Lesson 18 A Young Detective’s Adventures: The Mystery

Lesson 18Lesson 18A Young Detective’s Adventures:A Young Detective’s Adventures:

The MysteryThe Mystery

1. Text Analysis2. Exercises

3. Questions For Discussion

Distant Education College, Jilin UniversityDistant Education College, Jilin University

Extensive Reading IIExtensive Reading II

Exercises


1. True/False Questions

2. Multiple-choice Questions

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True/False Questions


Answer

1. The blind girl thought Smith had no ability to solve the mysterious deaths.

2. Smith thought what the girl said about poisonous plants suggested that the second wife of Mr. Fitch died from food poisoning.

3. Smith didn’t want to spend another night in Mr. Fitch’s house because he wanted to tell Chief Hutch what had happened there as soon as possible.

4. Amelia felt extremely guilty when her father died and she nearly killed herself.



Answer

1. The blind girl thought Smith had no ability to solve the mysterious deaths. T

2. Smith thought what the girl said about poisonous plants suggested that the second wife of Mr. Fitch died from food poisoning.





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2. Smith thought what the girl said about poisonous plants suggested that the second wife of Mr. Fitch died from food poisoning. T





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3. Smith didn’t want to spend another night in Mr. Fitch’s house because he wanted to tell Chief Hutch what had happened there as soon as possible. F




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3. Smith didn’t want to spend another night in Mr. Fitch’s house because he wanted to tell Chief Hutch what had happened there as soon as possible. F

4. Amelia felt extremely guilty when her father died and she nearly killed herself. T



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5. Amelia was forbidden by her father’s will to live together with her husband, so she had to live alone on the hill.

6. Mrs. Munsing could solve the mystery if there was not a police investigation.

7. Amelia had to tell Smith the truth in order to prevent further police investigations.

8. Smith investigated the daughter first. The girl was blind and she kept many poisonous plants in her garden.



Answer

5. Amelia was forbidden by her father’s will to live together with her husband, so she had to live alone on the hill. T

6. Mrs. Munsing could solve the mystery if there was not a police investigation.





Answer


6. Mrs. Munsing could solve the mystery if there was not a police investigation. F





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7. Amelia had to tell Smith the truth in order to prevent further police investigations. T




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7. Amelia had to tell Smith the truth in order to prevent further police investigations. T

8. Smith investigated the daughter first. The girl was blind and she kept many poisonous plants in her garden. T

9. From their talk, Smith learned that the girl hated her stepmothers.

10. Smith was anxious to report to his chief. He was sure that the two women were murdered by the daughter and Mrs. Munsing.

11. Mr. Fitch married Amelia for her wealth and deserted her after he used up her money.

12. Amelia told Smith in her letter the facts about the deaths of the three Mrs. Fitches.

13. The Police Chief did not want to offend people who had more power than he had.



Answer

9. From their talk, Smith learned that the girl hated her stepmothers. T

10. Smith was anxious to report to his chief. He was sure that the two women were murdered by the daughter and Mrs. Munsing.






Answer


10. Smith was anxious to report to his chief. He was sure that the two women were murdered by the daughter and Mrs. Munsing. F






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11. Mr. Fitch married Amelia for her wealth and deserted her after he used up her money. F





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12. Amelia told Smith in her letter the facts about the deaths of the three Mrs. Fitches. T




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12. Amelia told Smith in her letter the facts about the deaths of the three Mrs. Fitches. T

13. The Police Chief did not want to offend people who had more power than he had. T



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1. “She looked right at me, or I should say right through me.” From this sentence we learned that ______.

A) she knew what Smith was thinking

B) she was blind

C) she looked directly into the eyes of Smith

D) she recognized Smith immediately

Multiple-choice Questions


Answer



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1. “She looked right at me, or I should say right through me.” From this sentence we learned that ______. B

A) she knew what Smith was thinking

B) she was blind

C) she looked directly into the eyes of Smith

D) she recognized Smith immediately

2. The girl, born of Fitch’s _______ wife, _______.

A) first, was long-sighted

B) second, had poor vision

C) third, was blind

D) first, lost her sight



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2. The girl, born of Fitch’s _______ wife, _______. D

