🧛 Dracula – Chapter 5: Letters from England

Mina Murray’s Journal – July 26th
Today, I received a letter from Jonathan. He is in Budapest, in a hospital. He says he has been very ill, but is slowly recovering. His handwriting is weak, and his words are strange.

He writes, “Come quickly. I need you.”

I showed the letter to Mrs. Westenra, Lucy’s mother. She was very kind and helped me prepare for my journey. I am nervous, but I love Jonathan deeply. I must go to him.

Letter from Lucy Westenra to Mina – August 1st
My dearest Mina,
I miss you already! But I know you must be with Jonathan.

Strange things have been happening here in Whitby. I’ve been sleepwalking again. The first time, Mother found me outside by the old church on the cliff. I had no memory of it.

Last night, I woke up with tiny wounds on my neck. Two small dots. Mother says I must have been bitten by a bug. But I feel very tired, and cold—even in the sun.

Also, there’s a shipwreck! A Russian boat called the Demeter crashed into the harbor during a storm. The whole town watched as it sailed in with no crew—only the captain, found tied to the wheel, dead.

There was only one other thing onboard: a large dog that jumped off the boat and ran away. No one has seen it since.

Whitby is full of mystery.

With love,
Lucy

Mina’s Journal – August 6th
I am now in Budapest. I have seen Jonathan at last.

He looks thinner, pale, but his eyes lit up when he saw me. We cried together. He told me he cannot remember everything that happened in Transylvania, only that it was terrifying.

The doctors say he may recover faster if he is happy. So—we are getting married tomorrow.

I will stay by his side forever.

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📖 Glossary

Word / Phrase	Meaning
Sleepwalking	Walking while asleep, without knowing it
Wound	An injury or cut on the body
Harbor	A place where ships dock near the shore
Terrifying	Extremely scary
Recover	To get better after being sick or injured

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. Where is Jonathan when Mina hears from him?

2. What does Jonathan ask Mina to do?

3. What strange things are happening to Lucy in Whitby?

4. What does Lucy find on her neck?

5. What happened to the ship called the Demeter?

6. What mysterious animal was seen on the ship?

7. What decision do Mina and Jonathan make in Budapest?

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✅ Answers

1. He is in a hospital in Budapest.

2. He asks her to come quickly.

3. She is sleepwalking and feels tired and cold.

4. Two small wounds like bites.

5. It crashed into the harbor during a storm, with no living crew.

6. A large dog jumped off the ship and disappeared.

7. They decide to get married.

 

🧛 Dracula – Chapter 4: The Escape

Jonathan Harker’s Journal – May 21st
This morning, I woke early. The sun rose over the mountains, and I knew this might be my last chance.

I tied the rope of torn sheets tightly and fastened it to a heavy bedpost. I whispered a prayer and began to climb out the window.

The wall was cold and rough. My hands burned. I slipped once, but caught myself.

At last, I reached the window of the room below—the one where I had seen the Count resting in his coffin.

I climbed inside.

The room was dark and silent. In the middle stood the coffin, just as before.

Dracula lay there, still and pale. But this time, I saw his lips move slightly. A smile.

He was dreaming. Or hungry.

I picked up a large rock. I thought of Mina. Of home. Of freedom.

But again, I couldn’t do it.

I ran from the room and climbed back to my own.

May 22nd
I’ve been locked in again. The Count has taken the rope.

He smiled at me last night.

“I see you’ve been exploring,” he said calmly. “Please, be more careful.”

His politeness is worse than anger. It’s like a mask hiding something much darker.

May 25th
Today, I heard the Count give orders to his servants. He is planning to leave the castle. I heard the word “England.”

He is coming to my country.

I fear for Mina. I fear for all of them.

Tonight, I will try again. If I stay, I will die here. If I leave, maybe I will live to warn others.

This is my last entry.

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📖 Glossary

Word / Phrase	Meaning
Fastened	Tied or secured firmly
Rough	Not smooth; difficult to touch or climb
Still	Not moving
Politeness	Being nice or respectful
Mask (figurative)	A way to hide someone’s true feelings

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. How does Jonathan try to escape the castle?

