The ABC Murders

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c Pearson Education Limited 2010

The ABC Murders - Activity worksheets 1 of 2

PENGUIN ACTIVE READING

Teacher Support Programme

Activity worksheets

LEVEL 4

While reading
Chapters 1–2
1 Writethenamestofinishthesentences.

Poirot InspectorJapp MrsAscher

CaptainHastings AlexanderCust

MrAscher MaryDrower

a …………………hadalargefarminSouth

America.

b …………………phonedwiththenewsof

themurderinAndover.

c …………………wastallbutdidn’tlookit

becausehestooped.

d …………………wasdrinkingwithfriends

onthenightofthemurder.

e …………………wasgoingtoleaveajob

andgobacktoLondon.

f …………………showedastrangeletterto

thepolice.

g …………………startedashopwithsome

moneyshehadbeenleft.

2 Putwordsontheleftwithwordsontheright.

solvea

counter

shop

colouring

threaten

pity

arranged

crime

shake

society

hair

carefully

high

tokill

feel

yourhead

Chapters 3–4
3 Puttheunderlinedlettersintherightplaceto

makeaword.

a MrsAscherwasprobablyhnercagi

………………uptoashelfwhenshewas
murdered.

b PoirotandHastingslookedatadnwdegi

………………pictureinMrsAscher’sflat.

c Poirotsaidhewasanewspaperrpetreor

………………toMrsAscher’sneighbour.

d Poirotnedeprted………………tolookupa

traininMrPartridge’sABCguide.

e Thecrimereceivedlittletaitnonet

………………inthepress.

f PoirotwokeHastingsbygentlynhaskig

………………hisshoulder.

g BettyBarnardwasaesasiwrt………………

attheOrangeCatcafé.

4 Arethesesentencesright(3)orwrong(7)?

a PoirotandHastingswenttotheshop

whereMrsAscherhadbeenmurdered.

c

b Thereweresomefingerprintsonthe

ABCguide.

c

c MrPartridgesaidthatMrsAscher

lookedstrangeonthedayofherdeath.

c

d Therewasnobodybehindthecounter

oftheshopwhenMrRiddellwentin.

c

e AfterleavingAndover,Poirotand

HastingswentbacktoLondonbytrain.

c

f ThepolicethoughtthatthetwoABC

lettershadn’tbeenwrittenbythesame
person.

c

Chapters 5–6
5 Underlinethewrongwordandputtheright

one.

a MrBarnardhadworkedinParisbeforehe

movedtoBexhill.…………………

b MeganBarnard’shairwasblondandcutina

modernfashion.…………………

c Atfirst,MegansaidthatBettywasanicegirl

withmanymenfriends.…………………

d ThesecondABCletterwarnedaboutacrime

inChurston.…………………

e PoirotandHastingswenttoChurstonbycar.

…………………

f SirCarmichaelClarkehadbeeninthehabit

oftakingadrinkafterdinner.
…………………

6 Circletheextrawordinthesentences.

a InspectorKelseyintroducedhimhimselfto

Betty’sparents.

b Meganseemedtomakedoadecision.

c BettyhashadtoldDanthatshewasgoingto

Hastingsonthenightofherdeath.

d Donwasashamedofhimselfforbeingsosuch

suspicious.

e Theletterhadbeensendsenttothewrong

address.

f LadyClarkewassufferingoffromaterrible

illness.

g ClarkebroughtThoraacupofcoffeebutshe

refusedtoanyfood.

The ABC Murders

Photocopiable

c Pearson Education Limited 2010

The ABC Murders - Activity worksheets 2 of 2

PENGUIN ACTIVE READING

Teacher Support Programme

Activity worksheets

LEVEL 4

Chapters 7–8
7 Answerthequestions.

a WhathasMrCustsufferedfromeversince

thewar?

………………………………………………

b Whosuggestedformingakindofspecial

legion?

………………………………………………

c WhathadBetty’smumboughthertheday

thatshewaskilled?

………………………………………………

d WhydidThoraGreyleaveCombeside?

………………………………………………

e WhatdidLadyClarkesayaboutThoraGrey?

………………………………………………

f WhathadDonaldFraserbeendreaming

about?

………………………………………………

8 FindwordsinChapters7–8.

a Apieceofmoney.(p.44)…………………

b Tokeepsomethingsecretorputsomethingin

aplacewherenobodycanseeit.(p.46)
…………………

c Feelbad.(p.48)…………………

d Somethingyouputinanewspaperabouta

jobforexample.(p.49)…………………

e Somethingyouhavewhenyouareill.(p.51)

…………………

f Tobehaveinasillyway.(p.52)

…………………

g Tomakeanoiseonthedoorwithyourhand.

(p.54)…………………

h Tosayyoudon’tlikesomething.(p.55)

…………………

Chapters 9–10
9 Finishthesentenceswiththerightword.

untasted wondered swimsuit hunted

hurrying fond doorstep

a LadyClarkesaidshesawThoratalkingtoa

manonthefront……………….

b MrCust’sbreakfastlaycoldand

………………onhisplate.

c MrCustwantedhis………………because

hewasgoingtotheseaside.

d SirCarmichaelClarkehadbeenvery

………………ofThoraGrey.

e Everyonewas………………towardstheexit

ofthecinema.

f MrCustlookedaroundhisroomlikea

………………animal.

g MrsMarbury………………whyMrCust

hadnevermentionedhissister.

