The world of Agatha Christie - 6 Minute English

Summary

In this episode of 6 Minute English, hosts Sam and Neil explore the world of murder mysteries, focusing on Agatha Christie, the best-selling novelist of all time. They discuss her famous detective Hercule Poirot and his peculiar habits, as well as the story 'Murder on the Orient Express.' Listeners learn about the unique characteristics of Poirot and are introduced to the quiz question: Who is Agatha Christie's other famous detective? The episode also covers vocabulary related to murder mysteries, such as 'whodunnit,' 'telltale,' 'alibi,' 'perplexed,' and 'foibles.'

Takeaways

• 🕵️‍♂️ Cluedo is a board game where players deduce the murderer, location, and weapon used in a crime, inspired by murder mystery novels.
• 📚 Agatha Christie is known as the queen of murder mysteries, with her books translated into 103 languages and selling over 2 billion copies worldwide.
• 🎩 Hercule Poirot is Agatha Christie's most famous detective, featured in 33 of her novels, including 'Murder on the Orient Express'.
• 🚂 'Murder on the Orient Express' is set on a train journey from Istanbul to Calais, where a murder occurs and Poirot must solve it.
• ❄️ The train gets stuck in a snowstorm in Croatia, making the murder seemingly impossible to have been committed by outsiders.
• 🔍 The term 'telltale' refers to something that reveals information, like footprints in the snow that would indicate the murderer's presence.
• 📜 An 'alibi' is proof that someone was elsewhere when a crime was committed, which all passengers on the train seem to have.
• 🤔 The word 'perplexed' describes Poirot's state of confusion as he tries to solve the murder with everyone having an alibi.
• 📖 Sophie Hannah has written new Poirot stories based on Agatha Christie's characters, describing Poirot's eccentricities.
• 👵 Miss Marple is revealed as Agatha Christie's second most famous detective character, not Hetty Wainthropp as initially guessed.

Q & A

What is the game Cluedo about?

Cluedo is a game where the player takes on the role of a detective to discover who the murderer is, where the crime took place, and which weapon was used.

What is the connection between Cluedo and murder mystery books?

Cluedo is based on the popular genre of murder mystery books, also known as 'whodunnits,' which are stories about a murder where the identity of the murderer is revealed only at the end.

Who is considered the queen of murder mysteries?

Agatha Christie is considered the queen of murder mysteries, a British writer whose books have been read all over the world and translated into over 100 languages.

How many copies of Agatha Christie's crime novels have been sold worldwide?

Over 2 billion copies of Agatha Christie's crime novels have been sold worldwide, making her the best-selling novelist of all time.

What is the name of Agatha Christie's most famous detective?

Agatha Christie's most famous detective is Hercule Poirot, who starred in 33 of her books.

What is the setting of the story 'Murder on the Orient Express'?

The story 'Murder on the Orient Express' takes place on a train traveling from Istanbul in Turkey to Calais in northern France.

What makes the murder on the Orient Express particularly perplexing for Poirot?

The murder on the Orient Express is perplexing because the train is snow-trapped and isolated, making it impossible for the murderer to have escaped without leaving footprints in the snow.

What does the term 'telltale' mean in the context of the story?

In the context of the story, 'telltale' refers to something that reveals information, allowing a secret to be uncovered, such as footprints in the snow that would indicate the murderer's presence.

What is an alibi in the context of a murder mystery?

An alibi is proof that a person was somewhere else when a crime was committed, providing them with a reason not to be considered the perpetrator.

How does Agatha Christie describe Hercule Poirot's personality?

Agatha Christie describes Hercule Poirot as a very strange or eccentric man with unusual habits and characteristics, such as his love for neatness and order, and his pride in his luxuriant moustaches.

Who is Sophie Hannah, and what is her connection to Hercule Poirot?

Sophie Hannah is an author who has written several new Poirot stories based on the characters invented by Agatha Christie. She has described more of Poirot's strange characteristics in an interview for BBC World Service Programme.

What is the quiz question posed in the script, and what is the correct answer?

The quiz question is 'Poirot may be Agatha Christie's most famous detective, but he isn't her only one - so who is Agatha Christie's other fictional detective?' The correct answer is 'c) Miss Marple.'