The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell

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Get ready to take part in a shocking hunt. “The Most Dangerous Game” is a short story full of suspense and surprises that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

LITERARY FOCUS: FORESHADOWING The plot of a story is a series of related events. These events take place as one or more characters take steps to resolve a conflict, or problem of some kind. Some events are hinted at through the use of foreshadowing. • Each event in this story will make you curious about what will happen next. That curiosity is called suspense. • As you read, look for examples of foreshadowing that hint at what might happen later in the plot.

READING SKILLS: MAKING PREDICTIONS Before you read “The Most Dangerous Game,” take a few minutes to make predictions using a “plot impression.” Plot impressions work like this: You are given some details from the story. Then you weave the details together to create an impression of the plot as you predict it might be. Here are the details for your plot impression of “The Most Dangerous Game.” What do ved. you predict “the most dangerous game” is?

Key Details

Rainsford, a big-game hunter General Zaroff, another hunter man overboard ﬁerce dogs Ship-Trap Island a trap

Plot Impression

Literary Skills Understand foreshadowing. Reading Skills Make

predictions. Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser Vocabulary Skills Use prefixes to understand word meanings.

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PREVIEW SELECTION VOCABULARY Preview the following words from the story before you begin reading:

receding (ri≈s≤d√i«) v. used as adj.: becoming unrufﬂed (un·ruf√¥ld) adj.: calm; not disturbed. more distant. Zaroff appeared unrufﬂed, even when Rainsford He could see the ship going away from him, called him a murderer. receding in the distance. invariably (in·ver√≤·¥·bl≤) adv.: always; disarming (dis·ärm√i«) adj.: removing or without changing. lessening suspicions or fears. Zaroff said that his captives invariably “Don’t be alarmed,” said Rainsford, with choose the hunt. a smile he hoped was disarming. diverting (d¥·v∞rt√i«) adj.: entertaining. prolonged (pr£·lô«d√) v. used as adj.: extended. The deadly hunt was a diverting game Zaroff’s whole life was one prolonged hunt. to Zaroff.

imprudent (im·prºd√¥nt) adj.: unwise. impulse (im√puls≈) n.: sudden desire to do something. After the revolution in Russia, Zaroff left the country, for it was imprudent for an ofﬁcer Rainsford had to control his impulse to run. of the czar to stay there. protruding (pr£·trºd√i«) v. used as adj.: surmounted (s¥r·m¡nt√id) v.: overcame. sticking out. ved. The general smiled the quiet smile of one The protruding cliffs blocked Rainsford’s who has faced an obstacle and surmounted sight of the ocean. it with success.

PREFIXES: IMPORTANT BEGINNINGS Preﬁx Meaning Example Preﬁxes are word parts added to the beginnings of words. Although prefixes pre- before preview, consist of just a few letters, they are “view before” powerful and can greatly change the inter- between interaction, meaning of a word. To the right are “action between” prefixes you’ll come across often in your - reading. Recognizing these prefixes will un not unpopular, “not popular” Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser help you figure out the meanings of many words that might be new to you. mis- badly; mismatch, “bad match” wrong

re- again replay, “play again”

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Richard Connell

Corel. ved. “Off there to the right—somewhere—is a large island,” said — Underline the name of the Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery ” island in line 4. What do you “What island is it?” Rainsford asked. predict will happen in the story, based on this name? “The old charts call it Ship-Trap Island,”Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition—” “Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht. 10 “You’ve good eyes,” said Whitney, with a laugh, “and I’ve Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.”

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“Nor four yards,” admitted Rainsford. “Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.”

“It will be light in Rio,” promised Whitney. “We should Circle the words in lines 7-15 make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from that describe the setting. What mood, or feeling, do Purdey’s.1 We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. these words create in you? Great sport, hunting.” 20 “The best sport in the world,” agreed Rainsford. “For the hunter,” amended Whitney. “Not for the jaguar.” “Don’t talk rot, Whitney,” said Rainsford. “You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?” “Perhaps the jaguar does,” observed Whitney. “Bah! They’ve no understanding.” “Even so, I rather think they understand one thing—fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death.” “Nonsense,” laughed Rainsford. “This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two 30 classes—the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are the hunters. Do you think we’ve passed that island yet?” “I can’t tell in the dark. I hope so.” Underline the sentences in “Why?” asked Rainsford. lines 20-27 that tell how “The place has a reputation—a bad one.” Rainsford feels about hunting animals. Circle the sentences ved. “Cannibals?” suggested Rainsford. that tell how Whitney feels “Hardly. Even cannibals wouldn’t live in such a about hunting animals. Godforsaken place. But it’s gotten into sailor lore, somehow. Didn’t you notice that the crew’s nerves seemed a bit jumpy today?” 40 “They were a bit strange, now you mention it. Even Captain Nielsen—” “Yes, even that tough-minded old Swede, who’d go up to the devil himself and ask him for a light. Those ﬁshy blue eyes held a look I never saw there before. All I could get out of him was: ‘This place has an evil name among seafaring men, sir.’ Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser Then he said to me, very gravely: ‘Don’t you feel anything?’— as if the air about us was actually poisonous. Now, you mustn’t

1. Purdey’s (p∞r√d≤z): British manufacturer of hunting equipment.

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laugh when I tell you this—I did feel something like a sudden chill.

Underline details in lines 50 “There was no breeze. The sea was as flat as a plate-glass - 42 60 that describe the window. We were drawing near the island then. What I felt setting and its effect on Whitney. What mood do was a—a mental chill, a sort of sudden dread.” these details help create? “Pure imagination,” said Rainsford. “One superstitious sailor can taint the whole ship’s company with his fear.” “Maybe. But sometimes I think sailors have an extra sense that tells them when they are in danger. Sometimes I think evil is a tangible thing—with wavelengths, just as sound and light have. An evil place can, so to speak, broadcast vibrations of evil. Anyhow, I’m glad we’re getting out of this zone. Well, I think 60 I’ll turn in now, Rainsford.” “I’m not sleepy,” said Rainsford. “I’m going to smoke another pipe on the afterdeck.” “Good night, then, Rainsford. See you at breakfast.” “Right. Good night, Whitney.”

There was no sound in the night as Rainsford sat there but the muffled throb of the engine that drove the yacht swiftly through the darkness, and the swish and ripple of the wash Pause at line 76. What do you predict will happen? of the propeller. ved. Rainsford, reclining in a steamer chair, indolently2 puffed 70 on his favorite brier.3 The sensuous drowsiness of the night was on him. “It’s so dark,” he thought, “that I could sleep without closing my eyes; the night would be my eyelids—” An abrupt sound startled him. Off to the right he heard it, and his ears, expert in such matters, could not be mistaken. Again he heard the sound, and again. Somewhere, off in the blackness, someone had fired a gun three times. Rainsford sprang up and moved quickly to the rail, mystified. He strained his eyes in the direction from which the Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser reports had come, but it was like trying to see through a blanket.

2. indolently (in√d¥·l¥nt·l≤) adv.: lazily. 3. brier (br¢√¥r) n.: tobacco pipe made from the root of a brier bush or tree.

