The Case of the Missing Ring
Introduction to the Series
Notes for Teachers
THE CASE OF THE MISSING RING is a detective reading series for
intermediate learners. In each episode you will find:
1. A recap: A brief summary of the previous episode.
2. A fact file: Notes about the detective's investigation that are partially filled in.
3. Pre-reading vocabulary: Words and expressions to learn.
4. A fill-in-the-blank dialogue: The broken transcript of a dialogue between the detective and
one of his suspects. Gaps can be filled in by using the vocabulary list.
5. Vocabulary review activities: A variety of exercises to promote vocabulary acquisition.
6. Comprehension questions: Questions to check understanding.
7. A prediction assignment: Questions to discuss with the class or a partner (or as a homework
assignment).
8. An answer key
The first reading acts as an introduction to the series. It is in paragraph format. Readers will learn
about the characters, the setting, and the robbery. Learners will also be introduced to the eight-part
format of future lessons. The reading for the remaining lessons is in dialogue format. Episode one
begins after this introduction. Encourage your students to make notes of their predictions. Before
starting a new episode with your class, review the previous dialogue and vocabulary. Invite members
of the class to read the dialogue out loud.
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The Case of the Missing Ring
Introduction to the Series
What is a Preview?
Before you read the pre-reading vocabulary in each episode, you will find a short section called
“Preview.” This section will remind you of the important details from the previous episode and
summarize what will happen next. Following the preview, you will find vocabulary from the new
reading passage. You will use this vocabulary to fill in the gaps of the dialogues. It is a good idea to
reread the previous episode before you move on to the next one. Some of the vocabulary you learned
last time will be used again.
Pre-Reading Vocabulary
Word
Definition
widow
a woman whose husband has died
wings
sections in a very large house or building
hired help
people who get paid to assist a person or group
common areas
places in a building or residence where everyone is
welcome
snatched
taken or stolen quickly (often secretly)
passed on
given to the next person in line (for example: from
mother to daughter)
late
no longer alive
bad timing
happened at an inconvenient time
getting hitched
getting married
the best of the best
the top one; #1
reality show
a TV show on a certain theme that stars real
people, not actors
out of something
to no longer have something you used to have (such
as work, milk, time)
break-in
a forced entry into a locked area (you do not have
permission or a key)
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Copyright 2013, Red River Press Inc. For use by members of ESL-library.com in accordance with membership terms.
Notes / Examples
The Case of the Missing Ring
Introduction to the Series
Introduction Reading
Fill in the blanks with the words from the vocabulary list.
Cynthia Hummingbird is a wealthy _______________ . She lives in a mansion with three
_______________ . She has one wing to herself. Another wing is for her son's family of four. Her son
Ralph is married to Lila. They have full-grown twins, Emma and Oliver. The twins still live at home.
Emma is engaged to a man named Paul.
The third wing in the mansion is for hired _______________ . This includes a gardener, a chef, and a
housekeeper. Besides these wings, there are several common _______________ in Cynthia's house,
including a computer room, a kitchen, and a living room with a giant flat screen TV.
Hummingbird Manor was recently robbed. A ruby ring was _______________ from the widow's
bedroom. The ring is a family treasure that was supposed to be _______________ on to Emma on her
wedding day. It was a gift to Cynthia from her _______________ husband.
The robber had bad _______________ . Emma and Paul are supposed to be getting
_______________ next week in the rose garden. The newlyweds are scheduled to move into the
guesthouse after the wedding.
Cynthia hired the best of _______________ to conduct the investigation. Detective Bossley starred
in a recent _______________ show. It was a murder mystery
series. Filming for the show took him all over the world. The
Hummingbirds watched every minute of it. Now that the
series is over, the famous detective is _______________ of a job.
Since there were no signs of a _______________ , the detective
thinks that a resident of the mansion stole the ring. He will
question each suspect in a private interview. Cynthia has
insisted on taping each interview with a hidden
_______________ . She has made Detective Bossley an offer he
can't refuse.
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Copyright 2013, Red River Press Inc. For use by members of ESL-library.com in accordance with membership terms.
The Case of the Missing Ring
Introduction to the Series
Vocabulary Review
A) Are the following word pairs synonyms (same meaning) or antonyms (opposite meaning)?
1. hitched / divorced% %
%
_________________________
2. snatch / give%
%
_________________________
3. bad timing / inconvenient% %
_________________________
4. hired help / employees%
%
_________________________
5. out of work / unemployed% %
_________________________
6. the best of the best / greatest%
_________________________
7. widow / widower%
_________________________
%
%
%
B) Read the definitions and write one of the words from the list beside it.
getting hitched
common area
widow
snatched
break-in
1. a woman whose husband has passed away % %
_________________________
2. a place where everyone is welcome to gather %
_________________________
3. taken without warning %
%
%
%
_________________________
4. going to be wed %
%
%
%
_________________________
5. a TV show starring real people %
%
%
_________________________
6. a forced entry %
%
%
_________________________
%
%
%
C) Complete the sentences by choosing the best answer for each blank.
