A traveler walks in the cold, dark night. He is looking for a cheap place to sleep. He sees a small house with a warm light in the window. A kind old woman opens the door. She has a nice smile. "Come in, my dear," she says. He goes inside. The house is warm and quiet. She gives him hot tea and a soft chair by the fire. He drinks the tea slowly. He feels sleepy. Soon, the light in the room grows dark. The house is silent. The traveler falls asleep — and he never leaves the house again.
The Strange House
Story Audio
Story Reading
Vocabulary Exercises
Match
Match the Words with Their Meanings 1. travel a. a building where people stay 2. cold b. to go from one place to another 3. cheap c. having a low price 4. warm d. having a low temperature 5. quiet e. having a comfortable temperature 6. hotel f. making very little or no noise 7. sleepy g. feeling that you want to sleep 8. silent h. without sound
1. b |
2. d |
3. c |
4. e |
5. f |
6. a |
7. g |
8. h
Fill in the blanks
Fill in the Blanks Use: traveler - cold - warm - woman - tea - sleepy - cheap - house 1. A ______ walks in the dark night. 2. The night is ______. 3. He is looking for a ______ place to sleep. 4. He sees a small ______. 5. The house has a ______ light. 6. A kind old ______ opens the door. 7. She gives him hot ______. 8. He feels ______ after drinking it.
1. traveler |
2. cold |
3. cheap |
4. house |
5. warm |
6. woman |
7. tea |
8. sleepy
Odd One Out
Odd One Out 1. cold - freezing - chilly - sleepy 2. tea - water - juice - chair 3. warm - hot - comfortable - silent 4. traveler - woman - chair - person
1. sleepy |
2. chair |
3. silent |
4. chair
Comprehension Exercises
True/False
Answer with True or False 1. The traveler walks during the day. 2. The night is cold and dark. 3. The traveler is looking for an expensive hotel. 4. He sees a small house. 5. The house has a warm light in the window. 6. A kind old woman opens the door. 7. The woman tells him to leave. 8. She gives him hot tea. 9. The traveler feels sleepy. 10. The traveler leaves the house in the morning.
1. False |
2. True |
3. False |
4. True |
5. True |
6. True |
7. False |
8. True |
9. True |
10. False
Multiple Choice
1. When does the traveler walk? a. In the morning b. In the afternoon c. In the cold, dark night 2. What is the traveler looking for? a. A cheap place to sleep b. A restaurant c. A job 3. What does he see? a. A large hotel b. A small house c. A shop 4. What does the house have? a. A warm light b. A large garden c. A blue door 5. Who opens the door? a. A young woman b. A man c. A kind old woman 6. What does she say? a. "Go away." b. "Come in, my dear." c. "Come back tomorrow." 7. What does she give the traveler? a. Cold water b. Hot tea c. Coffee 8. Where does the traveler sit? a. On the floor b. On a soft chair by the fire c. Outside the house 9. How does the traveler feel after drinking the tea? a. Angry b. Excited c. Sleepy 10. What happens at the end? a. The traveler leaves. b. The traveler falls asleep and never leaves. c. The woman leaves.
1. c. In the cold, dark night |
2. a. A cheap place to sleep |
3. b. A small house |
4. a. A warm light |
5. c. A kind old woman |
6. b. "Come in, my dear." |
7. b. Hot tea |
8: b. On a soft chair by the fire |
9. c. Sleepy |
10. b. The traveler falls asleep and never leaves.
Ordering
Put the Events in Order 1. ___ The traveler drinks the tea. 2. ___ The traveler sees a small house. 3. ___ The old woman opens the door. 4. ___ The traveler walks in the cold night. 5. ___ The woman gives him tea. 6. ___ The traveler feels sleepy. 7. ___ The light grows dark. 8. ___ The traveler falls asleep.
1. 4 |
2. 2 |
3. 3 |
4. 1 |
5. 5 |
6. 6 |
7. 7 |
8. 8
Grammar Exercises
Fill in the blanks
Fill in the Correct Verb 1. The traveler ______ in the cold night. (walk) 2. He ______ for a cheap place. (look) 3. He ______ a small house. (see) 4. The woman ______ the door. (open) 5. She ______ him tea. (give) 6. He ______ the tea slowly. (drink) 7. We ______ sleepy. (feel) 8. The light ______ dark. (grow) 9. They ______ asleep. (fall)
1. walks |
2. looks |
3. sees |
4. opens |
5. gives |
6. drinks |
7. feel |
8. grows |
9. fall
Choose one
Choose the Correct Preposition 1. The traveler walks (in / on / at) the night. 2. He looks (for / at / on) a cheap place. 3. He sees a light (in / on / at) the window. 4. The woman opens the door (for / at / on) him. 5. He goes (inside / at / on) the house. 6. He sits (by / to / on) the fire. 7. He falls (asleep / at sleep / in sleep).
1. in |
2. for |
3. in |
4. for |
5. inside |
6. by |
7. asleep
Find the Adjectives
Find the Adjectives 1. cold night 2. dark night 3. cheap place 4. small house 5. warm light 6. kind old woman 7. nice smile 8. warm house 9. quiet house 10. soft chair 11. hot tea
1. cold |
2. dark |
3. cheap |
4. small |
5. warm |
6. kind, old |
7. nice |
8. warm |
9. quiet |
10. soft |
11. hot
Find the Adverbs
Find the Adverbs 1. He drinks the tea slowly. 2. The light soon grows dark. 3. The traveler quietly sits by the fire.
1. slowly |
2. soon |
3. quietly
Speaking Activities
Discussion
Do you think the house is safe or dangerous?
Answers will vary.
Possible answer: The house seems safe at first because it is warm and the woman is kind. However, the fact that the traveler never leaves suggests that something dangerous may be happening.
Would you drink the tea?
Answers will vary.
Possible answer: I would be careful about drinking it because I do not know the woman.
Would you stay the night?
Answers will vary.
Possible answer: I might stay, but I would keep my belongings close and make sure I could leave easily.
Would you accept tea from a stranger?
Possible answer: Yes, if I trusted the person and felt safe.
What might happen if the traveler had refused the tea?
Answers will vary.
Possible answer: He might have stayed awake and discovered the woman's secret before it was too late.
Do you think the traveler is still alive?
Answers will vary.
Possible answer: He may still be alive but trapped or asleep inside the house.
Describe
Describe the Old Woman Choose three words: kind - friendly - mysterious - dangerous - strange - welcoming - suspicious - frightening 1. Which three words best describe the woman?
Possible answer: kind, mysterious, suspicious.
Rate the Story
1. How mysterious is the story? 1 = Not mysterious 5 = Extremely mysterious 2. How frightening is the story? 1 = Not frightening 5 = Extremely frightening
5/5
Writing Exercise
Change the Ending
Write a different ending for the story.
The traveler feels sleepy after drinking the tea, but he refuses to close his eyes. He notices the old woman watching him carefully. Suddenly, he stands up and runs toward the door. The woman tries to stop him, but he reaches the door and escapes into the cold night. When he looks back, the warm light has disappeared. The house is completely dark. He continues running until he reaches the town.
Role-play
Write a conversation between the traveler and the old woman.
Example Answer:
Traveler: Excuse me. Do you have a cheap room? |
Woman: Come in, my dear. |
Traveler: Thank you. It is very cold outside. |
Woman: Sit here by the fire. |
Traveler: Thank you. This is very comfortable. |
Woman: Would you like some hot tea? |
Traveler: Yes, please. |
Woman: You look very tired. |
Traveler: I have been walking all night. |
Woman: Then drink your tea and rest.