The Thirty-Nine Steps 4 5 by John Buchan 6

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Teacher’s notes 1

3 The Thirty-nine Steps 4 5 by John Buchan 6

SUMMARY PRE-INTERMEDIATE

ondon, May 1914. Europe is close to war. Spies are he was out of action, he began to write his first ‘shocker’, L everywhere. Richard Hannay has just arrived in as he called it: a story combining personal and political London from Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in Africa to dramas. This book was The Thirty-nine Steps, published start a new life. One evening a man appears at his door in 1915. The novel marked a turning point in Buchan’s

and asks for help. His name is Scudder and he is a literary career and introduced his famous adventuring THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS freelance spy, working alone. He has uncovered a German hero, Richard Hannay. The story was a great success with plot to murder the Greek Prime Minister in London and to the men in the First World War trenches. One soldier wrote steal the British plans for the outbreak of war. He is on the to Buchan, ‘The story is greatly appreciated in the midst trail of a ring of German spies, called the Black Stone. of mud and rain and shells, and all that could make trench Hannay takes Scudder into his house and learns his life depressing.’ secrets. German spies are in the street outside, watching Buchan continued to work for the intelligence services the house. during and after the war and Richard Hannay continued A few days later, Hannay returns to his flat after dinner his adventures in Greenmantle and other stories. and finds Scudder lying on the floor with a knife through Buchan’s later writing included a history of the First World his heart. If Hannay goes to the police, they will arrest him War, biographies of Julius Caesar and Augustus, novels for Scudder’s murder. He decides to carry on Scudder’s for children, poetry, histories and essays. He was elected work and his adventure begins. He escapes from the men to Parliament in 1927. In 1935 he was made Governor- watching the house and makes his way to Scotland. General of Canada and enjoyed five adventurous years The hunt for Hannay starts. He is chased across the there before his sudden death in an accident. great open landscapes of Scotland both by the police and by the German spies. He works alone, wearing disguises BACKGROUND AND THEMES and inventing stories to avoid capture. When he finally makes contact with the authorities and returns to London, John Buchan wrote his Hannay stories as entertainment - the mystery of the thirty-nine steps and the Black Stone is or, as he called them, ‘shockers’. He described a still unsolved . . . ‘shocker’ as an adventure where the events in the story are unlikely and the reader is only just able to believe that ABOUT JOHN BUCHAN they really happened. His experience of life, however, had already taught him that the most unlikely stories are more John Buchan was born in 1875 in Scotland and died in believable than the real facts. In his Hannay novels, 1940 in Canada. He was a man of tremendous energy and Buchan cleverly mixes the familiar and the frightening or wide-ranging interests. After an excellent student career the unexpected - an ordinary London street can become at Glasgow and Oxford universities, he worked first as a terrifying if men with guns are hiding in its doorways. A journalist and barrister and then served in the armed fisherman in baggy trousers and an old hat is an important forces in South Africa in 1902, helping to resettle the member of the Foreign Office. The ingredients of the country after the Boer War (between people of Dutch Hannay novels are simple: the government is being origin and the British). Here Buchan got his first threatened, Hannay’s life is in danger, but our hero saves experience of code-breaking and intelligence work. Back the situation and we are all safe again. in London, he became a partner in the publishing firm of Some of Buchan’s later adventure stories become more his friend, Thomas Nelson. All this time he was writing and like sermons - he uses a story to illustrate an important publishing short stories, histories, biographies and novels. moral point. Even in The Thirty-nine Steps, although the As war in Europe drew near, Buchan was drawn into exciting narrative is the point of the book, Buchan holds secret intelligence work. When war broke out in 1914, he up Richard Hannay as an example to his readers of an was ill in bed with a duodenal ulcer, an illness which ordinary man who puts his country’s interests before his remained with him all his life. To keep his mind calm while own safety.

Although Hannay describes himself as ordinary, he is Turnbull (see page 28). What does he do to his clothes, the typical English gentleman hero - well educated, rich, and his hands? What does he borrow from Turnbull? What advice does he remember from his old friend in Rhodesia? strong, fit and healthy, looking for fun and adventure. He Ask students to work in pairs. They choose a person for is equally at home talking to a workman as to a member Hannay to turn into - not somebody from the story. They of the government. He has a wide experience of life which decide how he changes his face, his clothes, his hair, his enables him to crack codes, live outdoors, impersonate voice and the way he acts. Each pair tells the class about others and find the location of the thirty-nine steps. their new Hannay. Spies have always been important in time of war, Chapters 7-8 particularly in finding out advance information about the Put students into groups of three. Ask them to look at enemy’s plans. By the time of the First World War (1914- page 54 of their books. They are Hannay, Marmaduke Jopley and the policeman. They act out the scene in the 18: Germany, Austria, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria road. (Tell Hannay to be gentle with the other students!) against Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania and Greece Chapters 9-10 - and later the USA), war plans were made in great detail. Put students into pairs. They imagine that they have to get It is interesting to note that by 1915 Britain had copies of some secret information from where they are now to a the three main German code-books, which remained in foreign country across water. The police are looking for use by Germany until 1917. them. They plan their journey. When pairs are ready, compare ideas across the class. Three film versions of The Thirty-nine Steps have been made. The first and most famous (and many would say ACTIVITIES AFTER READING THE BOOK the best) was made in 1935 by the master of suspense, Put students into small groups. Ask them to describe Alfred Hitchcock. Richard Hannay. What is his character? What words describe him? Why does he put himself into danger? Do you like him? Tell students to use their dictionaries to find Communicative activities new words.

