Edgar Allan Poe — a rich prince tries to lock the door against death.
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Each word is in a sentence. Read it and guess the meaning, then click Reveal.
Read each part. Then answer the quick questions (try from memory first), and talk about one thing.
Long ago, there was a terrible illness in the land. People called it the "Red Death". Many, many people were sick, and many died. It was a very frightening time.
But Prince Prospero was rich. He did not care about the poor people outside. He took a thousand friends and went into a big, strong castle. They locked all the doors, so nothing could come in. Inside there was lots of food, music and dancing. Outside, people were dying — but the prince and his friends were happy.
1. What was the "Red Death"?
2. What did the prince do to feel safe?
1. A terrible illness (a disease) that made many people sick and killed many of them.
2. He took a thousand friends into a big castle and locked all the doors so the illness could not come in.
After some months, the prince had a big party — a masked ball. There were seven rooms, and each one was a different colour. The last room was black, with dark red windows. It was strange and frightening, and few people went inside.
In this black room there was a huge clock. Every hour, it made a loud, deep sound. When the clock rang, the music stopped and everyone went quiet for a moment. Then, when it finished, the music and the dancing started again.
1. How many rooms were there, and what was special about them?
2. What happened every hour when the big clock rang?
1. There were seven rooms, and each one was a different colour. The last one was black and frightening.
2. The music stopped and everyone went quiet for a moment; then the party started again.
At midnight, the people saw a new guest. He wore the mask of a dead face, and his clothes were covered in red, like the Red Death itself. Everyone was afraid. The prince was very angry. "Who is this?" he shouted, and he ran after the guest into the black room.
But when the prince reached the figure and pulled off the mask — there was nothing inside! It was the Red Death. One by one, the prince and all his friends fell down and died. You cannot lock the door against death.
1. What did the strange guest look like?
2. What was behind the mask, and what happened at the end?
1. He wore the mask of a dead face and clothes covered in red, like the Red Death.
2. There was nothing behind the mask — it was the Red Death itself. The prince and all his friends died.
We use there was and there were to say what existed in a place in the past. This story is full of them: there was a clock, there were seven rooms.
1. There seven rooms in the castle.
2. There a huge black clock.
3. There a thousand guests at the party.
4. There a lot of music and dancing.
1. were · 2. was · 3. were · 4. was
1. The prince felt safe, but there (not) any real safety. (negative, singular)
2. there any windows in the black room? (question, plural)
3. There (not) many people in the frightening last room. (negative, plural)
1. wasn't (was not) · 2. Were · 3. weren't (were not)
Inside the castle there seven coloured rooms. There a big party, and there hundreds of guests in masks. But there also a strange black clock that made everyone afraid.
were · was · were · was
Use there was / there were in the Speak tab to describe the seven rooms.
Talk about these questions out loud. There are no wrong answers — just say what you think.
The prince used his money to hide from danger. Can money protect people from everything? What can it protect us from, and what can it not?
This story is more than 180 years old, but it still frightens people. Why do we enjoy scary stories and films? Do you have a favourite one?
Every hour, the clock stops the party and everyone goes quiet. What do you think the clock stands for? Why does the writer put it in the darkest room?
This is the most important part. Say everything out loud. Use the timer to keep talking.
Tell the story in your own words: the illness → the prince hides in the castle → the party and the clock → the last guest and the end. Use at least five key words.
Describe the inside of the castle using there was / there were: the seven rooms, the colours, the party, the clock. Make your listener see it.
Describe a scary story or film you know. What happens? Why is it frightening? You do not have to talk about anything real or personal — a book or film is perfect.