Literature 7 Honors Name:______________________________

Mrs. Schwartzman Date:___________________ ____________

Directions: Read the text and answer the comprehension
questions.
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie,(September 15, 1890January 12,
19!", #as a $ritish %rime &i%ti'n #riter( She als' #r'te r'man%es
un)er the name Mary *estma%'tt(
Agatha Christie is the #'rl)+s best,-n'#n mystery #riter an) all,time
best,selling auth'r '& any genre 'ther than *illiam Sha-espeare( .er
b''-s ha/e s'l) '/er a billi'n %'pies in the 0nglish language an)
an'ther billi'n in '/er 15 &'reign languages (as '& 2002"( As an e3ample
'& her br'a) appeal, she is the all,time best,selling auth'r in 4ran%e,
#ith '/er 10 milli'n %'pies s'l) in 4ren%h (as '& 2002" /ersus 22 milli'n
&'r 5mile 6'la, the nearest %'nten)er(
Christie publishe) '/er eighty n'/els an) stage plays, mainly #h')units an) l'%-e) r''m
mysteries, many '& these &eaturing 'ne '& her series %hara%ters, .er%ule 7'ir't 'r Miss Marple(
She is a ma8'r &igure in )ete%ti/e &i%ti'n &'r b'th her %'mmer%ial su%%ess an) her inn'/ati'ns in
the genre(
Alth'ugh she )elighte) in t#isting the establishe) &'rm, she #as s%rupul'us in 9playing &air9 #ith
the rea)er by ma-ing sure all ne%essary in&'rmati'n &'r s'l/ing the pu::le #as gi/en( ;ne '& her
early b''-s, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, is ren'#ne) &'r its surprise )en'uement(
M'st '& her b''-s an) sh'rt st'ries ha/e been &ilme), s'me many times '/er (Mur)er 'n the
;rient 03press, Death 'n the <ile, 1(50 &r'm 7a))ingt'n"( =he $$C has pr')u%e) tele/isi'n an)
ra)i' /ersi'ns '& m'st '& the 7'ir't an) Marple st'ries( A later series '& 7'ir't )ramati:ati'ns
starring Da/i) Su%het #as ma)e by >rana)a =ele/isi'n(
?n 2001, the Japanese br'a)%asting %'mpany <ipp'n .'us'u @y'u-ai turne) 7'ir't an) Marple
int' animate) %hara%ters in the anime series Agatha Christie+s >reat Dete%ti/es 7'ir't an)
Marple, intr')u%ing Mabel *est ()aughter '& Miss Marple+s mystery,#riter nephe# Aaym'n) *est,
a %an'ni%al Christie %hara%ter" an) her )u%- ;li/er as ne# %hara%ters(
=his arti%le is li%ense) un)er the ><B 4ree D'%umentati'n Ci%ense( ?t uses material &r'm the *i-ipe)ia arti%le 9Agatha Christie9(
D'u %an e3pl're m're 'n the *i-ipe)ia #ebsite( =he te3t an) the images are use) here 'nly &'r e)u%ati'nal purp'ses(
Questions about the text.
1( *hen #as Agatha Christie b'rnE
2(
2( .'# many %'pies '& her b''-s ha/e been s'l) in 4ran%eE
Literature 7 Honors Name:______________________________
Mrs. Schwartzman Date:___________________ ____________
2( .'# many n'/els an) stage plays )i) she #riteE
1( 9The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, is ren'#ne) &'r its surprise )en'uement( *hat )'es
)en'uement meanE
5( *hat are the names '& Agatha ChristieFs t#' m'st &am'us %hara%ters in )ete%ti/e &i%ti'nE