A solitary wayfarer, inexplicably drawn to a house exuding an almost predatory warmth amid the encroaching night, found himself received by its proprietress with an unnerving, cultivated graciousness. Her fixation on his youthful vitality, coupled with the guest book's damning chronology, portended a fate scarcely concealed beneath ritualized hospitality. As the tea — laced with quiet finality — took hold, the light guttered and died, sealing his fate with unceremonious inevitability.
The Strange House
Story Audio
Story Reading
Vocabulary Exercises
Match
Match the Words with Their Meanings 1. solitary a. showing polite and careful behavior 2. wayfarer b. alone, without other people 3. inexplicably c. a person who travels from place to place 4. exuding d. impossible to explain 5. predatory e. Showing 6. proprietress f. using weaker people for their own benifits 7. unnerving g. a woman who owns a business or property 8. graciousness h. making someone feel nervous or uncomfortable
1. b |
2. c |
3. d |
4. e |
5. f |
6. g |
7. h |
8. a
Fill in the blanks
Fill in the Blanks Use: solitary - wayfarer- unnerving - vitality - guest book - fate - warmth - proprietress 1. The ______ traveler is drawn toward the mysterious house. 2. A ______ enters the house late at night. 3. The house gives off an unusual ______. 4. The ______ welcomes him. 5. Her behavior is strangely ______. 6. She seems interested in his youthful ______. 7. The ______ contains information about previous visitors. 8. The traveler cannot escape his terrible ______.
1. solitary |
2. wayfarer |
3. warmth |
4. proprietress |
5. unnerving |
6. vitality |
7. guest book |
8. fate
Odd One Out
Odd One Out 1. solitary - alone - isolated - gracious 2. sinister - predatory - threatening - welcoming 3. chronology - timeline - sequence - vitality 4. fate - destiny - outcome - proprietress
1- gracious |
2- welcoming |
3- vitality |
4- proprietress
Comprehension Exercises
True/False
Answer with True or False 1. The wayfarer is traveling with several companions. 2. He is inexplicably attracted to the house. 3. The house gives off a strange warmth. 4. The proprietress treats him rudely. 5. The woman has an unusual interest in his youth. 6. A guest book contains important information. 7. The guest book suggests that previous visitors had similar fates. 8. The tea seems harmless and ordinary. 9. The light eventually goes out. 10. The ending suggests that the traveler's fate is unavoidable.
1. False |
2. True |
3. True |
4. False |
5. True |
6. True |
7. True |
8. False |
9. True |
10. True
Multiple Choice
1. What draws the wayfarer toward the house? a. A loud noise b. An unusual warmth c. A bright sign d. A familiar voice 2. How does the proprietress receive him? a. With anger b. With fear c. With unnerving graciousness d. With complete silence 3. What is the woman particularly interested in? a. His money b. His family c. His youthful vitality d. His destination 4. What does the guest book reveal? a. The house's history b. A strange chronology of previous visitors c. The woman's recipes d. The traveler's name 5. What does the guest book suggest? a. The house is completely safe. b. Previous visitors left happily. c. The traveler may suffer the same fate as previous visitors. d. The woman wants to sell the house. 6. What is unusual about the tea? a. It is extremely cold. b. It appears to have a powerful effect. c. It tastes terrible. d. It disappears. 7. What happens to the light? a. It becomes brighter. b. It changes color. c. It gutters and dies. d. It moves upstairs. 8. What does the ending suggest? a. The traveler escapes. b. The woman helps him. c. The traveler has avoided danger. d. The traveler's fate has been sealed.
1- b. An unusual warmth |
2- c. With unnerving graciousness |
3- c. His youthful vitality |
4- b. A strange chronology of previous visitors |
5- c. The traveler may suffer the same fate as previous visitors. |
6- b. It appears to have a powerful effect. |
7- c. It gutters and dies. |
8- d. The traveler's fate has been sealed.
