teacher Dr. Joseph Bell, who later had a strong impact on his works. Arthur was really inspired by his remarkable observation and deductive skills. Dr. Bell was able to determine the occupation of a random stranger just by looking at them. This meeting was significant and life-changing for Arthur Conan Doyle. I think that at that point his career as a writer really started.

At the age of twenty-three, Arthur Conan Doyle wrote his first book and sent it to a publisher. Apparently, he had high hopes, but destiny had its own plans: the manuscript of Conan Doyle’s first novel mysteriously was lost in the post. Later, Arthur Conan Doyle would write, “I must admit that my shock at its disappearance would be as nothing to my horror if it were suddenly to appear again – in print.” Honestly, I can’t even imagine what he must have felt when he realized the misfortune. In my opinion, anyone else in his place would have lost heart, but not him. Arthur Conan Doyle attempted to rewrite the story. For many years, the manuscript was unlisted in his archives. The novel called The Narrative of John Smith was published posthumously in 2011 by the British Library. Anyway, Arthur Conan Doyle never got discouraged, whatever happened to him. While studying, he tried his hand at writing short stories to earn some extra money.

Upon receiving his Bachelor of Medicine and Master of Surgery degrees, he worked for a time as a naval surgeon. In a while, Conan Doyle opened his first practice in Portsmouth. His business wasn’t blooming, and he was finally able to devote more time to writing books.

In August of 1885, he married a beautiful young girl Louisa Hawkins, who was his patient’s sister. As I see it, they were a tight-knit and truly happy family. Their two children, Mary and Kingsley, were raised in the environment of love, kindness, and harmony.

As the years went by, Doyle devoted himself to writing a book which introduced Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The story first appeared in the British paperback magazine in 1887 and a year later was republished as a single volume. His debut novel was called A Study in Scarlet. Curiously, Doyle sold the rights to the story for 25 pounds.

Let us now examine some intriguing facts. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Sherlock Holmes still remains the most portrayed literary human character in film and TV. There’s no one in the world who has never heard of Sherlock Holmes, the iconic fictional detective. Sherlock has long become a household name to describe someone who solves and investigates crimes. What image pops up in your mind when you hear his name? Well, I immediately think of a detective who is wearing a long coat and a legendary cap. Mostly, I think of a person who has exceptional observation and deductive skills. Curiously, few know that Sherlock Holmes’ character was inspired by the real person Dr. Joseph Bell, who shared many qualities with the legendary detective. Some even say that Sherlock’s character was based on his creator, Arthur Conan Doyle. However, it’s all just guesswork. This issue is still open for discussion. Curiously, Sherlock never said, “Elementary, my dear Watson.” The line didn’t appear in Doyle’s books. It was later poluparized in Sherlock Homes’ filmes and became a catchphrase. Did you know why Doyle decided to “kill off” his most iconic character? He just became bored of him and wanted to write more serious books. However, this plot twist provoked outrage among his readers, and Doyle had to “resurrect” the great detective ten years later. Could it be that Doyle didn’t want to live in the shadow of Sherlock? I suppose there is some truth to this. Many people know more about Sherlock than they do about his creator.

So, back to the writer’s life. As time went on, things changed drastically for Arthur Conan Doyle. As it turned out, his beloved wife was seriously ill: she was expected just a few months to live at the most. However, the great writer didn’t seem to agree and was determined to extend her life. And he did it. His love, care, and proper treatment made a miracle. Louisa felt much better and lived another thirteen years. When she passed away, Arthur was deeply affected by the loss.

In 1907, Arthur Conan Doyle married Jean Leckie. The happy couple had a lavish wedding with two hundred and fifty guests. Arthur and Jean had three children. The writer shared many of his wife’s activities and lived a measured, quiet life.

Unfortunately, Conan Doyle endured terrible misfortune: he lost many loved ones, including his father, wife, son, brother, and others. It might have been the reason why he showed an interest in spiritualism[1]. This may come as a surprise, but he also believed in the existence of magical beings. Have you ever heard of the Cottingley Fairies? This is a curious story about two girls named Elsie and Frances, who supposedly managed to take a series of photos of dancing creatures. To be more precise, it is one of the greatest hoaxes of all time. It may seem incredible, but those photos, which showed tiny figures with transparent wings, came to Conan Doyle’s attention. Call it coincidence or providence, but at that time Arthur Conan Doyle was working on the article about fairies for the Strand Magazine. When the experts unofficially verified the authenticity of the photos, the writer was so thrilled that he asked Elsie and Frances to use those images of mythical creatures in his publication. The girls’ family was confused by the attention of the legendary writer but quickly agreed. Public opinion was mixed: some believed that the magical beings were real, while others thought they were fake. Later Arthur Conan Doyle wrote a book on the topic under the title The Coming of the Fairies. Only years later, after the writer’s death, the cousins finally confessed that those photos were a hoax, and the wizard creatures were made from paper cut-outs and hat pins. As it turned out, it was Elsie who drew the images and had the wings added to them. When everything was ready, both girls arranged a theme photo shoot. Later Elsie and Frances admitted that they were too embarrassed to tell the truth after fooling the literary genius.

