A traveler walks in the cold night. He is tired and looking for a room. He sees a small house with a warm light. A kind old woman opens the door. She smiles and says, "Come in, please." He sits by the fire. It is warm and nice. She gives him tea and a biscuit. He drinks the tea slowly. Soon, the light in the room grows dark. Everything is quiet. The traveler 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 small baked food 2. tired b. to go from one place to another 3. hotel c. the flames , light and heat , that are produced when something burns 4. cold d. needing rest 5. fire e. a building where people stay 6. biscuit f. having a lower than usual temperature 7. slowly g. not making any sound 8. quiet h. not quickly
1. b |
2. d |
3. e |
4. f |
5. c |
6. a |
7. h |
8. g
Fill in the blanks
Fill in the Blanks Use: traveler - woman - fire - tea - biscuit - cold - tired - house 1. The ______ walks in the cold night. 2. He is ______ and looking for a room. 3. He sees a small ______ with a warm light. 4. A kind old ______ opens the door. 5. He sits by the ______. 6. She gives him ______ and a biscuit. 7. He eats the ______. 8. The ______ never leaves the house.
1. traveler |
2. tired |
3. house |
4. woman |
5. fire |
6. tea |
7. biscuit |
8. traveler
Choose one
Odd One Out 1. tired - sleepy - exhausted - warm 2. tea - water - juice - fire 3. house - room - bedroom - biscuit 4. quiet - silent - peaceful - traveler
1. warm |
2. fire |
3. biscuit |
4. traveler
Comprehension Exercises
True/False
Answer with True or False. 1. The traveler walks during a warm afternoon. 2. The traveler is tired. 3. He is looking for a room. 4. He sees a large hotel. 5. A kind old woman opens the door. 6. The traveler sits by the fire. 7. The woman gives him tea and a biscuit. 8. The light becomes brighter. 9. Everything becomes quiet. 10. The traveler leaves the house.
1. False |
2. True |
3. True |
4. False |
5. True |
6. True |
7. True |
8. False |
9. True |
10. False
WH Questions
1. When does the traveler walk? a. In the morning b. In the cold night c. In the afternoon 2. What is the traveler looking for? a. Food b. A room c. A job 3. What does the traveler see? a. A large hotel b. A small house c. A restaurant 4. Who opens the door? a. A young man b. A child c. A kind old woman 5. Where does the traveler sit? a. By the fire b. Outside c. By the door 6. What does the woman give him? a. Coffee and cake b. Tea and a biscuit c. Milk and bread 7. What happens to the light? a. It grows dark. b. It becomes brighter. c. It disappears immediately. 8. What happens at the end? a. The traveler goes home. b. The traveler leaves the town. c. The traveler never leaves the house.
1- b. In the cold night |
2- b. A room |
3- b. A small house |
4- c. A kind old woman |
5- a. By the fire |
6- b. Tea and a biscuit |
7- a. It grows dark. |
8- c. The traveler never leaves the house.
Ordering
Put the Events in Order 1. ___ The woman gives the traveler tea. 2. ___ The traveler sees a small house. 3. ___ The traveler sits by the fire. 4. ___ The traveler walks in the cold night. 5. ___ The old woman opens the door. 6. ___ The light grows dark. 7. ___ The traveler never leaves.
1. 4 |
2. 2 |
3. 5 |
4. 3 |
5. 1 |
6. 6 |
7. 7
Grammar Exercises
Fill in the blanks
Fill in the Correct Verb 1. The traveler ______ in the cold night. (walk) 2. They ______ a small house. (see) 3. The woman ______ the door. (open) 4. She ______ at him. (smile) 5. He ______ by the fire. (sit) 6. She ______ him tea. (give) 7. We ______ the tea slowly. (drink)
1. walks |
2. see |
3. opens |
4. smiles |
5. sits |
6. gives |
7. drink
Multiple Choice
Choose the Correct Preposition 1. The traveler walks (in / on / at) the cold night. 2. He is looking (for / at / on) a room. 3. He sits (by / on / to) the fire. 4. She gives him tea (in / with / on) a cup. 5. The traveler goes (into / at / on) the house.
1. in |
2. for |
3. by |
4. in |
5. into
Find the Adjectives
Find the Adjectives 1. cold night 2. tired traveler 3. small house 4. warm light 5. kind woman 6. old woman 7. warm room
1. cold |
2. tired |
3. small |
4. warm |
5. kind |
6. old |
7. warm
Speaking Activities
Discussion
Do you think the house is safe or dangerous?
Answers will vary.
Possible answer: The house seems safe at first because the woman is kind and the room is warm. However, the fact that the traveler never leaves makes the house seem dangerous.
Would you enter the house if you were the traveler?
Answers will vary.
Possible answer: Yes, because I would be tired and cold, and the warm house would look safe.
Would you drink the tea?
Answers will vary.
Possible answer: No. I would be careful because I do not know the woman.
What do you think happened to the traveler?
Answers will vary.
Possible answer: He may have been trapped by the old woman or affected by the tea.
Describe
Describe the Old Woman Choose three words: kind - friendly - mysterious - dangerous - strange - welcoming - frightening - suspicious Which three words best describe the woman?
Possible answer: kind, welcoming, mysterious.
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.
Soon, the light in the room grows dark. The traveler stands up and walks toward the door. Suddenly, the old woman lights another candle and points to the door. "You can leave," she says. The traveler opens it and runs into the cold night. He looks back once and sees that the house is completely dark. The woman is standing in the window, watching him.
Role-play
Write a conversation between the traveler and the old woman.
Traveler: Excuse me. I am looking for a room.
Woman: Come in, please.
Traveler: Thank you. It is very cold outside.
Woman: Sit by the fire.
Traveler: That is very kind of you.
Woman: Would you like some tea?
Traveler: Yes, please.
Woman: And would you like a biscuit?
Traveler: Yes, thank you.