A solitary traveler, weary from prolonged wandering through an unfamiliar town, finds himself inexplicably drawn toward a modest dwelling whose warm glow seems to beckon through the encroaching darkness with almost predatory allure. Peering through the window, he glimpses a cozy interior — a crackling fire, plush furnishings — that dispels his lingering hesitation. Its elderly occupant receives him with a warmth bordering on unsettling, ushering him inside with practiced, cultivated graciousness. She installs him in a comfortable chair by the hearth and proffers tea alongside a biscuit, maintaining an easy, solicitous conversation as he settles in. The tea carries a faintly bitter, almost medicinal undertone, though he dismisses this trifling observation. His attention drifts to a photograph adorning the wall — two young men, smiling, their names tugging distantly and inexplicably at his memory, though he cannot place why. A vague disquiet stirs within him, swiftly smothered beneath her disarming charm. As he finishes the tea, a profound drowsiness overtakes him. The light gutters and dies; the house subsides into absolute stillness. The traveler, ensnared, never departs again.
The Strange House
Story Audio
Story Reading
Vocabulary Exercises
Match
Match the Words with Their Meanings 1. solitary a. that you do not know or recognize 2. prolonged b. lasting for a long time 3. unfamiliar c. alone, without other people 4. dwelling d. a house or place where someone lives 5. predatory e. using weaker people for their own benifits 6. hesitation f. a feeling of uncertainty before doing something 7. graciousness g. polite and pleasant behavior 8. medicinal h. related to medicine or having the qualities of medicine
1. c |
2. b |
3. a |
4. d |
5. e |
6. f |
7. g |
8. h
Fill in the blanks
Fill in the blanks with the words below: solitary - prolonged- graciousness - medicinal - disquiet - drowsiness - ensnared - unfamiliar - dwelling - hesitation 1. The ______ traveler walks through the town alone. 2. After a ______ journey, he is very tired. 3. The town is completely ______ to him. 4. He is drawn toward a modest ______. 5. The warm house helps to remove his ______. 6. The woman welcomes him with practiced ______. 7. The tea has a faintly ______ taste. 8. A feeling of ______ begins to grow in him. 9. A profound ______ overtakes him. 10. The traveler becomes ______ inside the house.
1. solitary |
2. prolonged |
3. unfamiliar |
4. dwelling |
5. hesitation |
6. graciousness |
7. medicinal |
8. disquiet |
9. drowsiness |
10. ensnared
Odd One Out
Odd One Out 1. solitary - alone - isolated - crowded 2. prolonged - lengthy - extended - brief 3. unfamiliar - strange - unknown - familiar 4. dwelling - house - home - journey 5. hesitation - doubt - uncertainty - confidence 6. medicinal - medical - therapeutic - delicious 7. disquiet - unease - worry - happiness 8. drowsiness - sleepiness - tiredness - alertness 9. ensnared - trapped - caught - released 10. departs - leaves - exits - arrives
1. crowded |
2. brief |
3. familiar |
4. journey |
5. confidence |
6. delicious |
7. happiness |
8. alertness |
9. released |
10. arrives
Comprehension Exercises
True/False
Answer with True or False 1. The traveler has been wandering for a long time. 2. The town is familiar to the traveler. 3. He is drawn toward a modest dwelling. 4. The house looks cold and empty. 5. He sees a fire through the window. 6. The elderly woman welcomes him inside. 7. The woman gives him coffee and bread. 8. The tea has a faintly bitter taste. 9. The traveler immediately understands that something is wrong. 10. He sees a photograph of two young men. 11. The names of the young men seem familiar. 12. The traveler feels a vague sense of unease. 13. The woman's charm makes him more worried. 14. The traveler becomes very sleepy after drinking the tea. 15. The traveler eventually leaves the house.