The creator of Sherlock Holmes was once tasked to solve a real-life crime. He helped the wrongly convicted man go free. Do you remember that Doyle also participated in the search for Agatha Christie? He took one of her gloves to a spirit medium to find her location. The visionary supposedly said that Agatha Christie was still alive but was in the “twilight state,” and that she’d show up “next Wednesday.” Believe it or not, but she was found a week later, safe and alive, claiming memory loss. After that, how can one not believe in miracles?

Apart from detective novels and science fiction, Arthur Conan Doyle also wrote poems, plays, and historical novels. Among his most well-known books are The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, A Study in Scarlet, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Lost World, and many others.

The genius writer lived a rich life filled with many ups and downs. He died in 1930, surrounded by his family. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will always be remembered as one of the greatest writers of all time.

Vocabulary

all-rounder [ˌɔːlˈraʊndə] – всесторонне одаренный, развитый человек

boundless energy [ˈbaʊndləs ˈenəʤɪ] – безграничная, неиссякаемая энергия

contradiction [ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkʃn] – противоречие

fairy [ˈfeəri] – фея, волшебница

ghost [gəʊst] – привидение, призрак

the supernatural [ðiː ˌsuːpəˈnætʃrəl] – сверхъестественное

fictional character [ˈfɪkʃənl ˈkærəktə] – вымышленный персонаж

prosperous family [ˈprɑːspərəs ˈfæməlɪ] – благополучная, состоятельная семья

well-respected [wel rɪˈspektɪd] – авторитетный, многоуважаемый

have a passion (for) [həv ə ˈpæʃn fɔː] – обожать, страстно увлекаться чем-то, иметь страсть к чему-то

inherit [ɪnˈherɪt] – унаследовать, перенять

health issues [helθ ˈɪʃuːz] – проблемы со здоровьем

frustrated [ˈfrʌstreɪtɪd] – разочарованный, отчаявшийся

provide for [prəˈvaɪd fɔː] – материально обеспечивать

asylum [əˈsaɪləm] – приют

nursing home [ˈnɜːsɪŋ həʊm] – дом престарелых

boarding school [ˈbɔːdɪŋ skuːl] – школа-интернат, пансион

corporal punishment [ˈkɔ:p(ə)rəl ˈpʌnɪʃmənt] – телесное наказание

compete [kəmˈpiːt] – состязаться, соревноваться

follow in one’s footsteps [ˈfɑːləʊ ɪn wʌnz ˈfʊtsteps] – идти по стопам кого-то

bachelor’s/master’s degree [ˈbætʃələz ˈmæstəz dɪɡriː] – степень бакалавра/магистра

have an impact (on) [hæv æn ˈɪmpækt ɑːn] – оказать сильное влияние (на)

be inspired (by) [biː ɪnˈspaɪəd bai] – вдохновляться

observation skills [ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃᵊn skɪlz] – наблюдательность

deductive skills [dɪˈdʌktɪv skɪlz] – дедуктивные способности

destiny [ˈdestɪnɪ] – судьба

manuscript [ˈmænjəskrɪpt] – рукопись

lose heart [luːz hɑːt] – унывать, падать духом, опускать руки

attempt [əˈtempt] – пытаться

posthumously [ˈpɒstjʊməsli] – посмертно

get discouraged [get dɪsˈkɜːrɪdʒd] – впадать в уныние

try one’s hand (at) [traɪ wʌnz hænd æt] – попробовать свои силы в чем-либо

earn extra money [ɜːn ˈekstrə ˈmʌnɪ] – подзаработать, обеспечить себе дополнительный доход

devote time (to) [dɪˈvəʊt taɪm tu: ] – посвятить время

business is blooming [ˈbɪznəs ɪz ˈbluːmɪŋ] – дела идут в гору, бизнес процветает

surgeon [ˈsɜːʤən] – хирург

surgery [ˈsɜːʤərɪ] – хирургия, хирургическая операция

patient [ˈpeɪʃnt] – пациент

tight-knit family [ˌtaɪt ˈnɪt ˈfæməlɪ] – дружная, сплоченная семья

raise / bring up children [reɪz brɪŋ ʌpˈʧɪldrən] – растить, воспитывать детей

become a household name [bɪˈkʌm ə ˈhaʊshəʊld neɪm] – стать именем нарицательным

catchphrase [ˈkæʧfreɪz] – коронная, крылатая фраза

plot twist [plɒt twɪst] – поворот сюжета

provoke public outrage [prəˈvəʊk ˈpʌblɪk ˈaʊtreɪʤ] – вызывать возмущение общественности