2. What does he see again in the hidden room?

3. Why doesn’t he attack Dracula?

4. What does Dracula do after discovering the escape attempt?

5. What clue tells Jonathan that Dracula is going to England?

6. Why is Jonathan afraid for Mina?

7. What decision does Jonathan make at the end of the chapter?

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✅ Answers

1. He climbs down the castle wall using a rope made of sheets.

2. Dracula sleeping in the coffin, with a slight smile on his lips.

3. He is too afraid.

4. He smiles and removes the rope, but says nothing directly.

5. He hears the word “England” when Dracula speaks to his servants.

6. Because Dracula is planning to travel there.

7. He decides to try escaping again, even if it is dangerous.

 

🧛 Dracula – Chapter 3: Jonathan’s Secret Plan

Jonathan Harker’s Journal – May 15th

Each day in Castle Dracula feels longer and colder. The Count speaks politely but keeps me locked inside. I try to stay calm, but I know—I am a prisoner.

The Count asks me to write letters to my fiancée Mina and my employer in England. But he gives me the words to write.

He watches while I write.

The letters say I will leave the castle soon. But it’s not true.

I feel like I’m in a trap.

May 16th

I’ve begun to explore every corner of the castle. I search for ways to escape.

This morning, I found a small window in an unused room. I climbed up and looked out. Below me is a steep cliff. If I jump, I’ll die. If I stay, I’ll die slowly.

I must find another way.

May 18th

Today I discovered the Count’s bedroom. It was hidden behind a heavy door.

Inside was a large coffin. It was filled with earth—and in it lay the Count, asleep.

He was not breathing.

He looked dead.

But I knew better.

I picked up a shovel, ready to attack… but I couldn’t do it. I was frozen with fear.

I ran back to my room.

May 20th

I’ve decided. I must try to escape, even if it means climbing down the castle wall.

I’ve made a rope from torn sheets. Tomorrow, I’ll try to use it.

If I don’t write again, it means I have failed.

Please, God—let me survive.

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📖 Glossary

Word / Phrase	Meaning
Fiancée	The woman someone is engaged to marry
Employer	A person or company you work for
Trap	A dangerous situation that is hard to escape
Coffin	A box in which a dead person is placed
Frozen with fear	Too scared to move or act

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. What does Count Dracula make Jonathan do with the letters?

2. Why are the letters dishonest?

3. What dangerous place does Jonathan find?

4. What does he discover in the hidden room?

5. What is inside the coffin?

6. Why doesn’t Jonathan attack Dracula?

7. What escape plan does Jonathan prepare?

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✅ Answers

1. He makes him write them while watching and gives him the words to use.

2. They say Jonathan will leave soon, which is not true.

3. A window overlooking a steep cliff.

4. Dracula’s secret bedroom.

5. Dracula lies inside, sleeping in a coffin filled with earth.

6. He is frozen with fear.

7. To climb down the wall using a rope made from sheets.

 

🧛 Dracula – Chapter 2: Strange Days in the Castle

Jonathan Harker’s Journal – May 5th
I spent my first full day in Castle Dracula, and already I feel like a prisoner.

The Count is kind and well-mannered. He speaks perfect English, though with a strange accent. We talk about business—he wants to buy a house in London—but something about him makes me nervous.

He never eats with me. In fact, I never see him eat or drink anything.

He only appears at night, never in the daylight.

Today, I woke early and explored the castle. The doors are locked. Every exit is barred. I can walk the halls and rooms—but I cannot leave.

The Count warned me, “Don’t sleep in any room except your own.”
Why would he say that?

May 7th
I noticed something odd. There are no mirrors in the castle.

I used a small mirror from my shaving kit. As I leaned over the sink, I saw my face—but not the Count’s. He stood directly behind me, but he had no reflection.

Startled, I turned around. He reached out and grabbed the mirror, throwing it to the ground.

“A broken mirror is bad luck,” he said calmly. But I saw anger in his eyes.

What kind of man casts no reflection?

Later, I noticed that his hands are covered in hair, and his nails are sharp—more like claws than fingers.

I’m beginning to fear him.

May 10th
Today, I looked out the window and saw something terrible. The Count was crawling down the wall of the castle, headfirst, like a spider.

No human could move like that.

I tried the doors again. Still locked. Still no way out.

I am trapped.

May 12th
At night, I hear strange noises. Whispers. Scratching sounds in the walls.

One night, I couldn’t sleep and wandered into another room—disobeying the Count’s warning.

I found a beautiful, empty bedroom. I lay on the bed and closed my eyes.

Then I heard a soft laugh.

Three women were standing at the end of the bed—pale, with red lips and glowing eyes.

One whispered, “He’s young and warm. Shall we kiss him?”

I couldn’t move. My body was frozen with fear.

As they leaned closer, I felt their cold breath on my neck.

Suddenly, the Count appeared. He was furious. “He belongs to me!” he shouted.

The women hissed and disappeared into the darkness.

