Question 1: Identify two specific words or phrases in the passage that create a sense of unease or tension.

Answer: Possible answers include: 'pallid glow', 'whispered', 'creaking halls', 'monstrous shapes', 'faint click', 'trembling bannister'.

Question 2: What effect does the description of shadows 'dancing' and forming 'monstrous shapes' have on the reader?

Answer: It heightens the sense of horror and suspense by making the environment seem alive and threatening.

Question 3: Which element of the setting contributes most to the atmosphere of suspense? Choose one.

Answer: c) The creaking halls

Question 4: How does the house’s description contribute to the Gothic genre? Provide two reasons.

Answer: Answers should mention the house's age, darkness, eerie silence, and sinister atmosphere, all typical of Gothic settings that evoke mystery and dread.

Question 5: Describe how the author builds suspense during Eleanor’s approach to the staircase.

Answer: Through use of words like 'trembling', 'faint click', and the description of the staircase 'alive', which create a sense of danger and anticipation.

Question 6: Identify one literary device used in the phrase: 'the house seemed to breathe and sigh.'

Answer: Personification

Question 7: Explain how the description of the house 'breathing and sighing' influences the mood of the story.

Answer: It creates an unsettling, creepy atmosphere by attributing human characteristics to the house, making it seem alive and potentially malevolent.

Question 8: What tone does the author establish through the description of Eleanor's movements and the house’s atmosphere?

Answer: A tone of suspense, fear, and anticipation.