Question

the following passage retells and explains what has happened in the story so far. choose the most appropriate words from the choices below to complete the passage.

although the war of the worlds is a story about alien invasion, it is also set firmly in the real world. the story takes place in what is now considered the 1) \\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_ of greater london, with the narrator living in the town of woking, where the author himself lived when he was writing the book. 2) \\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_ \\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_, though strange, hideous creatures, obey the laws of physics and have difficulty breathing in earths heavy atmosphere. these 3) \\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_ are what make the story so powerful.

this extract begins as the narrator first visits the 4) \\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_. a few people stand around looking at the cylinder but do not find it particularly interesting. unlike the other onlookers, the narrator has a certain amount of 5) \\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_ and notices the cylinder is made from materials not found on earth. still, as it shows no signs of 6) \\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_, he returns home to work.

opening / elements of reality / the martian invaders
suburbs / scientific education / mysterious cylinder

Explanation:

The passage summarizes the setting and plot of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds.

• For blank 1), "suburbs" fits geographically as Woking is located in the outer commuter belt of Greater London.
• For blank 2), "the Martian invaders" serves as the subject that, despite being strange and hideous, must obey physical laws.
• For blank 3), "elements of reality" refers to these realistic physical constraints that make the sci-fi story powerful.
• For blank 4), "mysterious cylinder" is the object that landed, which the narrator goes to visit.
• For blank 5), "scientific education" explains why the narrator, unlike other onlookers, notices the unique extraterrestrial materials of the cylinder.
• For blank 6), "opening" refers to the cylinder showing no signs of opening or activity, prompting the narrator to return home.

Answer:

1. suburbs
2. the Martian invaders
3. elements of reality
4. mysterious cylinder
5. scientific education
6. opening