Word and Grammar Puzzles

By Elizaveta Heinonen

The book is intended for students learning English as a foreign language. It contains mystery stories full of encoded messages, rebus puzzles and other brainteasers. Solve them together with the great detectives!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elizaveta Heinonen
• Release date: Sep 3, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311487018

Elizaveta Heinonen

Elizaveta Heinonen writes poems, stories and textbooks for students learning English as a foreign language. Her most popular books include It makes all the difference, English as they speak it, English Idioms for Everyday Use, In the World of Phrasal Verbs. Елизавета Хейнонен – автор более десятка учебных и развивающих пособий и книг, в том числе бестселлеров «Английская грамматика в вопросах и ответах» и «Как это сказать по-английски», "Эти незнакомые знакомые английсике слова", а также бесплатного периодического журнала «Английская мозаика».

Book preview

WORD AND GRAMMAR PUZZLES

by Elizaveta Heinonen

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2015 by Elizaveta Heinonen

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WORD AND GRAMMAR PUZZLES

Monsieur Poirot Knows All

Have you read the morning newspapers? Inspector Japp shouted as he burst into the room.

Of course, I have, answered Hercules Poirot.

And what do you make of this dreadful business? This is a real scandal, if ever there was one!

I quite agree with you, my dear Inspector Japp.

They say, some American bigwigs are involved in the affair.

So I’ve heard.

How can you be so calm? Don’t you want to find out who exactly is involved?

Of course, I do – and I will.

At that moment, the door opened and Miss Felicity Lemon, Poirot’s secretary, entered the room.

There is a letter for you, Monsieur Poirot, she said. It was delivered by hand, and bears no return address.

Aha! Hercules Poirot cried out. Here is the answer to your question, Inspector. Unless I’m mistaken – and I seldom am.

He opened the envelope and took out a piece of paper.

Wonderful! Just as I thought! he said, rubbing his hands in satisfaction.

What does it say? asked Japp.

Read for yourself.

Inspector Japp reached out for the letter. It consisted of only one word: TREASON.

Inspector Japp looked perplexed. I don’t think I quite understand. You said the letter would tell us who is behind the scandalous story, but it doesn’t. Or does it?

What do you think, my dear reader? Does the letter name anyone?

burst into the room – run into the room; What do you make of this dreadful business? – What do you think of this dreadful business?; dreadful – extremely unpleasant; bigwig – important person

Answer:

It does. The letter points at some American senator. The writer used an anagram: TREASON → SENATOR.

The Magic Bottle

There once lived an old fisherman near the shore of the deep blue sea. Well, one day he went fishing, as he always did. He cast his net in the sea, but the net brought up nothing but mud. Again, he cast his net in the sea, and this time, the net caught nothing but seaweed. When he cast his net for the third time, one fish was all that he landed. It was no ordinary fish, though, but a goldfish.

cast – throw; mud – sift, wet dirt at the bottom of ponds, lakes, etc; seaweed – a type of plant that grows in the sea

And the goldfish began to implore him in a human voice:

Old man, said the fish, do not kill me. I beg you to throw me back into the blue waters. For that, I will give you whatever you may ask.

The old man was neither astonished nor frightened, for he, too, had read the story about the fisherman and the golden fish when he was a child.

What can you offer me? he asked the fish.

I can get you a magic bottle from the bottom of the sea, the golden fish said. There is a genie inside the bottle. Many years ago, he fell into disfavour with the great King Solomon, and the King put him inside the bottle. The genie must obey the man who should release him from confinement, if only for a short while.

implore – to beg or