Reading about Stoke Moran and analysing atmosphere in ‘The Speckled Band’ | English

Starter quiz

In 'The Speckled Band', where does Helen live with her stepfather?
- London.
- Stoke Moran. ✓
- India.
In 'The Speckled Band', what pets does Dr. Roylott keep?
- A cheetah and a baboon. ✓
- A dog and a cat.
- A parrot and a snake.
Which room was Helen moved to after the death of her sister in 'The Speckled Band'?
- Dr. Roylott's room.
- Her mother's old room.
- Julia's old room. ✓
In 'The Speckled Band', what does Sherlock Holmes think is not a likely cause of Julia’s death?
- A sudden fright. ✓
- Animals on the grounds.
- Dr. Roylott himself.
Why is Sherlock Holmes going to Stoke Moran in 'The Speckled Band'?
- To confront Roylott.
- To investigate the rooms. ✓
- To visit Julia's doctor.
In the story 'The Speckled Band', who came to visit Holmes just after Helen?
- Julia's fiance.
- Dr. Roylott. ✓
- Mrs. Farintosh.

What does 'cunning' mean?
- Evil.
- Kind.
- Deceptive and sly. ✓
In 'The Speckled Band', what word describes the setting when Holmes and Watson set off for Stoke Moran?
- Idyllic. ✓
- Gloomy.
- Cold.
How does the atmosphere in 'The Speckled Band' change when Holmes sees Stoke Moran?
- It becomes sinister. ✓
- It becomes calmer.
- It becomes lighter.
What is it called when authors put things next to each other for contrasting effect?
- Alliteration.
- An anecdote.
- Juxtaposition. ✓
In 'The Speckled Band', what does Holmes find in Helen's room (Julia's old room) that he finds interesting?
- A saucer of milk and a leash.
- A safe.
- A dummy bell rope and a ventilator. ✓
In 'The Speckled Band', what does Holmes conclude after inspecting the rooms at Stoke Moran?
- Helen is in danger. ✓
- The rooms are safe.
- Julia died of fright.

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Holmes and Watson go to Stoke Moran to investigate the rooms
Conan Doyle juxtaposes the atmosphere before getting to Stoke Moran and after they have arrived to convey danger
They find curious items in Helen’s room such as a dummy bell rope and ventilator
They find curious items in Dr. Roylott’s room such as a saucer of milk and a dog-leash
After inspecting the rooms, Holmes believes Helen is in great danger

Conan Doyle creates a scary atmosphere all the way through 'The Speckled Band'.

If you look carefully, Conan Doyle carefully alters the atmosphere in order to build tension in the reader.

Sinister - Sinister means giving the impression something evil or harmful will happen.
Jutted - Jutted means to stick out.
Cunning - To be cunning is to be sly and conceal the truth.
Juxtaposition - If you juxtapose two things, you place them together for contrasting effect.
Idyllic - An idyllic place is extremely happy, peaceful and picturesque.