The Red-Headed League

"The Red-Headed League" is one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. It first appeared in the Strand in August 1891, with illustrations by Sidney Paget. Conan Doyle ranked "The Red-Headed League" second in his list of his twelve favourite Holmes stories. It is also the second of the twelve stories in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, which was published in 1892.

Contents [hide] 1 Synopsis 1.1 Analysis 2 Other media 3 See also

Synopsis

The story, set in 1890, follows Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they attempt to solve the singular puzzle provided by a London pawnbroker, Jabez Wilson, who is being paid very very large sums of money for simply coming to an office and copying the Encyclopædia Britannica. There is a far more serious underlying motive, though. It seems obvious to Holmes that the point in having Jabez Wilson spend several hours each day away from his pawnshop performing such a pointless task is simply to keep him out of the way while some nefarious deed is perpetrated back at the shop. Since Wilson is a widower and the only female member of his household is a fourteen-year old servant girl, Holmes rules out the possibility that the motive for keeping Wilson away is "a mere vulgar intrigue". The high pay given Jabez Wilson for his meaningless task suggests that it may involve quite a bit of money. After a visit to the pawnshop and the surrounding neighbourhood, Holmes deduces exactly what the pawnbroker's assistant is up to, and catches him red-handed. John Clay, also known as Spaulding throughout the story, is the one who is in charge of the robbery. Signs of this are as follows: Spaulding is accepting only half of his normal wage, he takes photos and develops them in the cellar (where he is actually digging a tunnel from the cellar of the pawnshop to the vault of the bank next door), Spaulding points out the advertisement for the Red-Headed League, and Wilson applies (and gets it, because Spaulding is the one who created the League), the Red-Headed League pays out a ridiculous sum of money for the work (though Clay will get an even greater sum of money through the robbery), and before the robbery, the League suddenly dissolves. The wear and tear on Clay's knees also indicates that he was digging or was underground. Holmes suspects that the robbery will take place on Saturday night for the following reasons: it is when the dissolution of the Red-Headed League is almost complete, the banks are closed on nights and Sundays; so that would give Clay the most time to escape (i.e., before his robbery is noticed). Holmes alerts the police and the bank to await the burglars' entrance into the vault and arrest them on the spot.

Analysis

It has been noted that the dates given in the story do not match the characters' descriptions of time passing. In this story, Holmes implies to Jabez Wilson that he has benefitted from copying out all the A articles of the Encyclopaedia, and so acquiring some minute knowledge of every subject beginning with "A". This opinion seems to contradict Holmes' assertion to Watson in A Study in Scarlet that the broad acquisition of general knowledge is actually detrimental (hence his resolution to forget the Copernican theory which Watson has made him aware of), although this is consistent with the changes made to Holmes' character.

Other media

In the television adaptation starring Jeremy Brett, the scheme was masterminded by Professor Moriarty. In the Sherlock Holmes parody Without a Clue, starring Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley, Clay and Archie are shown breaking into the Royal Gallery. In early editions of Arthur Conan Doyle's autobiography, Memories and Adventures, he mentions an organisation called "The Glove" as an inspiration for The Red-Headed League. In later volumes this reference has been removed.

http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/The_Red-Headed_League

Book Report

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken" (Ecclesiastes 4:12 NIV).

Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphic Inscription

The ancient Egyptians used the distinctive script known today as hieroglyphs (Greek for "sacred words") for almost 4,000 years. Hieroglyphs were written on papyrus, carved in stone on tomb and temple walls, and used to decorate many objects of cultic and daily life use. Altogether there are over 700 different hieroglyphs, some of which represent sounds or syllables; others that serve as determinatives to clarify the meaning of a word.

Extracted from:

http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/exhibits/galleries/egypt.shtml

The Pyramid and Mummies

Do you agree that one can receive eternal life by making mummies and building pyramid? Explain with the help of biblical perspective.

