🕰️ The Time Machine – Chapter XI: Far into the Future

The Time Traveller continued his story.

“When I escaped the Morlocks and returned to the machine, I pushed the lever and moved forward again—into time.”

“At first, I only meant to travel a few years. But something strange happened. The machine sped up, and I lost control. 

I watched the world change in front of my eyes.”

“The sun moved faster and faster across the sky. Then it began to slow down. I looked around and realized I had travelled millions of years into the future.”

“I stopped the machine on a beach. The sky was red, the sun low and large. The air felt heavy and cold.”

“There were no people. No buildings. Only strange crab-like creatures crawling slowly along the shore. They were huge and silent, with hard shells and many legs.”

“I stayed near the machine, afraid to go far. I waited, watching the sea and sky. Suddenly, a dark shape passed above me—it was like a large butterfly, but black and soft, flying slowly.”

“I didn’t want to stay in this strange world. So I climbed back onto the machine and moved even further into time.”

“The sun dimmed until it looked like a red ball in a dark sky. The Earth was cold. The wind blew softly over snow and black rocks. I saw no animals—only a few small things moving slowly across the ground.”

“I stopped the machine again. The air was hard to breathe. Everything was quiet. Even the sea was still.”

“A final creature moved past me. It was black, with a round body and long thin arms. It walked slowly and disappeared into the dark.”

“Then I understood something. This was the end of Earth.”

“I climbed into the machine one last time and pulled the lever back. I returned home, flying through time again—back to my laboratory, back to my own time.”

“When I arrived, the room was dark, just like when I had left it. But everything was covered in dust. The Time Machine was hot and shaking. I had made it back.”

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📖 Glossary

Word/Phrase	Meaning
Crawling	Moving slowly along the ground
Lever	A handle used to control a machine
Dimmed	Became less bright
Shell	A hard outer covering
Disappeared	Went out of sight
Laboratory	A place for scientific work
Breathe	To take air in and out of the lungs

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. What happened after the Time Traveller escaped the Morlocks?

2. What was the first world he stopped in like?

3. What kind of creatures did he see on the beach?

4. Why didn’t he stay there?

5. What did the Earth look like in the far future?

6. What did the Time Traveller believe he saw at the end of time?

7. How did he return to his own time?

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✅ Answers

1. He accidentally moved forward in time, faster than he expected.

2. It had a red sky, a cold beach, and strange crab-like creatures.

3. They were large, with hard shells and many legs.

4. It was too strange and lonely, and he was afraid.

5. It was dark, cold, with snow and rocks—no people or animals.

6. A final black creature walking alone—he believed it was the end of Earth.

7. He used the Time Machine to travel back to his laboratory.

 

🕰️ The Time Machine – Chapter X: Into the Dark

Armed with matches, a strong iron bar, and a box of camphor, the Time Traveller set out again.

“I decided it was time to go underground,” he said. “I was sure my Time Machine had been taken into one of the Morlock tunnels. If I wanted it back, I had to face the danger.”

He returned to the place where he had first seen the metal doors in the hill. This time, he was ready.

“I climbed down carefully with my torch. The smell was bad—damp and rotten. I heard the Morlocks moving around in the dark. They didn’t expect me to come with fire.”

He lit a stick of camphor. It gave off a bright, white light and a strong smell. The Morlocks screamed and ran back.

“I walked deeper into the tunnels. The walls were wet and covered in moss. Strange machines hummed in the background. I could feel the fear building in my chest, but I didn’t stop.”

He found large metal machinery, still working after thousands of years. But there was no sign of the Time Machine.

Then, in a quiet chamber, he found it.

“My machine was there,” he said. “Just sitting in the corner, as if waiting for me. The Morlocks had brought it here. I moved closer, slowly. I knew they were nearby.”

He lit another match.

“I could hear them breathing. I could feel them waiting. They hated the light, but they were many, and I was alone.”

He jumped into the saddle of the machine and quickly began turning the levers.

“They rushed at me just as I pushed the lever forward. I felt hands grab at my legs. One Morlock tried to pull me off. I hit him with the bar.”

Then, suddenly—it all disappeared.

