House Taken Over - Comprehension Questions

Which of the following words best describes the mood, or overall feeling, established in “House Taken Over”?

• violent

• creepy

• hopeful

• lonely

At the beginning of “House Taken Over,” how do the narrator and his sister Irene spend most of their days? Choose two options.

• shopping

• knitting

• harvesting crops

• sleeping

• cleaning

In “House Taken Over,” what do the narrator and his sister do when the back section of the house is taken over?

• They sell the house and move away.

• They call the police and file a report.

• They move into the other part of the house.

• They open the gate and clear out the other rooms.

In 'House Taken Over,' which of the following details most clearly suggest that the narrator and his sister are nervous and afraid? Choose two options.

• They intentionally stop thinking.

• They occupy themselves by cleaning.

• They prefer to spend time in their rooms.

• They often cannot fall asleep and have trouble sleeping peacefully.

• They collect French literature and reorder their father’s stamp collection.

If a room can be accurately described as spacious, which of the following must be true?

• The room must be beautiful.

• People must feel hot in the room.

• Many people must be able to fit in the room.

• The room must be filled with light.

In which of the following circumstances would a person’s voice most likely be muffled?

• if the person were singing in a concert

• if the person were speaking calmly to a friend

• if the person were wearing a scarf over his or her mouth

• if the person were making an announcement over a loudspeaker

Which of the following people would most likely be described as obscure?

• a forgotten composer

• a talentless celebrity

• a famous musician

What can you infer about the brother and sister’s economic status in “House Taken Over”?

• They have few possessions.

• They rely on friends to support them.

• They take in boarders to earn extra money.

• They have enough money to live comfortably.

Which of the following excerpts from “House Taken Over” best supports the inference made in Part A?

• It was pleasant to take lunch and commune with the great hollow, silent house. . . .

• One day I found that the drawer at the bottom of the chiffonier, replete with mothballs, was filled with shawls, white, green, lilac.

• We didn’t have to earn our living, there was plenty coming in from the farms each month, even piling up.

• Only a corridor with its massive oak door separated that part from the front wing, where there was a bath, the kitchen, our bedrooms and the hall.

What does this detail suggest about the force or creature that has invaded the house of the narrator and his sister?

• It is greedy and wants to steal everything it can find in their luxurious home.

• It is interested only in people who are rich or greedy.

• It is powerful, so they distract its attention by leaving items behind.

• It is terrifying enough to make them forget valued possessions.