Planning a setting description in 'Sherlock Holmes' | Starter Quiz | Oak National Academy

What does it mean if something is 'anachronistic'?

• It is written in time order

• It is out of keeping with the time period we're writing about

• It is in keeping with the time period we're writing about

Answer explanation

Describing an aeroplane would be anachronistic in a setting description of Victorian London. We refer to accurate historical details as a way of showing our reader when we are writing about.

Which of the following would be good to include in a setting description of Victorian London in order to show the historical context?

• open sewers

• street urchins

• slums

• poverty

Answer explanation

We should include details that hint towards the specific time period we're writing about. Although poverty was very present in Victorian London, it still exists today - we need to be specific about how that poverty looked in Victorian London.

Which of the following were forms of transport in Victorian London?

• urchin

• smog

• penny farthing

• omnibus

Answer explanation

An omnibus was a form of horse-drawn bus while a penny farthing was a form of bicycle.

Which of these words means 'impossible to see through'?

• imposing

• impenetrable

• havoc

• nauseating

Answer explanation

We could describe the smog as impenetrable - it sometimes made it very hard to see the city around you.

Which of these words means 'ruined' or 'broken'?

• dilapidated

• serene

• skulk

• stench

Answer explanation

We could describe a 'dilapidated building' in the slums of London.

Which of the following are fronted adverbials of place?

• All of a sudden,

• On every street corner,

• In the serene streets,

• Beneath imposing buildings,

Answer explanation

Fronted adverbials of place tell us where something happens. We can create specific fronted adverbials of place that relate to the historical context of our narrative.