resurrect [ˌrezəˈrekt] – воскрешать

proper treatment [ˈprɒpə ˈtriːtmənt] – правильное, надлежащее лечение

make a miracle [meɪk əˈmɪrəkl] – сотворить чудо

measured life [ˈmeʒəd laɪf] – размеренная жизнь

supposedly [səˈpəʊzɪdlɪ] – предположительно, якобы

hoax [həʊks] – мистификация, выдумка, обман

transparent [trænˈspærənt] – прозрачный

mythical creature [ˈmɪθɪkl ˈkriːʧə] – мифическое существо

be confused [bi kənˈfjuːzd] – смущаться, растеряться

confess [kənˈfes] – признаваться, сознаваться

be embarrassed [biː ɪmˈbærəst] – стесняться, смущаться

wrongly convicted [ˈrɔːŋli kənˈvɪktɪd] – несправедливо осужденный

spirit medium [ˈspɪrɪt ˈmiːdɪəm] – медиум; ясновидящий, который общается с духами

twilight state [ˈtwaɪlaɪt steɪt] – сумеречное состояние[2]

show up [ʃəʊ ʌp] – появляться

ups and downs [ʌps ən daʊnz] – взлеты и падения, плюсы и минусы

Exercises

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions:

1) When and where was Arthur Conan Doyle born?

2) What kind of family was Arthur Conan Doyle born into?

3) What was his mother passionate about?

4) What was his father’s occupation?

5) What was Doyle’s personality like?

6) Did Arthur like going to a boarding school?

7) Did Doyle follow in his father’s footsteps?

8) What sports was Doyle good at?

9) Who was Dr. Bell? And how would you describe his personality?

10) How old was Arthur Conan Doyle when he wrote his first book? When was it published?

11) How many times did Arthur Conan Doyle get married? How many children did he have?

12) How did Arthur Conan Doyle meet his first wife?

13) What happened to his first wife, Louisa?

14) What was his reaction when he realized how serious her condition was?

15) Why did he become interested in spiritualism?

16) When was his first novel published? And what was it called?

17) Was Sherlock Holmes’ character inspired by a real person?

18) What image pops up in your mind when you hear the name Sherlock?

19) What kind of stories did Arthur Conan Doyle write?

20) Were the Cottingley Fairies real of fake?

21) What are Doyle’s greatest books of all time?

22) In your opinion, what are the best mystery novels of all time?

23) What are your favorite mystery novels?

24) Who are your favorite writers and why?

25) What book genres do you love?

26) Did someone read to you when you were a child?

27) Are there any genres you dislike?

Exercise 2. Find the equivalents of the following words and phrases in the text:

вымышленный персонаж; блестящий рассказчик; испытывать финансовые трудности; получить степень бакалавра; его талант не был полностью раскрыт; многоуважаемая творческая семья; какой образ возникает в вашем представлении; это лишь предположения; крылатое выражение; тяжело переживать утрату; страсть к чтению; неприятный опыт; посвятить себя медицине; журнал в мягкой обложке; расследовать преступление; как ни странно; пышная свадьба; дела не шли в гору

Exercise 3. Give the Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases:

to be born into a prosperous family; to have a strong impact (on); to be surrounded by family; to earn some extra money; to be raised in the environment of love; to devote time (to); to extend life; to live a measured, quiet life; a science fiction novel; to be inspired (by); to be common; exceptional skills; to try one’s hand (at); life filled with ups and downs; to live another thirteen years; things changed drastically; to show an interest (in)

Exercise 4. Match each word with its synonym:

Detective Riddle No. 2

Do you like solving mysteries? If so, put your detective hat on and have fun! Read the story carefully and collect all the clues that lead to the suspect. Find all the information needed to solve the mystery.

● Collect the evidence, check out alibis, and interrogate each suspect to solve the crime.

● Possible suspects: Jessica, Linda, Grace, Jane, Jeremy.

The night before the wedding, Mary was having some close friends over: Jessica, Linda, and Grace. They were watching romantic comedies, singing songs, and gossiping. Mary was so excited and happy because her dream was about to come true. She had been dating Mark since high school, and he finally proposed to her.

