The Eternal Appeal of Agatha Christie Reading Answers

Nov 7, 2025

The Eternal Appeal of Agatha Christie Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. The Eternal Appeal of Agatha Christie Reading Answers has a total of 14 IELTS questions, such as Choose the correct letter, A, B, Cor D. Look at the following statements and the list of people. Match each statement with the opinion of the people, A, B, C, D, or E. Write the correct letter, A, B, C, D, or E. And choose NO MORE THAN ONE WORD for each answer.

The IELTS Reading section is an essential part of the test that evaluates a candidate's comprehension and analysis of various passage types. You will work through some IELTS reading practice problems in this section that resemble actual test situations. These questions are designed to help you improve your ability to recognise essential concepts, extract particular facts, and make inferences. Practising these IELTS reading problems can help you get comfortable with the structure and increase your confidence for the exam, regardless of whether you are studying for the Academic or General Training module.

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Section 1

THE ETERNAL APPEAL OF AGATHA CHRISTIE

Agatha Christie (1890-1976) is the bestselling novelist of all time. The British author produced detective novels and short stories, translated into 103 languages. most notably those that featured the fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Agatha Christie was not really interested in murder as such. She wanted to write about 'English murder, which is more about human dynamics than a focus on the act of violence. Her work has been criticized for showing a reluctance to reveal the blood and gore of the crimes committed in her books and any grief the characters might feel for the dead. The methods she describes for murder have also been accused of being far-fetched and even ridiculous. In reality, it is hardly likely that someone would kill by dropping a millstone through a window onto their victim's head; or give themselves an alibi by pretending to be a dead body, nor would they plan a murder by shooting themselves in the leg to put the suspicion on another person. Frankly, they are almost silly. But Agatha Christie probably thought they were too; she was known to have a good sense of humour. Why should we assume that she thought these events were credible?

Raymond Chandler, who was an author contemporary to Christie, criticized her book And Then There Were None with some justification, 'It is as complete and shameless a bamboozling of the reader as ever was perpetrated. And I won't go into the mechanism of the crimes, most of which were predicated on pure chance, and some actually impossible. Though none of this can be denied, it is irrelevant. And Then There Were None is Christie's best-selling novel, with 100 million sales to date, so the improbability of her crimes has hardly inhibited people from reading the book. The fact that a murder might be a physical near impossibility does not affect readership, nor is the murder of much importance to the novel. It is basically there to be solved, not viewed as a mirror of real possibilities. For Agatha Christie, solving the mystery does not necessarily come from her detectives examining the crime, but by their observation of the human suspects, how they react and how they relate to one another.

This idea of the human dynamic is not typically touched on in criticism of Christie's writing, which normally goes along the lines of that she writes brilliant mysteries that have little insight into either character or emotion. It is claimed that people read her books merely to solve the puzzle; and once that is done, they never pick up the book again. I really do not think this is the case. How can these books continue to sell in their millions when books from other clever detective writers published at the same time as her have disappeared? John Dickson Carr, who created 'impossible crime' mysteries, Margery Allingham, who wrote brilliant prose, and the witty Dorothy Sayers, all wrote detective fiction that is no longer commonly read. It can hardly be because of Christie's construction of the puzzle. We all know either the narrator did it, the policeman did it, or they all did it. It must be due to something else, something not necessarily within the puzzle, not obvious, but sensed all the same. It is something I just can't put my finger on.

It is not the murder itself that is important, but the reason why it was done. And that is found by observing the characters. Perhaps it is this quality of Christie's characters that populate the tight but predictable plots that makes her work pass the test of time. Author RD. James, whose book A Certain Justice is based on the plot of Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, commented that the reader gets the sense that there is more in her stories than is evident. Both books revolve around legality versus justice, a question which is unanswerable. Usually, detective books demand answers to all their questions. If a child murderer has escaped prosecution, is it right for family and friends to exact justice? In A Certain Justice, James has expanded this idea into an excellent, realistic novel wherein the solution of the crime plays a minor part. In Orient Express, the entire story is based on the solution and the crime, and the theme of legality versus justice is not overtly apparent, yet it is the very bones of the book. The Orient Express solution is that 'they all did it', and no other solution could be possible, as she brilliantly spreads the blame over almost every character in the story. The final pages that contain the solution of an Agatha Christie mystery are intensely satisfying for the reader, possibly because they not only solve the crime, but resolve the relationships of the characters themselves.

