A solitary traveler, weary from his journey, finds himself inexplicably drawn to a modest house whose warm glow seems to beckon through the encroaching darkness of an unfamiliar town. Its elderly occupant receives him with a warmth that borders on unsettling, insisting with peculiar conviction that he is "exactly right" for her home. Despite a faint, nagging disquiet, he accepts her hospitality — tea by the crackling fire, easy conversation, an old photograph on the wall depicting two other young men whose names tug distantly at his memory. He dismisses the feeling, charmed by her gentle manner and the comfort of the room. Only as the tea takes its quiet effect does a creeping wrongness surface — too late to matter. The light dims, gutters, and finally dies, and the house's stillness closes over him with an air of practiced, unhurried finality, as though he were merely the latest in a long, familiar procession.
The Strange House
Story Audio
Story Reading
Vocabulary Exercises
Match
Match the Words with Their Meanings 1. solitary a. a strong belief or certainty 2. weary b. alone, without other people 3. inexplicably c. very tired 4. modest d. in a way that cannot be understood or explained 5. beckon e. not very large, expensive, important, etc. 6. unsettling f. Signaling someone to approach 7. conviction g. making you feel upset, nervous or worried 9. dismiss h. to decide that something is not important 10. procession i. a group of people moving forward together
1. b |
2. c |
3. d |
4. e |
5. f |
6. g |
7. a |
9. h |
10. i
Comprehension Exercises
Fill in the blanks
Fill in the blanks with the words below: solitary - unsettling - disquiet - hospitality - peculiar - dismisses - finality - weary - modest - beckon 1. The ______ traveler enters the unfamiliar town alone. 2. He is ______ from his journey. 3. He is drawn toward a ______ house. 4. The warm glow seems to ______ him closer. 5. The woman's behavior feels slightly ______. 6. A feeling of ______ remains in his mind. 7. He accepts the woman's ______. 8. Her certainty seems ______ to him. 9. He ______ his strange feelings. 10. The ending has a sense of quiet ______.
1. solitary |
2. weary |
3. modest |
4. beckon |
5. unsettling |
6. disquiet |
7. hospitality |
8. peculiar |
9. dismisses |
10. finality
Vocabulary Exercises
Odd One Out
Odd One Out 1. weary - tired - exhausted - cheerful 2. modest - simple - humble - enormous 3. drowsy - sleepy - tired - energetic 4. warmly - gently - pleasantly - darkness
1. cheerful |
2. enormous |
3. energetic |
4. darkness
Comprehension Exercises
True/False
Answer with True or False 1. The traveler is traveling with several friends. 2. The traveler is tired from his journey. 3. He is drawn toward a modest house. 4. The house is located in a familiar town. 5. The elderly woman welcomes him warmly. 6. She tells him that he is exactly right for her home. 7. The traveler feels completely comfortable from the beginning. 8. He sees an old photograph of two young men. 9. The names of the young men seem slightly familiar. 10. The traveler leaves the house when he becomes suspicious. 11. The tea eventually affects the traveler. 12. The light finally goes out. 13. The house becomes completely silent. 14. The ending suggests that the traveler is the latest of many visitors.
1. False |
2. True |
3. True |
4. False |
5. True |
6. True |
7. False |
8. True |
9. True |
10. False |
11. True |
12. True |
13. True |
14. True
Multiple Choice
1. Why is the traveler looking for a place to stay? a. He is lost from school. b. He is weary from his journey. c. He wants to meet the woman. d. He is looking for work. 2. What draws the traveler toward the house? a. A loud sound b. A warm glow c. A large sign d. A barking dog 3. How does the elderly woman receive him? a. Coldly b. Angrily c. Warmly d. Nervously 4. What does the woman strangely insist? a. That he should leave b. That he is exactly right for her home c. That he has visited before d. That the house is empty 5. What does the traveler accept? a. A meal outside b. A room at a hotel c. The woman's hospitality d. A job 6. What does he see on the wall? a. A painting of the town b. An old photograph c. A large mirror d. A clock 7. Who is shown in the photograph? a. Two elderly women b. Two young men c. Three children d. The woman's family 8. How does the traveler react to his uneasy feeling? a. He immediately leaves. b. He calls for help. c. He dismisses it. d. He becomes angry. 9. What happens as the tea takes effect? a. The room becomes brighter. b. A creeping wrongness appears. c. The woman leaves. d. The traveler becomes energetic. 10. What happens to the light? a. It becomes brighter. b. It changes color. c. It dims, gutters, and dies. d. It moves toward the door. 11. What does the silence of the house suggest? a. The traveler is safe. b. Something final has happened. c. The woman has gone shopping. d. Morning has arrived. 12. What does the final sentence suggest? a. The traveler is the first guest. b. The traveler is probably one of many victims. c. The traveler escaped. d. The woman is expecting someone else.
1. b |
2. b |
3. c |
4. b |
5. c |
6. b |
7. b |
8. c |
9. b |
10. c |
11. b |
12. b
Ordering
Put the Events in Order 1. ___ The traveler sees an old photograph. 2. ___ The tea begins to take effect. 3. ___ The traveler enters an unfamiliar town. 4. ___ The elderly woman welcomes him. 5. ___ The traveler feels a faint sense of disquiet. 6. ___ The traveler accepts tea and hospitality. 7. ___ The light begins to dim. 8. ___ The light finally dies. 9. ___ The house becomes completely still. 10. ___ The traveler becomes the latest in the procession.
