D(2026·江苏徐州一模)
When Arthur Conan Doyle wrote a story about a detective named Sherlock Holmes, he didn't know he was creating one of the most popular characters in books.
Arthur Conan Doyle was born on 22 May 1859, in Edinburgh, Scotland. He studied medicine and became a doctor in a small English town called Portsmouth. He started writing stories. His first published story was A Study in Scarlet in 1887. It was a detective story, and its main character was the detective Sherlock Holmes.
The first Holmes stories sold quite well. Conan Doyle got hundreds of letters for Holmes because many readers thought he was a real person. Even today, fans from all over the world send letters to “221B Baker Street”—Holmes’ fictional address.
Conan Doyle wanted to be known as a serious writer. He also wrote history books and plays. He felt that Holmes was taking too much of his time. So in 1893, in a story called The Final Problem, he “killed” Holmes. In the story, Holmes and his greatest enemy, Professor Moriarty, fell down into a deep river.
Readers were very upset. Conan Doyle received many angry letters. Because of this, he later brought Holmes back. First, he wrote The Hound of the Baskervilles in 1901, but that story happened before Holmes’ “death”. Finally, in 1903, in The Empty House, he explained that Holmes did not really die but had been hiding from his enemies. Why is Holmes so popular?
A new kind of hero: He was one of the first great detectives in fiction.
Fair play: Conan Doyle believed in giving readers all the clues to solve the mystery.
Science: Holmes was one of the first detectives in stories to use scientific methods like studying fingerprints.
Great mind: People love how he can notice small details and find the truth.
(
A
)12. Why did readers write to “221B Baker Street”?
A. Many readers believed Holmes was a real person.
B. Conan Doyle actually lived there.
C. Holmes answered every letter he received.
D. The post office made a mistake.
(
C
)13. What did Conan Doyle think of different book types?
A. He considered being a doctor was more important than writing.
B. He believed detective stories were the most difficult to write.
C. He thought history books were more “serious” than detective stories.
D. He enjoyed writing plays more than reading letters from fans.
(
D
)14. Why did Conan Doyle bring Sherlock Holmes back in 1903?
A. He needed more money from writing.
B. He found a new enemy for Holmes to fight.
C. He missed writing exciting detective stories.
D. Readers’ angry actions made him change his mind.
(
D
)15. What is the main purpose of the section “Why is Holmes so popular?”
A. To encourage readers to buy more books.
B. To compare Holmes with other detectives.
C. To explain how Conan Doyle wrote the stories.
D. To give the reasons for Holmes’ lasting success.