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80 He leapt upon the rail and balanced himself there, to get greater elevation; his pipe, striking a rope, was knocked from his mouth.

He lunged for it; a short, hoarse cry came from his lips as Pause at line 85. What has he realized he had reached too far and had lost his balance. happened to Rainsford? What do you predict will The cry was pinched off short as the blood-warm waters of happen next? the Caribbean Sea closed over his head. He struggled up to the surface and tried to cry out, but the wash from the speeding yacht slapped him in the face and the salt water in his open mouth made him gag and strangle. Desperately he struck out with strong strokes after the receding 90 lights of the yacht, but he stopped before he had swum ﬁfty feet. A certain coolheadedness had come to him; it was not the ﬁrst time he had been in a tight place. There was a chance that his cries could be heard by someone aboard the yacht, but that chance was slender and grew more slender as the yacht raced on. He wrestled himself out of his clothes and shouted with all his

power. The lights of the yacht became faint and ever-vanishing receding (ri≈s≤d√i«) v. used as ﬁreﬂies; then they were blotted out entirely by the night. adj.: becoming more distant. Rainsford remembered the shots. They had come from the right, and doggedly he swam in that direction, swimming with 100 slow, deliberate strokes, conserving his strength. For a seemingly What connection do you see between the story’s title and ved. endless time he fought the sea. He began to count his strokes; lines 103-109? he could do possibly a hundred more and then— Rainsford heard a sound. It came out of the darkness, a high screaming sound, the sound of an animal in an extremity of anguish and terror. He did not recognize the animal that made the sound; he did not try to; with fresh vitality he swam toward the sound. He heard it again; then it was cut short by another noise, crisp, staccato. “Pistol shot,” muttered Rainsford, swimming on. 110 Ten minutes of determined effort brought another sound to his ears—the most welcome he had ever heard—the muttering Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser and growling of the sea breaking on a rocky shore. He was almost on the rocks before he saw them; on a night less calm he would have been shattered against them. With his remaining strength he

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dragged himself from the swirling waters. Jagged crags appeared to jut into the opaqueness.4

Pause at line 124. Where is He forced himself upward, hand over hand. Gasping, Rainsford now? his hands raw, he reached a flat place at the top. Dense jungle came down to the very edge of the cliffs. What perils that tangle 120 of trees and underbrush might hold for him did not concern Rainsford just then. All he knew was that he was safe from his enemy, the sea, and that utter weariness was on him. He flung himself down at the jungle edge and tumbled headlong into the deepest sleep of his life. When he opened his eyes, he knew from the position of the sun that it was late in the afternoon. Sleep had given him new vigor; a sharp hunger was picking at him. He looked about him, almost cheerfully. “Where there are pistol shots, there are men. Where there 130 are men, there is food,” he thought. But what kind of men, he wondered, in so forbidding a place? An unbroken front of snarled and ragged jungle fringed the shore.

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He saw no sign of a trail through the closely knit web of weeds and trees; it was easier to go along the shore, and

Rainsford floundered along by the water. Not far from where Lines 137-141 create sus- he had landed, he stopped. pense by leaving questions in our minds. What questions Some wounded thing, by the evidence a large animal, had would you like answered? thrashed about in the underbrush; the jungle weeds were crushed down and the moss was lacerated; one patch of weeds was 140 stained crimson. A small, glittering object not far away caught Rainsford’s eye and he picked it up. It was an empty cartridge. “A twenty-two,” he remarked. “That’s odd. It must have been a fairly large animal too. The hunter had his nerve with him to tackle it with a light gun. It’s clear that the brute put up a fight. I suppose the first three shots I heard was when the hunter flushed his quarry5 and wounded it. The last shot was when he trailed it here and finished it.” He examined the ground closely and found what he had hoped to find—the print of hunting boots. They pointed along 150 the cliff in the direction he had been going. Eagerly he hurried along, now slipping on a rotten log or a loose stone, but making headway; night was beginning to settle down on the island. Bleak darkness was blacking out the sea and jungle when

ved. Rainsford sighted the lights. He came upon them as he turned Personiﬁcation is a kind of a crook in the coastline, and his ﬁrst thought was that he had figurative language in which a nonhuman thing or some- come upon a village, for there were many lights. But as he forged thing inanimate (not alive) along, he saw to his great astonishment that all the lights were in is talked about as if it were human or alive. Underline one enormous building—a lofty structure with pointed towers the detail in lines 161-162 that gives the sea a human plunging upward into the gloom. His eyes made out the shad- quality. What kind of “per- 160 owy outlines of a palatial château;6 it was set on a high bluff, son” is this sea? and on three sides of it cliffs dived down to where the sea licked greedy lips in the shadows. “Mirage,” thought Rainsford. But it was no mirage, he found, when he opened the tall spiked iron gate. The stone steps Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser

5. flushed his quarry: drove the animal he was hunting out of its hiding place. 6. château (◊a·t£√) n.: large country house.

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were real enough; the massive door with a leering gargoyle for a knocker was real enough; yet about it all hung an air of unreality.

Here’s a conflict in lines He lifted the knocker, and it creaked up stifﬂy, as if it had - 176 178. Is it external or never before been used. He let it fall, and it startled him with its internal? Explain. booming loudness. 170 He thought he heard steps within; the door remained closed. Again Rainsford lifted the heavy knocker and let it fall. The door opened then, opened as suddenly as if it were on a spring, and Rainsford stood blinking in the river of glaring gold light that poured out. The ﬁrst thing Rainsford’s eyes discerned was the largest man Rainsford had ever seen—a gigantic crea- ture, solidly made and black-bearded to the waist. In his hand the man held a long-barreled revolver, and he was pointing it straight at Rainsford’s heart. Out of the snarl of beard two small eyes regarded 180 Rainsford. “Don’t be alarmed,” said Rainsford, with a smile which he hoped was disarming. “I’m no robber. I fell off a yacht. My

disarming (dis • ärm≈i«) adj.: name is Sanger Rainsford of New York City.” removing or lessening suspi- The menacing look in the eyes did not change. The revolver cions or fears. pointed as rigidly as if the giant were a statue. He gave no sign Dis- is a prefix meaning “take away; deprive of.” that he understood Rainsford’s words or that he had even heard ved. Literally, disarm means “take them. He was dressed in uniform, a black uniform trimmed away weapons or arms.” 7 What does discomfort mean? with gray astrakhan. “I’m Sanger Rainsford of New York,” Rainsford began 190 again. “I fell off a yacht. I am hungry.” The man’s only answer was to raise with his thumb the hammer of his revolver. Then Rainsford saw the man’s free hand go to his forehead in a military salute, and he saw him click his heels together and stand at attention. Another man was coming down the broad marble steps, an erect, slender man in evening clothes. He advanced to Rainsford and held out his hand. Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser In a cultivated voice marked by a slight accent that gave it added precision and deliberateness, he said: “It is a very great

7. astrakhan (as√tr¥·k¥n) n.: curly fur of very young lambs.