10 Finishthesentences.

a OnthedayoftheChurstonmurder,

ThoraGreyhadtalkedtoamanwhowas

……………………………………………...

b TomtoldLilythatMrCusthaddroppedhis

paperand …………………………………..

c Theonlypersonwhomightbeableto

recognisethemurdererwas ………………...

d FranklinClarkeshowedPoirotaletterhehad

receivedfrom……………………………….

e MrCustfilledthesinkandwashedthearmof

……………………………………………...

f ThemurdererhadkilledGeorgeEarlsfield

becausehehadchosen……………………...

Chapters 11–12
11 Puttheunderlinedlettersintherightplaceto

makeaword.

a PoirotwassilentandHastingsdidn’twantto

rtietuprn……………him.

b TheSpecialLegionallmpdeiors……………

totellthetruth.

c Thorasaidthatshewasfagretlu……………

toSirCarmichael.

d MrCustthoughtthathemusthaveanmeyen

…………….

e Poirotsaidthemurdererwasamanwholiked

ahgniveb……………likeaboy.

f FranklinClarkesentalistofemcusrots

……………toMrCust.

12 Putthewordsintherightplacetomake

sentences.

a lettersplannedThewerecrimesprovethethat

murders

……………………………………………...

b theabsentforlotPoirotatimewas

mysteriouslyof

……………………………………………...

c gotMrthejobCuststockingsofferofa

selling.

……………………………………………...

d onlymotivegirlfriendDonald’sbeforhis

killingjealousycould

……………………………………………...

e tookClarkeTwohimarrestedandFranklin

detectivesaway

……………………………………………...

The ABC Murders

Photocopiable

c Pearson Education Limited 2010

The ABC Murders - Progress test

1 of 1

PENGUIN ACTIVE READING

Teacher Support Programme

Progress test

LEVEL 4

1 Arethesesentencesright(3)orwrong(7)?

a Poirotpreferssolvingcrimestogrowing

vegetables.

c

b InspectorJapptoldPoirotabouttheAndover

murderthefirsttimehevisitedhim.

c

c ThefirsttimethatPoirotfoundthestocking

cluewasinMrsAscher’sflat.

c

d PoirotandHastingswenttoChurstonas

quicklyaspossibleafterreceivingthethird
letter.

c

e ThoraGreytoldPoirotinChurstonthatshe

hadtalkedtoamanwhowassellingstockings. c

f FranklinClarkewantedtopaytheSpecial

Legionfortheworktheydid.

c

g DonaldFraserwashavingdreamsaboutkilling

Betty.

c

h MrCustliedtoMrsMarburyaboutwherehe

wasgoingonbusiness.

c

i Tomdidn’ttellLilythathehadbeentothe

policetotalkabouthissuspicionsofMr.Cust. c

j PoirotplayedTheTruthgamewiththeSpecial

Legion.

c

2 Whathappenedfirst?Numberthesentences,1–10.

a c Poirotreceivesaletterthreedayslatebecauseit

iswronglyaddressed.

b c MrCusttellsPoirotthatanewspaperhas

offeredhimmoneytotellthestoryofhislife.

c c PoirottalkstoHastingsaboutthefirstABC

letterhereceived.

d c PoirotinterviewsMrCustaboutthemurders.
e c PoirotgoestoseeLadyClarkeandshetells

themthatThoraisaliar.

f c ThepolicequestionFranzAscheraboutthe

deathofhiswife.

g c Poirotreceivesalettersayingthatthenextevent

willhappeninDoncaster.

h c FranklinClarketakesagunfromhispocket

andtriestokillhimself.

i c PoirotandHastingstalktothemangeressofa

caféaboutBettyBarnard.

j c MrCustleavesacinemaandfindsbloodonthe

armofhiscoat.

3 Writethenamestofinishthesentences.

DonaldFraser Hastings MrCust MaryDrower
MeganBarnard Poirot FranklinClarke
LilyMarbury ThoraGrey MrsAscher
a ……………………stoppedbeingamaidafterher

auntdied.

b ……………………wasafraidofpeopleandhad

hadabadtimeatschool.

c ……………………hadthinninghairandlikedto

helpsolvecrimes.

d ……………………discoveredthattheconnection

betweenthemurderswasapairofstockings.

e ……………………travelledtoBexhillfrom

Londonandtalkedaboutajealousboyfriend.

f ……………………hadreturnedfromtheEast

notlongago.

g ……………………wasveryfair-hairedandabout

twenty-seven.

h ……………………hadgivenherhusbandsome

moneytomakehimgoaway.

i ……………………probablyfeltguiltybecausehe

likedhisdeadgirlfriend’ssister.

j ……………………madeatelephonecalltothe

personthepolicethoughtwasthemurderer.

4 Finishthesentenceswiththerightwords.

retired suspiciously nodded clues threatened
carry agent stabbed alibi foxes
a Ifyouwanttogoonholiday,youcangotoseea

travel……………….

b Somepeopleliketohunt………………but

othersthinkit’scruel.

c Thewomanwaswalkingaroundtheshop

……………….Ithoughtshewasgoingtosteal
something.

d Thepolicenormallylookfor………………atthe

sceneofthecrime.

e Whenmyfathergottotheageofsixty-five,he

……………….

f Thegirldiedaftershehadbeen………………

withaknife.

g Theteacher………………togivethestudents

morehomeworkiftheydidn’tbehavebetter.

h Youhaveto………………outordersifyouarein

thearmy.

i Mysisterdidn’tsayanythingbutshe

………………inagreement.

j Thepolicedidn’tarrestthemanbecausehehadan

……………….