Ghostly Encounters in Literature

In this episode of the Thinking in English podcast, Tom Wilkinson introduces listeners to 'The Signal Man,' a famous ghost story by Charles Dickens. The story revolves around a railway signal man who is haunted by a specter that appears before tragic events. The podcast includes a reading of an extract from the story, followed by an analysis of the events and their implications. Listeners are encouraged to challenge themselves with the vocabulary and to engage with the story by reading along and reflecting on its themes.

Who is the host of the podcast?

• Tom Wilkinson

• Charles Dickens

• John Smith

• Emily Bronte

What is the main topic of this podcast episode?

• A famous ghost story

• Cooking recipes

• English grammar

• Travel tips

Who wrote 'The Signal Man'?

• George Orwell

• Jane Austen

• Charles Dickens

• Mark Twain

What does the signal man control?

• Ship navigation

• Airplane routes

• Traffic lights

• Railway signals

What appears on the railway tracks before tragic events?

• A ghostly figure

• A shadow

• A train

• A light

What does the narrator suggest about the signal man's visions?

• They are a deception of sight

• They are hallucinations

• They are real

• They are dreams

What happened six hours after the specter's appearance?

• A celebration

• A memorable accident

• A festival

• A storm

How long after the first encounter did the specter reappear?

• Six or seven months

• One year

• Two days

• One week

What does the specter do at the danger light?

• Dances

• Sings a song

• Sits quietly

• Waves its arms

What does the signal man claim about the bell's ring?

• It's a normal sound

• It's a loud noise

• It's a soft whisper

• It's a strange vibration