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pleasure and honor to welcome Mr. Sanger Rainsford, the cele- 200 brated hunter, to my home.” Notes Automatically Rainsford shook the man’s hand. “I’ve read your book about hunting snow leopards in Tibet, you see,” explained the man. “I am General Zaroff.” Rainsford’s first impression was that the man was singularly handsome; his second was that there was an original, almost bizarre quality about the general’s face. He was a tall man past middle age, for his hair was a vivid white; but his thick eyebrows and pointed military moustache were as black as the night from which Rainsford had come. His eyes, too, were black and very 210 bright. He had high cheekbones, a sharp-cut nose, a spare, dark face, the face of a man used to giving orders, the face of an aris- tocrat. Turning to the giant in uniform, the general made a sign. The giant put away his pistol, saluted, withdrew. “Ivan is an incredibly strong fellow,” remarked the general, “but he has the misfortune to be deaf and dumb. A simple fellow, but, I’m afraid, like all his race, a bit of a savage.” Circle the word in line 216 that Zaroff uses to describe “Is he Russian?” Cossacks. Now, read on “He is a Cossack,”8 said the general, and his smile showed through line 219. What do Zaroff’s remarks suggest red lips and pointed teeth. “So am I.” about how he himself will behave later in the story? ved. 220 “Come,” he said, “we shouldn’t be chatting here. We can talk later. Now you want clothes, food, rest. You shall have them. This is a most restful spot.” Ivan had reappeared, and the general spoke to him with lips that moved but gave forth no sound. “Follow Ivan, if you please, Mr. Rainsford,” said the general. “I was about to have my dinner when you came. I’ll wait for you. You’ll find that my clothes will fit you, I think.” It was to a huge, beam-ceilinged bedroom with a canopied bed big enough for six men that Rainsford followed the silent 230 giant. Ivan laid out an evening suit, and Rainsford, as he put it Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser

8. Cossack (käs√ak≈): member of a group from Ukraine, many of whom served as horsemen to the Russian czars and were famed for their fierceness in battle.

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on, noticed that it came from a London tailor who ordinarily cut and sewed for none below the rank of duke.

Read the boxed passage The dining room to which Ivan conducted him was in aloud two times. Try to many ways remarkable. There was a medieval magnificence improve the speed and smoothness of your delivery about it; it suggested a baronial hall of feudal times, with its on your second read. oaken panels, its high ceiling, its vast refectory table where two-score men could sit down to eat. About the hall were the mounted heads of many animals—lions, tigers, elephants, When you appraise some- moose, bears; larger or more perfect specimens Rainsford had thing, you estimate its value. Why might the general be 240 never seen. At the great table the general was sitting, alone. appraising Rainsford (line “You’ll have a cocktail, Mr. Rainsford,” he suggested. The 255)? cocktail was surpassingly good; and, Rainsford noted, the table appointments were of the finest—the linen, the crystal, the silver, the china. They were eating borscht, the rich red soup with sour cream so dear to Russian palates. Half apologetically General Zaroff said: “We do our best to preserve the amenities9 of civi- lization here. Please forgive any lapses. We are well off the beaten track, you know. Do you think the champagne has suffered from 250 its long ocean trip?” “Not in the least,” declared Rainsford. He was finding the 10 general a most thoughtful and affable host, a true cosmopolite. ved. But there was one small trait of the general’s that made Rainsford uncomfortable. Whenever he looked up from his plate he found the general studying him, appraising him narrowly. “Perhaps,” said General Zaroff, “you were surprised that Irecognized your name. You see, I read all books on hunting published in English, French, and Russian. I have but one passion in my life, Mr. Rainsford, and it is the hunt.” 260 “You have some wonderful heads here,” said Rainsford as he ate a particularly well-cooked filet mignon. “That Cape buffalo is the largest I ever saw.” Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser “Oh, that fellow. Yes, he was a monster.”

9. amenities (¥·men√¥·t≤z) n.: comforts and conveniences. 10. cosmopolite (käz·mäp√¥·l¢t≈) n.: knowledgeable citizen of the world.

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Notes

Cape buffalo. Corel.

“Did he charge you?”

ved. “Hurled me against a tree,” said the general. “Fractured my skull. But I got the brute.” “I’ve always thought,” said Rainsford, “that the Cape buffalo is the most dangerous of all big game.” Pause at line 273. What do For a moment the general did not reply; he was smiling you predict the most danger- 270 his curious red-lipped smile. Then he said slowly: “No. You are ous game will be? wrong, sir. The Cape buffalo is not the most dangerous big game.” He sipped his wine. “Here in my preserve on this island,” he said in the same slow tone, “I hunt more dangerous game.” Rainsford expressed his surprise. “Is there big game on

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Notes “Oh, it isn’t here naturally, of course. I have to stock the island.” 280 “What have you imported, general?” Rainsford asked. “Tigers?” The general smiled. “No,” he said. “Hunting tigers ceased to interest me some years ago. I exhausted their possibilities, you see. No thrill left in tigers, no real danger. I live for danger, Mr. Rainsford.” The general took from his pocket a gold cigarette case and offered his guest a long black cigarette with a silver tip; it was perfumed and gave off a smell like incense. “We will have some capital hunting, you and I,” said the 290 general. “I shall be most glad to have your society.” “But what game—”began Rainsford. “I’ll tell you,” said the general. “You will be amused, I know. I think I may say, in all modesty, that I have done a rare thing. I have invented a new sensation. May I pour you another glass of port, Mr. Rainsford?” “Thank you, general.” The general ﬁlled both glasses and said: “God makes some men poets. Some He makes kings, some beggars. Me He made

a hunter. My hand was made for the trigger, my father said. ved. 300 He was a very rich man, with a quarter of a million acres in the Crimea,11 and he was an ardent sportsman. When I was only ﬁve Notice the sequence of events as Zaroff tells about years old, he gave me a little gun, specially made in Moscow for his past. Underline the words me, to shoot sparrows with. When I shot some of his prize in lines 301-302 that tell when he received his first turkeys with it, he did not punish me; he complimented me on gun. Underline the words in my marksmanship. I killed my ﬁrst bear in the Caucasus12 when lines 305-306 that tell when he shot his first bear. I was ten. My whole life has been one prolonged hunt. I went Underline the words in line — — 313 that tell when he left into the army it was expected of noblemen’s sons and for Russia. a time commanded a division of Cossack cavalry, but my real interest was always the hunt. I have hunted every kind of game Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser

prolonged (pr£• lo«d√) v. used as adj.: extended. 11. Crimea (kr¢·m≤√¥): peninsula in Ukraine jutting into the Black Sea. 12. Caucasus (kô√k¥·s¥s): mountainous region between southeastern Europe and western Asia.

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310 in every land. It would be impossible for me to tell you how many animals I have killed.”

