NO LINKS Read the excerpt from “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle.”

Holmes and I hurried to Covent Garden Market. One of the largest stalls had the name Breckinridge written on it. The salesman was helping a boy put up the shutters.

“Good-evening. Sold out of geese, I see,” said Holmes, pointing at the bare slabs of marble. “Fine birds they were, too. Where did you get them from?”

To my surprise, the salesman was suddenly furious.

“Now, then, mister, what do you want? Let’s have it straight, now.”

“It’s straight enough. I want to know who sold you your geese.”

“Well then, I won’t tell you. So now!”

“Oh, it’s not important. But why are you so upset over such a small thing?”

“Upset? You’d be upset, too, if you were as pestered as I am. When I pay good money for a good goose, that should be the end of the business. But all day long, it’s been ‘Where are the geese?’ and ‘Who did you sell the geese to?’ and ‘What will you take for the geese?’ You’d think they were the only geese in the world, to hear the fuss that’s been made over them.”
Question 1

Part A

What can readers predict, based on the details in the excerpt and what has happened so far in the story?

Holmes will trick the salesman into admitting he knows what happened to the stolen gem.
The salesman is angry because he knows Holmes will find out he is covering up a crime.
The person who bothered the salesman with so many questions is the real jewel thief.
Holmes will charm the salesman into giving him the information about the geese that he needs.

Question 2

Part B

Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

“’But all day long, it’s been ‘Where are the geese?’ and ‘Who did you sell the geese to?’ and ‘What will you take for the geese?’”
“’Well, I don’t know who else has been asking,’ said Holmes casually.”
“'Fine birds they were, too. Where did you get them from?'"
“‘Upset? You’d be upset, too, if you were as pestered as I am.’”