A) first, was long-sighted

B) second, had poor vision

C) third, was blind

D) first, lost her sight

3. In the opinion of the blind girl, those other women her father married _______.

A) did not belong to the Fitch family and died outside the hill

B) died easily like a weed taken away by the wind

C) did not die accidentally but were killed on purpose

D) were fated to die



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3. In the opinion of the blind girl, those other women her father married _______. D

A) did not belong to the Fitch family and died outside the hill

B) died easily like a weed taken away by the wind

C) did not die accidentally but were killed on purpose

D) were fated to die

4. Before Smith read the letter from Amelia, he ________.

A) discussed a lot of things about the Fitches with the Chief

B) was interested to continue the investigation

C) was unable to figure out who was the killer

D) was at a loss as to what to do



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4. Before Smith read the letter from Amelia, he ________. C

A) discussed a lot of things about the Fitches with the Chief

B) was interested to continue the investigation

C) was unable to figure out who was the killer

D) was at a loss as to what to do

5. “We could never take such a crazy person into our confidence.” This sentence implies that _____.

A) they couldn’t believe what Munsing said because she was very stupid

B) Munsing was easily confused and probably would have misunderstood the truth about the Fitch family

C) they would like to tell Munsing the truth of the mystery but she was too foolish

D) Munsing was insane and therefore could not be trusted



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5. “We could never take such a crazy person into our confidence.” This sentence implies that _____. B

A) they couldn’t believe what Munsing said because she was very stupid

B) Munsing was easily confused and probably would have misunderstood the truth about the Fitch family

C) they would like to tell Munsing the truth of the mystery but she was too foolish

D) Munsing was insane and therefore could not be trusted

6. “We had not counted on your cleverness, however.” These words showed that Amelia ______.

A) thought Smith was very clever and had worked out who the killer was

B) didn’t think that Smith had the ability to solve the mysterious deaths

C) knew very clearly about Smith’s methods and ideas concerning the investigation

D) had not expected to meet such a skillful investigator



Answer



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6. “We had not counted on your cleverness, however.” These words showed that Amelia ______. D

A) thought Smith was very clever and had worked out who the killer was

B) didn’t think that Smith had the ability to solve the mysterious deaths

C) knew very clearly about Smith’s methods and ideas concerning the investigation

D) had not expected to meet such a skillful investigator

1. What do you think of Amelia’s letter? Did she tell the truth? Please explain your answer.

2. Do you think the deaths of the second and the third Mrs. Fitches were accidental? Could the daughter have murdered both of them? Or were their deaths a cooperative effort between mother and daughter?

3. What would you do if you were Smith? Would you arrest the mother and daughter on suspicion of murder? Would you arrest Mr. Fitch for the crime of having more than one wife at the same time? Or would you drop the case?

Questions for Discussion


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My balcony looked directly onto the garden, and I saw a young woman I hadn’t seen before on the porch. She was tending the plants and carefully and slowly touching each one. That must be the daughter, I thought; at the same time, I made my decision to start my investigation with her.

The house was quiet as I passed through the halls and found the door that opened onto the garden. As I approached the garden, the girl looked up quickly and said in a frightened voice, “Who’s there? Who’s there?”

She looked right at me, or I should say right through me.

Text Analysis


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“My name is Dwight Smith. I’m a guest of your father.”

“You must be with the police,” she said. “My father said someone was coming to investigate.” She turned back to her plants. “I didn’t recognize your step and you frightened me. But now I will know it, and you won’t be able to surprise me anymore. You may ask me questions if you want. I know all about police investigations. I have listened to a lot of stories about famous detectives. Dwight Smith is such a common name though. It won’t sound very romantic in the newspapers when they write about all the famous crimes that you solve.”

Text Analysis


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I laughed and said I didn’t expect to find many crimes in Flagstaff.

“Then why are you here? You don’t believe that these women whom my father married really died an accidental death, do you?” She didn’t wait for an answer. I think she had already lost any faith she had in me.

“Nothing on earth is an accident. My blindness is not an accident. These plants are not an accident. Those women my father married were not part of this hill. They were not part of the scheme of things; it was obvious they had to be taken away, like a weed in a garden.”

Text Analysis


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“This has a beautiful flower,” I said, hoping to express my interest in the garden when I really wanted to hear more about this blind girl’s hatred of the two intruders, her stepmothers.

“Where? Let me feel. Yes, it may be beautiful. It has a very delicate smell. But it’s very poisonous, you know.”

