For two hours I watched him – he was very busy copying dancing men and writing letters, he was so completely occupied with this task that he had evidently forgotten about me. Sometimes he was making progress [115] and whistled or sang something. Sometimes he became puzzled, and could sit for hours looking absent-minded. Finally he jumped up from his chair with a cry of satisfaction, and walked up and down the room rubbing his hands together. Then he wrote a long telegram.

“If my answer to this is right, you will have a very pretty case to your collection, Watson,” he said. “I think that we should go down to Norfolk tomorrow. And we will finally solve this puzzle, which worries our friend so much.”

Of course I was filled with curiosity, but I knew that Holmes liked to make his conclusions at his own time and in his own way. So I waited.

1. When did Mr. Cubitt visit Sherlock Holmes again?

1) The next day

2) A week later

3) A month later

4) Two weeks later

2. Why did Mr. Cubitt look worried and depressed?

1) His wife was very afraid.

2) This business was getting on his nerves.

3) He didn’t like London.

4) Sherlock Holmes couldn’t help him.

3. Why couldn’t Mr. Cubitt just talk to his wife and find out the truth?

1) He was afraid of his wife.

2) He was scary and he didn’t want to scary her off.

3) He had no time for it.

4) He was a clumsy man in these things.

4. What did he find out?

1) He brought some new drawings of dancing men and saw the man who drew them.

2) He caught the joker – it was his stable-boy.

3) He didn’t find out anything.

4) He found out that there were several men who drew these pictures.

5. What was Mrs. Cubitt’s suggestion?

1) To hide and wait

2) To travel in order to avoid this nuisance

3) To sell the house

4) To call the police

6. Why was Mr. Cubitt angry with his wife?

1) She didn’t want to come to bed.

2) She didn’t want to talk to him.

3) She told him that she knew this man.

4) She held him when he could catch this man.

7. What did Sherlock Holmes do when Mr. Cubitt left?

1) He was tired and went to bed.

2) He decided to have dinner and then started working.

3) He started working, he was very busy copying dancing men and writing letters.

4) He solved the riddle very quickly and wrote a long telegram.

8. Why didn’t Sherlock Holmes share his ideas with Dr. Watson?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

9. Choose the right line:

Sherlock Holmes…………… to the table…………… out all the pieces of paper…………… dancing men in front of him and…………… examining them.

1) was rushing, lay, contained, began

2) rushed, lay, containing, began

3) rushed, laid, containing, began

4) was rushing, laid, containing, beginning

10. Complete the sentences with these words and expressions:

as far as, played such stupid tricks, on my nerves, a lesson, progress, had better

1) When this man comes again we can give him such…………… that he will leave us in peace.

2) I told her frankly that I wished to see who it was who…………… on us.

3) “…………… I understood there were some new incidents.”

4) Sometimes he was making…………… and whistled or sang something.

5) “You…………… stay here, Watson.”

6) “It’s getting……………, this business, Mr. Holmes,” he said.