The following teacher-led activities cover the same sections Glossary of text as the exercises at the back of the reader, and supplement those exercises. For supplementary exercises It will be useful for your students to know the following new words. covering shorter sections of the book, see the photocopiable They are practised in the ‘Before You Read’ sections of exercises at Student’s Activities pages of this Factsheet. These are the back of the book. (Definitions are based on those in the Longman primarily for use with class readers but, with the exception of Active Study Dictionary.) discussion and pair/groupwork questions, can also be used Chapters 1-2 by students working alone in a self-access centre. politics (n) ideas and activities about how a country is governed Prime Minister (n) the leader of the government in some countries ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK with a parliament Put students into groups. Tell them that most of this book Chapters 3-4 takes place in the open hilly countryside of Scotland. The arrest (v) if the police arrest someone, they take them away because hero of the story is chased by his enemies. There are river they believe they are guilty of a crime valleys, a few groups of trees, and quiet houses. Ask code (n) a set of numbers or letters that say something secretly students to imagine that they are trying to cross a big area Sir (n) a title that is given to somebody if they are very successful THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS of countryside like this. The police are following them. telegram (n) a message sent by electrical signs Where will they hide? Where will they sleep? When will Chapters 5-6 they travel? How will they eat? detonator (n) a piece of equipment which makes a bomb (a box with a clock, which will destroy buildings) start ACTIVITIES AFTER READING A SECTION dynamite (n) a bomb (see above) is made of this Chapters 1-2 Chapters 7-8 Ask students to work in threes. They imagine that, instead Admiralty (n) the top-level office in the British navy (the people and ships that a country has for fighting a war) of changing clothes with the milkman, Hannay goes to the butler (n) someone whose job is to live in someone’s house and do police when he finds Scudder’s body. One student is work for them; they open the door for visitors, for example Hannay. The others are the police. Hannay tells his story. cottage (n) a small house in the countryside The police ask questions. They probably don’t believe General (n) a person with a very high job in the navy (see above), him. army (the people who fight on the land) and air force (the people who Chapters 3-4 fight in the air) Lord (n) the title used by someone who has a very important job or Ask students to work in pairs. They make a code with comes from a very important family letters, numbers or pictures standing for the letters. They Chapters 9-10 write a message in their code and give a key word, giving captain (n) the person who is the boss of a ship the real letters and the code version. Pairs exchange coastguard (n) a person who helps boats and swimmers when they messages. Who can work out the message first? are in trouble in the sea Chapters 5-6 tide (n) the movement of the sea up and down the beach Ask students to tell you how Hannay turns himself into

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Student’s activities 1 The Thirty-nine Steps 2 3 Photocopiable Students can do these exercises alone or with one or more 4 other students. Pair/group-only activities are marked. 5 Activities before reading the book 6 1 Read the introduction on pages v-vi of your book. (g) Two men arrive at the inn - (a) Which types of literature did John Buchan write? (h) At twenty past eight the next morning PRE-INTERMEDIATE (b) What jobs did he do? (i) While the spies are in the inn, 2 Which two countries does The Thirty-nine Steps take (i) and suddenly hears a plane coming towards him. place in? (ii) before it gets to Galloway. (iii) Hannay steals their car. (iv) there are three policemen and two spies at the inn. Activities while reading the book (v) when it stops by a river.

