The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell (Pre-Intermediate)

Pre-Intermediate

story

Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a famous hunter named Rainsford. He loved to travel the world, seeking the most exciting adventures. One day, he and his friend Whitney were sailing on a grand yacht through the mysterious Caribbean Sea.

"Over there to the right, somewhere, is a large island," said Whitney, pointing into the darkness. "It's rather a mystery—"

"What island is it?" asked Rainsford, curious as always.

"The old maps call it Ship-Trap Island," Whitney replied. "It's a suggestive name, isn't it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don't know why. Some superstition—"

"Can't see it," remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the thick, warm night that pressed upon the yacht like a heavy blanket.

"You've got good eyes," said Whitney with a laugh, "but even you can't see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night."

Rainsford agreed, feeling the night like moist black velvet. The two friends talked about their upcoming hunting trip in the Amazon, where they hoped to catch jaguars. Rainsford was excited, but Whitney wondered how the jaguars felt about being hunted.

"Who cares how a jaguar feels?" laughed Rainsford. "The world is made up of two classes—the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters."

As the night grew darker, Whitney went to bed, but Rainsford stayed on deck, enjoying the warm, quiet night. Suddenly, he heard a strange noise. It was the sound of gunshots coming from the mysterious island. Intrigued, he leaned over the rail to listen more closely, but lost his balance and fell into the sea with a splash.

Desperately, Rainsford swam towards the island where he heard the gunshots, hoping to find help. After a long and exhausting swim, he finally reached the shore, pulled himself up, and collapsed into a deep sleep.

When Rainsford woke up, the sun was high in the sky, and he felt a sharp hunger. He decided to explore the island, hoping to find food and perhaps the people who had fired the gunshots. As he wandered through the dense jungle, he came across signs of a struggle and found a small, glittering object on the ground—an empty cartridge.

"A twenty-two," he remarked. "That's odd. It must have been a fairly large animal too."

Following the tracks, Rainsford came upon a magnificent chateau, a grand house with pointed towers. He approached and knocked on the massive door, which opened to reveal the largest man he had ever seen—Ivan, a giant with a long black beard, holding a long-barreled revolver.

"Don't be alarmed," said Rainsford, smiling. "I'm no robber. I fell off a yacht. My name is Sanger Rainsford of New York City."

Just then, another man appeared, elegantly dressed and with a charming smile. "It is a great pleasure and honor to welcome Mr. Sanger Rainsford, the celebrated hunter, to my home," said the man, introducing himself as General Zaroff.

Rainsford quickly realized that General Zaroff was not just any ordinary man. He was a hunter like Rainsford but with a peculiar taste for adventure. As they dined together in the grand hall filled with hunting trophies, General Zaroff shared his passion for hunting.

"You see, I have found the most exciting hunting on this island," said Zaroff with a mysterious smile. "I have invented a new sensation. I hunt the most dangerous game."

Rainsford was puzzled. "Is there big game on this island?"

"The biggest," nodded Zaroff. "I hunt men."

Rainsford was shocked. "Hunting men? That's murder!"

General Zaroff laughed. "Life is for the strong, to be lived by the strong, and if needs be, taken by the strong. The weak were put here to give the strong pleasure."

Rainsford knew he had to escape. The next day, Zaroff announced they would go hunting together, but Rainsford refused. Zaroff, however, insisted that Rainsford participate in his deadly game, giving him a head start to run and hide.

With every ounce of his strength and cunning, Rainsford used all his hunting skills to evade Zaroff. He set traps and doubled back on his trail, but Zaroff was a master hunter. Rainsford knew he had to stay calm and think clearly.

As night fell, Rainsford heard the baying of Zaroff's hounds. He knew he was running out of time. After deep thought, he decided to prepare a few traps.

The first trap was a Malay mancatcher. He set up a large dead tree so it was leaning against a smaller living one, ready to fall. When Zaroff approached, the triggered branch snapped, sending the heavy tree crashing down. Zaroff, quick on his feet, managed to dodge, suffering only a minor injury. Though wounded, Zaroff continued his pursuit.

Next, Rainsford prepared a Burmese tiger pit. He dug a deep pit and planted sharp stakes at the bottom, covering it with branches and leaves. When Zaroff's hound fell into the trap with a sharp cry, Zaroff realized what had happened but pressed on.

For his final trap, Rainsford tied his hunting knife to a young, springy sapling. He bent the sapling back and secured it with a wild grapevine, positioning the blade to point down the trail. As Ivan, Zaroff's assistant, led the hounds, the knife sprang free, striking Ivan and knocking him down.

With only Zaroff left, Rainsford knew the general would continue hunting him with the remaining dogs. Out of options and with nowhere left to run, Rainsford made a desperate choice. Standing at the edge of a cliff, he looked down at the roaring sea below. With no other choice, he leaped into the water, hoping to swim to safety.

Zaroff, seeing Rainsford jump, assumed he had perished in the sea. Satisfied with another successful hunt, he returned to his chateau. But that night, when Zaroff went to his bedroom, he found Rainsford waiting for him.

"Rainsford!" exclaimed Zaroff. "How did you get here?"

"I swam," Rainsford replied. "I found it quicker than walking through the jungle."

Zaroff smiled, offering his congratulations. "Congratulations, you have won the game."

