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Question
The narrator and his wife reveal something about their character through their words and actions. We also learn about them from what other people say. Can you pick out the words that describe them from the box given below? Also, pick out lines and instances from the story to illustrate your choice.
| shy arrogant loyal clever overconfident manipulative protective self- disparaging suspicious sceptical jealous fearless firm shrewd strong gullible sly creative loves novelty and thrills |
| Person | Extract from story | What it tells us about the character |
| John Hallock | 1. …in the end things had always come my way….. somehow I'd always been able to dig one (plot) up for him, so I'd begun to get a bit cocky as to my ability (to write stories). | 1. ____________ |
| 2. "But my ghosts aren't a bit like you----". | 2. sceptical | |
| 3. We scout around until we find a writer without ideas and with a mind soft enough to accept impression. | 3. gullible | |
| 4. .................................................................. | 4. creative | |
| 5. ................................................................... | 5. protective | |
| LaviniaHallock | 1. .................................................................... | 1. loves novelty and thrills |
| 2..................................................................... | 2. spendthrift | |
| 3. ..................................................................... | 3. suspicious | |
| 4. ....................................................................... | 4. jealous | |
| 5. Buys the Ouija board but says it is for John's research. | 5. manipulative | |
| 6. Does not flinch when she meets the ghost but talks to her casually. | 6. strong |
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Solution
| Person | Extract from story | What it tells us about the character |
| John Hallock | 1. …in the end things had always come my way….. somehow I'd always been able to dig one (plot) up for him, so I'd begun to get a bit cocky as to my ability (to write stories). |
1. over confident, self disparaging |
| 2. "But my ghosts aren't a bit like you----". | 2. sceptical | |
| 3. We scout around until we find a writer without ideas and with a mind soft enough to accept impression. | 3. gullible | |
| 4. I sat down to write a ghost story. | 4. creative | |
| 5. His magazine was only one to print my stuff. | 5. protective | |
| LaviniaHallock | 1. Such as my wife’s shopping | 1. loves novelty and thrills |
| 2. Cure her of her tendency to take everv new fad | 2. spendthrift | |
| 3. John, whv are vou sitting in the dark? | 3. suspicious | |
| 4. Looking as if I were some peculiar insect | 4. jealous | |
| 5. Buys the Ouija board but says it is for John's research. | 5. manipulative | |
| 6. Does not flinch when she meets the ghost but talks to her casually. | 6. strong |
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
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shady adjective
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Based on your reading of the story answer the following question by ticking the correct option.
When the narrator says his wife is never so pretty as when she's doing something she
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Answer the following question briefly.
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Answer the following question briefly.
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Answer the following question briefly.
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Answer the following question briefly.
John's apprehensions about his wife's reaction to her encounter with the ghost are
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Answer the following question in detail:
After her reconciliation with her husband, John Hallock, Lavinia writes a letter to
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Answer the following question in detail:
John Hallock reflects upon his experience with Helen's ghost and in retrospect he finds it quite amusing. All the same he is relieved that he is no longer plagued by it. Ironically, the same ghost inspires his creativity and he writes a diary entry reflecting upon the comical aspect of his experience. Write his diary entry
Read and understand the following ghost phrases and expressions:
a) To give up the ghost-- to die or to stop trying
b) Aghost of a chance-- a poor chance, not likely to happen
c) The ghost at the feast-- something or someone that spoils your enjoyment by
reminding you of something unpleasant
d) Ghost town-- a town which most people have left, abandoned and deserted
e) Ghost-write- to write for someone else
f) Lay the ghost of something/somebody (to rest)-- to finally stop being worried
or upset by something or someone that has worried or upset you for a long time
g) Ghost image -- secondary image, especially. one appearing on a television
screen as a white shadow, caused by poor or double reception or by a defect in the
receiver
h) the ghost of a smile - faint trace of a smile
i) As white as a ghost- very pale or white in the face
Now complete the following story by using the appropriate phrases in the blanks
given below:
I was alone in a place that bore a deserted look like that of a ________________. I increased
the pace of my footsteps as I walked through the dark forest. I felt someone walking behind
me. I turned immediately and spotted the contour of a figure in the form of a ___________________ .It smiled at me wickedly .I started shaking with fear and perspiring
profusely when I felt its skeletal hand upon my neck. I woke up with a start, relieved that it was only a nightmare. This was not the first time I had had one. It had all started when I had watched the horrendous horror film with a eerie ghost character that had a scary ghost of a smile on its face.It had been almost a month. The strange thing was that I saw a similar face at the station the next morning. That was uncanny. I was to attend a dinner at my friend's at Northanger Abbey that night. I had decided to narrate my experience to the group that would assemble there. Although I knew, there was _________________________ that they would be convinced. After everyone had finished pouring their drinks to themselves, I cleared my throat and started narrating my spooky experience. However, every one of the group started accusing me of being _______________________ and held me responsible for spoiling the spirit of revelry. I gave up the ghost and sat quietly waiting for the party to be over. Back at home, the fears returned .I knew I had to talk about my experience to somebody to feel better. I have now decided to ______________ and publish my experience under a pseudonym. Only then can I ____________________.
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| A Ghost Story She opened the _________________ (secret door/ spaceship's hatch/ door of the cottage/ cemetery gate/ door of the castle/ cockpit) _________________ (brashly/ loudly/ silently/ stupidly/ fearfully/ joyously). Standing in front of her was a ________________ (terrifying/ handsome/ smelly/ anonymous/ tiny/ huge/ bossy) ___________ (policeman/ spy/ apparition/ witch/ prince/ wizard) with a _________________ (wand/ rose/ rod/ knife/ scythe/ coded message) in his/ her (its) _________________ (ghoulish/ bony/ beautiful/ fair/ manly/ gloved/ magical) hand. |
Answer the following question.
The Ghost was most angry with ….(Complete the statement by ticking the correct
option)
Write two striking qualities of the Ghost as revealed in this extract.
a) _____________________
b) _____________________
Comment on Elsie Brown’s writing style in the story, The Shady Plot.
