A traveler walks in the cold, dark night. He is looking for a cheap room. 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. It is warm and quiet. There is a fire and a soft chair. She gives him hot tea and a biscuit. He drinks the tea slowly. He feels happy but also a little sleepy. He sees a picture on the wall. Two other young men are in the picture. He does not remember anything. Soon, the light in the room grows dark. The house is very quiet now. The traveler closes his eyes — and he never leaves the house again.
The Strange House
Story Audio
Story Reading
Vocabulary Exercises
Match
1. travel a. not expensive 2. cheap b. to go from one place to another 3. warm c. having a high temperature 4. quiet d. making very little noise 5. biscuit e. a small, dry, baked food 6. slowly f. not quickly 7. sleepy g. feeling like you want to sleep 8. picture h. an image or photograph 9. remember i. to have something in your mind from the past 10. dark j. having little or no light
1. b |
2. a |
3. c |
4. d |
5. e |
6. f |
7. g |
8. h |
9. i |
10. j
Fill in the blanks
Use the words below to fill in the blanks traveler - sleepy - picture - young - dark - remember - cheap - warm - quiet - biscuit 1. The ______ walks through the cold night. 2. He is looking for a ______ room. 3. The house has a ______ light. 4. The house is warm and ______. 5. The woman gives him a ______. 6. The traveler feels a little ______. 7. He sees a ______ on the wall. 8. Two ______ men are in the picture. 9. The room becomes ______. 10. He cannot ______ anything.
1. traveler |
2. cheap |
3. warm |
4. quiet |
5. biscuit |
6. sleepy |
7. picture |
8. young |
9. dark |
10. remember
Choose one
Choose the Correct Word 1. The traveler is walking in a (cold / hot) night. 2. He wants a (cheap / expensive) room. 3. The woman is (young / old). 4. The house is (warm / freezing) inside. 5. There is a (fire / river) in the room. 6. The woman gives him tea and a (biscuit / sandwich). 7. He drinks the tea (slowly / quickly). 8. He feels a little (sleepy / angry). 9. He sees a (picture / television) on the wall. 10. The room becomes (dark / bright).
1. cold |
2. cheap |
3. old |
4. warm |
5. fire |
6. biscuit |
7. slowly |
8. sleepy |
9. picture |
10. dark
Odd One Out
Odd One Out 1. cold - dark - warm - sleepy 2. tea - biscuit - fire - picture 3. traveler - woman - men - house 4. happy - sleepy - quiet - angry
1. sleepy |
2. picture |
3. house |
4. quiet
Comprehension Exercises
True/False
Answer with True or False 1. The traveler walks through a warm, sunny afternoon. 2. He is looking for a cheap room. 3. He sees a small house with a warm light. 4. A young woman opens the door. 5. The woman has a nice smile. 6. The house is warm and quiet. 7. The woman gives the traveler tea and a biscuit. 8. The traveler drinks the tea quickly. 9. He sees two young men in a picture. 10. He remembers who the two men are. 11. The light eventually grows dark. 12. The traveler never leaves the house.
1. False |
2. True |
3. True |
4. False |
5. True |
6. True |
7. True |
8. False |
9. True |
10. False |
11. True |
12. True
Multiple Choice
1. What is the traveler looking for? a. A job b. A cheap room c. A restaurant d. A friend 2. What does the traveler see? a. A large hotel b. A small house c. A school d. A shop 3. Who opens the door? a. A young man b. A child c. An old woman d. A police officer 4. What does the woman say? a. "Go away." b. "Come in, my dear." c. "Wait outside." d. "Where are you going?" 5. What is inside the house? a. A swimming pool b. A fire and a soft chair c. A large kitchen d. A television 6. What does the woman give the traveler? a. Coffee and bread b. Water and fruit c. Hot tea and a biscuit d. Milk and cake 7. How does the traveler feel after drinking the tea? a. Angry b. Sleepy c. Frightened d. Excited 8. What does he see on the wall? a. A clock b. A map c. A picture d. A mirror 9. How many young men are in the picture? a. One b. Two c. Three d. Four 10. What happens at the end? a. The traveler leaves. b. The traveler calls the police. c. The traveler falls asleep and never leaves. d. The woman leaves the house.
