It Was Dreadful in the Forest
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle from The Lost World
Chapter XII passage: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is most famous for creating the fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. He also wrote novels such as his 1912 adventure book, “The Lost World.” In it, he narrator is Edward Malone, a reporter who is traveling with scientists in South America. They have discovered an area filled with strange creatures, including dinosaurs. In this passage, Malone is in a forest where he finds himself being hunted.
Reading Comprehension Passage
It Was Dreadful in the Forest
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle from The Lost World
Reading Comprehension Questions
Vocabulary List
Vocabulary List
Each of the vocabulary words below are used in the reading passage. As you read the passage, pay attention to context clues that suggest the word’s meaning.
- imminent
- traversed
- exceedingly
- ferocious
- brute
- fowling-piece
- sapling
- rending
Context Clues
Context Clues
Using context clues from the sentences in the passage, underline the correct meaning of the word in boldface.
1) “Then from out of the silence, imminent and threatening”
a. important b. loud or deafening c. frightening d. about to happen; immediate
2) “staring at the ground which I had traversed”
a. crossed or passed over b. found; discovered c. not seen; ignored d. future path
3) “its movements, in spite of its bulk, were exceedingly alert”
a. cautiously; nervously b. highly; extremely c. slightly or barely d. successfully
4) “His ferocious cry”
a. soft or muffled b. squeaky; high-pitched c. distant or far away d. savage or fierce
5) “As the huge brute loped along”
a. rolling log b. pursuer or chaser c. beast or animal d. land vehicle
6) “My useless fowling-piece was in my hand”
a. walking stick b. gun or rifle c. bat or club d. sword or cutlass
7) “a bushy jungle with nothing higher than a sapling”
a. low rock b. grass hut or shack c. small tree; seedling d. small hill
8) “suddenly, with a crashing and a rending”
a. ripping; tearing b. shrieking or crying c. huffing; panting d. flashing or blazing