The Count looked down at me. “You should not have left your room,” he said.

I’m certain now—he is not human.

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📖 Glossary

Word / Phrase	Meaning
Prisoner	Someone who cannot leave a place
Barred	Locked with metal bars
Reflection	The image seen in a mirror
Shaving kit	Small set of tools used for shaving
Claws	Sharp nails, like those of an animal
Hissed	Made a sharp "sss" sound, like a snake

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. What makes Jonathan feel like a prisoner?

2. What strange things does he notice about the Count?

3. What happens with the mirror?

4. How does the Count move down the castle wall?

5. Who are the three women Jonathan sees?

6. How does the Count react when he finds them with Jonathan?

7. What is Jonathan now sure about?

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✅ Answers

1. All the doors are locked, and he cannot leave the castle.

2. The Count has no reflection, doesn’t eat, only appears at night, and crawls like a spider.

3. Jonathan sees no reflection of the Count; the Count becomes angry and breaks the mirror.

4. He crawls headfirst like a spider.

5. Three strange, vampire-like women.

6. He becomes angry and says Jonathan “belongs to him.”

7. That Count Dracula is not human

 

🧛 Dracula – Chapter 1: The Journey to Castle Dracula

Jonathan Harker’s Journal – May 3rd
I left England on the last day of April and have now arrived in Transylvania. My journey has been long and strange. The people here speak many different languages. I try to smile and be polite, but I often feel like an outsider.

The countryside is beautiful—wide rivers, thick forests, and tall mountains. The air smells of pine trees and earth. But as I get closer to my destination, people become quieter.

When I told the innkeeper I was going to Castle Dracula, his eyes widened. His wife crossed herself and muttered a prayer. They begged me not to go. “The castle is cursed,” they whispered.

I tried to laugh it off. “I have business with Count Dracula. He is expecting me.”

That night, an old woman gave me a silver crucifix. “For your protection,” she said.

May 4th
At midnight, a black carriage arrived to take me to the castle. The driver wore a long cloak and had red eyes. He didn’t speak, only pointed. I climbed in.

The horses raced through the darkness. The forest seemed to close in around us. Wolves howled in the distance.

I felt cold, though I wore my thickest coat.

Suddenly, I saw a blue flame burning beside the road. The driver stopped, climbed down, and disappeared. When he returned, we continued.

This happened several times. Each time, the same blue flame. Each time, silence.

At last, we reached the castle.

It stood tall against the mountains, dark and sharp, like a black shadow in the sky. The great wooden door opened silently, and Count Dracula stood there.

He was pale, with sharp features and dark hair. His hands were cold and strong.

“Welcome to my home, Mr. Harker,” he said with a smile.

His voice was calm and polite. But something in his eyes made me uneasy.

We entered the castle. The halls were lit with candlelight, but no mirrors. The air smelled like dust and stone.

The Count showed me to my room. It was comfortable but cold. The windows were barred. The door had no lock on the inside.

As he left, he said, “Sleep well. Tomorrow, we will talk about your work.”

But I didn’t sleep well at all.

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📖 Glossary

Word / Phrase	Meaning
Outsider	A person who does not feel part of a place or group
Cursed	Believed to be under a bad magic or spell
Crucifix	A Christian cross, often worn as protection
Barred	Covered with metal bars to stop entry or escape
Uneasy	Worried, nervous, or uncomfortable

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. Where is Jonathan Harker traveling?

2. How do the local people react to his destination?

3. What gift does the old woman give him?

4. What is strange about the carriage journey?

5. What does Castle Dracula look like?

6. How does the Count appear when he greets Jonathan?

7. Why does Jonathan feel uneasy in the castle?

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✅ Answers

1. He is traveling to Castle Dracula in Transylvania.

2. They are frightened and beg him not to go.

3. A silver crucifix.

4. The driver stops at blue flames and never speaks.

5. Dark, tall, and sharp—like a shadow in the sky.

6. Pale, polite, but with something strange in his eyes.

7. The castle feels cold and locked; there are no mirrors, and the Count seems mysterious.

 

🌅 The Wind in the Willows – Chapter 6: A New Toad

Toad Hall was peaceful again.

The mess was gone, the windows were clean, and the dining room was full of food and laughter. Mole, Rat, Badger, and Toad sat together, happy and safe.

“I was such a fool,” Toad said quietly.

The others looked at him in surprise.

“I was rude. I was proud. I didn’t listen. But you never gave up on me.”

Mole smiled. “That’s what friends do.”

Rat added, “And now you can start again.”

Badger nodded. “You’re ready to be a wiser Toad.”

