Instructions
Do the preparation task first. Then, watch the video and do the exercises. Remember you can read the transcript at any time.
Preparation
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Transcript
Wendy: The streets of London are full of history. But not all the famous characters associated with this city were real. More than a hundred years ago when people travelled by horse and cart and the foggy streets were lit by gaslight, one famous detective was leading the fight against crime. It was Victorian London, the time of Sherlock Holmes.
The fictional character of Sherlock Holmes has been popular ever since he was created by author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the late 1800s. Since then, Holmes has appeared in many films …
Roland Carstairs: Mr Holmes?
Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone): Hello.
Wendy: … from black-and-white classics to Hollywood blockbusters and TV dramas.
Even though Sherlock Holmes wasn’t a real person, you can find evidence of him all over London. There is a statue of Sherlock Holmes near Baker Street. Just around the corner, you can find his famous address, 221B. Ah, look! More evidence of Sherlock Holmes, a pub named after him. Let’s pop in.
There are lots of Sherlock-related things inside the pub. The pub even has its own room which is supposed to look like Sherlock Holmes’s study with his famous pipe and laboratory instruments for his forensic or scientific approach to solving crimes. You can just imagine Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Doctor Watson discussing how to solve crimes here.
Dr Watson (Nigel Bruce): Well, whoever’s behind all this thing must be out of his mind.
Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone): On the contrary, my dear fellow. If my assumptions are correct, this little scheme has behind it the most brilliant and ruthless intellect the world has ever known.
Wendy: Roger Johnson is from the Sherlock Holmes Society of London.
What makes Sherlock Holmes so interesting?
Roger: He’s a hero, but he’s a flawed hero in a way. He doesn’t have superpowers in the way that, say, Superman does or the Marvel Avengers. He’s a real human being and you can feel with Sherlock Holmes, as you can’t do with Superman, ‘Yeah, I could be like that’.
Wendy: Why is he still so popular?
Roger: The main reason is that the original stories are so good. They’re very well written and they’re tremendous fun to read.
Wendy: The Metropolitan Police Heritage Museum shows the history of policing in London. Holmes was famous for his use of forensic or scientific techniques to solve crimes. His creator, Conan Doyle, visited police museums to gain inspiration for his stories. Alan Moss is a former policeman and historian.
Do you think it was useful for Conan Doyle to visit places like this?
Alan: He was really interested in real-life crimes, but actually making those crimes into a really good story.
Wendy: Police methods and crime-solving techniques have changed since the time of Sherlock Holmes. New technology means the scientific or forensic method is even more important.
So there’s evidence of Sherlock Holmes all across London. It looks like he’s going to continue being a popular fictional character for many more years to come. I wonder what Sherlock would make of today’s forensic work and policing techniques. I guess we’ll never know.
Discussion
Do you like detective stories and mysteries? Which are your favourites?
Comments
Yes, they are very interesting because of the mysteries that have their stories, all the stories have an unexpected end and cause a lot of curiosity
I do not have a favorite series of detectives, but if I have a favorite series of mysteries that is called pretty little liars, I like it because it is very entertaining and just like the detective series has a lot of mystery and good links
yes, I love all kinds of historys ´cause the histories can show us to many different Worlds, they have the power to pop you into the history and that´s great!
I really like the character of sherlock holmes in my opinion he is interesting because he is not a super hero he is a human being a simple police of london like others and
his best interpretation was that of Robert Dawney Jr
Yes, I like the detective and mystery histories, and specially Sherlock Holmes, because it is the history of a man that, with his own knowledge can solve the must difficult cases, without any superpower it´s just him.
I hadn´t read another of this stories except from Sherlock Holmes and his movies.
I actually don't like detective or crime stories but I really enjoyed every single word of the Sherlock Holmes book, it's very catchy and it really makes you curious about what's going to happen next cause' the story is unpredictable. I also liked all the movies, specially the one that Robert Downey JR. is the main character.
I really enjoy the detective stories and I actually think that those types of stories are my favourite, the mystery, the suspense, the crimes, I don't know, but I think that those things are just amazing, my favourite book series is ''The Three Detectives'', each book is something that you won´t ever forget, I love it so much.
I love Robert Downey Jr's Holmes!
His play is so funny!!!!
I really love Sherlock Holmes and I have read all the stories of him. When I start to read a Sherlock Holmes story, I can't stop reading until the end because it wakes up my curiosity a lot.
Yes. I like detective stories. One of my friend suggested me " Dancing Men " case of Sherlock Holmes. And ı really enjoyed it.
I love sherlock holmes, he's the hero of my infancy
Yes, I like reading a detective story and enjoying a detective drama on TV! The detectives in some stories usually impressed my young mind and once I considered to be a detective in the future! But soon after, I saw actual detectives working and found them uncool, rather they looked like mafias....
Fiction would be fine!!
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I love detective stories so much.I alwaus watch Scherloch Holmes i just watched the episode where he tells John and his wife Mary that they are going to be parrents:)
Yes, I really like detective stories and mysteries. I like Sherlock. This serie is very interesting. I like Rizzoli and Isles is mystery and comedy.
There are others series about mysteries that I like.
I like very much the detetive stories, but I don't have a favorite story, I have readed some Sherlock Holmes's novels, and I have watched the movies, and TV dramas, one is Sherlock, and other is Elementary, also I watch and read a Anime and Manga called Kuroshitsuji that is about a kid and your butler, who's solving misteries in Victorian London, but actually the boy is seeking revenge, because your parents were killed, and he did do a contract with a demon, who is your handsome and intelligent butler. :3
Yes i do like detective stories and i like crime investigation movies too. My favorite is CSI Miami.
I like detective storie very much.
Benedict Cumberbatch!!!!!!!!!!
I like detective stories and mysteries and my favourite detective is Sherlock Holmes.
Anyone knows Benedict cumberbatch??He is playing as sherlock holmes in his tv series .. U must watch it he so awesome..and his best friend Dr. Watson..i enjoy watching it..a lot !!
I'ts not my favorite stories I enjoy other type of stories but I still like watching programmes that involve mystery and detective films like Sherlock Holmes.
I am a deep admirer of the character Sherlock Holm,es.I've read almost all his detectives and they amaze you witheir gripping;bloodchilling and very keen obsevative stories.I honestly havce a great respect for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie;forever outmatches for what we have today..
I like nancy drew , hardy boys nd agatha christie for detective stories..
I have watched his movies and tv series...i m a gr8 fan of his..he is so fast and accurate!!
I don't really like detective stories but I do enjoy watching Sherlock Holmes
I didn't watch the movie actually but i read all chapters of the book !!!
and it is very intresting !!!
Nada,Tunisia.
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