Everyone was laughing, cheering, and clapping their hands when Mary showed her elegant wedding dress to them. She looked like a queen in it. She said that it was a present from her mom Jane. As a parent, Jane wanted only the best for her daughter. Her eyes were filled with tears of happiness, and she was proud of Mary. Jane was on good terms with Mark and hoped they would make a loving couple. Everyone seemed to be having fun. Actually, all of them had their own secrets.

Jessica was secretly in love with Mark but kept her feelings hidden. Mark lived in her neighborhood and sometimes gave her a ride home. They had much in common: they had exactly the same taste in music, films, sports, etc. Jessica hoped that one day he and Mary would split up. She was not going to give up.

Linda disliked Mark, and she had her own deeply personal reasons as well. First, Linda’s brother Jeremy was in love with Mary. Second, Mark pretended to be something he wasn’t. He was a gambler and constantly lost large sums of money. Linda had discussed it with Mary, but she didn’t want to believe her. So, Linda made peace with Mary’s choice. She hoped that Mark would change after marriage.

Grace had a secret as well. She saw Mark with another girl last week, but she didn’t tell Mary about it. She didn’t want to upset her best friend or destroy other people’s relationship.

When the party ended and all the guests left, Mary immediately went to bed. She woke up about five hours after her alarm was supposed to go off. She felt dizzy and sick. When she went into the dining room, she had a strange feeling that something really bad might have happened. When she looked at her watch, Mary realized that she overslept and was late for her own wedding. She also discovered that her wedding dress had been ruined. Mary felt even worse and called an ambulance. The doctors found it was an attempted poisoning and called Sherlock Holmes. When the detective came to the crime scene, he immediately got a clue. The offender endangered Mary’s life and secretly put sleeping pills into her cocktail. Who was the criminal?

Some people are born under a lucky star, while others are forced to resist the heavy blows of fate all their life. That’s how the world really works. However, we all must realize that hardships are a part of the precious gift called life. They make us stronger and wiser. They purify our souls. As the saying goes, “When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile.” Unfortunately, the life of Edgar Allan Poe was filled with losses, trials, and sadness and ended in а horrible tragedy. He died very young, but he managed to leave a significant mark on the world of literature. Poe’s contribution to the development of detective fiction was so great that, according to many, without him, we wouldn’t even have Sherlock Homes. Years later, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would say that Edgar Poe was “a model for all time.” The legendary writer’s last moments were the biggest mystery covered in darkness. The causes of Edgar Poe’s mysterious death are still unknown, though they have been the topic of persistent speculation over the years. Many theories exist, including serious illness and even murder. However, the circumstances of the incident and the sequence of events remain unclear. As I see it, the undisputed “father” of the detective story left behind him a mystery so puzzling that even the most illustrious detective Auguste Dupin, a fictional character created by Edgar Allan Poe, wouldn’t be able to solve it. Let’s together touch the enigmatic life of the greatest writer of all time and the man of extraordinary fate.

Edgar Allan Poe, an American writer, poet, literary critic, and the inventor of the detective novel, was born in Boston, on January 19, 1809, into the family of traveling actors Elizabeth and David Poe. Since childhood his life was full of tragic events. The legendary writer never really knew his parents. Just a year after Edgar Poe’s birth, his father abandoned their family and never returned. No one knows exactly about his fate, but reportedly he died the same year the writer’s mother did. By the age of three, little Edgar was orphaned. He was unofficially adopted by John Allan and his wife Frances, a well-to-do childless couple. His older brother Henry and younger sister Rosalie went to live with other families.

Poe was never reunited with his siblings as a family. Sadly, things weren’t easy for Rosalie and Henry, as if fortune turned back on them. For many years, Henry sailed around the world. On returning to Baltimore, he started writing short stories and poems. One of his works called “The Pirate” described the first relationship between Edgar Poe and his adolescent sweetheart Sarah Elmira Royster. Unfortunately, Henry died very young, when he was just twenty-four years old. Interestingly, his sister’s life was also covered in mystery and misfortunes. Even her exact date of birth was unknown. There was speculation that Rosalie was not the true child of either David or Eliza Poe, and that her real father was supposedly the prominent actor John Howard Payne. Even Edgar Poe added fuel to the fire when he once said that Rosalie was actually his older sister. Rumors persist that when Rosalie was still a child, a wealthy resident of Richmond left her an enormous fortune. She was the sole heiress in his will, which gave rise to many curious speculations, rumors, and legends. As for her foster family, no one knows exactly whether she was treated like a family member or merely a ward. Unfortunately, Rosalie’s adult life was also a failure. She was said to walk the streets trying to sell postcards of her famous brother. As I see it, she was devastated and scared. Being unemployed, it was the only possible way to earn her living. She had no one to rely on and was left alone to survive in this world. Eventually, she lost heart. Rosalie spent her last days in a charity home.