Pre reading activities

Pre-reading tasks

1) Look at the cover of the book. What does the picture suggest? What do you expect the story to be about?
2) Look at these titles from the different chapters in the book. Put them in order according to what you believe the plot could be about:
· A party mask
· Tragedy
· The Persian’s story
· Twenty thousand francs and a Safety Pin
· Box five
· The angel of music
· Erik-Phantom, Monster, or Man?
· Raoul follows the Persian
· The curse
· Is it the ghost?
· A mysterious disappearance
· The scorpion and the grasshopper

Safety pin: a pin with a round cover that fits over the sharp end
Grasshopper: a green insect which jumps about using its long back legs

3) Using the list of titles make up a short story to tell what you expect to read in the book.
4) Do you believe in ghosts?
5) Why may people need to believe in them or invent their existence?