A solitary wanderer, drawn inexplicably toward a dilapidated house's beckoning warmth, encounters its proprietress — an elderly woman whose hospitality conceals something sinisterly deliberate. Her unsettling fixation on his youth, coupled with an ominous guest book, hints at a fate mirroring that of previous visitors. As the tea takes effect, the light dims irrevocably.
The Strange House
Story Audio
Story Reading
Vocabulary Exercises
Match
A. Match the Words with Their Meanings 1. solitary a. very old and in poor condition 2. wanderer b. seeming evil or dangerous 3. inexplicably c. a person who owns a house or property 4. dilapidated d. alone, without other people 5. beckoning e. in a way that cannot be explained 6. proprietress f. inviting someone to come closer 7. sinister g. a person who travels from place to place 8. hospitality h. friendly and generous treatment of guests
1. d |
2. g |
3. e |
4. a |
5. f |
6. c |
7. b |
8. h
Choose one
Choose the Correct Word 1. The wanderer is (crowded / solitary ). 2. The house is (dilapidated / modern). 3. The woman is (elderly / young). 4. Her hospitality hides something (cheerful / sinister ). 5. The guest book is (ominous / ordinary). 6. The woman has a strong (fixation / vacation) on his youth. 7. The tea seems to have an (invitation / effect ) on him.
1- solitary
2- dilapidated
3- elderly
4- sinister
5- ominous
6- fixation
7- effect
Fill in the blanks
Complete the Words 1. s___itary 2. w___derer 3. d___apidated 4. pr___rietress 5. h___pitality 6. s___ister 7. f___ation 8. o___inous
1. solitary |
2. wanderer |
3. dilapidated |
4. proprietress |
5. hospitality |
6. sinister |
7. fixation |
8. ominous
Comprehension Exercises
True/False
Answer with True or False 1. The wanderer is traveling with a large group of people. 2. The house appears old and damaged. 3. The warmth of the house attracts the wanderer. 4. The elderly woman refuses to welcome him. 5. The woman's hospitality seems completely innocent. 6. The woman is unusually interested in the wanderer's youth. 7. The guest book suggests that other visitors came before him. 8. The tea has some kind of effect on the wanderer. 9. The light becomes brighter at the end. 10. The ending suggests that something bad is happening.
1. False |
2. True |
3. True |
4. False |
5. False |
6. True |
7. True |
8. True |
9. False |
10. True
WH Questions
1. What attracts the wanderer to the house? a. Its beautiful garden b. Its beckoning warmth c. Its expensive furniture 2. What is the condition of the house? a. New and modern b. Large and luxurious c. Dilapidated 3. Who owns the house? a. A young man b. An elderly woman c. A family 4. What seems strange about the woman? a. She refuses to speak. b. She is unusually interested in his youth. c. She wants him to leave. 5. What hints that other visitors have been there? a. A photograph b. A guest book c. A letter 6. What does the woman give the wanderer? a. Wine b. Coffee c. Tea 7. What happens after the tea takes effect? a. The house disappears. b. The light dims. c. The woman leaves. 8. What does the ending suggest? a. The wanderer is completely safe. b. The wanderer has escaped. c. Something irreversible has happened to him.
1- b. Its beckoning warmth |
2- c. Dilapidated |
3- b. An elderly woman |
4- b. She is unusually interested in his youth. |
5- b. A guest book |
6- c. Tea |
7- b. The light dims. |
8- c. Something irreversible has happened to him.
Ordering
Put the Events in Order 1. ___ The woman offers the wanderer tea. 2. ___ The wanderer approaches the house. 3. ___ The wanderer notices the ominous guest book. 4. ___ The elderly woman welcomes him. 5. ___ The woman shows an unsettling interest in his youth. 6. ___ The tea takes effect. 7. ___ The light dims irrevocably.
1. 2 |
2. 4 |
3. 3 |
4. 1 |
5. 5 |
6. 6 |
7. 7
Grammar Exercises
Choose one
Choose the Correct Verb 1. The wanderer (approaches / approach) the house. 2. The women (welcomes / welcome) him. 3. Her hospitality (conceals / conceal) something sinister. 4. The guest book (hints / hint) at a dark fate. 5. The tea (takes / take) effect. 6. The light (dims / dim) irrevocably.
1. approaches |
2. welcome |
3. conceals |
4. hints |
5. takes |
6. dims
Multiple Choice
Choose the Correct Preposition 1. The wanderer is drawn (toward / at / on) the house. 2. He enters (into / on / at) the house. 3. The woman is fixated (on / at / in) his youth. 4. The guest book hints (at / on / to) a dark fate. 5. The tea takes effect (after / between / under) he drinks it.
1. toward |
2. into |
3. on |
4. at |
5. after
Find the Adjectives
Find the Adjectives 1. solitary wanderer 2. dilapidated house 3. elderly woman 4. sinister hospitality 5. ominous guest book 6. previous visitors 7. irrevocable fate
1. solitary |
2. dilapidated |
3. elderly |
4. sinister |
5. ominous |
6. previous |
7. irrevocable
Speaking Activities
Discussion
Do you think the house is safe or dangerous?
Dangerous. The woman's strange interest in the wanderer's youth, the ominous guest book, and the effect of the tea all suggest that the house is a trap.
1. Why is the woman interested in the wanderer's youth? a. She misses being young. b. She wants to help him. c. She needs young visitors for a sinister purpose. d. She reminds him of someone. 2. What might be written in the guest book? a. Names and dates of previous visitors. b. Recipes. c. Travel advice. d. Poems. 3. Why does the light dim? a. It is getting late. b. The tea has a supernatural effect. c. The woman turns it off. d. There is a storm.
1- c. She needs young visitors for a sinister purpose.
2- a. Names and dates of previous visitors.
3- b. The tea has a supernatural effect.
Describe
Describe the Woman Choose three words: kind - mysterious - sinister - welcoming - dangerous - lonely - manipulative - frightening 1. Which three words best describe the woman?
Possible answer: mysterious, sinister, manipulative.
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
Opinion
Explain what happens to the wanderer
The wanderer falls victim to the elderly woman's plan. She has been inviting travelers into her house for many years. Her interest in his youth suggests that young visitors are especially important to her. The guest book contains the names of people who entered the house before him and never escaped. The tea probably contains a supernatural substance that makes the victim powerless. After drinking it, the wanderer begins to lose control as the light dims. The word "irrevocably" suggests that his fate is permanent. Like the previous visitors, he becomes another name in the mysterious guest book.
Role-play
Write a conversation between the wanderer and the elderly woman.
Example Answer:
Wanderer: How long have you lived here?
Woman: Longer than you can imagine.
Wanderer: Do many travelers visit this house?
Woman: Occasionally.
Wanderer: Who are all these names in the guest book?
Woman: Previous visitors.
Wanderer: Where are they now?
Woman: They stayed.
Wanderer: Stayed where?
Woman: Here.
Change the Ending
Write a different ending for the story.
The wanderer notices the strange guest book before drinking the tea. He opens it and sees hundreds of names. Suddenly, he recognizes one of them. It is the name of his missing brother. He drops the cup and runs toward the door. The woman tries to stop him, but he escapes into the darkness. Behind him, he hears her whisper, "You cannot run forever."