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Sherlock Holmes Short Stories

by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Four classic mysteries · adapted for English learners (Ladybird / Penguin Readers)
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Get the book first You’ll need a copy of the Ladybird / Penguin reader to follow along. Open it whenever a Studixa page tells you which pages to read.
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👤 About the author

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) was a British writer born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He trained as a doctor at the University of Edinburgh, but his medical practice was slow at the start — which gave him plenty of free time to write short stories.

In 1886 he created the most famous detective in the world: Sherlock Holmes. Holmes first appeared in the novel A Study in Scarlet (1887), and from 1891 onwards Doyle’s short stories about him in The Strand Magazine made the character a worldwide phenomenon.

Holmes is famous for his sharp eye, his rooms at 221B Baker Street in London, and his loyal friend and biographer Dr John Watson. This book brings four of Holmes’s most famous adventures, adapted for English learners.

👥 People & Animals in the Stories

A quick “who’s who” — meet the cast you’ll see across the four stories.

🕵️
Sherlock HolmesDetective
The brilliant private detective. Lives at 221B Baker Street. Solves cases by noticing the small details that other people miss.
👨‍⚕️
Doctor WatsonHolmes’ friend & narrator
A medical doctor and Holmes’ closest friend. Tells the stories in first person and helps Holmes with his work.
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Hilton SoamesTeacher (Story 2)
A teacher at a college. Calls Holmes when something strange happens before an important examination.
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Silver BlazeFamous race horse (Story 3)
A champion racing horse who disappears the night before a major race. His trainer is found dead nearby — Holmes is called to investigate.
👑
The King of BohemiaRoyal figure (Story 4)
A king with a delicate problem from his past. He visits Holmes in disguise to ask for help recovering a private letter.
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Irene AdlerThe woman (Story 4)
A clever singer and actress — the only person in the stories who ever outsmarts Sherlock Holmes.

🆕 Key Vocabulary — General

Six everyday words you’ll meet across the stories. Each story page has its own extra vocabulary list.

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cab
An old-style London taxi pulled by a horse.
church
A building where Christians go to pray.
🪿
goose
A large white bird that looks like a big duck. Plural: geese.
🔒
lock
The part of a door or box that you open with a key.
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newspaper
A daily paper that prints news, stories and adverts.
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stable
A building where horses live and sleep.

💬 Before-Reading Activities

1. Discussion / Writing task
Look at the “People & Animals” above. Choose three of them and describe them — what do you think they look like? What is each one’s role in the stories?
2. True or False?  Based on the “About the author” section, decide if each sentence is true or false.
1. Sherlock Holmes is a doctor.
Holmes is a detective. It’s Watson who is the doctor.
2. Sherlock Holmes works alone — he has no friends.
Holmes works closely with his friend Dr Watson, who writes about the cases.
3. Sherlock Holmes lives at 221B Baker Street in London.
Correct — 221B Baker Street is one of the most famous addresses in fiction.
4. Holmes works for the London police as a full-time officer.
Holmes is a private detective. He sometimes helps the police, but he doesn’t work for them.

📚 The Four Stories

1
The Adventure of the Diamond
Holmes investigates a Christmas mystery — a hat, a goose, and a stolen diamond
2
The Adventure of the Three Students
Holmes investigates a strange incident at a college before a big exam
3
The Adventure of Silver Blaze
A champion race horse vanishes and his trainer is found dead
4
A Scandal in Bohemia
A king with a secret asks for help — and meets the only woman who can outsmart Holmes
🏆
Book Final Test
Mixed test on the whole book — comes after we finish all four stories
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