bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

John Millen

This week Short stories have to make an impression on readers in just  a few words
With a twist  in the tale
We have already seen how short story writers like to surprise their readers by ending a piece with a short, sharp shock.
Short stories should always get to the point without fuss.
This quick format is perfect for keeping readers on the edge of their seats, and then surprising them with the final paragraph.
This is called a twist in the tale, because the story has been unfolding in a straight line and then suddenly there is a twist in that line.
Imagine the path of the story looking like a sudden curve appearing at the end of an animal's straight tail.
Stories  that surprise
Tales of the Unexpected is a collection of 16 short stories by famous children's writer Roald Dahl. But these bizarre and creepy stories are not for young children.
Anyone who only knows Dahl as a writer of funny stories for children is in for a surprise.
Some of the stories end with a sudden surprise, while others seem to end in mid-air with the reader having to guess what happens next.
But Dahl has provided enough clues for the reader's guess to be probably right. Some of the stories are spooky, some are funny and some leave a big question mark after reading. All end in an unexpected way.
What happens next?
You may not have read Tales of the Unexpected yet, but you should be able to complete these statements.
1 Lamb to the Slaughter is about a woman who kills her husband in a most (unusual/valuable) way and then disposes of the murder (headline/weapon) so the police will never find it.
2 Taste is about a man who is willing to give his daughter away in (gift/marriage) as the prize in a bet that he is certain he will win.
But he doesn't know the clever (trick/thoughts) the other man has played to make sure he wins the bet.
3 The Landlady is about a woman who welcomes (lonely/expensive) guests into her house and then makes sure they stay forever by doing something very (sinister/loud).
4 Man from the South is about a man who demands a very painful (payment/document) from innocent victims who have been (foolish/sensitive) enough to make a bet with him.
Vocabulary and phrase building
1 What is a 'short, sharp shock'?
a. a birthday present
b. a very quick and not very pleasant surprise
2 What is the meaning of the phrase  'get to the point'?
a.  reach a conclusion
b.  end in violence
3 What does the phrase 'without fuss' mean?
a. in a straightforward way with no  unnecessary actions
b. with a lot of noise and excitement
4 What is 'a format'?
a. an advertisement
b. a pattern or plan
5 What is the meaning of the verb 'to unfold'?
a. to disappear
b. to develop and become clear
6 What is 'a curve'?
a. a long road
b. a gentle bend
now do this
And now
Read The Landlady and answer these questions.
What is the mood at the start of the story?
How would you describe the young man who goes to stay at the guest house?
What does the man think about the landlady when he first meets her?
What is the first thing that tells us that there is something wrong in the guest house?
What do you thing happened to the two previous guests?
Dahl doesn't tell us what happens to the young man, but what do you think happens to him?
Tales of the Unexpected
Roald Dahl
Published by Penguin
ISBN 978 0 14 005131 5
Answers
What happens next: 1. unusual; weapon;  2. marriage; trick; 3. lonely; sinister;  4. payment; foolish  Vocabulary building: 1. b; 2. a; 3.a; 4. b;  5. b; 6. b



Tales of the unexpected