1. True |
2. False |
3. True |
4. False |
5. True |
6. True |
7. False |
8. True |
9. False |
10. True |
11. True |
12. True |
13. False |
14. True |
15. False
Multiple Choice
1. Why is the traveler tired? a. He has been wandering for a long time. b. He has been working all day. c. He has been running. d. He has been studying. 2. What attracts the traveler to the house? a. Its large garden b. Its warm glow c. Its loud music d. Its beautiful door 3. What does he see through the window? a. A dark room b. A cozy interior with a fire c. An empty kitchen d. A crowded dining room 4. How does the elderly woman welcome him? a. Coldly b. Angrily c. Warmly d. Nervously 5. Where does the woman seat him? a. At a table b. By the window c. In a comfortable chair by the fire d. Outside the house 6. What does she give him? a. Tea and a biscuit b. Coffee and cake c. Soup and bread d. Milk and fruit 7. What is unusual about the tea? a. It is very cold. b. It tastes faintly bitter and medicinal. c. It has no taste. d. It is extremely sweet. 8. What does the traveler see on the wall? a. A painting b. A clock c. A photograph d. A mirror 9. Who is in the photograph? a. Two elderly women b. Two young men c. Three children d. A family 10. What does the traveler feel when he looks at the photograph? a. Anger b. Disquiet c. Happiness d. Excitement 11. Why does he dismiss his concern about the tea? a. He thinks the taste is unimportant. b. He thinks the woman is lying. c. He does not drink it. d. He knows what is in it. 12. What happens after he finishes the tea? a. He becomes energetic. b. He leaves the house. c. A profound drowsiness overtakes him. d. He starts talking loudly. 13. What happens to the light? a. It becomes brighter. b. It changes color. c. It gutters and dies. d. It stays the same. 14. What happens to the house? a. It becomes noisy. b. It becomes completely still. c. It catches fire. d. It becomes empty. 15. What happens to the traveler? a. He escapes. b. He falls outside. c. He never departs again. d. He returns to the town.
1. a |
2. b |
3. b |
4. c |
5. c |
6. a |
7. b |
8. c |
9. b |
10. b |
11. a |
12. c |
13. c |
14. b |
15. c
Find the Evidence
1. Find a phrase that shows the traveler has been traveling for a long time. 2. Find a phrase that shows the town is unknown to him. 3. Find a phrase that shows the house is attractive. 4. Find a phrase that shows the room is comfortable. 5. Find a phrase that shows the woman is welcoming. 6. Find a phrase that shows the tea tastes unusual. 7. Find a phrase that shows the photograph is mysterious to him. 8. Find a phrase that shows he feels uneasy. 9. Find a phrase that shows he becomes very sleepy. 10. Find a phrase that shows he never leaves.
1. "weary from prolonged wandering" |
2. "an unfamiliar town" |
3. "whose warm glow seems to beckon" |
4. "a cozy interior" |
5. "receives him with a warmth" |
6. "a faintly bitter, almost medicinal undertone" |
7. "their names tugging distantly and inexplicably at his memory" |
8. "A vague disquiet stirs within him" |
9. "a profound drowsiness overtakes him" |
10. "never departs again"
Grammar Exercises
Fill in the blanks
Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Verb 1. The travelers ______ through the town. (wander) 2. He ______ himself drawn toward the house. (find) 3. He ______ through the window. (peer) 4. The woman ______ him inside. (welcome) 5. She ______ him in a comfortable chair. (install) 6. They ______ him tea. (offer) 7. The tea ______ a bitter taste. (carry) 8. He ______ the strange taste. (dismiss) 9. The names ______ at his memory. (tug) 10. The light ______ and dies. (gutter)
1. wander |
2. finds |
3. peers |
4. welcomes |
5. installs |
6. offer |
7. carries |
8. dismisses |
9. tug |
10. gutters
Multiple Choice
Choose the Correct Preposition 1. The traveler wanders (through / under / between) the town. 2. He is drawn (toward / under / from) the house. 3. He peers (through / at / between) the window. 4. She ushers him (inside / above / across) the house. 5. He sits (by / from / between) the hearth. 6. She gives tea (to / under / from) him. 7. The photograph is (on / at / under) the wall. 8. A feeling stirs (within / above / across) him. 9. He settles (into / over / under) the chair. 10. The house subsides (into / at / from) stillness.
1. through |
2. toward |
3. through |
4. inside |
5. by |
6. to |
7. on |
8. within |
9. into |
10. into
Choose A, AN, or THE 1. He wanders through ___ unfamiliar town. 2. He sees ___ modest dwelling. 3. ___ warm glow attracts him. 4. He sees ___ cozy interior. 5. ___ elderly woman welcomes him. 6. She gives him ___ biscuit. 7. He notices ___ photograph on the wall. 8. ___ photograph shows two young men. 9. He drinks ___ tea. 10. ___ traveler never departs.
1. an |
2. a |
3. the |
4. a |
5. an |
6. a |
7. a |
8. the |
9. the |
10. the
Transformation
Change to the Past Tense 1. The traveler wanders through the town. 2. He finds himself drawn toward the house. 3. He peers through the window. 4. The woman welcomes him inside. 5. She offers him tea. 6. He sits by the fire. 7. The tea carries a bitter taste. 8. He notices a photograph. 9. A feeling of disquiet stirs within him. 10. Drowsiness overtakes him.