“Why do you have poisonous plants in your garden?”

“Oh, I have lots of them. Sometimes the most beautiful, innocent flower is deadly. Can you see the foxglove there?” She pointed toward some tall plants with purple flowers.

Text Analysis


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I began to think about the second wife, who died from food poisoning. I looked around the garden to see if there were any other dangerous plants I could recognize.

From the porch, Ms. Ryan was calling for us to come in to tea.

Text Analysis


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I did not sleep well that night. I listened to every sound. And there were lots of them. I decided I would not spend another night in that house. I planned to finish my investigation and leave that morning. I would let the Chief figure out who killed the wives. But I knew he didn’t really want to know. Nobody wanted to know. And maybe they weren’t murdered. It all could have been accidental: a missing plane, food poisoning, a fall. But what if someone fixed the motor of the plane so it would malfunction at a certain point; what if someone put some poisonous leaves in the food; what if the third wife was pushed off the cliff rather than fell? Did the same person kill all three? Or was the first an accident and the second two murders? Were the last two wives killed by one person or by two different people?

Text Analysis


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I left the Fitch house without saying thank you to my hosts. I ran down the hill and stopped a passing car. I had a lot to tell the Chief. I wondered how much he already knew.

The car that picked me up stopped in front of the police station; inside I was told the Chief was away for a few days. My tale would have to wait. I spent the afternoon at my desk trying to piece the story together. At five o’clock, I had finished my report and returned to Mrs. Johnson’s house.

It was just like being home with my mother again. She handed me a letter that had been delivered by hand in the afternoon.

Text Analysis


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Dear Mr. Smith,

We always had such a quiet life on the hill. When my father was alive, he never allowed visitors. Darjo was the only person my father had confidence in; he never had any in me. Nor in my choice of a husband. When he died of a heart attack after my marriage, I blamed myself and was overcome with guilt. I would have killed myself, but I had a little daughter to take care of and a husband I loved. To keep the land and the money, my husband and I were prohibited by my father’s will from living together. It seemed that the only way to provide for my daughter and husband and still stay close to the land I loved was to “disappear.” Small plane crashes are very convenient.

Text Analysis


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It was a very difficult life for both my husband and me.

Fortunately I had the comfort of the good Sisters of the Valley who sheltered me. I never had to worry about their talking to someone about me.

My husband was not a good businessman, as my father had suspected. He began to lose our fortune, and we were faced with selling the land I loved and perhaps separation. I reluctantly agreed to his plan to marry a wealthy woman. That plan was helped along by the efforts of Ms. Ryan, a very capable woman who was my best friend in school.

Text Analysis


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One wife led to another, and you know the rest. What you don’t know is: how did those women die? And why did we call the police in?

Mrs. Munsing was letting her suspicions run in unpleasant directions, and we could never take such a crazy person into our confidence. We thought we could appease her with a police investigation. We felt safe leaving the investigation to our local police; we had not counted on your cleverness, however. The Chief of Police is a kind soul, but not very intelligent. He was more concerned with keeping my husband’s goodwill than in doing his duty. Besides the deaths were accidental in a manner of speaking.

Text Analysis


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Mrs. Munsing herself killed the second Mrs. Fitch, but only by her own stupidity. She mistakenly used the leaves of a poisonous plant instead of mint in the lemonade she gave the second Mrs. Fitch. But was that her fault really? I grew the plant and my blind girl picked the leaves and gave them to Mrs. Munsing. The rest was fate.

The death of the third Mrs. Fitch was fate as well. She became frightened when she saw me coming toward her down the narrow cliff path. She took an unfortunate step backwards and fell off the cliff. Could I really be to blame?

Text Analysis


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I’m sorry we won’t be able to answer any more of your questions. You got more information than you need, anyway.

We wish you every possible success in Flagstaff.

Warmly,

Amelia FitchFrom The great Preposition Mystery,

ed., Lin Lougheed, Washington, D.C., 1981.

Approximately 1,200 words.