I don't agree that one can receive eternal life by making mummies and building pyramid. According to the Bible, we can only receive eternal life by receiving Jesus Christ as our personal saviour. As it is written in John 3:16-17 "For God so love the world, He gave his one and only Son that whoever believe in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believed stands condemned already because he has not believe in the name of God's one and only Son."

http://showcase.netins.net/web/ankh/mummies.html

Valentine's Day

The Valentine's Day falls on Saturday, 14 February this year. This is a day that people show their love by sending cards, chocolates, flowers or other gifts.

I read from a newspapers that apart from Valentine's Day, there are White Day and Black Day that link with Valentine's Day. White Day is one month after Valentine's Day. It is the day for returning love. Black Day is another month after the White Day.

If a girl receives a gift from a boy on the Valentine's Day and accepts the love of the boy, she should send him back a gift on White Day. If she does not return the gift, she then tells the boy that she rejects his love.

There are other boys who may be rejected by girls. They will then join together on the Black Day. They would eat noodles in black bean sauce to celebrate their single lives.

I think it is quite funny and interesting ideas. I doubt the boys would tell other boys that they would be rejected by girls.

Learning

Times and Dates

Nora's Plans

Nora is going to see the doctor at 11 o'clock on Monday morning. In the evening she is going to cook dinner for Sue and Mark.

On Tuesday, Nora is going to meet Mark at half past twelve. Nora and Mark is then going to play tennis from two to four o'clock.

On Wednesday, Nora is going to call Uncle Jim in Canada at a quarter past ten. In the evening, she is going to see a film with Connie at half past seven.

On Thursday morning, Nora is going to write letters. She is then going to post the letters and buy Mark's birthday present in the afternoon. At night, she is going to attend Mark's party at half past eight.

On Friday, Nora is going to be free in the morning. At night, she is going to go to a concert with Sue.

On Saturday, Nora is going to Lantau all day. On Sunday, she is going to the church in the morning. She is going to attend a club meeting at 7 o'clock at night.

Italy Art Tour- Itinerary writing

Hello everyone, let me tell you about the tour.
1. On Day 1, we'll go to Assisi and visit the churches.
2. On Day 2, we'll go to Florence and join a sightseeing tour about Renaissance art.
3. Also, we'll visit the Academy of Fine Arts.
4. However, we won't visit a cathedral.
5. On Day 3, we'll go to Venice and enjoyed a canal tour.
6. Also, we'll see the Square of St Mark and the Bridge of Sighs.
7. However, we won't go to a glass factory.
8. On Day 4, we'll return to Hong Kong by plane.
9. During the tour, we'll stay at four-star hotels.
10. The tour will include a daily buffet breakfast and three dinners.
11. However, the tour won't include lunches.

I know all of you are going to be painters when you grow up. I'm sure this Italy Art Tour will help you a lot!

Sentence Writng

1. She had a cold.
2. He went there yesterday.
3. We were late for school this morning. Our school bus broke down on the way.
4. The road is wet. I rained last night.
5. Jane is in Hong Kong. I saw her two days ago.
6. Paul isn't here now. He left five minutes ago.
7.There was a fire in our building last night. It started on the third floor.
8. This hospital is new. They built it last year.
9. My brother is out of work. He lost his job two weeks ago.
10. Jane's aunt is staying at her house. She came to Hong Kong the day before yesterday.

Writing - Paper 1B; Listening & Integrated Skills

1. Writing an introduction about yourself.
2. Writing a description of a person.
3. Writing an informal letter.
4. Writing an article about a festival.
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Students need to listen, organize, differentiate and write down information in different forms including tables, charts, maps,

A Letter of Advice

Your friend, Amy is sending you a letter sharing with you some unhappy experience. She wants to ask for your help. Read the letter and reply her with your suggestions.

Hi Coco,

I'm very stressed these days. Let me share with you what have happened, so you may give me some advice.

In the past two weeks, our school was preparing for the open days. I was one of the choir members and I needed to stay two days after the school for the choir practice. At the same time, I also needed to help to decorate the classrooms for the open days. It took me two more days after school.