(vi) is Julia Czechenyi. THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS CHAPTERS 1-2 (vii) is in code. Chapter 1 (viii) they speak English but they understand German. (ix) going towards Dumfries. 1 Who do these words describe? (a) a good man and honest too Chapter 4 (b) a man who is not easily frightened 1 Imagine that this is the code Scudder uses in his little (c) an American reporter black book: (d) the only man who can stop war in Europe ABCDEFGHIJK (e) a man outside Hannay’s flat acting rather 10 18 6 3 21 7 12 2 17 24 16 strangely LMNOPQRSTUV (f) a man with no interest in politics 26 5 4 9 8 13 20 14 25 1 22 (g) a man with eyes like a bird WXYZ 2 Which of these things do you think will be important 11 19 23 15 in the story? Choose one. Read Scudder’s notes. Work out where each word ends the evening newspaper, Hannay’s letterbox, the and the next one begins. broken glass, Scudder’s little black book, the knife (a) 4/9/18/9/3/23/6/10/4/14/25/9/8/25/2/21/ through Scudder’s heart 11/10/20/4/9/11 Chapter 2 (b) 25/2/21/12/21/20/5/10/4/14/10/20/21/ 12/9/17/4/12/25/9/10/25/25/10/6/16/14/ Choose the correct words in (brackets). 1/3/3/21/4/26/23 Hannay (sits and looks at the body/covers the body with Now send a message to a friend. a tablecloth). He decides to (write to the Prime Minister/leave London for a few weeks). He speaks like a 2 Put a line under the words that are wrong in these (Scotsman/German). He speaks (Greek/German) very sentences. Write the correct words. well. He chooses (an empty part of the countryside/a big (a) The 39 steps are somewhere in the hills. town) to go to. (b) The Red Rock is a group of German spies. Hannay finds Scudder’s little black book in his (c) The policeman’s telegram describes the German (pocket/tobacco box). The milkman thinks Hannay’s idea spies and the car. is (a joke/dangerous). (Hannay leaves his flat dressed as (d) ‘Protection’ means free movement of goods a milkman./The milkman leaves the flat dressed as between countries. Hannay.) He (returns the milkman’s clothes to the (e) Richard Hannay comes from Australia. milkman/throws the milkman’s clothes over a wall). He just (catches/misses) the train to Galloway. (f) Crumpleton is the Prime Minister. (g) Sir Harry’s uncle is an important man in the CHAPTERS 3-4 church. (h) Sir Harry is a good speaker. Chapter 3 (i) Hannay leaves Sir Harry’s house in a new suit of Make sentences. clothes and a new car. (a) The information in Scudder’s book CHAPTERS 5-6 (b) Hannay gets off the Galloway train (c) The next day he takes a second train Chapter 5 (d) He jumps out of this train 1 Answer these questions. (e) He climbs a hill (f) The key to the code (a) What does Hannay do with the bicycle?

(b) Why has the roadman got red eyes and a him? headache? (g) How does Hannay know that this is not Lord (c) How does Hannay change the way he looks? Alloa? (d) Why do the Germans stop to talk to the 2 Talk to another student. Look up realistic in your roadman? dictionaries and then talk about this question. (e) What three things do the Germans ask questions Is Richard Hannay a realistic person? about? Now ask other pairs. Do they agree with you? (f) Why does Jopley do what Hannay says? 2 Talk with another student. CHAPTERS 9-10 One student is Hannay when he is the roadman. The Chapter 9 other student is one of the German spies. Have their conversation. Make sentences. (a) Nobody really looks at Lord Alloa in the meeting Chapter 6 (b) A good spy 1 Put these words in pairs. Put a word from A with a (c) The German spy now knows word from B. (d) He will want A: hill shop B: bottle place (e) Hannay and the others go to the Admiralty note stick of keeper house (f) A coastguard hiding farm field book (g) High tide is at 10.17 pm glass bird top enemy (i) the British plans and some of the French plans. worst air yard dynamite (ii) to find out where high tide is at 10.17 pm. 2 Hannay finds himself in several different places in this (iii) has eyes like a camera. chapter. Look through the chapter and put the places (iv) knows places where there are steps from the land to in the right order. the sea. in a glass building, in the farmyard again, at the back (v) to take the plans to Germany himself. of the bird-house, in a group of trees, at the little river (vi) at the Ruff in Norfolk. by the farm, in the long grass on a hill, on the roof of the bird-house, in a dark back room with no light, in a (vii) because they know him well. farmyard, in a dark room with only one window Chapter 10 CHAPTERS 7-8 1 Put these sentences in the right order. (a) Franz escapes and the old man destroys the Chapter 7 steps. 1 Three people help Hannay in this chapter. Who are (b) Scaife hides his men around the house. they? (c) Scaife counts the steps. 2 Match the dates and the events. (d) The old man touches his ear in the same way that 23 May Karolides is shot dead. the old man at the farm in Scotland did. 31 May Hannay arrives at Artinswell. (e) Hannay calls for Scaife and his men. 12 June Scudder is killed in Hannay’s flat. (f) Hannay watches Trafalgar Lodge. THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS 13 June a French officer is coming to London. (g) Scaife and Hannay go fishing. 13 June Hannay leaves Scotland by the London (h) Hannay goes to Trafalgar Lodge to arrest the train. men. 15 June Sir Walter receives a letter from Scudder. (i) A sailing boat arrives from the south and stops 3 Talk with another student. You are Hannay and the near the 39 steps. fisherman. Have their conversation by the river. (j) Hannay begins to think he is wrong about the men. Chapter 8 2 Talk with another student. 1 Answer these questions. Did you enjoy this book? Why/Why not? (a) Why is the French officer Royer coming to London? (b) Why is the First Lord of the Admiralty not coming Activities after reading the book to Sir Walter’s house to meet Royer? (c) Why will the Chief of Police at Scotland Yard Work with another student. have to wait 24 hours to hear Hannay’s story? 1 Think of a different title for this story. (d) Why do you think Hannay feels that only he can 2 Richard Hannay has a lot of good luck in this story. fight against the danger? Many lucky things happen which help him in his (e) Lord Alloa, the First Lord of the Admiralty, does adventure. How many can you think of? You can look come to the meeting after all. Has Hannay ever through the book to help you. met Lord Alloa? (f) How does Hannay know that Lord Alloa knows

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