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Writer's pictureKaren Hunter

English reading practice - Agatha Christie's Birth (B1/B2 intermediate level English)

In the genre of detective stories, there is a famous writer whose stories have been loved by many people for a very long time. Her stories have tricky plots, interesting characters, and amazing storytelling. This writer is Agatha Christie, and people often call her the "Queen of Mystery." She is very famous in the world of books. Her stories not only changed how we think about detective stories but also made a big impact on all of literature.


Agatha Christie was born on this day 15th September 1890, in a place called Torquay in England. When she was young, she really liked telling stories, and she started writing when she was not very old. Her first book, "The Mysterious Affair at Styles," came out in 1920. This book introduced her famous detective, Hercule Poirot. After that, she wrote more books including "Murder on the Orient Express" and "Death on the Nile." These books made her very well-known as a mystery writer.


Agatha Christie had an interesting life too. In 1926, she disappeared for eleven days, and a lot of people were looking for her all over the country. This made her even more mysterious. She wrote a lot of books, 66 detective stories in total, and wrote 14 books with short stories. She also wrote the world's longest-running play called "The Mousetrap."


By Agatha Christie plaque -Torre Abbey.jpg: Violetrigaderivative work: F l a n k e r - Agatha Christie plaque -Torre Abbey.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4841991


People love Agatha Christie's stories because she tells them in a special way. Her stories are like puzzles that you can try to solve while you read. She pays a lot of attention to small details, and sometimes she tricks you so you can't guess the ending. What's also special is that her stories are not just about solving crimes. She also looks at how people think and act, which makes her stories interesting for different reasons.


Some of her characters are famous too. Hercule Poirot is one of them, and he's very neat and smart. Another one is Miss Marple, who is good at figuring out what people are really like. Even after many years, people still like these characters.


Agatha Christie's books also talk about things that are happening in society, such as how people are divided by their class or gender. She also talks about what life was like after the World Wars in Britain. In one of her books, "Murder on the Orient Express," she thinks about what's right and wrong when it comes to justice and revenge.


Agatha Christie's stories are very popular. Her books have been translated into more than 100 languages, so people all over the world can read them. Her stories became movies, TV shows, and plays, so even more people can enjoy them. Her play "The Mousetrap" has been running in London's West End since 1952, which shows how much people still like her stories.


Agatha Christie is a very famous and important writer, and her books continue to be loved by many people. Her stories are like timeless puzzles that people still enjoy solving, and her characters and ideas about society keep her books interesting even today. We can only admire the incredible impact of Agatha Christie, the mysterious genius of storytelling.


Check your understanding

  1. Who is Agatha Christie, and why is she often called the "Queen of Mystery" in the world of books?

  2. When and where was Agatha Christie born, and when did she start writing her famous detective stories?

  3. What makes Agatha Christie's storytelling style unique, and why do people enjoy her stories?

  4. Can you name two of Agatha Christie's famous characters and describe what makes them special?

  5. How did Agatha Christie's stories go beyond solving crimes, and what societal issues did she address in her works?

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