The general puffed at his cigarette. imprudent (im • prºd≈¥nt) “After the debacle13 in Russia I left the country, for it was adj.: unwise. imprudent for an ofﬁcer of the czar to stay there. Many noble Im- is a prefix meaning “not.” Imprudent means Russians lost everything. I, luckily, had invested heavily in “not prudent.” What does American securities, so I shall never have to open a tearoom immature mean? in Monte Carlo14 or drive a taxi in Paris. Naturally, I continued to hunt—grizzlies in your Rockies, crocodiles in the Ganges,15 rhinoceroses in East Africa. It was in Africa that the Cape buffalo 320 hit me and laid me up for six months. As soon as I recovered I started for the Amazon to hunt jaguars, for I had heard they were unusually cunning. They weren’t.” The Cossack sighed. “They were no match at all for a hunter with his wits about him and a high-powered rifle. I was bitterly disappointed. I was lying in my tent with a splitting headache one night when a terrible thought pushed its way into my mind. Hunting was beginning to bore me! And hunting, remember, had been my life. I have heard that in America businessmen often go to pieces when they give up the business that has been their life.” 330 “Yes, that’s so,” said Rainsford.

ved. The general smiled. “I had no wish to go to pieces,” he

said. “I must do something. Now, mine is an analytical mind, An idiom is an expression Mr. Rainsford. Doubtless that is why I enjoy the problems of that means something differ- ent from the literal defini- the chase.” tions of its parts. Circle the idiom in line 328. What does “No doubt, General Zaroff.” it mean? “So,”continued the general, “I asked myself why the hunt no longer fascinated me. You are much younger than I am, Mr. Rainsford, and have not hunted as much, but you perhaps can guess the answer.” 340 “What was it?” Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser 13. debacle (di·bä√k¥l) n.: overwhelming defeat. Zaroff is referring to the Russian Revolution of 1917, in which the czar and his government were overthrown. 14. Monte Carlo (mänt√¥ kär≈l£): gambling resort in Monaco, a country on the Mediterranean Sea. 15. Ganges (gan√j≤z): river in northern India and Bangladesh.

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“Simply this: Hunting had ceased to be what you call a Notes sporting proposition. It had become too easy. I always got my quarry. Always. There is no greater bore than perfection.” The general lit a fresh cigarette. “No animal had a chance with me anymore. That is no boast; it is a mathematical certainty. The animal had nothing but his legs and his instinct. Instinct is no match for reason. When I thought of this, it was a tragic moment for me, I can tell you.” 350 Rainsford leaned across the table, absorbed in what his host was saying. “It came to me as an inspiration what I must do,” the general went on. “And that was?” The general smiled the quiet smile of one who has faced an surmounted (s¥r• m¡nt√id) v.: overcame. obstacle and surmounted it with success. “I had to invent a new animal to hunt,” he said. “A new animal? You’re joking.”

Pause at line 357. What “Not at all,” said the general. “I never joke about hunting. could this “new animal” be? 360 Ineeded a new animal. I found one. So I bought this island, built this house, and here I do my hunting. The island is perfect

for my purposes—there are jungles with a maze of trails in ved. them, hills, swamps—” “But the animal, General Zaroff?” “Oh,” said the general, “it supplies me with the most exciting hunting in the world. No other hunting compares with it for an instant. Every day I hunt, and I never grow bored now, for I have a quarry with which I can match my wits.” Rainsford’s bewilderment showed in his face. 370 “I wanted the ideal animal to hunt,” explained the general. “So I said: ‘What are the attributes of an ideal quarry?’ And the answer was, of course: ‘It must have courage, cunning, and, Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser above all, it must be able to reason.’” “But no animal can reason,” objected Rainsford. “My dear fellow,” said the general, “there is one that can.”

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“But you can’t mean—”gasped Rainsford. “And why not?”

“I can’t believe you are serious, General Zaroff. This is a Pause at line 382, and con- grisly joke.” firm your prediction. What is the game that Zaroff hunts? 380 “Why should I not be serious? I am speaking of hunting.” “Hunting? Good God, General Zaroff, what you speak of is murder.” The general laughed with entire good nature. He regarded Rainsford quizzically. “I refuse to believe that so modern and civilized a young man as you seem to be harbors romantic ideas about the value of human life. Surely your experiences in the war—” “Did not make me condone16 coldblooded murder,” finished Rainsford stiffly. 390 Laughter shook the general. “How extraordinarily droll you are!” he said. “One does not expect nowadays to find a young man of the educated class, even in America, with such a naive, and, if I may say so, mid-Victorian point of view. It’s like

ﬁnding a snuffbox in a limousine. Ah, well, doubtless you had unruffled (un • ruf√¥ld) adj.: Puritan ancestors. So many Americans appear to have had. I’ll calm; not disturbed. wager you’ll forget your notions when you go hunting with me. Un- is a prefix meaning “not.” What word in line 400 ved. You’ve a genuine new thrill in store for you, Mr. Rainsford.” also uses this prefix? Use “Thank you, I’m a hunter, not a murderer.” un- to give these words the opposite meaning: kind, “Dear me,” said the general, quite unrufﬂed, “again that necessary, able. 400 unpleasant word. But I think I can show you that your scruples17 are quite ill-founded.” “Yes?” “Life is for the strong, to be lived by the strong, and if need be, taken by the strong. The weak of the world were put here to give the strong pleasure. I am strong. Why should I not use my gift? If I wish to hunt, why should I not? I hunt the scum of the earth—sailors from tramp ships—lascars,18 blacks, Chinese, Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser

16. condone (k¥n·d£n√) v.: overlook an offense; excuse. 17. scruples (skrº√p¥lz) n.: feelings of doubt or guilt about a suggested action. 18. lascars (las√k¥rz) n.: East Indian sailors employed on European ships.

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whites, mongrels—a thoroughbred horse or hound is worth more than a score of them.”

Pause at line 410. It’s clear 410 “But they are men,” said Rainsford hotly. that Rainsford and Zaroff dis- “Precisely,” said the general. “That is why I use them. agree about the “sport” of hunting men. How do you It gives me pleasure. They can reason, after a fashion. So they think they will solve their conflict? are dangerous.” “But where do you get them?” The general’s left eyelid fluttered down in a wink. “This island is called Ship-Trap,” he answered. “Sometimes an angry god of the high seas sends them to me. Sometimes, when Providence is not so kind, I help Providence a bit. Come to the window with me.” 420 Rainsford went to the window and looked out toward the sea. “Watch! Out there!” exclaimed the general, pointing into the night. Rainsford’s eyes saw only blackness, and then, as the ved. Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser

Corel.

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general pressed a button, far out to sea Rainsford saw the flash of lights.

The general chuckled. “They indicate a channel,” he said, How does Zaroff find men to - “where there’s none; giant rocks with razor edges crouch like a hunt (lines 422 432)? sea monster with wide-open jaws. They can crush a ship as easily as I crush this nut.” He dropped a walnut on the hardwood 430 floor and brought his heel grinding down on it. “Oh, yes,” he said, casually, as if in answer to a question, “I have electricity. We try to be civilized here.” “Civilized? And you shoot down men?” A trace of anger was in the general’s black eyes, but it was there for but a second, and he said, in his most pleasant manner: “Dear me, what a righteous young man you are! I assure you I do not do the thing you suggest. That would be barbarous. I treat these visitors with every consideration. They get plenty of good food and exercise. They get into splendid physical con- 440 dition. You shall see for yourself tomorrow.” “What do you mean?” The word game in line 450 “We’ll visit my training school,” smiled the general. “It’s in means “competition for the cellar. I have about a dozen pupils down there now. They’re amusement.” What associa- tions come to mind when from the Spanish bark San Lucar that had the bad luck to go on you hear the word game? What impression do you ved. the rocks out there. A very inferior lot, I regret to say. Poor form of Zaroff when he specimens and more accustomed to the deck than to the jungle.” uses this word to describe hunting men? He raised his hand, and Ivan, who served as waiter, brought thick Turkish coffee. Rainsford, with an effort, held his tongue in check. 450 “It’s a game, you see,” pursued the general blandly. “I suggest to one of them that we go hunting. I give him a supply of food and an excellent hunting knife. I give him three hours’ start. I am to follow, armed only with a pistol of the smallest caliber and range. If my quarry eludes me for three whole days, he wins the game. If I ﬁnd him”—the general smiled—“he loses.” Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser “Suppose he refuses to be hunted?” “Oh,” said the general, “I give him his option, of course. He need not play that game if he doesn’t wish to. If he does not