The problem is I was so tired after I came home. I went straight to bed. I couldn't manage to study and revise for the tests. So, I failed two tests in the past two weeks. I felt very bad about the results.

What shall I do? Please help me.

Best Wishes,
Amy

1. Use two adjectives to describe the personality of Scrooge and give ONE reason to support each of your descriptions.

Self-fish - he only thought of himself not the others. He did not celebrate Christmas and he wanted Bob Cratchit to stay at office and continued to work.

Stingy - he is unwilling to spend money even to the poor. He earned a lot of money but he did not want to spend any money. He did not want to donate any money to the charity even he was asked to.

Foolish - he was not wise in using his time and money. He did not know how to enjoy his life. He spent all his time in his office. He worked busily everyday. He did not even know his own problem.

Cold-hearted - He had no sympathy to other people around him. He did not donate any money to the charity. Owing more money was the only purpose of his life, so he became cold-hearted. He would not show sympathy even to his nephew and his family members.

Unkind - He showed no love to people in need. He did not love any people around him. He was rude and unkind not to donate money at Christmas.

2. describe FOUR strange things happened when Marley first appeared in the story.

a. Marley’s face was lit with a strange, pale light. It was not angry or fierce. It looked at Scrooge sadly.

b. Marley’s glasses were pushed up into its hair.

c. Marley’s hair was moving. It moved as if there was a soft wind blowing very gently, or hot air rising from below.

d. Marley’s eyes were wide open, but they were still. They looked straight at Scrooge.

3. According to scrooge, why was he so afraid of his own thoughts of believing in ghosts? Give three examples to support your reasons.

It was because a little thing could easily change his thoughts and made them strange. Firstly, he saw Marley’s ghost. The voice of the Ghost had frightened him until he shook with fear. Secondly, he saw Marley wearing the chain. He shook with fear more and more. Lastly, when he heard that Marley’s Ghost would help him, and he did not need to become like Marley. The thought was not a pleasant one to Scrooge.

4. Do you believe in ghosts? Why or why not? Please give ONE Bible verse to support your reason.

I don’t believe in the ghosts described in the Christmas Carol. But I believe that there is life after death. Normally, ghosts are seen as the souls of dead people. In Luke 24:39, when Jesus raised from death, He said to his disciples “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."

5. Why did the Ghost of Christmas Past come to Scrooge? Where did the Ghost take scrooge to? What were Scrooge’s immediate actions when the Ghost took him there?

It was because Scrooge needed the ghost’s help to know and see himself as a child. He was brought back in time. He then saw himself as young boy reading quietly. This reminded him for his lack of mercy towards the boy who sang a Christmas Carol at his door last night. He started feeling sorry for the boy and himself.

http://www.charlesdickens.ca/carol/stave1.htm

Vocabulary Items

1. wicked
   
2. whitewash
3. unwillingly
4. whispered
5. terrible
   
6. pirate
7. homesick
8. funeral service
9. pretended
   
10. regret ?
    

Story Questions and Answers

1a. Describe the graveyard.
The graveyard was about half an hour's walk from the village. It was on a hill in a very lonely spot. Round it was an old broken fence. The graves were very, very old. Wooden crosses marked the graves. The crosses were so old that they were falling down. Grass was growing everywhere.

1b. Who were the three men in the graveyard?
The three men in the graveyard were Muff Potter, Red Joe and the young Doctor Robinson.

1c. Who was killed and who was the murderer?
The young doctor Robinson was killed and Red Joe was the murderer.

2a. Why did Tom and Joe run away from home?
Tom is angry with his aunt, teacher, and Becky. He thought when he was famous and rich, he would come back and the others would be kinder to him. They would be afraid of him, Joe was angry with his mother, so they decided to run away.

2b.What did the boys do on Jackon's Island?
They made a camp. They sat in front of a big fire and ate meat, fish and bread. They ate a great meal and felt very happy. They talked on until they felt tired. They they felt a little sad, but after some time they all fell asleep.

