Reading Comprehension: Sherlock Holmes in the Adventure of the Red-Headed League

Who better to show the usefulness of a well-asked question - and the importance of a clear and concise answer - than Sherlock Holmes?

In ‘The Adventure of the Red-Headed League’, Holmes and Watson are presented with an odd and seemingly innocent set of clues. Why was the pawn-broker hired by the Red-Headed League – and so suddenly dismissed? It could be that there is more to this mystery than at first meets the eye! In fact, the fortunes of two daring thieves, and a fortune in gold, are at stake. For young readers who are ready for their first Sherlock Holmes mystery (but who would rather not read about murders or ghosts), this is an excellent tale!

Contents:
• The full, original tale of ‘The Adventure of the Red-Headed League’, divided into ten short sections

Following each section:
o Five questions to be answered separately in a student’s notebook
o Vocabulary, in alphabetical order, with definitions or synonyms (making the word comprehensible in the story’s context), from the chapter just read
o A ‘looking up close’ page, exploring one main theme of the section just read, such as pipes, what a pawnbroker is, transportation in Holmes’ time, the Encyclopaedia Britannica, etc. (with pictures)

Directions:
• Read one section of the book at a time. Use the vocabulary list to help with understanding the story (and practise looking things up in alphabetical order). Answer the questions in a separate notebook. Read the ‘looking up close’ page for fun. Enjoy a good, old-fashioned, Sherlock Holmes mystery!