The Lumber Room by H.H. Munro (Pre-Intermediate)

 

story

One sunny morning, Nicholas found himself in big trouble. He had put a frog in his breakfast to play a joke, but his aunt did not think it was funny at all. As a result, Nicholas had to stay home while his cousins and brother went to the beach at Jagborough.

As the carriage pulled away, Nicholas's cousin cried out because she scraped her knee. "She'll be fine soon," Nicholas thought, feeling sure today was not going to be fun for them.

Nicholas's aunt, who is actually his cousins' aunt but acts as if she is related to Nichola, was quite firm. "You must stay out of the gooseberry garden," she told him sternly. Nicholas pretended to be upset, which was all part of his plan.

While his aunt kept watch outside, Nicholas sneaked off to the library. He climbed up and took the key to the mysterious lumber room. "Today, I'll see what secrets it holds," he whispered to himself. Inside the lumber room, Nicholas's eyes widened with wonder. There was a huge tapestry showing a hunter and a stag, intriguing candlesticks shaped like snakes, a funny duck-shaped teapot, and a book full of colorful birds. He was mesmerized by the tapestry. "Could the hunter and his dogs escape from the wolves?" he pondered, lost in thought.

Suddenly, Nicholas heard his aunt calling. "Nicholas, Nicholas!" she sounded frantic. Curious, Nicholas returned the key and went outside, only to find his aunt stuck in a rain-water tank.

"I fell in! Fetch the ladder from the gooseberry garden," she yelled.

"But you told me I can't go in there," Nicholas replied, trying to sound serious.

 

"I'm telling you now you can," his aunt insisted.

 

"Your voice sounds different. Are you really my aunt, or the Evil One trying to trick me?" Nicholas joked.

 

Frustrated, his aunt promised, "If you help me, there will be strawberry jam for tea."

 

Nicholas grinned. "That's funny, because just yesterday, you said there was no jam left. I checked, and there were four jars! Only the Evil One would know that."

 

Nicholas decided not to help right away, enjoying his clever discovery. Later, a kitchen maid found and helped his aunt out of the tank.

 

That evening, the house was very quiet. The beach trip wasn't fun, and Nicholas's aunt was too embarrassed to speak. Nicholas, however, quietly enjoyed his clever day, imagining what might happen next in the tapestry's story. Maybe, just maybe, the hunter could escape with a clever trick like his own.

 

From this story, even when things don’t go as planned, like missing out on a beach day, we can find our own adventures and lessons if we look a little deeper and use our creativity. Nicholas’s day turned out to be a valuable experience, reminding us to make the best of every situation and think outside the box.

 

Words and Idioms

Study it with Flashcard

https://quizlet.com/kr/909440903/the-lumber-room-by-hh-munro-saki-flash-cards/?i=3en6ue&x=1jqt

 

pretend to (verb) - to act as if something is true when it is not

sneak off  (verb) - to leave quietly and secretly

Tapestry (noun) - a large piece of fabric featuring intricate designs or scenes, often used as a wall hanging.

Stag (noun) - a male deer, especially when fully mature.

Candlestick (noun) - a holder, usually made of metal or ceramic, for one or more candles.

Teapot (noun) - a container used for steeping tea leaves or herbal mix and pouring the resulting liquid after steeping.

Ladder (noun) - a piece of equipment consisting of a series of bars or steps between two upright lengths of wood, metal, or rope, used for climbing up or down something.

Jam (noun) - a sweet spread or preserve made from fruit and sugar boiled to a thick consistency.

Mesmerized (verb) - captivated or spellbound, as by an enchantment.

Frantic (adjective) - wild or distraught with fear, anxiety, or other emotion.

Embarrassed (adjective) - feeling ashamed or shy.

Think outside the box (idiom) - think in an original or creative way.

 

 

Questions

1. What objects did Nicholas find in the lumber room?

A) A tapestry, a duck-shaped teapot, and a book of spells

B) A tapestry, snake-shaped candlesticks, and a funny teapot

C) A tapestry, a hunter's bow, and a stack of old newspapers

D) A tapestry, a snake-shaped teapot, and colorful paintings

 

2. Why was Nicholas's aunt stuck in the rain-water tank?

A) She was hiding from Nicholas.