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wish to hunt, I turn him over to Ivan. Ivan once had the honor 460 of serving as ofﬁcial knouter19 to the Great White Czar, and he

invariably (in • ver≈≤ • ¥ • bl≤) has his own ideas of sport. Invariably, Mr. Rainsford, invariably adv.: always; without they choose the hunt.” changing. “And if they win?” The smile on the general’s face widened. “To date I have not lost,” he said. Then he added, hastily: “I don’t wish you to think me a braggart, Mr. Rainsford. Many of them afford only the most elementary sort of problem. Occasionally I strike a tartar.20 One almost did win. I eventually had to use the dogs.” 470 “The dogs?” “This way, please. I’ll show you.” The general steered Rainsford to a window. The lights from the windows sent a flickering illumination that made grotesque patterns on the courtyard below, and Rainsford could see moving about there a dozen or so huge black shapes; as they turned toward him, their eyes glittered greenly. Re-read lines 482-490. What “A rather good lot, I think,” observed the general. “They do you predict Rainsford will are let out at seven every night. If anyone should try to get do next? into my house—or out of it—something extremely regrettable

480 would occur to him.” He hummed a snatch of song from the ved. Folies-Bergère.21 “And now,” said the general, “I want to show you my new collection of heads. Will you come with me to the library?” “I hope,” said Rainsford, “that you will excuse me tonight, General Zaroff. I’m really not feeling at all well.” “Ah, indeed?” the general inquired solicitously.22 “Well, I suppose that’s only natural, after your long swim. You need a good, restful night’s sleep. Tomorrow you’ll feel like a new man, I’ll wager. Then we’ll hunt, eh? I’ve one rather promising prospect—” Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser 19. knouter (n¡t√¥r) n.: person who beats criminals with a knout, a kind of leather whip. 20. strike a tartar: get more than one bargained for. A tartar is a violent, unmanageable person. 21. Folies-Bergère (fô√l≤ ber·¤er≈): famous nightclub in Paris. 22. solicitously (s¥·lis√¥·t¥s·l≤) adv.: in a concerned manner.

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490 Rainsford was hurrying from the room. “Sorry you can’t go with me tonight,” called the general.

“I expect rather fair sport—a big, strong black. He looks Describe the mood created by - resourceful— Well, good night, Mr. Rainsford; I hope you have this setting (lines 498 510). a good night’s rest.” The bed was good and the pajamas of the softest silk, and he was tired in every ﬁber of his being, but nevertheless Rainsford could not quiet his brain with the opiate23 of sleep. He lay, eyes wide open. Once he thought he heard stealthy steps in the corridor outside his room. He sought to throw open the 500 door; it would not open. He went to the window and looked out. His room was high up in one of the towers. The lights of the château were out now, and it was dark and silent, but there was a fragment of sallow moon, and by its wan light he could see, dimly, the courtyard; there, weaving in and out in the pat- tern of shadow, were black, noiseless forms; the hounds heard him at the window and looked up, expectantly, with their green eyes. Rainsford went back to the bed and lay down. By many methods he tried to put himself to sleep. He had achieved a doze when, just as morning began to come, he heard, far off in 510 the jungle, the faint report of a pistol.

ved. General Zaroff did not appear until luncheon. He was dressed faultlessly in the tweeds of a country squire. He was solicitous about the state of Rainsford’s health. “As for me,” sighed the general, “I do not feel so well. I am worried, Mr. Rainsford. Last night I detected traces of my old complaint.” To Rainsford’s questioning glance the general said: “Ennui. Boredom.” Then, taking a second helping of crêpes suzette,24 the 520 general explained: “The hunting was not good last night. The

Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser What context clue tells you the meaning of ennui 23. opiate (£√p≤·it) n.: anything that tends to soothe or calm someone. (än√w≤≈) in line 517? An opiate may also be a medicine containing opium or a related Underline it. drug used to relieve pain. 24. crêpes suzette (kr†p sº·zet√) n.: thin pancakes folded in a hot orange-flavored sauce and served in flaming brandy.

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fellow lost his head. He made a straight trail that offered no Notes problems at all. That’s the trouble with these sailors; they have dull brains to begin with, and they do not know how to get about in the woods. They do excessively stupid and obvious things. It’s most annoying. Will you have another glass of Chablis, Mr. Rainsford?” “General,” said Rainsford ﬁrmly, “I wish to leave this island at once.” The general raised his thickets of eyebrows; he seemed 530 hurt.“But, my dear fellow,” the general protested, “you’ve only just come. You’ve had no hunting—” “I wish to go today,” said Rainsford. He saw the dead black eyes of the general on him, studying him. General Zaroff’s face suddenly brightened. He ﬁlled Rainsford’s glass with venerable Chablis from a dusty bottle. “Tonight,” said the general, “we will hunt—you and I.” Rainsford shook his head. “No, general,” he said. “I will not hunt.” 540 The general shrugged his shoulders and delicately ate a hothouse grape. “As you wish, my friend,” he said. “The choice

diverting (d¥• v∞rt≈i«) v. used rests entirely with you. But may I not venture to suggest that ved. as adj.: entertaining. you will ﬁnd my idea of sport more diverting than Ivan’s?” He nodded toward the corner where the giant stood, scowl- ing, his thick arms crossed on his hogshead of chest. - In lines 540 549, the central — conflict is established. Who “You don’t mean ”cried Rainsford. will be the general’s next “My dear fellow,” said the general, “have I not told you victim? I always mean what I say about hunting? This is really an inspiration. I drink to a foeman worthy of my steel—at last.” 550 The general raised his glass, but Rainsford sat staring at him. “You’ll ﬁnd this game worth playing,” the general said Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser enthusiastically. “Your brain against mine. Your woodcraft against mine. Your strength and stamina against mine. Outdoor chess! And the stake is not without value, eh?”