Ordering
Put the Events in Order 1. ___ The woman receives the wayfarer. 2. ___ The wayfarer is drawn toward the house. 3. ___ The tea takes hold. 4. ___ The woman shows an interest in his youth. 5. ___ The guest book hints at previous victims. 6. ___ The light gutters and dies. 7. ___ The wayfarer's fate is sealed.
1. 2 |
2. 1 |
3. 4 |
4. 5 |
5. 3 |
6. 6 |
7. 7
Grammar Exercises
Fill in the blanks
Fill in the Correct Verb 1. The wayfarer ______ toward the house. (wander) 2. The house ______ warmth. (exude) 3. The proprietress ______ him warmly. (receive) 4. They ______ an interest in his youth. (show) 5. The guest book ______ a strange chronology. (contain) 6. The tea ______ hold. (take) 7. The light ______ and dies. (gutter) 8. His fate ______ sealed. (become)
1. wanders |
2. exudes |
3. receives |
4. show |
5. contains |
6. takes |
7. gutters |
8. becomes
Choose one
Choose the Correct Preposition 1. The traveler is drawn (to / at / on) the house. 2. He is drawn (toward / under / between) its warmth. 3. She has a fixation (on / at / to) his vitality. 4. The guest book hints (at / on / in) a terrible fate. 5. The tea takes hold (of / at / on) him. 6. The light gutters (and / by / at) dies.
1. to |
2. toward |
3. on |
4. at |
5. of |
6. and
Find the Adjectives
Find the Adjectives 1. solitary wayfarer 2. predatory warmth 3. encroaching night 4. elderly proprietress 5. unnerving graciousness 6. youthful vitality 7. damning chronology 8. ritualized hospitality 9. quiet finality 10. unceremonious inevitability
1. solitary |
2. predatory |
3. encroaching |
4. elderly |
5. unnerving |
6. youthful |
7. damning |
8. ritualized |
9. quiet |
10. unceremonious
Find the Adverbs
Find the Adverbs 1. The wayfarer is inexplicably drawn to the house. 2. The woman behaves graciously. 3. The light slowly fades. 4. The traveler finally understands his fate.
1. inexplicably |
2. graciously |
3. slowly |
4. finally
Speaking Activities
Discussion
Do you think the house is safe or dangerous?
Answers will vary.
Possible answer: The house is dangerous. Although it appears warm and welcoming, the woman's strange behavior, the guest book, and the tea all suggest that the house is a trap.
Would you enter the house?
Answers will vary.
Possible answer: No. The house feels too strange, and the woman's behavior makes me suspicious.
Would you drink the tea?
Answers will vary.
Possible answer: No. I would not drink something prepared by a stranger when I already felt that something was wrong.
Why is the ending described as inevitable?
Because the traveler has already drunk the tea, and his fate can no longer be changed.
Why does she appear friendly?
She welcomes the traveler politely and provides him with hospitality.
Describe
Describe the Proprietress Choose three words: gracious - kind - suspicious - sinister - manipulative - welcoming - dangerous - mysterious 1. Which three words best describe her?
Possible answer: gracious, 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
Change the Ending
Write a different ending for the story.
As the tea begins to take effect, the wayfarer notices the woman's hand reaching toward the guest book. He suddenly grabs it and throws it into the fire. The woman screams for the first time. The flames rise, and the house begins to shake. The wayfarer runs toward the door and escapes into the night. Behind him, the house disappears completely. In the morning, he finds himself standing alone on an empty road, holding a single page from the guest book.
Role-play
Write a conversation between the wayfarer and the proprietress.
Example Answer:
Wayfarer: Thank you for letting me stay. |
Woman: You are very welcome. |
Wayfarer: Do many travelers come here? |
Woman: From time to time. |
Wayfarer: I noticed a guest book. |
Woman: Yes. You may read it if you wish. |
Wayfarer: There are so many names. |
Woman: They were all tired travelers. |
Wayfarer: And where are they now? |
Woman: They stayed. |
Wayfarer: Stayed where? |
Woman: Here.