The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe (Pre-Intermediate)

Pre-Intermediate

story

Once upon a midnight eerie, in a house so still and dreary, there lived a man with eyes so scary, they filled his heart with dread and worry.

This man, so nervously shaken, claimed sanity, not madness, had taken. His senses were sharp, his hearing keen, and he heard all things, both far and unseen.

But why, you ask, this tale of fright? What drove him to the darkest night? 'It was not for gold or any slight, but for an eye that gave him fright.

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A vulture's eye was pale and blue, with a film that chilled him through and through. Whenever it fell upon his view, his blood ran cold, and his fears grew true.

So, with a plan both sly and slick, he resolved to end it quickly. Not with malice nor with hate, but to rid himself of that eye's weight.

For seven nights, at the stroke of twelve, he crept into the old man's delve. With the lantern dim, he peered inside, but the eye stayed shut, nowhere to hide.

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Yet on the eighth, with nerves of steel, he felt a triumph he could feel. Slowly, stealthily, he pushed the door while the old man lay, lost in snore.

But as he reached to open wide, there was a slip, a sound, and no place to hide. The old man stirred, his fear did swell, and the tale of terror began to tell.

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A beating heart, a dreadful sound, like a watch in cotton, went round and round. Louder, louder, the sound did grow, 'til madness seized him, to and fro.

The officers came, so suave and neat, but the beating heart wouldn't retreat. It grew and grew, 'til he could bear no more, and he confessed the deed he'd done before.

So, dear children, heed this tale of a heart's beat and a madman's wail. For in the stillness of the night, beware the eye that brings such fright.

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Words and Idioms

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Study them with Flashcard

https://quizlet.com/kr/906049595/the-tell-tale-heart-by-edgar-allan-poe-flash-cards/?i=3en6ue&x=1jqt

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• eerie (adjective) - strange and frightening
• still (adjective/adverb) - not moving or making a sound; quiet or calm
• dreary (adjective) - dull, bleak, and depressing
• nervously (adverb) - in a worried or anxious manner
• sanity (noun) - the state of having a healthy mind and being mentally stable
• madness (noun) - the state of being mentally ill, especially severely
• senses (noun) - the physical faculties of perception, such as sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch
• sharp (adjective) - having a keen or precise edge or point; mentally alert and quick to notice or understand things
• keen (adjective) - having or showing eagerness or enthusiasm
• vulture (noun) - a large bird of prey with a bald head and usually scavenging habits
• chill (verb) - to make someone feel cold or frightened
• sly (adjective) - cunning or deceitful
• slick (adjective) - done or made in a clever and skillful way
• resolve to (verb phrase) - to make a firm decision or determination to do something
• malice (noun) - the intention or desire to do evil; ill will
• not A nor B (phrase) - neither A nor B; neither one thing nor another
• rid A of B (phrase) - to free A from B; to remove or eliminate B from A
• delve (verb) - to investigate or search deeply and thoroughly
• dim (adjective) - having or giving off little light; not bright or clear
• peer (verb) - to look closely or intently, especially with difficulty
• nerves of steel (phrase) - a metaphorical expression indicating extreme courage, bravery, or resilience in the face of danger or adversity
• triumph (noun/verb) - a great victory or achievement; to achieve a victory or success
• stealthily (adverb) - in a cautious and secretive manner
• snore (verb) - to breathe noisily while asleep
• slip (noun) - a small mistake or error
• swell (verb) - to increase in size or volume, often due to pressure or emotion
• stir (verb) - to move slightly; to cause someone to feel a strong emotion, especially excitement or anger
• dread (noun) - a strong feeling of fear or apprehension
• seize (verb) - to take hold of suddenly and forcibly; to grasp or grab
• to and fro (phrase) - back and forth; in a repeated movement from one place to another
• suave (adjective) - charming, confident, and elegant, especially in a sophisticated or refined way
• heed (verb) - to pay attention to or take notice of something, especially advice or a warning
• confession (noun) - a formal statement admitting that one is guilty of a crime
• heed (verb) - to pay attention to or take notice of something
• fright (noun) - a sudden intense feeling of fear; a scare or shock

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Questions

1.What is the main reason the protagonist decides to take action against the old man?

A) The old man insulted him

B) The protagonist wanted his gold

C) The old man's eye filled him with fear

D) The protagonist was seeking revenge for past wrongs

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2.How many nights does the protagonist spend trying to carry out his plan?

A) Seven

B) Eight

C) Nine

D) Ten

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3.What does the protagonist hear that ultimately leads to his confession?

A) A knocking at the door

B) The old man's screams

C) The sound of a beating heart

D) Voices of the police officers

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4.Why does the protagonist feel confident enough to confess his deed to the police officers?

A) He is overcome with guilt

B) The officers promise not to arrest him

C) He believes the officers can't hear the beating heart

D) He is certain the old man's ghost will haunt him if he doesn't confess

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5.What does the vulture's eye symbolize in the story?

A) The protagonist's greed

B) The old man's innocence

C) The protagonist's guilt and paranoia

D) The passage of time

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6.How does the theme of guilt contribute to the story's suspense?

A) By driving the protagonist to confess

B) By causing the protagonist to flee the scene

C) By leading the protagonist to seek revenge

D) By making the old man suspicious of the protagonist

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Short Writing Topics:

1.Imagine you are the protagonist of the story. Write a diary entry describing your feelings and thoughts on the night of the murder.

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​2.Write a short story about a character who is haunted by a seemingly innocuous object, similar to the protagonist's fear of the old man's eye.

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​3.Describe a time when you felt frightened or anxious. How did you cope with your fear, and what did you learn from the experience?

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Answer Keys

1. C) The old man's eye filled him with fear
2. B) Eight
3. C) The sound of a beating heart
4. C) He believes the officers can't hear the beating heart
5. C) The protagonist's guilt and paranoia
6. A) By driving the protagonist to confess

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Short Writing Topics:

1. Diary Entry: Tonight was the night I finally rid myself of the haunting gaze of the old man's eye. As I crept into his room, my heart raced with a mixture of fear and determination. The dim light of my lantern cast eerie shadows across the walls, and every creak of the floorboards sent shivers down my spine. But I knew I had to go through with it. As I approached the bed, I could hear the old man's steady breathing. With nerves of steel, I slowly opened the lantern, revealing the pale blue eye that had tormented me for so long. And then, it happened - the sound that would seal my fate. The beating of the old man's heart echoed in my ears, growing louder and louder until I could bear it no longer. I confessed my deed to the police, unable to escape the guilt that consumed me.
2. Short Story:Once there was a young girl named Emily who inherited an old locket from her grandmother. At first, Emily cherished the locket as a precious keepsake, but soon she began to feel uneasy whenever she wore it. Strange things started happening - objects would move on their own, and Emily would hear whispers in the dead of night. She became convinced that the locket was cursed, haunted by the spirit of her grandmother. Desperate to be free of its influence, Emily embarked on a journey to uncover the truth behind the locket's mysterious past. Little did she know, the key to breaking the curse lay hidden within her own family history.
3. Personal Experience:I remember the time when I got lost in a dark forest during a camping trip with my friends. As the sun began to set, fear crept into my heart, and every rustle of the leaves sent my imagination into overdrive. I could feel the weight of the darkness pressing in on me, and panic threatened to overwhelm my senses. But instead of giving in to my fear, I took a deep breath and focused on staying calm. I remembered the survival skills I had learned, like how to use a compass and how to build a shelter. By relying on my knowledge and keeping a level head, I was able to find my way back to safety. This experience taught me the importance of staying composed in difficult situations and trusting in my abilities to overcome adversity.

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