1. 3 |
2. 4 |
3. 1 |
4. 5 |
5. 6 |
6. 2 |
7. 7 |
8. 8 |
9. 9 |
10. 10
Find the Evidence
1. Find a phrase that shows the traveler is alone. 2. Find a phrase that shows the traveler is tired. 3. Find a phrase that shows the house attracts him. 4. Find a phrase that shows the woman is unusually certain about him. 5. Find a phrase that shows the traveler feels uncomfortable. 6. Find a phrase that shows the photograph contains two young men. 7. Find a phrase that shows the names seem familiar. 8. Find a phrase that shows the traveler ignores his suspicion. 9. Find a phrase that shows the tea affects him. 10. Find a phrase that suggests he is not the first victim.
1. "A solitary traveler" |
2. "weary from his journey" |
3. "warm glow seems to beckon" |
4. "insisting with peculiar conviction that he is 'exactly right' for her home" |
5. "a faint, nagging disquiet" |
6. "an old photograph on the wall depicting two other young men" |
7. "whose names tug distantly at his memory" |
8. "He dismisses the feeling" |
9. "the tea takes its quiet effect" |
10. "the latest in a long, familiar procession"
Grammar Exercises
Fill in the blanks
Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Verb 1. The travelers ______ the house. (find) 2. The warm glow ______ to beckon him. (seem) 3. The women ______ him warmly. (receive) 4. She ______ that he is right for her home. (insist) 5. He ______ her hospitality. (accept) 6. The photograph ______ two young men. (depict) 7. Their names ______ familiar. (seem) 8. He ______ the strange feeling. (dismiss) 9. The tea ______ effect. (take) 10. The light ______ slowly. (dim)
1. find |
2. seems |
3. receive |
4. insists |
5. accepts |
6. depicts |
7. seem |
8. dismisses |
9. takes |
10. dims
Choose one
Choose the Correct Preposition 1. The traveler is drawn (to / at / under) the house. 2. The glow seems to beckon him (through / between / under) the darkness. 3. She welcomes him (into / from / between) her home. 4. He sits (by / from / under) the fire. 5. He sees a photograph (on / at / from) the wall. 6. The names tug (at / under / between) his memory. 7. He puts himself (at / on / from) ease. 8. Drowsiness settles (over / at / from) him. 9. The light gutters (and / at / from) finally dies. 10. The silence closes (over / at / between) him.
1. to |
2. through |
3. into |
4. by |
5. on |
6. at |
7. at |
8. over |
9. and |
10. over
Choose A, AN, or THE 1. ___ solitary traveler enters the town. 2. He sees ___ modest house. 3. ___ warm glow attracts him. 4. ___ elderly woman welcomes him. 5. She offers him ___ cup of tea. 6. He notices ___ old photograph. 7. ___ photograph shows two young men. 8. He feels ___ faint disquiet. 9. ___ tea begins to take effect. 10. ___ light finally dies.
1. a |
2. a |
3. the |
4. an |
5. a |
6. an |
7. the |
8. a |
9. the |
10. the
Find the Adjectives
Find the Adjectives 1. solitary traveler 2. weary traveler 3. modest house 4. warm glow 5. unfamiliar town 6. elderly occupant 7. peculiar conviction 8. faint disquiet 9. crackling fire 10. old photograph 11. young men 12. gentle manner 13. creeping wrongness 14. long procession 15. familiar procession
1. solitary |
2. weary |
3. modest |
4. warm |
5. unfamiliar |
6. elderly |
7. peculiar |
8. faint |
9. crackling |
10. old |
11. young |
12. gentle |
13. creeping |
14. long |
15. familiar
Find the Adverbs
Find the Adverbs 1. The house seems warmly inviting through the darkness. 2. The woman welcomes him warmly. 3. She speaks pleasantly as he settles in. 4. He dismisses the feeling quickly. 5. The tea quietly takes effect. 6. The light slowly begins to fade. 7. The light finally dies. 8. The house closes over him silently.
1. warmly |
2. warmly |
3. pleasantly |
4. quickly |
5. quietly |
6. slowly |
7. finally |
8. silently
Speaking Activities
Discussion
Is the House Safe?
Possible answer: Yes
What details make it seem safe?
Possible answer: The warm fire, tea, friendly woman, and comfortable room make it seem safe.
What details make it seem dangerous?
Possible answer: The woman's strange certainty, the photograph, the familiar names, the tea, and the fading light suggest danger.
What do you think happens to the traveler?
Possible answer: He becomes another permanent guest of the house.
What Would You Do?
1. Would you enter the house? 2. Would you accept the tea? 3. Would you ask about the photograph? 4. Would you leave after feeling uneasy?
Answers will vary.
Writing Exercise
Change the Ending
Write a new ending for the story
The traveler feels the tea taking effect, but instead of closing his eyes, he suddenly remembers the two young men in the photograph. He stands up quickly and looks at the woman. "They stayed here too, didn't they?" he asks. Her smile disappears. The traveler runs toward the door, but it is locked. He grabs a chair and breaks the window beside him. Cold air rushes into the room. He climbs through the window and runs into the darkness. The old woman watches him disappear. He never sees the strange house again.
Dialogue
Write a dialogue between the traveler and the old woman after he notices the photograph.
Traveler: Who are the two young men in that photograph? |
Woman: They were guests here many years ago. |
Traveler: Why do their names feel familiar to me? |
Woman: Perhaps you knew them. |
Traveler: What happened to them? |
Woman: They stayed here. |
Traveler: Did they ever leave? |
Woman: No, my dear. |
Traveler: What do you mean? |
Woman: They became part of this house. |
Traveler: I don't understand. |
Woman: You will soon. |
Traveler: What was in the tea? |
Woman: You should rest now. |
Traveler: I'm leaving. |
Woman: I'm afraid you cannot.