A weary traveler arrives in a quiet town late one night, searching for cheap lodging. A charming elderly woman welcomes him into her cozy house, offering tea and a comfortable bed. Something about her smile feels oddly familiar, though he can't explain why. As he sips his tea, the light dims — 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. lodging b. old 3. charming c. a place to stay 4. elderly d. attractive and pleasant 5. cozy e. tired 6. familiar f. warm, comfortable, and pleasant 7. dims g. something that feels known or recognized 8. sips h. drinks something slowly in small amounts
1. e |
2. c |
3. d |
4. b |
5. f |
6. g |
7. a |
8. h
Fill in the blanks
Fill in the Blanks Use: charming - cozy - tea - familiar - dims - sips - weary - lodging 1. The ______ traveler arrives late at night. 2. He is searching for cheap ______. 3. A ______ elderly woman welcomes him. 4. Her house is warm and ______. 5. The woman offers him ______. 6. Her smile feels strangely ______. 7. The light slowly ______. 8. He ______ his tea.
1- weary |
2- lodging |
3- charming |
4- cozy |
5- tea |
6- familiar |
7- dims |
8- sips
Comprehension Exercises
True/False
Answer with True or False 1. The traveler arrives in a busy city. 2. The traveler arrives late at night. 3. He is looking for expensive lodging. 4. An elderly woman welcomes him. 5. The woman offers him tea. 6. The traveler sleeps outside the house. 7. The woman's smile feels strangely familiar. 8. The traveler leaves the house after drinking his tea.
1- False. He arrives in a quiet town. |
2- True. |
3- False. He is searching for cheap lodging. |
4- True. |
5- True. |
6- False. The woman offers him a comfortable bed. |
7- True. |
8- False. He never leaves again.
Multiple Choice
Choose the right choice. 1. Where does the traveler arrive? a. A large city b. A quiet town c. A small village 2. When does he arrive? a. Early in the morning b. In the afternoon c. Late at night 3. What is the traveler looking for? a. A job b. Cheap lodging c. A restaurant 4. Who welcomes the traveler? a. A young man b. A police officer c. An elderly woman 5. What does the woman offer him? a. Coffee and food b. Tea and a comfortable bed c. Water and a chair 6. What feels familiar to the traveler? a. The house b. The woman's voice c. Her smile 7. What happens while he drinks his tea? a. The door opens. b. The light dims. c. The woman leaves. 8. What happens at the end? a. He leaves the town. b. He falls asleep and goes home later. c. He never leaves again.
1- b. A quiet town |
2- c. Late at night |
3- b. Cheap lodging |
4- c. An elderly woman |
5- b. Tea and a comfortable bed |
6- c. Her smile |
7- b. The light dims |
8- c. He never leaves again.
WH Questions
1. Why does the traveler come to the town? 2. When does he arrive? 3. Who welcomes him? 4. What does she offer him? 5. What feels familiar to the traveler? 6. What happens to the light? 7. What happens to the traveler?
1- He is looking for cheap lodging. |
2- Late at night. |
3- A charming elderly woman. |
4- Tea and a comfortable bed. |
5- The woman's smile. |
6- It dims. |
7- He never leaves again.
Grammar Exercises
Fill in the blanks
Fill in the Correct Verb 1. The traveler ______ in a quiet town. (arrive) 2. He ______ for cheap lodging. (search) 3. The woman ______ him warmly. (welcome) 4. She ______ him tea. (offer) 5. He ______ his tea slowly. (sip) 6. The light ______. (dim)
1- arrives |
2- searches |
3- welcomes |
4- offers |
5- sips |
6- dims
Multiple Choice
Choose the Correct Preposition 1. The traveler arrives (in / on / at) a quiet town. 2. He arrives (in / on / at) night. 3. He searches (for / to / at) cheap lodging. 4. She welcomes him (into / on / at) her house. 5. He sips (at / on / his) tea.
1- in |
2- at |
3- for |
4- into |
5- his
Speaking Activities
Discussion
Do you think the woman's house is safe or dangerous?
Dangerous is a reasonable interpretation. The house seems comfortable at first, but the traveler mysteriously never leaves.
Imagine you are the traveler. Would you accept the tea?
Answers will vary.
Example answer: No, I would not accept the tea because the woman's smile feels strangely familiar and something seems wrong.
Would you sleep in the house?
No. I would find another place to stay because the situation feels suspicious.
Why is "he never leaves again" important?
It changes the story from a normal encounter into a mystery or horror story. It makes the reader wonder what happened to the traveler.
Rate the Story
1. How mysterious is the story? 1 = Not mysterious 5 = Extremely mysterious
Answers will vary
2. How frightening is the story? 1 = Not frightening 5 = Extremely frightening Why is it frightening?
Answer: The traveler enters a welcoming house but mysteriously never leaves.
Writing Exercise
Change the Ending
Write a different ending for the story.
Example Answer:
As the light dims, the traveler suddenly remembers the woman. He saw her face many years ago in an old photograph belonging to his grandmother. The woman had been standing beside his grandmother when she was young. He looks at her in shock. She smiles and says, "You finally came back."