Christie once said, 'Very few of us are what we seem, and the kind of character revelation she has at the end of her books so well illustrates this. Five Little Pigs is about a painter who pretends to fall in love with his model so he is able to finish the painting. The plot of this book is almost completely character-based, and though Poirot does solve the mystery, as he is in possession of only circumstantial evidence, he is unable to do more than point the finger at Elsa, the artist's model. She leaves in a car without confessing to the crime. The ending, though, is somehow still satisfying. Though the characterization may seem simplistic, it is surprisingly

revealing. Christie's critics might even call it stereotyping. This may be the case, but she uses character stereotypes to mislead, not to reveal, because she knows that people believe in them,

Question 27-30

Choose the correct letter, A, B, Cor D.

27. In the first paragraph, the writer believes that Christie

A. knew her plots were improbable.

B. was obsessed with murder-

C. showed pity for the dead,

D. wanted to write realistic storylines.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: But Agatha Christie probably thought they were too; she was known to have a good sense of humour. Why should we assume that she thought these events were credible?

Keywords: Agatha Christie, sense of humour

Keyword Location: Para 1, Lines 11-12

Explanation: After describing the far-fetched plots, the writer suggests Christie, known for her humour, likely knew the events were not "credible" (improbable).

28. The writer asserts that Christie's detectives solved mysteries through

A. examining the scene of the crime.

B. balancing probabilities.

C. finding clues from the murder weapon,

D. paying attention to people.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: For Agatha Christie, solving the mystery does not necessarily come from her detectives examining the crime, but by their observation of the human suspects, how they react and how they relate to one another.

Keywords: detectives, observation

Keyword Location: Para 2, Lines 9-10

Explanation: The text states solving the mystery comes from observing "human suspects" and their interactions, which means paying attention to people.

29. The writer does not agree with the common idea that Christie's books

A. are often about human interaction.

B. are excellent crime stories.

C. are lacking in realistic portrayals of people-

D. are full of feeling.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: This idea of the human dynamic is not typically touched on in criticism of Christie's writing, which normally goes along the lines of that she writes brilliant mysteries that have little insight into either character or emotion…… I really do not think this is the case.

Keywords: human dynamic, Christie's writing, character or emotion

Keyword Location: Para 3, Lines 1-3

Explanation: The common criticism is that her books have little insight into either character or emotion (lack realistic portrayals of people). The writer states, I really do not think this is the case, showing disagreement with this common idea.

30. The writer mentions other authors from the time Christie was writing to

A. illustrate that they were better writers.

B. observe that their books no longer sell.

C. Compare them with Christie's style,

D. show that they were never popular.

Answer: B

Supporting statement: books from other clever detective writers published at the same time as her have disappeared? John Dickson Carr... Margery Allingham... and the witty Dorothy Sayers, all wrote detective fiction that is no longer commonly read.

Keywords: clever detective, disappeared

Keyword Location: Para 3, Lines 5-6

Explanation: The writer uses the disappearance of other authors' books from the common readership to argue that Christie's lasting appeal must be due to something other than the puzzle construction.

Questions 31-34

Look at the following statements (Questions 31-34) and the list of people. Match each statement with the opinion of the people, A, B, C, D, or E. Write the correct letter, A, B, C, D, or E.

31. The books offer something extra than what is first seen.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: Author RD. James, whose book A Certain Justice is based on the plot of Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, commented that the reader gets the sense that there is more in her stories than is evident.