Toad blinked. “I’ll try.”

🎉 The next day, Toad threw a party—but not a wild one. He invited the townspeople, the river animals, and even the rabbits from the fields.

Everyone came.

Toad stood up and gave a short speech.

“I want to say sorry for my past behavior,” he began. “I’ve learned a lot. And I’m truly grateful for your friendship.”

The animals clapped.

That night, Rat and Mole looked at the stars.

“Toad really has changed,” Mole whispered.

“Yes,” Rat replied. “It took a lot—but he’s better now.”

Badger came over. “The riverbank is peaceful again. And our friend Toad is home. That’s all I ever wanted.”

💫 As summer warmed the woods and river, the animals lived simply and happily.

They told stories, shared meals, and went boating. Toad still loved excitement—but now, he also loved peace.

He didn’t crash cars anymore.

He didn’t show off (as much).

He was still Toad—but a new, better version.

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📖 Glossary

Word/Phrase	Meaning
Fool	Someone who acts silly or without thinking
Proud	Feeling too important about oneself
Grateful	Thankful
Behavior	The way someone acts
Peaceful	Quiet and calm

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. How does Toad feel at the beginning of this chapter?

2. What does he say to his friends?

3. What kind of party does he throw?

4. What does Toad say during his speech?

5. How do Mole, Rat, and Badger feel about Toad now?

6. What is life like at the riverbank by the end?

7. What has changed about Toad?

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✅ Answers

1. He feels sorry and reflective.

2. He admits his mistakes and thanks them.

3. A kind and friendly party for everyone.

4. He says sorry and thanks his friends.

5. They are proud and happy.

6. Peaceful, warm, and full of friendship.

7. He is kinder, more thoughtful, and less proud

 

🏡 The Wind in the Willows – Chapter 5: Home Again

Toad was wet, tired, and hungry.

But he was free—and determined to return to Toad Hall.

As he walked through fields and woods, he thought of hot tea and a warm fire. “I can’t wait to be home,” he said to himself.

But when he got near Toad Hall, something was wrong. He saw smoke from the chimney, lights in the windows—and unfamiliar voices.

Toad crept closer and gasped.

🐾 Wild Weasels and Stoats had taken over his house!

They wore dark clothes and carried sticks. They laughed loudly and threw things.

“They’ve taken my home!” Toad whispered in shock.

He ran to the river and found Rat.

“Rat! It’s terrible! The wild animals have stolen Toad Hall!”

Rat helped him inside and gave him a towel and tea.

“Calm down, Toad,” Rat said. “We’ll fix this. But we need a plan.”

They went to find Badger.

Badger listened carefully. “The wild creatures took your house while you were in prison. They’ve locked all the doors and won’t let anyone in.”

“I must fight them!” shouted Toad. “With swords! And fire!”

“No,” Badger said firmly. “With brains.”

He explained a secret: There was a hidden underground tunnel from the riverbank to Toad Hall.

The four friends—Toad, Rat, Mole, and Badger—would sneak into the house at night and surprise the invaders.

Toad grinned. “This is just like an adventure story!”

That night, they lit their lanterns and entered the secret tunnel. It was dark and cold. The walls were damp. But they kept going.

🐾 At the end of the tunnel, they opened a trapdoor—inside Toad Hall!

They jumped into the dining room.

“Attack!” Badger cried.

The weasels were shocked. They dropped their food and ran.

Rat chased two out the back door. Mole banged pots to scare them. Toad tripped over a rug—but still caught one!

Within minutes, the house was theirs again.

Toad stood proudly. “Toad Hall is safe!”

The friends laughed and hugged.

It was time to clean, rebuild—and celebrate.

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📖 Glossary

Word/Phrase	Meaning
Chimney	A tall pipe that lets smoke out of a house
Weasels / Stoats	Small wild animals (often sneaky in stories)
Towel	Cloth used to dry yourself
Brains (informal)	Intelligence or clever thinking
Trapdoor	A hidden door in the floor

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. How does Toad feel at the beginning of the chapter?

2. What does he find at Toad Hall?

3. Who does he go to for help?

4. What secret does Badger share?

5. What is the plan to take back the house?

6. How do they surprise the wild animals?

7. What happens at the end?

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✅ Answers

1. Wet, tired, hungry—but determined.

2. Wild animals (weasels and stoats) have taken over his home.

3. Rat and Badger.

4. There is a secret tunnel into Toad Hall.

5. They will sneak in through the tunnel at night.

6. They come up through a trapdoor and surprise them.

7. They take back the house and celebrate.