The book 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. Verne is a son of a lawyer. However, he decides to be a writer i{#blank#}1{#/blank#}of a lawyer. He likes sailing and the sea. He likes exploring the world. He and his wife s{#blank#}2{#/blank#} much time sailing on his ship. They sail to many places and have adventures. Later all of these are w{#blank#}3{#/blank#} into his books. The book 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is about Captain Nemo and his submarine—a kind of vessel that travels under w{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. His submarine is called Nautilus. Submarines are common today, but Verne writes about this submarine many years b{#blank#}5{#/blank#} they exist! Some of Verne's ideas come true in history.

    The story starts in New York City and takes the readers to many d{#blank#}6{#/blank#} places. Verne describes some real places like the Mediterranean Sea, the South Pole and the Antarctic. But the story a{#blank#}7{#/blank#} talks about visits to some fictional locations like Atlantis, an underwater city. Many people think the title 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea refers to h{#blank#}8{#/blank#} deep the submarine travels under the water. However, the submarine never travels over a few leagues below the water. In fact, the title refers to the d{#blank#}9{#/blank#} which Captain Nemo and his submarine travel during the course of the book. The book is full of mysteries and magic things under water. It has been t{#blank#}10{#/blank#}into many different languages and sells well.

    Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a Scottish doctor who was born in 1859. He began writing detective stories in his spare time because he n{#blank#}1{#/blank#}more money.

    Conan Doyle's first story was called A Study in Scarlet. It was published in 1887. It featured a brilliant detective called Sherlock Holmes and his close friend Doctor Watson. It was a great success, and in 1891 Conan Doyle gave up medicine to write more. He didn't have enough time to do b{#blank#}2{#/blank#}!

    It was in 1892, when Conan Doyle became bored with detective stories, that he decided to stop writing. He d{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Holmes's death in a story called The Final Problem.

    Many fans of Sherlock Holmes were shocked when they learned that their hero was dead. They begged Conan Doyle for a{#blank#}4{#/blank#}story. The result was The Hound of the Baskervilles: a story about mysterious murders and a terrifying dog. It is the most f{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Sherlock Holmes story. The Hound of the Baskervilles was first published in 1902, and it is still read today.

    After the success of this book, Conan Doyle continued writing stories and novels u{#blank#}6{#/blank#}he died in 1930. These stories are now films, TV programmes and cartoons so you can “see" Sherlock Holmes as well. There are also clubs which study the great detective and his adventures. Today, more than 100 years later, Sherlock Holmes is still the m{#blank#}7{#/blank#}popular detective in the world.