Monday, April 23, 2012

The Valley of Fear - Chapter Two and Three Questions

Chapter Two

1.       Describe McMurdo as he is presented at the beginning of this chapter? List at least five characteristics.
2.       Describe the manner in which McMurdo fell for Ettie Shafter.
3.       What was McMurdo doing for a new job?
4.       What advice did Scanlan have for McMurdo?
5.       What did Mr. Shafter tell McMurdo in regards to his pursuit of his daughter?
6.       Who was already after Ettie Shafter?
7.       What did Mr. Shafter think of the Scowrers? What was their other name?
8.       How did this differ from McMurdo’s opinion of the Freemen?
9.       How did Ettie feel about McMurdo? Why did she hide this from him?
10.   Why do the Scowrers never face justice?
11.   What feelings does Ettie have for Baldwin?
12.   How did McMurdo respond to Baldwin’s aggression?
13.   How did McGinty amass his wealth?
14.   How does the author describe McGinty’s eyes?
15.   What crimes had McMurdo committed in Chicago?
16.   What was McGinty’s ‘ruling’ regarding the feud over Ettie Shafter?

Chapter Three

1.       Where did McMurdo move to?
2.       What did McMurdo show some of the brothers of the lodge?
3.       How did Captain Marvin know McMurdo?
4.       What age were most of the lodge members?
5.       Describe McMurdo’s initiation into the Vermissa chapter of Freeman.
6.       How did McMurdo fare in his initiation rites?
7.       List the orders of business that were covered at the chapter meeting.
8.       What was McMurdo’s first ‘job’ for the lodge?

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The Valley of Fear - Part Two - Chapter One Questions

Chapter One

1.       What valley is Vermissa found in?
2.       Give a physical description of whom we later learn is John McMurdo?
3.       Where is McMurdo from?
4.       Why was McMurdo coming to Vermissa?
5.       Why did McMurdo leave Chicago?
6.       Who is the Bodymaster of Vermissa Lodge?
7.       How did McMurdo interact with the policemen?
8.       Describe Ettie Shafter.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

The Valley of Fear - Chapter Six and Seven Questions

CHAPTER SIX

1.       Why was Watson bothered after meeting Barker and Mrs. Douglas in the garden?
2.       What piece of evidence did Sherlock feel the case hung upon?
3.       Did Sherlock believe the stories told by Barker and Mrs. Dougls? Why or why not?
4.       When, according to Sherlock, did the murder take place?
5.       What action did Sherlock propose to undertake to help him solve this crime?
6.       Where did the bicycle come from?
7.       List four things we find out about the bicycle rider?



Chapter Seven

1.       What is Sherlock’s advice to Mason and MacDonald?
2.       What request does Sherlock make to Barker? Why does he request this?
3.       What did the investigators witness at the Manor’s moat?
4.       Who retrieved the bundle from the moat?
5.       What was in the bundle? Why did the dumbbell play a significant role in leading Holmes to the bundle?
6.       Whose appearance shocked all the investigators with the exception of Holmes?
7.       Who received the blast from the shotgun?
8.       Why did Douglas fake his own death?

Thursday, April 5, 2012

The Valley of Fear - Chapter Five Questions



CHAPTER FIVE

1.       Who stayed with Mrs. Douglas after she was made aware of her husband's death?
2.       Why had Mrs. Allen not heard the shot?
3.       Why had the rest of the servants not heard the shot?
4.       Explain who Barker thought was responsible for the crime?
5.       Why did Barker suspect that Douglas feared for his life?
6.       What part did Barker play in the Douglas wedding?
7.       Was Mrs. Douglas of the opinion that her husband feared for his life?
8.       What did Mrs. Douglas know about the Valley of Fear?
9.       What name had Mr. Douglas spoke when he was delirious with fever?
10.   What do we learn about Mr. Barker's footwear he wore the night of the murder? What does Holmes figure out with this knowledge?

Sherlock Holmes Game



Got to the following link and await further instructions: Sherlock Holmes Game

Monday, April 2, 2012

The Valley of Fear - Chapter Four Questions




CHAPTER FOUR

1.       Describe White Mason.
2.       Was there any evidence suggesting the hammer was used for self-defence?
3.       How had the shotgun been altered? Where was it manufactured?
4.       Why did MacDonald think the shotgun indicated an inside job?
5.       The size of the window indicated what about the murderer's size?
6.       Why is everyone convinced that the moat posed no danger in crossing?
7.       What suggests this wasn't a suicide?
8.       What was suspicious about the dumbbell that was found?
9.       How did the assailant travel the Manor House?


Friday, March 30, 2012

The Valley of Fear - Chapter Three Questions

Once you have finished the questions for Chapter One and Chapter Two, continue with the following questions for Chapter Three. Follow the same procedure that you followed for the Chpter One and Two questions. Make sure you remember to save your work.


CHAPTER THREE 

  1. Briefly describe the village of Birlstone. 
  2. What was the house where the murder took place called? 
  3. What the features restricted access to the Manor House? 
  4. Briefly describe John Douglas. 
  5. What did Douglas' neighbors think of him? 
  6. Briefly describe Mrs. Douglas. 
  7. Who was the guest at the Manor House? 
  8. How was he connected to the Douglas couple? 
  9. Name two of the Manor House's servants and indicate their jobs. 
  10. Describe Mr. Douglas as he was found by the doctor and the sergeant. 
  11. Who was first on the scene of the crime? According to Barker, how did the murderer escape? 
  12. Why does Barker think so? 
  13. Where was the murderer hiding in the room? 
  14. What distinguishing mark was on Douglas? 
  15. What was missing from Douglas' personal effects?

Thursday, March 22, 2012

The Valley of Fear - Chapter Two Questions

Once you have finished the questions for Chapter One, continue with the following questions for Chapter Two. Follow the same procedure that you followed for the Chpter One questions. Make sure you remember to save your work.

CHAPTER TWO

1.       Where did the murder take place?
2.       What did MacDonald think of Professor Moriarty?
3.       How did Holmes prove to MacDonald that there was more to Moriarty than there seemed to be?
4.       How does Moriarty punish his minions if they make mistakes?
5.       Who sent a letter requesting help to MacDonald?
6.       How was Mr. Douglas murdered?

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The Valley of Fear - Chapter One Questions

For each of the chapters in The Valley of Fear, we will be answering questions concerning the content of that chapter. Read the following instructions to begin the assignment.
  • Create a WORD document entitled The Valley of Fear Chapter Questions.
  • Copy and paste the questions below into that document.
  • Answer the questions using full sentences.
  • Save your document

CHAPTER ONE

1.       Who is Porlock?
2.       Who is Professor Moriarty?
3.       What is the content of the letter Porlock sends to Holmes?
4.       What book did Holmes and Watson use to decipher the code?
5.       What did the coded message say?
6.       Who came to solicit help from Holmes and Watson?
7.       How was the information in the coded message confirmed?

Monday, March 19, 2012

Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and The Valley of Fear

One of the interesting things about this novel study is the fact that the novel in question belongs to the public domain. That means that there are no copyright laws that prevent us from accessing this novel on the internet.

That being said, we will use the online version below for our studies.

 The Valley of Fear

I strongly suggest that you save this document on your school accounts and email yourself a copy so that you have it at home as well.

We also can access, free of charge, an audiobook of The Valley of Fear. from the many online versions available, we will make use of the following audiobook:

The Valley of Fear - Audiobook

You can access this blogs for the links from anywhere you have internet connectivity.