1. b |
2. b |
3. c |
4. b |
5. b |
6. c |
7. b |
8. c |
9. b |
10. c
Ordering
Put the Events in Order 1. ___ The woman gives the traveler tea. 2. ___ The traveler sees a small house. 3. ___ The traveler sees a picture of two young men. 4. ___ The traveler walks through the cold night. 5. ___ The woman opens the door. 6. ___ The traveler feels sleepy. 7. ___ The light grows dark. 8. ___ The traveler closes his eyes.
1. 4 |
2. 2 |
3. 5 |
4. 1 |
5. 3 |
6. 6 |
7. 7 |
8. 8
Grammar Exercises
Fill in the blanks
Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Verb 1. The travelers ______ through the cold night. (walk) 2. They ______ for a cheap room. (look) 3. He ______ a small house. (see) 4. The woman ______ the door. (open) 5. She ______ a nice smile. (have) 6. She ______ him hot tea. (give) 7. He ______ the tea slowly. (drink) 8. He ______ sleepy. (feel) 9. He ______ a picture. (see) 10. The light ______ dark. (grow)
1. walk |
2. look |
3. sees |
4. opens |
5. has |
6. gives |
7. drinks |
8. feels |
9. sees |
10. grows
Choose one
Choose the Correct Preposition 1. The traveler walks (in / at / on) the cold night. 2. He looks (for / at / from) a cheap room. 3. He sees a light (in / on / at) the window. 4. The woman opens the door (for / from / at) him. 5. He goes (inside / between / under) the house. 6. He sits (by / from / under) the fire. 7. He sees a picture (on / at / from) the wall. 8. The light grows dark (in / at / after) the evening.
1. in |
2. for |
3. in |
4. for |
5. inside |
6. by |
7. on |
8. in
Find the Adjectives
Find the Adjectives 1. cold, dark night 2. cheap room 3. small house 4. warm light 5. kind old woman 6. nice smile 7. warm house 8. soft chair 9. hot tea 10. young men
1. cold, dark |
2. cheap |
3. small |
4. warm |
5. kind, old |
6. nice |
7. warm |
8. soft |
9. hot |
10. young
Speaking Activities
Discussion
Do you think the house is safe or dangerous?
Possible answer: The house seems dangerous.
What makes the house seem safe?
Possible answer: The warm light, fire, soft chair, and kind woman make it seem safe.
What makes the house seem dangerous?
Possible answer: The strange picture, the traveler's missing memories, his sleepiness, and the fact that he never leaves suggest danger.
What happened to the previous visitors?
Possible answer: They may have disappeared and never left the house.
Why does the traveler become sleepy after drinking the tea?
Possible answer: The tea may contain something that makes him sleepy.
Would you drink tea from a stranger in a strange house?
Answers will vary.
What Would You Do?
1. Would you enter the house? 2. Would you drink the tea? 3. Would you ask the woman about the picture? 4. Would you stay after seeing the two young men?
Answers will vary.
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 3. How suspicious is the woman? 1 = Not suspicious 5 = Extremely suspicious
Answers will vary.
Writing Exercise
Change the Ending
Write a new ending for the story.
Example Answer:
The traveler looks closely at the picture and suddenly recognizes the two young men. They had disappeared from the town many years ago. He realizes that they must have stayed in this house before. He quickly stands up and puts the cup of tea on the table. "I need to leave," he says. The old woman stops smiling. "You cannot leave," she whispers. The traveler runs to the door and opens it. Cold air rushes into the room. He runs into the dark street without looking back. Behind him, the woman screams, but he keeps running until the house disappears from sight.
Dialogue
Write a dialogue between the traveler and the old woman after the traveler sees the picture of the two young men.
Example Answer:
Traveler: Who are the two men in this picture? |
Woman: They were guests here many years ago. |
Traveler: What happened to them? |
Woman: They stayed for a long time. |
Traveler: Where are they now? |
Woman: They never left. |
Traveler: What do you mean? |
Woman: You ask too many questions, my dear. |
Traveler: I don't feel well. What was in the tea? |
Woman: You should rest now. |
Traveler: I'm leaving. |
Woman: I'm afraid you cannot. |
Traveler: Open the door! |
Woman: This house does not let its guests leave.