The stranger by Norman Whitney !

Worksheet page 1

The Stranger
Norman Whitney

1) Before reading
1a) Look at the front cover and read the back of the book. What does it suggest and
what impression do you have. What do you think? Write a short text where you
answer the following questions:

✗ What will the story be about?

✗ Will it be a sad/ happy/ romantic/ frightening story?
✗ What sort of story will it be (detective, romance, comedy...)?

1b) Look at the cover of this book. Here is a diagram of the cover. What are these
things?

Guess if you do not know.

2) While reading

2a) Make list of all the important characters that appear in the story and add an
adjective that best describes the person! (e.g. interesting, funny, dangerous,
strange...)
The stranger by Norman Whitney ! Worksheet page 2

2b) Here are some of the people from the story. Draw lines between the people and
the things they said.

3) After reading
3a) Did you notice anything strange about Dave Slatin’s name? Look again:
DAVE SLATIN. Change the letters round to make two new words.
Remember - Dave Slatin is an evil man.
! (a) D—L
! (b) S—N

3b) Explain why each of these things was important in the story.
diamond rings

a doll with a broken arm

a torn photograph of a goal

keeper

a briefcase full of money

a broken aeroplane
The stranger by Norman Whitney ! Worksheet page 3

3c) Here are the chapter titles for this story. Write a new chapter heading for each
chapter after you have read it.

Heading in Book ! New Heading

1 A Stranger in Woodend
2 The Village Meeting
3 The Corner Shop
4 A Beautiful Customer
5 A Page in Film News
6 A Quick Kiss
7 Another Special Order
9 A Secret Weekend
10 A Quarrel
11 Arthur Riseman
12 Anna Waits for News
13 The Special Orders Room
14 The Special Customers
15 31st October

3d) Complete the gaps. Use each word in the box once.
spare night unusual locked on
and a know villagers in
came of back bought into
where stay it to hotel

Nobody knew __________ Dave Slatin _________ from. His name was __________. He
appeared _________ the village ___________ the last day __________ October 1964
________ he wanted ___________ stay for the night.
Woodend was _________ small village, and it didn’t have a __________. One of the
_________ let Dave Slatin _________ for one ________ in a _________ room.
One month later, Dave Slatin came _________ to Woodend and __________ an empty
house. He turned the house _______ a shop. He called _________ The Corner Shop.
Anna worked for Dave Slatin. She liked him, but she wanted to __________ what was
inside the _________ room.
The stranger by Norman Whitney ! Worksheet page 4

3e) Read the sentences, then write T (True), F (False) or ? (Don’t Know) next to the
statements below.

 The Stranger appeared on the last day of October in the evening.

• He appeared on 31st October. T F ?
• The weather was fine. T F ?
• He appeared at 7:00 pm. T F ?
• No one had seen him before. T F ?

 Mr. Smith had died in the summer. His house was empty and for sale.
• It was possible to buy the house. T F ?
• Mr. Smith had died a long time ago. T F ?
• Nobody was living in the house. T F ?
• The price of the house was cheap. T F ?

 A new sign on the old house read: The Corner Shop.

• The shop was at a place where 2 roads meet. T F ?
• Dave Slatin was the owner of the shop. T F ?
• The shop sold both new and old things. T F ?
• The sign on the house was old. T F ?

 The door to the special orders room was locked and only Dave had the key.
• Anyone could look inside the room. T F ?
• The room had only one small window. T F ?
• Only Dave could go into the room. T F ?
• We do not know what was in the room. T F ?

3f) Complete the gaps. Use each word in the box once.
Room Businessman That Came Took Visitor
A Name Soon Special film broke
Neck Footballer Him Important Save Star
Corner Customers Said Later Was Day
goals

Three special __________ visited. The __________ shop. Each customer ____________
for a __________ order. Dave __________ them into the locked ____________. The first
______________ was Greta Gordon. She was __________ film star. Her __________
appeared in the newspaper.
_____________ Afterwards. She became the __________ of a big _________ called
Beautiful Woman when the original star __________- her arm.
The second visitor was a ____________ called Mike Bailey. The next __________ Anna
saw ________ on TV. Mike Bailey scored three ___________ in a ____________ soccer
match. The goalkeeper broke his _________ trying to _________ the third goal.
The third visitor was a ______________ form International Computer Services. He told
Anna __________ his name was Arthur Roberts, but Dave ___________: Good Morning,
Mr. Riseman. A month __________ the chairman of I.C.S. _________ killed in a plane
crash. Arthur Riseman became the Chairman of the company.
The stranger by Norman Whitney ! Worksheet page 5

Complete the gaps with the correct verb form from the brackets.

Anna got back from London in the evening but she (didn’t sleep / hasn’t sleep) ______________ that night.
She (thinks / was thinking) ____________ about Dave and the special orders. What (was / were)
____________ they? What (was / were) ___________ Dave (do / doing) __________ in that room?
She (has gone / went) _________ to work, as usual, the next morning. At eleven o’clock Dave (had left /
left) __________ the shop. He (has got / got) ________ in his car and (drove / droven) _________ off.
That morning the special orders room (didn’t be locked / wasn’t locked) ___________. Anna (opened / was
opening) _________ the door and (locked / looking) _________ inside.
She (began / begun) ______________ (search / to search) _________ through boxes. She (found / was
finding) _____________ money, lots of money. There (is / was) __________ also a doll and a model
aeroplane. They (broke / were broken) _________________.
Suddenly Dave (came / was Coming) ______________ into the room. “Now you (know / have known)
________________, he (said / was saying) ___________.
I (have / am having) __________ strange powers. I (use / was used) ____________ these powers (to
help / to helping) ____________ my special customers. And I (can use / can be using) them (to help / to be
helping) __________ you too.