Name:______________________________________ Date:__________________
The Houdini Box
What is the genre of this story? _____________________________
Find definitions for the following words and use in a sentence:
magician_______________________________________________________________________________
vanished_________________________________________________________________________________
crumbled_________________________________________________________________________________
bustling________________________________________________________________________________
escape_________________________________________________________________________________
appeared_________________________________________________________________________________
monument________________________________________________________________________________
What is a synonym? Give 2 pairs of examples:_____________________________
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What is an antonym? Give 2 pairs of examples:_____________________________
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Guiding Comprehension Questions
1. How is Victor like and unlike Houdini (compare and contrast)? ___________
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2. How would you describe Victor?
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3. Most stories have a problem. What is the problem in this story?
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4. Imagine seeing a famous person in a restaurant or out in public. Would you react the same way or a different way as Victor did when he saw Houdini? (text to self)
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5. What type of person does Houdini seem to be? How do you know?
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6. Why does Houdini’s wife hand Victor some candy?
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7. Why are the initials E.W. important to Victor?
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Reader Response Questions
1. Reread page 399, paragraph 3, at the beginning of the story. Compare it to the last sentence of the story. Do you think this is a satisfying ending? Tel why or why not.
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2. How does Victor feel before and after visiting Houdini’s house? Why do you think his feeling change? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Did Victor learn the secrets of Houdini’s tricks? Why do you think as you do? Support your answer with details from the story.
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4. On a separate sheet of paper make a poster advertising a new movie about Houdini. Use at least 3 of vocabulary words from the story.