Topic: Detectives of Agatha Christie
Objectives: to get Ss more aware of Agatha Christie and her books; to practise correcting facts politely; to train Ss to express their point of view and to predict things/events; to develop Ss’ reading , speaking and listening skills
Materials : the portrait of Agatha Christie, film ” Murder on the Orient Express”, collage of the headlines of American newspapers ( from the film), HO1 extract from ” Murder on the Orient Express”
On the BB: the portrait and the collage
Procedure
Warming up
S1 A man wearing a mask is running round the corner.
S2 He is carrying a big heavy bag.
S3 A policeman with a gun following him. S4, S5, and so on.
Debating
don’t like them.
S1.First of all, I would like to say that detectives written by great masters are really gripping. You can never guess who has done it. You can’t tear yourself from the book.
S2.I differ from you entirely. Detective literature is trash. it’s not serious. They are not books which you remember for the whole life. They don’t stir your emotions.
S3. Don’t they? But they fire your imagination. Your try to predict who the murderer is and you start analyzing and comparing facts, actions of people and events.
S4. In my opinion they are harmful for people as they are all connected with violence. Almost all of them tell about some murder. Our life is full of violence without such books.
S5. Moreover, some criminals use these books as resource to organize a new crime. They learn from these books how to escape punishment.
S6. Just the other way round. I’ve read that in Egyptian police school they use detectives as textbooks to train good policemen.
S7.One more thing I just want to point out. In such books detectives appear to be the only intelligent characters. They are the cleverest and all the people around them seem to be rather stupid. Don’t you agree?
On the other hand , those brilliantly described mysteries are like puzzles. They are so gripping, they make you suppose, analyze, conclude, deduct, and what not. When you start reading them you can’t tear yourself till you know who has done it. Some writers such as Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie are real masters.
Revision of some material discussed at the previous lesson.
S1. When Conan Doyle became bored with his hero Holmes, and tried to kill him off in a story called “The Final Problem” the readers protested. After the publication of the book they organized a protest march with slogans ” Conan Doyle Is a Murderer!” Even Queen Victiria wrote a letter asking the author to bring Sherlock Holmes back to life. So the writer did that in ” The Hound of the Baskervilles”.
S2. Many people considered Sherlock Holmes a real person who lived at 221b Baker Street in London. Even now some readers write letters to this address asking for help. There is a secretary there to answer their letters.
Checking up the home assignment
S1 The writer’s born name is Christie.
S2.Christie? Her born name is Miller, isn’t it?
S3 She was the only child in her family.
S4 The only? She was the third child of Clarissa and Frederick Miller, wasn’t she?
S5 She was educated at a public school.
S6 Public school? She was educated at home, didn’t she?
S7 Her first novel was published during World War1.
S8 World War 1? Her first novel ” The mysterious Affairs at Style” was published in 1920, wasn’t it?
/ Ss can make many other statements/
/ Two students speak about Agatha Christie/
Dame Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime was born in Torquay, Devonshire in 1890. Her father was called Fredrick Miller so she was born as Agatha Miller. She was brought up in an upper-middle class family on the English seashore. The girl was educated at home, which was customary for the young women of that time. She nevertheless demonstrated that she had a brilliant mind, excelling in mathematics, logic, and music. Later she took singing lessons in Paris.
At the age of 24 she married Archie Christie and took his name.12 years later , she had to go through a bitter divorce, when her husband decided to marry their mutual friend, Nancy Neele. When World War I had broken out, Agatha worked in a hospital at that time and that experience was useful later on. At the end of the war she began writing. Her first book was published in 1920, “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” it was based partly on Agatha Christie’s own nursing experience. There, readers met Hercule Poirot, the little Belgian detective with egg-shaped head, funny-looking moustache and the passion for order.He became the most popular sleuth in fiction since Sherlock Holmes. Hercule Poirot appeared in about 25 novels and many short stories before returning to Styles, where in ” Curtains” he died.
General recognition came to Agatha Christie with the publication of her sixth book, ” The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” in 1926. With ” The Murder at Vicarage”.Agahta Christie began a series of novels featuring Miss Marple, a lady detective who won a universal love for her wise methods of investigating a crime. During her life she created 75 crime novels.
In 1952 A. Christie enjoyed another run of success with theatre adaptations of her fiction and 20 plays.Among them ” A Mousetrap” set a world record for the longest continuous run at one theatre. Many of her novels and stories have been filmed including ” The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” ( cinema title ” Alibi” ), ” Ten Little Niggers”, ” Murder on the Nile”, ” Murder on the Orient Express” are the most famous of them.
Agatha Christie also wrote six novels of romance under the pen name Mary Westmacott. Her books were translated into 104 languages. Her autobiography was published after her death.
Role – play ” Meeting with A. Christie”
avoided public appearances. So you can imagine how lucky we were when Dame Agatha Christie had accepted our invitation to visit our town. Meet our honourable guest who has come to take part in the meeting of A. Christie’s fan club. Welcome to School Number 8.
/ One of the students plays the part of A. Christie, the others are her fans/
S2. Would you mind my asking you a few questions? I’d like to prepare an interesting report about some unknown facts from your life.
S2. I’d like to learn more about your childhood. Was it quiet or adventurous? Were you an obedient child?
S3. As a girl you dreamed to become an opera singer. You even went to Paris to take singing lessons. Why didn’t that dream come true?
A.C. It appeared that my voice was not strong enough for an opera singer. Besides, I was to shy and my teachers didn’t believe that I would be able to overcome my shyness.
S4. So, you had to give up your dream and decided to become a crime writer, didn’t you?
A.C. Not at all. I wrote my first novel after I had bet my elder sister that I could do that very well.
S5. You don’t say so! I wonder if you hadn’t become a writer what you would have become.
A.C. Perhaps a doctor, as I studied at a Medical College or a gardener. I’m fond of growing flowers and always take part in the flower exhibitions in Devonshire.
S6. Where do you usually find subjects for your new novels?
A.C. I usually think of them while I’m washing up. I hate washing the dishes.
S7. Is any of your novels autobiographical?
A.C. No, I have been writing my autobiography since February.
S8. I hope we’ll be able to read it soon. Thank you very much. Good luck and success.
Watching an episode from the film ” Murder on the Orient Express”
Pre-watching task
5.What happened to the girl?
Collage
Daily Mirror Police Gazette
Baby Kidnap Horror Could they have done it without
Daisy where are you? Inside help?
Held the Armstrong nurse.
Daily News New York Journal
1930 1930
Armstrong Baby Kidnapped Baby Taken in Dead of Night
Crushed Toys Crushed Hopes Staff wakened but helpless
New York Times Herald Tribune
1930 1930
Armstrong Pays Ransom! Daisy Found Dead
Payment Left Hope
T.Do you think the events which took place on the Orient Express were connected with Armstrong case. In what way?
Watching the episode / 35. 08 min. – 39. 14 min. /
When the face of Hercule Poirot is well seen on the screen press the pause button.
Speaking
Ss continue watching the episode
After – watching task
1.Do you feel confident that Poirot can solve the mystery? Why?
Reading
Task1.Read the text and find the proper ending to each paragraph.
Keys: 1b, 2e, 3g, 4a, 5d, 6c, 7f.
Task2. Read the text again and say whether you’ve noticed any clues.
Do you suspect any of the passengers? Give your reasons.
/ The teacher may help students giving clues or invite them to watch the whole film after the lessons /
Self assessment. Summing up.
Home assignment: Read the text and solve the mystery.