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“And if I win—”began Rainsford huskily. “I’ll cheerfully acknowledge myself defeated if I do not

ﬁnd you by midnight of the third day,” said General Zaroff. Pause at line 559. What does “My sloop will place you on the mainland near a town.” Rainsford have to do to win the game? 560 The general read what Rainsford was thinking. “Oh, you can trust me,” said the Cossack. “I will give you my word as a gentleman and a sportsman. Of course you, in turn, must agree to say nothing of your visit here.” “I’ll agree to nothing of the kind,” said Rainsford. “Oh,” said the general, “in that case— But why discuss that now? Three days hence we can discuss it over a bottle of Veuve Clicquot,25 unless—” The general sipped his wine. Then a businesslike air animated him. “Ivan,” he said to 570 Rainsford, “will supply you with hunting clothes, food, a knife. A sloop (line 559) is a kind of I suggest you wear moccasins; they leave a poorer trail. I suggest ship. Circle the context clues that help you figure out the too that you avoid the big swamp in the southeast corner of word’s meaning. the island. We call it Death Swamp. There’s quicksand there. One foolish fellow tried it. The deplorable26 part of it was

that Lazarus followed him. You can imagine my feelings, Underline the name of Mr. Rainsford. I loved Lazarus; he was the ﬁnest hound in my the place in line 573 that Zaroff tells Rainsford to

ved. pack. Well, I must beg you to excuse me now. I always take a avoid. What might the siesta after lunch. You’ll hardly have time for a nap, I fear. suggestive name of this place foreshadow? You’ll want to start, no doubt. I shall not follow till dusk. 580 Hunting at night is so much more exciting than by day, don’t you think? Au revoir27,Mr. Rainsford, au revoir.” General Zaroff, with a deep, courtly bow, strolled from the room. From another door came Ivan. Under one arm he carried khaki hunting clothes, a haversack of food, a leather sheath containing a long-bladed hunting knife; his right hand rested on a cocked revolver thrust in the crimson sash about his waist.... Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser Au revoir (line 581) is French for “until we meet again.” Read on, and underline the 25. Veuve Clicquot (vöv kl≤·k»√): brand of fine champagne. context clues that help you 26. deplorable (d≤·plôr√¥·b¥l) adj.: regrettable; very bad. figure out the meaning of 27. au revoir (£’r¥·vwär√): French for “goodbye.” the phrase.

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Notes

Rainsford had fought his way through the bush for two hours. At line 588 the plot flashes forward. When do the events “I must keep my nerve. I must keep my nerve,” he said through beginning in line 588 occur? 590 tight teeth. ved. He had not been entirely clearheaded when the château gates snapped shut behind him. His whole idea at ﬁrst was to put distance between himself and General Zaroff, and, to this end, he had plunged along, spurred on by the sharp rowels28 of something very like panic. Now he had got a grip on himself, had stopped, and was taking stock of himself and the situation. He saw that straight flight was futile; inevitably it would bring him face to face with the sea. He was in a picture with a frame of water, and his operations, clearly, must take place 600 within that frame. Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser

28. rowels (r¡√¥lz) n.: small wheels with spurs that horseback riders wear on their heels.

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Re-read lines 601-613. How does Rainsford avoid being captured and killed?

Corel.

“I’ll give him a trail to follow,” muttered Rainsford, and he struck off from the rude paths he had been following into the ved. trackless wilderness. He executed a series of intricate loops; he doubled on his trail again and again, recalling all the lore of the fox hunt and all the dodges of the fox. Night found him leg- weary, with hands and face lashed by the branches, on a thickly wooded ridge. He knew it would be insane to blunder on through the dark, even if he had the strength. His need for rest was imperative and he thought: “I have played the fox; now 610 I must play the cat of the fable.” A big tree with a thick trunk and outspread branches was nearby, and taking care to leave not the slightest mark, he climbed up into the crotch and stretching

Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser out on one of the broad limbs, after a fashion, rested. Rest brought him new conﬁdence and almost a feeling of security. Even so zealous a hunter as General Zaroff could not trace him there, he told himself; only the devil himself could follow that

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complicated trail through the jungle after dark. But, perhaps, the general was a devil—

Pause at line 628. Who is An apprehensive night crawled slowly by like a wounded coming through the bush? 620 snake, and sleep did not visit Rainsford, although the silence of a dead world was on the jungle. Toward morning, when a dingy gray was varnishing the sky, the cry of some startled bird focused Rainsford’s attention in that direction. Something was coming through the bush, coming slowly, carefully, coming by the same winding way Rainsford had come. He flattened himself down on the limb, and through a screen of leaves almost as thick as tapestry, he watched. The thing that was approaching was a man. It was General Zaroff. He made his way along with his eyes 630 ﬁxed in utmost concentration on the ground before him. He paused, almost beneath the tree, dropped to his knees and studied the ground. Rainsford’s impulse was to hurl himself down like a panther, but he saw the general’s right hand held something metallic—a small automatic pistol. The hunter shook his head several times, as if he were puz- impulse (im√puls≈) n.: sudden zled. Then he straightened up and took from his case one of his desire to do something. black cigarettes; its pungent incenselike smoke floated up to

Rainsford’s nostrils. ved. Rainsford held his breath. The general’s eyes had left the Underline the details in lines 637-647 that add to the 640 ground and were traveling inch by inch up the tree. Rainsford suspense of the plot. Why froze there, every muscle tensed for a spring. But the sharp eyes does Zaroff smile? of the hunter stopped before they reached the limb where Rainsford lay; a smile spread over his brown face. Very deliber- ately he blew a smoke ring into the air; then he turned his back on the tree and walked carelessly away, back along the trail he had come. The swish of the underbrush against his hunting boots grew fainter and fainter. Then pent-up air burst hotly from Rainsford’s lungs. His Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser ﬁrst thought made him feel sick and numb. The general could

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650 follow a trail through the woods at night; he could follow an extremely difﬁcult trail; he must have uncanny powers; only by

the merest chance had the Cossack failed to see his quarry. Pause at line 661. The first Rainsford’s second thought was even more terrible. It sent stage of the hunt is over. Who has won? What does a shudder of cold horror through his whole being. Why had the Rainsford now know that he general smiled? Why had he turned back? didn’t know at the beginning of the story? Rainsford did not want to believe what his reason told him was true, but the truth was as evident as the sun that had by now pushed through the morning mists. The general was playing with him! The general was saving him for another day’s 660 sport! The Cossack was the cat; he was the mouse. Then it was that Rainsford knew the full meaning of terror. “I will not lose my nerve. I will not.” He slid down from the tree and struck off again into the woods. His face was set and he forced the machinery of his mind to function. Three hundred yards from his hiding place he stopped where a huge dead tree leaned precariously29 on a smaller living one. Throwing off his sack of food, Rainsford took his knife from its sheath and began to work with all his energy. The job was ﬁnished at last, and he threw himself down 670 behind a fallen log a hundred feet away. He did not have to wait

ved. long. The cat was coming again to play with the mouse. Following the trail with the sureness of a bloodhound came General Zaroff. Nothing escaped those searching black eyes, no crushed blade of grass, no bent twig, no mark, no matter how faint, in the moss. So intent was the Cossack on his stalking that he was upon the thing Rainsford had made before he saw it. His foot touched the protruding bough that was the trigger. Even as he touched it, the general sensed his danger and leapt back with the agility of an ape. But he was not quite quick 680 enough; the dead tree, delicately adjusted to rest on the cut living one, crashed down and struck the general a glancing blow Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser on the shoulder as it fell; but for his alertness, he must have been smashed beneath it. He staggered, but he did not fall; nor did he

protruding (pr£ • trºd≈i«) v. used as adj.: sticking out. 29. precariously (pri·ker√≤·¥s·l≤) adv.: unsteadily; in an unstable manner.