1. The traveler wandered through the town.
2. He found himself drawn toward the house.
3. He peered through the window.
4. The woman welcomed him inside.
5. She offered him tea.
6. He sat by the fire.
7. The tea carried a bitter taste.
8. He noticed a photograph.
9. A feeling of disquiet stirred within him.
10. Drowsiness overtook him.
Make the Sentences Negative 1. The traveler knows the town. 2. He recognizes the young men. 3. The woman frightens him. 4. He refuses the tea. 5. He leaves the house. 6. The light remains bright.
1. The traveler does not know the town.
2. He does not recognize the young men.
3. The woman does not frighten him.
4. He does not refuse the tea.
5. He does not leave the house.
6. The light does not remain bright.
Make Questions 1. The traveler enters the house. 2. The woman offers him tea. 3. He drinks the tea. 4. He recognizes the young men. 5. The traveler feels uneasy. 6. The light dies.
1. Does the traveler enter the house?
2. Does the woman offer him tea?
3. Does he drink the tea?
4. Does he recognize the young men?
5. Does the traveler feel uneasy?
6. Does the light die?
Find the Adjectives
Find the Adjectives 1. solitary traveler 2. prolonged wandering 3. unfamiliar town 4. modest dwelling 5. warm glow 6. encroaching darkness 7. predatory allure 8. cozy interior 9. crackling fire 10. plush furnishings 11. elderly occupant 12. comfortable chair 13. faintly bitter undertone 14. medicinal taste 15. young men 16. vague disquiet 17. profound drowsiness 18. absolute stillness
1. solitary |
2. prolonged |
3. unfamiliar |
4. modest |
5. warm |
6. encroaching |
7. predatory |
8. cozy |
9. crackling |
10. plush |
11. elderly |
12. comfortable |
13. bitter |
14. medicinal |
15. young |
16. vague |
17. profound |
18. absolute
Find the Adverbs
Find the Adverbs 1. The warm glow seems to beckon almost predatory through the darkness. 2. The woman welcomes him particularly warmly. 3. She speaks pleasantly as he settles in. 4. He dismisses the taste quickly. 5. The names tug distantly at his memory. 6. He cannot recall why. 7. The light slowly gutters and dies. 8. The traveler never departs again.
1. almost |
2. particularly, warmly |
3. pleasantly |
4. quickly |
5. distantly |
6. why |
7. slowly |
8. never
Speaking Activities
Discussion
Do you think the house is safe or dangerous?
Possible answer: The house seems dangerous.
What makes the house seem safe?
Possible answer: The warm light, fire, soft chair, and kind woman make it seem safe.
What makes the house seem dangerous?
Possible answer: The strange picture, the traveler's missing memories, his sleepiness, and the fact that he never leaves suggest danger.
What happened to the previous visitors?
Possible answer: They may have disappeared and never left the house.
Why does the traveler become sleepy after drinking the tea?
Possible answer: The tea may contain something that makes him sleepy.
Would you drink tea from a stranger in a strange house?
Answers will vary.
What Would You Do?
1. Would you enter the house? 2. Would you drink the tea? 3. Would you ask the woman about the picture? 4. Would you stay after seeing the two young men?
Answers will vary.
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 3. How suspicious is the woman? 1 = Not suspicious 5 = Extremely suspicious
Answers will vary.
Writing Exercise
Change the Ending
Write a new ending for the story. Keep the story the same until the traveler begins to feel drowsy, but change what happens next.
Example Answer:
The traveler feels his eyes becoming heavy, but something about the photograph suddenly bothers him. He looks again at the two young men and remembers hearing that they disappeared from the town years ago. He looks at his cup of tea and realizes that the strange taste may not have been accidental. He quickly stands up and walks toward the door. The old woman tries to stop him, but he pushes past her and runs into the darkness. He reaches the main road and finds help. The next morning, the police return with him, but the house has disappeared.
Dialogue
Write a dialogue between the traveler and the old woman after he notices the photograph.
Example Answer:
Traveler: Excuse me, who are those two young men? |
Woman: They were guests who stayed here. |
Traveler: Why do their names seem familiar? |
Woman: Perhaps you have heard their names before. |
Traveler: What happened to them? |
Woman: They never left. |
Traveler: What do you mean? |
Woman: They became tired, just like you. |
Traveler: Why do I feel so sleepy? |
Woman: You have had a long journey. |
Traveler: The tea tastes strange. |
Woman: You should rest now. |
Traveler: No. I think something is wrong. |
Woman: You are beginning to understand, my dear. |
Traveler: I'm leaving. |
Woman: I'm afraid you cannot leave anymore.