3a) Tom told aunt Polly that he had had a dream. Was Tom speaking the truth?
No Tom wasn't speaking the truth.

3b. How do you know that he is/isn't speaking the truth?
It's not a dream, he really saw it.

3c. If you were Tom, what would you do and why?
If I were Tom, I would not do so because it is not good to lie.

4a. What made Tom jealous?
Becky sat down near Alfred Temple. They began to look at a picture book together. They both laughed loudly over the pictures. Tom heard them laughing. He became jealous.

4b. What did Alfred do to hurt Tom?
Alfred opened Tom's spelling book at the page for next lesson. Then he poured ink all over the page.

4c. Will you do it that way? Please explain.
I will not do it that way, because we should appreciate each other but not hate each other. We are all parts of the same body and if a part suffers, the other parts suffer, too.

A Link to Literature - Tom Sawyer

A Brief Profile of Beethoven

Beethoven was one of the most famous pianist and composer of the classical period of the 18th century. He was born in 1770 in Bonn, Germany; and died in 1827.

He lived somewhat a tragic life because his mother was an alcoholic, and later his father too. He took on the role of raising his younger brothers. He became deaf in his 20's. Beethoven became more introverted. He was always looking for ways to improve the music he had already written.

His symphony proved to be master pieces along with his other works. Beethoven loved a woman named Fanny, but never married. In 1827, he died of dropsy.

M-o-t-h-e-r Poem

Mum, Mother's Day is coming.

On Mother's Day, I'll try my best to make you happy.

To give you a bunch of carnations represents my honour to you.

Honouring mother is what the Bible tells me to.

Effect you have on me is your love and care.

Remembering your instruction leads me to the right path.

Animals

Template for writing strange sentences

• A duck yucked in the blue pond in the afternoon.
• A bee wheed in the feild in the morning.
• A cow wowed in the farm at night.
• A buck clucked in the bush at dawn.
• An owl howled in the meadow in the evening.
  
  
  Strange sentence 1 ( Who1 + What4 + Where3 + When5) ----> A duck clucked in the farm in the evening.
  Strange sentence 2 ( Who3 + What2 + Where4 + When1) ----> A cow wheed in the bush in the afternoon.
  Strange sentence 3 ( Who4 + What5 + Where1 + When2) ----> A buck howled in the blue pond in the morning.
  Strange sentence 4 ( Who2 + What1 + Where5 + When3) ---->A bee yucked in the meadow at night
• Strange sentence 5 ( Who5 + What3 + Where2 + When4) ----> An owl wowed in the feild at dawn.
• Ha Ha Ha...

A Yes-Mom Girl

Michelle is a witty girl. She has many friends. One day, her friends came to visit her. They invited her to watch a movie. Michelle asked her mom for the movie money.

Michelle's mom is a silly woman. She is only interested in herself. When Michelle asked her mother for movie money, she asked her some questions. She said,"Have you emptied the dishwasher? And have you done your homework? "Michelle said,"Yes,mom."

Her mom then asked if she young for her age and if all her friends thought she was witty and smart. She even asked if she was the best mother in the whole world. In order to please her mom, Michelle said yes to all her mom's questions.

At last, Michelle's mom decided to give her the movie money and asked her to be home by five. All her friends heard their comversation and did not like Michelle's lies.

Noun Phrases in Sentence Writing

Today, I learnt 4 collocation patterns of a noun phrase.

1. Noun + Noun + Noun (main)
2. Adverb + Adjective + Noun
3. Adjective + Preposition + Noun
4. Noun + Preposition +Noun

Examples

1. computer mouse
2. very lovely computer mouse
3. white in colour
4. computer mouse with a wire

Sentences
I have a computer mouse.
I have a very lovely computer mouse.
The computer mouse is white in colour.

Welcome to Carol's Blog

Hi everyone,

I'm so glad to have my own blog.
I will try to write as frequent as I can though I am busy with my school work, piano practice, and basket ball training.
Please help me write by giving me your comments on the messages I will post soon.

Have a nice day!