Darkness, noise, the Morlocks—it all vanished.

“I was moving through time again.”

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📖 Glossary

Word/Phrase	Meaning
Armed	Carrying weapons or tools for protection
Torch	A stick that gives off light, often with fire
Damp	Slightly wet, usually in a bad way
Rotten	Bad-smelling or decayed
Moss	A soft green plant growing on damp surfaces
Chamber	A small room, often underground
Lever	A handle used to control a machine

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. What tools did the Time Traveller take with him underground?

2. Why did he decide to return to the metal doors?

3. How did the Morlocks react to the light?

4. What did he find deep inside the tunnels?

5. What did the Time Traveller do when the Morlocks attacked?

6. How did he escape from the Morlocks?

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✅ Answers

1. Matches, camphor for fire, and a metal bar for protection.

2. He believed the Morlocks had taken his Time Machine into their tunnels.

3. They were afraid of it and ran away.

4. He found his Time Machine in a quiet room.

5. He jumped into the machine, turned the levers, and fought them off.

6. He pushed the lever and disappeared into time again.

 

🎯 How to Answer Summary/Gapped Text Questions

Step-by-step strategy:

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✅ 1. Read the Instructions Carefully

Check the word limit. It will say:

• NO MORE THAN ONE WORD

• NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS

• NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER

🚫 Don’t go over the limit, or your answer will be wrong.

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✅ 2. Read the Summary First

• Focus on understanding the overall meaning.

• Pay attention to the sentence before and after each blank.

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✅ 3. Anticipate the Word Type

Ask yourself: What kind of word fits the gap?
Is it a noun, verb, adjective, or number?

Example:
“The volcano last ______ in 1991.”
→ You need a verb (e.g., erupted)

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✅ 4. Underline Keywords in the Summary

These will help you locate the answer in the passage.
Look for synonyms or paraphrased expressions in the text.

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✅ 5. Scan the Passage for Matching Ideas

Don’t look for the exact words—look for meaning matches.

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✅ 6. Check Grammar and Spelling

• The completed sentence must be grammatically correct.

• Copy the word exactly from the passage.

• Check plural forms and verb tenses.

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📝 PRACTICE ACTIVITY: Summary Completion (B2 Level)

Instructions: NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER

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Text Summary: About the Honeybee

Summary:
Honeybees are essential to the ecosystem because they help with the ______ (1) of many plants. They carry ______ (2) from one flower to another. A typical bee colony can have as many as ______ (3) members. The bees in a hive are divided into groups. The queen is responsible for ______ (4). Worker bees do jobs such as gathering nectar and cleaning the hive. Male bees, or drones, exist mainly to ______ (5) with the queen. Bees make honey by mixing nectar with ______ (6) in their bodies. This substance is then stored in ______ (7), where it becomes honey. Bees also communicate by doing a kind of dance, which shows the ______ (8) of food.

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✅ Answer Key + Explanations

1. pollination
   ➡ The summary talks about bees helping plants. In the text, “bees are key to the pollination of flowering plants.” → The noun pollination fits the gap.

2. pollen
   ➡ Bees carry something from flower to flower. The text says, “They collect and transfer pollen as they move.” → Fits grammatically and contextually.

3. 60,000
   ➡ The number mentioned in the text is: “A colony can include up to 60,000 bees.” → A number is needed, and it's correct.

4. laying eggs
   ➡ The queen’s main role is described as “laying eggs”. → It’s a gerund phrase (noun), fitting after “responsible for”.

5. mate
   ➡ The drones’ purpose is to “mate with the queen”. → Mate is a verb, and it fits grammatically after “to”.

6. enzymes
   ➡ “Bees mix nectar with enzymes to create honey.” → Enzymes is a noun and fits well after “with”.

7. honeycombs
   ➡ The storage is described as “stored in honeycombs.” → It fits as the place where honey is kept.

8. location
   ➡ “The bee dance communicates the location of food.” → Fits the idea and grammar of the sentence.

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🧠 Final Tips

• Look for exact matches in meaning, not in wording.

• Always check the grammar of the sentence after inserting your answer.

• If unsure, try to predict the word type before going to the passage.