But Rainsford was not interested in winning a game. He wanted to end this nightmare. "Get ready, General Zaroff."

The next morning, Rainsford slept peacefully in Zaroff's bed, having finally ended the most dangerous game.

And so, Rainsford learned that sometimes the hunter can become the hunted, and that true courage and cleverness can help you survive even the most perilous adventures.

The End.

 

Words and Idioms

Study it with Flashcard

https://quizlet.com/kr/928437415/the-most-dangerous-game-by-richard-connell-flash-cards/?i=3en6ue&x=1qqt

 

Superstition (n.) - a widely held but irrational belief in supernatural influences.

Desperate (adj.) - feeling, showing, or involving a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with.

Trap (n.) - a device or enclosure designed to catch and retain animals, typically by allowing entry but not exit or by catching hold of a part of the body.

Chateau (n.) - a large French country house or castle.

Cunning (adj.) - having or showing skill in achieving one's ends by deceit or evasion.

Pursuit (n.) - the action of following or pursuing someone or something.

Exhaustion (n.) - a state of extreme physical or mental tiredness.

Baying (n.) - a deep prolonged howl, as of a hound on the scent.

Evade (v.) - escape or avoid, especially by cleverness or trickery.

Perish (v.) - suffer death, typically in a violent, sudden, or untimely way.

Injury (n.) - an instance of being injured, harmed, or damaged.

Intrigued (adj.) - aroused the curiosity or interest of; fascinated.

Stalk (v.) - pursue or approach stealthily.

Vicious (adj.) - deliberately cruel or violent.

Gargoyle (n.) - a grotesque carved human or animal face or figure projecting from the gutter of a building, typically acting as a spout to carry water clear of a wall.

Appraising (v.) - assess the value or quality of.

Aristocrat (n.) - a member of the aristocracy; nobleman or noblewoman.

Stealth (n.) - cautious and surreptitious action or movement.

Recede (v.) - go or move back or further away from a previous position.

Malicious (adj.) - characterized by malice; intending or intended to do harm.

Tangible (adj.) - perceptible by touch.

Quizzically (adv.) - indicating mild or amused puzzlement.

Running out of time - approaching a deadline or the end of a time limit.

Every ounce of his strength - using all the physical strength one possesses.

Out of options - having no choices left.

With nowhere left to run - having no place left to escape to.

Calm under pressure - remaining composed and effective in stressful situations.

Life or death situation - a very serious and potentially fatal situation.

Questions

1. What is the name of the island where the story takes place?

 

a) Skull Island

b) Shipwreck Island

c) Treasure Island

d) Ship-Trap Island

 

2. Who is the main character who falls into the sea?

 

a) Whitney

b) Zaroff

c) Rainsford

d) Ivan

 

3. Why does Rainsford fall into the sea?

 

a) He is pushed by someone

b) He jumps in to catch a fish

c) He loses his balance while leaning over the rail

d) He dives in to save a friend

 

4. What does Rainsford hear that makes him swim towards the island?

 

a) Birds singing

b) Gunshots

c) A ship horn

d) Someone calling for help

 

5. What does the island in the story represent?

 

a) A fun place to play

b) A mysterious and dangerous place

c) A place with lots of food

d) A beautiful vacation spot

 

6. Which of these themes is important in the story?

 

a) Friendship

b) Adventure

c) Survival

d) Magic

 

Short Writing Topics

 

1. Imagine you are Rainsford after escaping from Zaroff. Write a letter to a friend explaining what happened on Ship-Trap Island and how you felt.

2. Describe a time when you had to be brave, just like Rainsford. What happened and how did you handle it?

3. If you were in Rainsford's place, what would you do to try to escape from the island? Explain your plan.

Answer Keys

1. d) Ship-Trap Island

2. c) Rainsford

3. c) He loses his balance while leaning over the rail

4. b) Gunshots

5. b) A mysterious and dangerous place

6. c) Survival

Sample Writing

1.
Dear Friend,

I have just escaped from the most terrifying experience of my life on a place called Ship-Trap Island. I fell off my yacht and swam to the island, where I met a man named General Zaroff. At first, he seemed kind, but I soon learned that he hunts people for sport! I had to use all my wits and courage to avoid being caught. I set traps and hid in the jungle. Eventually, I had to jump into the sea to escape. It was the scariest thing I have ever faced, but I survived. I’ll never forget this adventure and the lesson it taught me about the value of life.

Sincerely, Rainsford

2.
I remember a time when I had to be brave like Rainsford. It was during a summer camp, and we were hiking in the woods. Suddenly, a big storm hit, and we got lost. I was scared, but I knew I had to stay calm. I remembered the map we had studied and the landmarks we had passed. I helped my friends find a safe spot to wait out the storm. We huddled together and stayed positive until the camp counselors found us. It was a scary experience, but staying calm and thinking clearly helped us get through it safely.

3.
If I were in Rainsford's place, my first step would be to find a safe place to hide and think of a plan. I would try to gather materials to make traps to slow down Zaroff and his dogs. I would also look for a way to signal for help, like creating a big fire or finding something reflective to catch the attention of passing ships. If possible, I would try to find a high vantage point to watch Zaroff's movements. My goal would be to survive long enough to find a way off the island or for someone to rescue me.

 

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