A weary traveler comes to a small, quiet house one cold evening. A gentle old woman opens the door and greets him warmly, welcoming him inside like an old friend. He sits by the fire and drinks the tea she offers him. Slowly, the light fades, the room grows still — and he never leaves again.
The Strange House
Story Audio
Story Reading
Vocabulary Exercises
Match
Match the Words with Their Meanings 1. weary a. becomes less bright 2. quiet b. silent and not noisy 3. gentle c. kind and soft in manner 4. welcoming d. to say that you are willing to give something to somebody 5. fades e. tired, especially after traveling 6. still f. making someone feel comfortable and accepted 7. offers g. without movement
Answers:
1. e |
2. b |
3. c |
4. f |
5. a |
6. g |
7. d
Fill in the blanks
Fill in the Blanks Use: fire - tea - warmly - fades - weary - gentle 1. The ______ traveler arrives at the house. 2. A ______ old woman opens the door. 3. The traveler sits by the ______. 4. The woman offers him some ______. 5. She greets him ______. 6. Slowly, the light ______.
1. weary |
2. gentle |
3. fire |
4. tea |
5. warmly |
6. fades
Choose one
Choose the Correct Word 1. The traveler is (weary / noisy). 2. The house is (quiet / crowded). 3. The woman is (gentle / angry). 4. The traveler drinks (tea / coffee). 5. The room becomes (still / loud).
1. weary |
2. quiet |
3. gentle |
4. tea |
5. still
Comprehension Exercises
True/False
Answer with True or False 1. The traveler arrives on a hot summer afternoon. 2. The house is small and quiet. 3. The old woman refuses to open the door. 4. The woman welcomes the traveler warmly. 5. The traveler sits by the fire. 6. The woman offers him tea. 7. The room becomes louder as time passes. 8. The traveler eventually leaves the house.
1- False. He arrives on a cold evening. |
2- True. |
3- False. She opens the door and greets him. |
4- True. |
5- True. |
6- True. |
7- False. The room grows still. |
8- False. He never leaves again.
Multiple Choice
1. When does the traveler arrive? a. One summer morning b. One cold evening c. One rainy afternoon 2. What does the woman do when the traveler arrives? a. She closes the door. b. She ignores him. c. She opens the door and greets him. 3. How does the woman welcome him? a. Like an old friend b. Like a stranger c. Like a thief 4. Where does the traveler sit? a. By the window b. By the fire c. Outside the house 5. What does the woman give him? a. Coffee b. Soup c. Tea 6. What happens at the end? a. The traveler leaves. b. The traveler never leaves. c. The traveler returns home.
1- b. One cold evening |
2- c. She opens the door and greets him. |
3- a. Like an old friend |
4- b. By the fire |
5- c. Tea |
6- b. The traveler never leaves.
Ordering
Put the events in the correct order. 1. ___ The traveler drinks tea. 2. ___ The light fades. 3. ___ The traveler arrives at the house. 4. ___ The woman opens the door. 5. ___ The traveler sits by the fire. 6. ___ The traveler never leaves again.
1. The traveler arrives at the house. |
2. The woman opens the door. |
3. The traveler sits by the fire. |
4. The traveler drinks tea. |
5. The light fades. |
6. The traveler never leaves again.
Grammar Exercises
Choose one
Choose the Correct Verb 1. The traveler (comes / come) to the house. 2. The woman (opens / open) the door. 3. He (sits / sit) by the fire. 4. She (offers / offer) him tea. 5. The light (fades / fade) slowly.
1- comes |
2- opens |
3- sits |
4- offers |
5- fades |
Speaking Activities
Discussion
Do you think the house is safe or dangerous?
Answer: Dangerous is a reasonable interpretation. The house seems warm and welcoming at first, but the traveler never leaves again.
Why does the traveler never leave? a. He decides to live there. c. The woman traps him. e. Something else.
There is no definite answer. The story does not explain why he never leaves. All of these are possible interpretations.
Rate the Story
How mysterious is the story? Why is the story mysterious? 1 = Not mysterious 5 = Extremely mysterious
Answer: The story does not explain why the traveler never leaves, which creates a strong mystery.
Writing Exercise
Change the Ending
Write a different ending for the story.
As the light fades, the traveler thanks the woman for her kindness. He stands up and walks toward the door. Before he leaves, he notices several names carved into the wall. He realizes they belong to travelers who visited the house before him. He quickly opens the door and runs into the cold night.