English Practice for the Exam

The Mansion on the Hill

A thick fog descended. The children, who had been running joyfully through their village,

stopped abruptly. A house loomed in the shadows at the end of a gravel path, like a wolf

observing its dinner. There was no going back. They knew they wouldn’t be able to find their

way home through the thick smog. Their only hope was to ask for help at the old manor

house. The rusty iron gate creaked angrily. With a heavy heart, Ali trudged up the pathway.

His white, shaking hand pressed the doorbell while his friends cowered on the pavement

outside.

• The gravel path

• The thick fog

• A heavy rain

• A crazy man

The Mansion on the Hill

A thick fog descended. The children, who had been running joyfully through their village,

stopped abruptly. A house loomed in the shadows at the end of a gravel path, like a wolf

observing its dinner. There was no going back. They knew they wouldn’t be able to find their

way home through the thick smog. Their only hope was to ask for help at the old manor

house. The rusty iron gate creaked angrily. With a heavy heart, Ali trudged up the pathway.

His white, shaking hand pressed the doorbell while his friends cowered on the pavement

outside.

• Lia

• Ali

• Rusty

• Ian

Describe how the air was inside the old manor house.

The ancient front door groaned as it opened. Inside the air hung with the smell of

damp and decay. The masses of cobwebs that hung from every surface made it clear

that this house had been abandoned for many years. The chime of a grandfather clock

broke the silence momentarily before a sea of rats scurried across the floor. In the

distance, a figure dressed from head to toe in black lurched forward towards its

waiting prey. Ali’s friends had found their courage and were waiting next to him with

intrigue. “That’s just your shadow, caused by my torch,” Jesse explained calmly. “But

what about the rats?” enquired Ali.

Which details did you find that explain that the old house had been abandoned for years?

The ancient front door groaned as it opened. Inside the air hung with the smell of

damp and decay. The masses of cobwebs that hung from every surface made it clear

that this house had been abandoned for many years. The chime of a grandfather clock

broke the silence momentarily before a sea of rats scurried across the floor. In the

distance, a figure dressed from head to toe in black lurched forward towards its

waiting prey. Ali’s friends had found their courage and were waiting next to him with

intrigue. “That’s just your shadow, caused by my torch,” Jesse explained calmly. “But

what about the rats?” enquired Ali.

What thing do they see that make them feel very afraid, but it has a logical explanation?

The ancient front door groaned as it opened. Inside the air hung with the smell of

damp and decay. The masses of cobwebs that hung from every surface made it clear

that this house had been abandoned for many years. The chime of a grandfather clock

broke the silence momentarily before a sea of rats scurried across the floor. In the

distance, a figure dressed from head to toe in black lurched forward towards its

waiting prey. Ali’s friends had found their courage and were waiting next to him with

intrigue. “That’s just your shadow, caused by my torch,” Jesse explained calmly. “But

what about the rats?” enquired Ali.

Write and example of simile that you can from this part of the story.

The best buddies entered the house, not knowing what to expect once they’d crossed the threshold.

Jesse was the first. Brave as a lion, he strode into the building while shining his torch into every

corner of the room. Robyn was next, but stayed very close behind Jesse. “Who opened the door?”

asked Ali, still shivering on the step.

Write an example of alliteration that you can get in this part of the story.

A thick fog descended. The children, who had been running joyfully through their village,

stopped abruptly. A house loomed in the shadows at the end of a gravel path, like a wolf

observing its dinner. There was no going back. They knew they wouldn’t be able to find their

way home through the thick smog. Their only hope was to ask for help at the old manor

house. The rusty iron gate creaked angrily. With a heavy heart, Ali trudged up the pathway.

His white, shaking hand pressed the doorbell while his friends cowered on the pavement

outside.

Mention the characters and the setting of the story.