Text Analysis


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Words to Know

balcony [] n. 阳台=a platform that projects from the wall of a building and is surrounded by a railing, balustrade, or parapete.g. Xiao Wang does morning exercises in his balcony every day.每天小王都在阳台上做早操。


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Words to Know

tend [] vt. 照料，看护=take care ofe.g. Peter will tend the store while his father is away.父亲不在时彼德负责看店。


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Words to Know

solve [] vt. 解释，解答=find a solution toe.g. Can you solve the riddle?你能解开这个谜吗？


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Words to Know

romantic [] a. 传奇式的=relating to, or characteristic of romancee.g. Robinson Crusoe’s romantic adventures became the bedside stories of thousands of children round the world.罗宾逊•克鲁索传奇式的冒险成为全世界成千上万孩子的床边故事。


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Useful Phrases and Expressions

scheme [] n. 计划，方案=a systematic plan of actione.g. He thought of a scheme to get some money. 他想出了一个弄钱的方案。

the scheme of things （事物的）格局e.g. It seemed that the scheme of things had been set even before we started.看起来事物的格局在我们开始之前就确定了。


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Words to Know

intruder [] n. 闯入者，入侵者=the person who comes in rudely or inappropriatelye.g. Any intruder of the private land will be sent to the police.私人土地上的任何闯入者将被送交警方。


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Words to Know

delicate [] a. （气味）清淡的=pleasing to the senses, especially in a subtle waye.g. Since I often have a stomachache, I prefer delicate food.因为我经常胃痛，所以我喜欢清淡的食物。


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Words to Know

innocent [] a. 单纯的，无罪的，无害的= sinless ， legally blameless ， innocuouse.g. Do you call these innocent amusements?你把这些叫做无害的娱乐吗 ?


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foxglove [] n. （植）毛地黄=any of several herbs of the genus Digitalise.g. Foxgloves in Europe have a long cluster of large, tubular, pinkish-purple flowers and leaves that are the source of the drug digitalis.产于欧洲的毛地黄，有一长簇管状的、淡红紫色大花和叶子，这些是毛地黄药的来源。


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Words to Know

purple [] n.&a. 紫色（的）=any of a group of colors with a hue between that of violet and rede.g. His face became purple with rage.他的面孔气得发紫。


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Words to Know

malfunction [] vi. 失灵，发生故障= fail to functione.g. The two engines on the same side malfunctioned at the same time.一侧的两台发动机同时失灵。


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Words to Know

overcome [] vt. （感情等）使受不了，压倒=overpower, as with emotion; affect deeplye.g. We were overcome with joy.我们喜出望外。


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Words to Know

prohibit [] vt. 禁止，阻止= forbid by authoritye.g. Smoking is strictly prohibited in the process of handling explosive materials.在处理易爆物时 , 严格禁止吸烟。


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Words to Know

reluctantly [] ad. 勉强地=unwillinglye.g. He went away reluctantly.他很不愿意地离去了。


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Words to Know

appease [] vt. 平息，满足（好奇心）= soothe ， satisfye.g. The angry passenger was appeased by their apology.他们道了歉 , 那位旅客的气也消了。


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Words to Know

goodwill [] n. 好意，信誉= an attitude of kindness or friendliness; benevolencee.g. The exchange of goodwill missions greatly contributes to a better understanding between the two countries.互派友好代表团大大有助于两国的相互了解。


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Words to Know

will [] n. 遗嘱=testamente.g. Have you made your will yet? 你立下遗嘱了吗？


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Words to Knowpiece [] 1. n. （常与 of 连用） =a thing considered as a unit or an element of a larger thing, quantity, or class; a portion 一部分，块 , 件 , 片 , 篇 , 张e.g. He took a piece of the cake. 他拿了一块蛋糕。2. vt. 常与 together 连用） =join or unite the pieces of 拼凑 ,连接，接上接合或拼合起…的碎片e.g. She pieced together an account of what had gone on during the stormy meeting.她把在那场激烈的会议上所发生的一切拼凑起来，并把它们陈诉出来。


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Words to Know

crazy []1. = mad; insane 疯狂的；精神错乱的；蠢的e.g. He‘s crazy to drive his car so fast. 他把车开得这样快，真是疯了。2. = enthusiastic or preoccupied 着迷的；狂热的e.g. She's crazy about dancing. 她热衷于跳舞。


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figure out 弄明白e.g. I couldn't figure out who the lady with the sunglasses was.我想不出那位戴墨镜的夫人是谁。


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pick up （停下来）把…带走e.g. The bus picks up commuters at three stops.公共汽车在三个站载送通勤者。


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by hand 专人送（交）的（非邮寄的）e.g. I arranged my parcel to be delivered by hand instead of by mail.我安排专人送去我的包裹而没有邮寄它。