Keywords: RD. James, Orient Express

Keyword Location: Para 4, Lines 3-4

Explanation: The reader feels that there is more to Christie's works than is immediately apparent, according to the author RD. James, whose book A Certain Justice is based on the premise of Christie's Murder on the Orient Express.

32. The plot of the book is misleading and unconvincing.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: Raymond Chandler, who was an author contemporary to Christie, criticized her book And Then There Were None with some justification, 'It is as complete and shameless a bamboozling of the reader as ever was perpetrated.

Keywords: contemporary, shameless, bamboozling

Keyword Location: Para 2, Lines 1-2

Explanation: According to the text, this is a direct criticism attributed to Raymond Chandler.

33. Not many people really are how they appear.

Answer: E

Supporting statement: Christie once said, 'Very few of us are what we seem...'

Keywords: few of us

Keyword Location: Para 5, Line 1

Explanation: According to the text, Agatha Christie said that many people appear different from how they really are.

34. The feeling you get from the way the plot is revealed is difficult to put into words.

Answer: B

Supporting statement: It must be due to something else, something not necessarily within the puzzle, not obvious, but sensed all the same. It is something I just can't put my finger on.

Keywords: sensed, something

Keyword Location: Para 3, Line 11

Explanation: The first-person phrase "I just can't put my finger on" shows this is the opinion of the writer.

List of people

A. Raymond Chandler

B. The writer

C. John Dickson Carr

D. P.D. James

E. Agatha Christie

Questions 35-40

Choose NO MORE THAN ONE WORD for each answer.

35. In Christie's books, the motive for the crime can be uncovered through studying the ........................

Answer: CHARACTERS

Supporting statement: It is not the murder itself that is important, but the reason why it was done. And that is found by observing the characters.

Keywords: observing the characters

Keyword Location: Para 4, Line 2

Explanation: The text explicitly states that the reason (motive) is found by observing the characters.

36. P.D. James and Christie both wrote a book with a similar……………..

Answer: PLOT

Supporting statement: Author RD. James, whose book A Certain Justice is based on the plot of Christie's Murder on the Orient Express

Keywords: A Certain Justice, plot

Keyword Location: Para 4, Line 4

Explanation: A Certain Justice is based on the plot of Murder on the Orient Express.

37. In P.D. James A Certain Justice the explanation of the murder is of……………. importance.

Answer: MINOR

Supporting statement: In A Certain Justice, James has expanded this idea into an excellent, realistic novel wherein the solution of the crime plays a minor part.

Keywords: James, realistic novel, minor part

Keyword Location: Para 4, Lines 8-9

Explanation: The text explicitly states that this part plays a minor role in James's book.

38. The …………… to the crime in Murder on the Orient Express is all the characters were guilty.

Answer: SOLUTION

Supporting statement: The Orient Express solution is that 'they all did it'...

Keywords: Orient Express solution

Keyword Location: Para 4, Line 10

Explanation: The text identifies the conclusion of the Orient Express mystery ("they all did it") as the solution.

39. In Five Little Pigs Inspector Poirot does not have enough ....................... to charge his suspect with murder.

Answer: EVIDENCE

Supporting statement: as he is in possession of only circumstantial evidence, he is unable to do more than point the finger at Elsa, the artist's model.

Keywords: possession, circumstantial evidence

Keyword Location: Para 5, Lines 5

Explanation: Poirot's inability to officially charge the suspect (Elsa) is directly attributed to his having only circumstantial evidence.

40. By adopting Christie is able to trick the reader into misunderstanding the characters.

Answer: STEREOTYPES

Supporting statement: This may be the case, but she uses character stereotypes to mislead, not to reveal, because she knows that people believe in them.

Keywords: stereotypes, reveal

Keyword Location: Para 5, Line 8

Explanation: The final sentence confirms that Christie uses character stereotypes as a deliberate technique to mislead (trick) the reader.

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