1. There are two ________________ on the main floor of the residence.
a) docks%%
b) wings%
%
c) floats
2. My company only hires the ________________ .
a) highest of the high%
b) best of the best%
c) top of the top
3. The teacher has been ________________ work for three months.
a) out through%
b) out on%
%
c) out of
4. The mother ________________ her baby clothes to her pregnant sister.
a) passed on%
b) past% %
%
c) passed at
5. You remind me of my ________________ Uncle Clark.
a) later% %
!
b) late% %
%
c) last
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Copyright 2013, Red River Press Inc. For use by members of ESL-library.com in accordance with membership terms.
reality show
The Case of the Missing Ring
Introduction to the Series
Comprehension Questions
Making Predictions
Discuss these questions with a partner, or write
your responses in your notebook.
Discuss these questions with the class or a
partner (or write your responses in a journal
entry for homework).
1. Does Cynthia Hummingbird live with her husband?
1. Do you have any idea who the thief is?
2. How is Emma related to Cynthia?
2. What do you think Detective Bossley looks like?
3. Who are Lila and Ralph?
4. Name some common areas in Hummingbird
3. What do you think Ralph looks like? Describe his
looks.
Manor.
5. Who is going to investigate the robbery?
4. What questions do you think Detective Bossley
will ask the suspects?
6. What did this detective recently do?
7. Why does the reading mention a camera?
8. Place the residents of Hummingbird Manor under
5. Do you think Emma will get the ring back in time
to marry Paul next week?
the correct heading in the chart.
1st Wing
2nd Wing
3rd Wing
№1
pisode
E
!
d
ay Tune
St
st
s the fir
n
io
t
s
e
u
yq
hat
e Bossle
gbird. W
n
i
m
Detectiv
m
u
he
tealing t
Ralph H
s
,
r
t
o
c
f
e
e
p
v
s
su
h ha
ight Ralp
m
n
o
s
a
e
r
ring?
!
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Copyright 2013, Red River Press Inc. For use by members of ESL-library.com in accordance with membership terms.
The Case of the Missing Ring
Introduction to the Series
Teacher’s Answer Key
Reading: Fill in the Blanks
Cynthia Hummingbird is a wealthy widow. She lives in a mansion with three wings. She has one wing to herself. Another wing is for
her son's family of four. Her son Ralph is married to Lila. They have full-grown twins, Emma and Oliver. The twins still live at home.
Emma is engaged to a man named Paul.
The third wing in the mansion is for hired help. This includes a gardener, a chef, and a housekeeper. Besides these wings, there are
several common areas in Cynthia's house, including a computer room, a kitchen, and a living room with a giant flat screen TV.
Hummingbird Manor was recently robbed. A ruby ring was snatched from the widow's bedroom. The ring is a family treasure that was
supposed to be passed on to Emma on her wedding day. It was a gift to Cynthia from her late husband.
The robber had bad timing. Emma and Paul are supposed to be getting hitched next week in the rose garden. The newlyweds are
scheduled to move into the guesthouse after the wedding.
Cynthia hired the best of the best to conduct the investigation. Detective Bossley starred in a recent reality show. It was a murder
mystery series. It was a murder mystery series. Filming for the show took him all over the world. The Hummingbirds watched every
minute of it. Now that the series is over, the famous detective is out of a job.
Since there were no signs of a break-in, the detective thinks that a resident of the mansion stole the ring. He will question each
suspect in a private interview. Cynthia has insisted on taping each interview with a hidden camera. She has made Detective Bossley
an offer he can't refuse.
Vocabulary Review
A) 1. antonyms
2. antonyms""
B) 1. widow"
C) 1. b "
2. common area"
2. b "
3. c"
3. synonyms"
3. snatched"
4. a"
4. synonyms"
4. getting hitched
5. synonyms"
6. synonyms "
5. reality show"
6. break-in"
5. b
Comprehension Questions
1. No. Cynthia Hummingbird's husband died. She lives with her son and his family.
2. Emma is Cynthia's granddaughter.
3. Ralph is Cynthia's son and Lila is Ralph's wife (and Cynthia’s daughter-in-law).
4. The common areas in Hummingbird Manor are a kitchen, a computer room, and a living room.
5. Detective Bossley is going to investigate.
6. Detective Bossley recently starred in a reality TV series that took him around the world.
7. Cynthia is taping the interviews with a hidden camera.
8.
1st wing
2nd wing
3rd Wing
Cynthia
Lila
Ralph
Emma
Oliver
Gardener
Chef
Housekeeper
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7. antonyms