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provide for 抚养，提供生计e.g. Providing for one's children is not only a way to show love, but also a duty regulated by law.抚养子女不仅是关爱的表现，也是法律规定的义务。


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count on 指望，依赖e.g. You can count on my help.你可以依赖我的帮助。


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in a manner of speaking 可以说e.g. In a manner of speaking, you are also a winner.可以说，你也是个赢家。


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Difficult Sentences

Dwight Smith is such a common name though. It won’t sound very romantic in the newspapers when they write about all the famous crimes that you solve.德怀特•史密斯是个十分普通的名字。若是有人在报纸上报导你侦破的著名案件，你的名字可不够浪漫。


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Difficult Sentences

“They were not part of the scheme of things; it was obvious they had to be taken away, like a weed in a garden.”“她们不是我们这个圈子里的人，她们显然就得像花园里的杂草一样被除掉。”


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Difficult Sentences

To keep the land and the money, my husband and I were prohibited by my father’s will from living together.按照我父亲的遗嘱，我要想继承他的地产和钱财就不能和我丈夫生活在一起。


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Difficult Sentences

Fortunately I had the comfort of the good Sisters of the Valley who sheltered me.=Luckily the nuns in the convent of the Valley helped and concealed me.幸好我得到了当地修道院修女的庇护。


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Difficult Sentences

Mrs. Munsing was letting her suspicions run in unpleasant directions, and we would never take such a crazy person into our confidence.曼星太太对两位夫人的丧命表示怀疑，而且总是向坏处想，我们岂能信任这样古怪的人。


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Difficult SentencesBut what if someone fixed the motor of the plane so it would malfunction at a certain point; what if someone put some poisonous leaves in the food; what if the third wife was pushed off the cliff rather than fell?但是如果有人在发动机上做了手脚，使飞机中途发生故障，那会是什么结果 ?如果有人在食物中放入毒叶，又将会怎样 ?如果第三个太太是被推下悬崖而不是自己摔下去的，那将意味着什么？what if 表示“假如…将会发生什么 ?” 、“要是…将会怎么样呢 ?”：e.g. What if he has told a lie?如果他说的是谎话．那怎么办 ?


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Difficult Sentences

Sometimes the most beautiful, innocent flower is deadly.有时最美丽、圣洁的花卉往往有致命的毒性。


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Difficult Sentences

I would let the Chief figure out who killed the wives.我要让警长自己来考虑是谁杀了这几位太大。


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Difficult Sentences

Darjo was the only person my father had confidence in; he never had any in me. Nor in my choice of a husband.大乔是我父亲唯一信任的人．他从不信任我，也不信任我选择的丈夫。


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Difficult Sentences

It seemed that the only way to provide for my daughter and husband and still stay close to the land I loved was to “disappear.”看来既能供养女儿和丈夫又能继续呆在我热爱的土地上的唯一办法，是我自己“失踪”。


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Difficult Sentences

But now I will know it, and you won’t be able to surprise me anymore.但既然我了解了你的脚步声，你现在就不会吓到我了。

anymore: now


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porchporch

A covered platform, usually having a separate roof, at an entrance to a building.

门廊建筑物入口处有顶的平台，通常有单独的屋顶


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She took an unfortunate stShe took an unfortunate step backwards and fell off tep backwards and fell off the cliff. Could I really be to he cliff. Could I really be to blame?blame?

她向后退去她向后退去 ,, 不幸掉下悬崖不幸掉下悬崖 ..这能怪我吗这能怪我吗 ??


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他五八度也当作柠檬里他五八度也当作柠檬里的薄荷给了第二位的薄荷给了第二位 FITCFITCHH 太太太太

She mistakenly used the leaves of a She mistakenly used the leaves of a poisonous plant instead of mint in the poisonous plant instead of mint in the lemonade she gave the second Mrs. lemonade she gave the second Mrs. Fitch.Fitch.


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She took an unfortunate step backwards She took an unfortunate step backwards and fell off the cliff. Could I really be to and fell off the cliff. Could I really be to blame?blame?

她向后退去她向后退去 ,, 不幸掉下悬崖不幸掉下悬崖 .. 这能怪我吗这能怪我吗 ??

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Lesson 18 A Young Detective’s Adventures: The Mystery