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drop his revolver. He stood there, rubbing his injured shoulder, and Rainsford, with fear again gripping his heart, heard the gen-

Pause at line 692. Who wins eral’s mocking laugh ring through the jungle. the second stage of this “Rainsford,” called the general, “if you are within the sound conflict? of my voice, as I suppose you are, let me congratulate you. Not many men know how to make a Malay man-catcher. Luckily for 690 me, I too have hunted in Malacca.30 You are proving interesting, Mr. Rainsford. I am going now to have my wound dressed; it’s only a slight one. But I shall be back. I shall be back.” When the general, nursing his bruised shoulder, had gone, Rainsford took up his flight again. It was flight now, a desperate, hopeless flight, that carried him on for some hours. Dusk came, then darkness, and still he pressed on. The ground grew softer under his moccasins; the vegetation grew ranker, denser; insects bit him savagely. Then, as he stepped forward, his foot sank into the ooze. He tried to wrench it back, but the muck sucked 700 viciously at his foot as if it were a giant leech. With a violent effort, he tore loose. He knew where he was now. Death Swamp and its quicksand. His hands were tight closed as if his nerve were something tangible that someone in the darkness was trying to tear from Pause at line 707. What do you predict Rainsford’s his grip. The softness of the earth had given him an idea. He ved. “idea” will be? stepped back from the quicksand a dozen feet or so, and, like some huge prehistoric beaver, he began to dig. Rainsford had dug himself in in France,31 when a second’s delay meant death. That had been a placid pastime compared 710 to his digging now. The pit grew deeper; when it was above his shoulders, he climbed out and from some hard saplings cut stakes and sharpened them to a ﬁne point. These stakes he planted in the bottom of the pit with the points sticking up. With flying ﬁngers he wove a rough carpet of weeds and branches and with it he covered the mouth of the pit. Then, Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser

The adjective placid (plas≈id) in line 709 means “calm.” 30. Malacca (m¥·lak√¥): state in what is now the nation of Malaysia in southeastern Asia. 31. dug himself in in France: dug a hole for shelter from gunfire during World War I (1914-1918).

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wet with sweat and aching with tiredness, he crouched behind the stump of a lightning-charred tree.

He knew his pursuer was coming; he heard the padding Pause at line 730. Who is in sound of feet on the soft earth, and the night breeze brought the trap? Has Rainsford won? 720 him the perfume of the general’s cigarette. It seemed to Rainsford that the general was coming with unusual swiftness; he was not feeling his way along, foot by foot. Rainsford, crouching there, could not see the general, nor could he see the pit. He lived a year in a minute. Then he felt an impulse to cry aloud with joy, for he heard the sharp crackle of the breaking branches as the cover of the pit gave way; he heard the sharp scream of pain as the pointed stakes found their mark. He leapt up from his place of concealment. Then he cowered back. Three feet from the pit a man was standing, with an electric torch in 730 his hand. “You’ve done well, Rainsford,” the voice of the general called. “Your Burmese tiger pit has claimed one of my best dogs. Again you score. I think, Mr. Rainsford, I’ll see what you can do against my whole pack. I’m going home for a rest now. Thank Pause at line 735. Who wins you for a most amusing evening.” the third stage of this conflict? According to Zaroff, what will happen ved. At daybreak Rainsford, lying near the swamp, was awakened by the next day? the sound that made him know that he had new things to learn about fear. It was a distant sound, faint and wavering, but he knew it. It was the baying of a pack of hounds. 740 Rainsford knew he could do one of two things. He could stay where he was and wait. That was suicide. He could flee. That was postponing the inevitable. For a moment he stood there, thinking. An idea that held a wild chance came to him, and, tightening his belt, he headed away from the swamp. The baying of the hounds drew nearer, then still nearer, nearer, ever nearer. On a ridge Rainsford climbed a tree. Down Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser a watercourse, not a quarter of a mile away, he could see the bush moving. Straining his eyes, he saw the lean ﬁgure of General Zaroff; just ahead of him Rainsford made out another 750 ﬁgure whose wide shoulders surged through the tall jungle

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weeds. It was the giant Ivan, and he seemed pulled forward by some unseen force. Rainsford knew that Ivan must be holding

Pause at line 761, and recall the pack in leash. Rainsford’s earlier ideas They would be on him any minute now. His mind worked about hunting (lines 19-31). Why is Rainsford’s situation frantically. He thought of a native trick he had learned in ironic, or surprising? Uganda. He slid down the tree. He caught hold of a springy young sapling and to it he fastened his hunting knife, with the blade pointing down the trail; with a bit of wild grapevine he tied back the sapling. Then he ran for his life. The hounds raised 760 their voices as they hit the fresh scent. Rainsford knew now how an animal at bay feels. ved. Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser

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He had to stop to get his breath. The baying of the hounds stopped abruptly, and Rainsford’s heart stopped too. They must

have reached the knife. Pause at line 769. What does He shinnied excitedly up a tree and looked back. His pur- Rainsford hope to see when he climbs up the tree? What suers had stopped. But the hope that was in Rainsford’s brain does he actually see? when he climbed died, for he saw in the shallow valley that General Zaroff was still on his feet. But Ivan was not. The knife, driven by the recoil of the springing tree, had not wholly failed. 770 “Nerve, nerve, nerve!” he panted, as he dashed along. A blue gap showed between the trees dead ahead. Ever nearer drew the hounds. Rainsford forced himself on toward that gap. He reached it. It was the shore of the sea. Across a cove he could see the gloomy gray stone of the château. Twenty feet below him the sea rumbled and hissed. Rainsford hesitated. He heard the hounds. Then he leapt far out into the sea.... When the general and his pack reached the place by the sea, the Cossack stopped. For some minutes he stood regarding the blue-green expanse of water. He shrugged his shoulders. Then 780 he sat down, took a drink of brandy from a silver flask, lit a perfumed cigarette, and hummed a bit from Madama Butterfly.32 General Zaroff had an exceedingly good dinner in his great Pause at line 776. Trapped between his deadly pursuer ved. paneled dining hall that evening. With it he had a bottle of and the sea, Rainsford jumps. Pol Roger and half a bottle of Chambertin. Two slight annoy- Is the game over? What do you predict will happen ances kept him from perfect enjoyment. One was the thought next? that it would be difﬁcult to replace Ivan; the other was that his quarry had escaped him; of course the American hadn’t played the game—so thought the general as he tasted his after-dinner liqueur. In his library he read, to soothe himself, from the works 790 of Marcus Aurelius.33 At ten he went up to his bedroom. He was deliciously tired, he said to himself as he locked himself in. There was a little moonlight, so before turning on his light, he went to the window and looked down at the courtyard. Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser 32. Madama Butterfly: famous Italian opera by Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924). 33. Marcus Aurelius (mär√k¥s ô·r≤√l≤·¥s): emperor of Rome from A.D. 161 to 180, who wrote about the philosophy of Stoicism, which held that people should make themselves indifferent to both pain and pleasure.

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He could see the great hounds, and he called: “Better luck another time,” to them. Then he switched on the light.