B) She fell in while trying to retrieve something.

C) She was playing a game with Nicholas.

D) She climbed in to clean it.

 

3. What reason does Nicholas give for suspecting his aunt is not herself?

A) She sounds too kind.

B) She offered him jam that she previously claimed was gone.

C) She forgot his name.

D) She allowed him into the gooseberry garden.

 

4. How does the story end?

A) Nicholas and his aunt go to the beach.

B) Nicholas helps his aunt out of the tank immediately.

C) A kitchenmaid helps the aunt out of the tank, and the house is very quiet.

D) Nicholas's aunt stays stuck in the tank until the next day.

 

5. What does the tapestry in the lumber room symbolize in the story?

A) The complexity and richness of imagination

B) The dangers that lie outside the safe confines of the home

C) The historical importance of hunting

D) The trapped life of the aunt

 

6. Which theme is highlighted by Nicholas’s interaction with his aunt regarding the jam?

A) The innocence of childhood

B) The importance of honesty

C) The mischievous nature of children

D) The value of critical thinking and skepticism

 

Short Writing Topics

1. Discuss the role of curiosity in personal growth as shown through Nicholas's exploration of the lumber room. Use examples from the story to support your argument.

2. Write a diary entry from the aunt’s perspective describing her day and her thoughts about Nicholas’s behavior.

3. Imagine and write a continuation of the tapestry’s story that Nicholas was imagining. Describe how the hunter uses his wit to escape the wolves.

Answer Keys

1. B) A tapestry, snake-shaped candlesticks, and a funny teapot
2. B) She fell in while trying to retrieve something.
3. B) She offered him jam that she previously claimed was gone.
4. C) A kitchenmaid helps the aunt out of the tank, and the house is very quiet.
5. A) The complexity and richness of imagination
6. D) The value of critical thinking and skepticism

 

 

Sample Writing Answers

1. Nicholas's curiosity leads him to explore the lumber room, a place filled with objects that spark his imagination. This exploration is not just a literal journey through a forbidden room; it represents the journey of the mind that questions and seeks beyond the visible and the allowed. Through his interaction with the contents of the lumber room, Nicholas experiences a kind of personal growth that teaches him about beauty, history, and the complexity of human creations. His curiosity unlocks a world where he can think, analyze, and imagine without constraints, demonstrating that curiosity is not merely about seeking knowledge but about enhancing one’s understanding of the world. Hence, curiosity acts as a catalyst for intellectual and emotional development, proving essential for a fulfilling and insightful life.

 

2.

Dear Diary,

Today was quite unsettling. I found myself in a rather embarrassing predicament—stuck in the rain-water tank, of all places. The entire ordeal made me reflect on my handling of Nicholas. He’s a clever child, too clever for his good at times. Today, he questioned my identity, joking I might be 'the Evil One' because I knew about the jam I had previously claimed was finished. His refusal to immediately help showed his growing independence and wit. Perhaps I’ve been too strict, too dismissive of his cleverness. This incident has shown me that understanding and engaging with his imaginative world might bridge the gap I feel growing between us. I need to rethink my approach with him, to foster rather than curb his spirited nature.

 

3. As the wolves closed in, the hunter in the tapestry, known as Aldric, realized that brute force alone would not save him and his loyal dogs. Using his deep knowledge of the forest, Aldric led the wolves towards the cliffside, where the mist was thick. He had observed that wolves were cautious in foggy conditions, relying heavily on their sense of smell, which the mist impaired. Aldric and his dogs quietly backtracked and covered their tracks with leaves, leading the wolves to believe they had ventured further into the fog. Misled, the wolves cautiously proceeded, giving Aldric and his companions a chance to escape. They returned safely to their village, where Aldric’s clever escape became a legendary tale of wit over might, celebrated in the tapestry that now fascinated young Nicholas.

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