Underline the passage on A man, who had been hiding in the curtains of the bed, this page that reveals the was standing there. climax of this conflict. “Rainsford!” screamed the general. “How in God’s name did you get here?” 800 “Swam,” said Rainsford. “I found it quicker than walking How is the conflict finally resolved? through the jungle.” The general sucked in his breath and smiled. “I congratulate you,” he said. “You have won the game.” Rainsford did not smile. “I am still a beast at bay,” he said, in a low, hoarse voice. “Get ready, General Zaroff.” The general made one of his deepest bows. “I see,” he said. “Splendid! One of us is to furnish a repast34 for the hounds. The other will sleep in this very excellent bed. On guard, Rainsford....”

810 He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided.

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The Most Dangerous Game

Plot Diagram Review the plot structure of “The Most Dangerous Game.” Then, ﬁll in the plot diagram below with key story events.

Climax:

4. Resolution:

Main events (Complications) 2. ved.

Setting:

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Skills Review

The Most Dangerous Game

Sharpen your test-taking skills. Complete the sample test item below. Then, check your answer, and read the explanation that appears in the right-hand column.

Sample Test Item Explanation of the Correct Answer

Which of the following elements of The correct answer is C. setting does Rainsford not have to Rainsford struggles against the ocean, struggle against? encounters quicksand in the Death A The ocean Swamp, and must fight through the B Quicksand jungle. There is no freezing cold; C Freezing cold Rainsford is in the tropics. D The jungle

DIRECTIONS: Circle the letter of each correct response.

1. Which of the following passages 3. Which of the following events from the story foreshadows danger? happens first? A “You’ve good eyes,” Whitney said. A Rainsford kills Ivan. B “It will be light in Rio,” promised B Rainsford kills one of Zaroff’s dogs. ved. Whitney. C Rainsford wounds Zaroff. C “What island is it?” Rainsford D Rainsford dives into the sea. asked. D “The old charts call it Ship-Trap 4. Which of the following events Island,” Whitney replied. happens last? F Rainsford and Zaroff fight in 2. What is the setting for most of the the bedroom. action in this story? G Rainsford builds a Burmese F A yacht tiger pit. G A castle H Rainsford builds a Malay man- H A jungle catcher.

J The sea J Rainsford falls overboard. Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser

Literary Skills Analyze plot structure and foreshadowing.

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Skills Review

The Most Dangerous Game

Prefixes: Important Beginnings DIRECTIONS: Match the prefixes with their meanings. Write the letter of the correct meaning on each line.

1. pre- a. not Vocabulary Skills 2. inter- b. between Identify prefixes and their meanings. Use words in 3. un- c. before context.

4. re- d. badly; wrong

5. mis- e. again

Vocabulary in Context DIRECTIONS: Complete the paragraph below by writing a word from the word box in each numbered blank. Not all words from the box will be ved. used.

WordWord BoxBox The rock climber was guided by a sudden desire, an receding (1) to climb Forbidden Cliff. Although the disarming rocky path was covered in slippery moss, he remained prolonged (2) and calm. He almost lost his footing, however, imprudent when a (3) rock nearly tripped him. Just when he surmounted reached the top, a park ranger caught him and scolded him, saying the climb unruffled was not only unwise but (4) . Not charmed or invariably swayed by the climber’s (5) smile, the park ranger diverting Copyright © by Holt, © by Copyright Winston. Rinehart and All rights reser impulse gave him a ticket. protruding

The Most Dangerous Game 37 Collection 1 Student pages 4–5 5 Rainsford

to run. en adj.: game wh

“bad match” en always; impulse invariably ev “play again” used as calm; not disturbed. entertaining. v. adv.: diverting adj.: interaction, “action between” unpopular, “not popular” mismatch, replay, preview, “view before” adj.: sudden desire to do ) The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous cliffs blocked Rainsford’s Rainsford’s cliffs blocked unruffled, n.: ) pr£·trºd√i«) ( in·ver√≤·¥·bl≤) un·ruf√¥ld ( d¥·v∞rt√i«) ( ( im√puls≈ ( protruding between not badly; again before wrong sticking out. to Zaroff. Zaroff appeared Zaroff said that his captives choose the hunt. The deadly hunt was a had to control his Rainsford The sight of the ocean. without changing. something. called him a murderer. unruffled invariably diverting impulse protruding - - - - - Prefix Meaning Example inter un mis re pre hunt. extended. becoming adj.: surmounted for an officer for an officer unwise. overcame. adj.: prolonged removing or v.: adj.: ) ) used as disarming. adj.: v. used as ) imprudent v. s¥r·m¡nt√id ( im·prºd√¥nt pr£·lô«d√ in the distance. dis·ärm√i«) ( ( ( ri≈s≤d√i«) ( are word parts added to the could see the ship going away from him, from could see the ship going away

the czar to stay there. the czar to stay ter the revolution in Russia, Zaroff left the ceding ho has faced an obstacle and more distant. re it with success. He lessening suspicions or fears. be alarmed,”“Don’t said Rainsford, with a smile he hoped was Zaroff’s whole life was one Af country, it was for of smiled the quietThe general smile of one w

eceding

PREVIEW SELECTION VOCABULARY Preview the following words from story before you begin reading: r disarming prolonged imprudent surmounted BEGINNINGS PREFIXES: IMPORTANT Preﬁxes beginnings of words. Although prefixes consist of just a few letters, they are powerful and can greatly change the the right are meaning of a word. To prefixes you’ll come across often in your reading. Recognizing these prefixes will help you figure out the meanings of many words that might be new to you.

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright falls over- or problem of some that hint at what might for Zaroff. In the for Zaroff. foreshadowing. There he finds another There conflict, a trap foreshadowing big-game hunter, a Key Details suspense. Plot Impression When Zaroff shows Rainsford the shows Rainsford When Zaroff the most dangerous game—man. Ship-Trap Island. Ship-Trap Rainsford, Zaroff. guarding his chateau, Rainsford realizes he is a realizes his chateau, Rainsford guarding named of a story is series related events. These events take place as plot Each event in this story will make you curious about what happen next. That curiosity is called As you read, look for examples of happen later in the plot. The actual plot: Rainsford, a big-game hunterman overboard IslandShip-Trap another hunter General Zaroff, fierce dogs a trap board and swims to board hunter, fierce dogs game.” wins “the most dangerous end, Rainsford captive. Zaroff hunts captive. Zaroff will Zaroff a sporting proposition. Rainsford offers Zaroff he will be free. gets away, If Rainsford hunt Rainsford. turnsRainsford the tables and sets The Before you read “The Most Dangerous Game,” take a few minutes to make predictions using a “plot impression.” Plot impressions work like this: You Then you weave the details together are given some details from the story. to create an impression of the plot as you predict it might be. Here are details for your plot impression of “The Most Dangerous Game.” What do you predict “the most dangerous game” is? one or more characters take steps to resolve a kind. Some events are hinted at through the use of • • The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous Connell by Richard Get ready to take part in a shocking hunt. “The Most Dangerous Game” is a short story full of suspense and surprises that will keep you on the edge of your seat. FOCUS: FORESHADOWING LITERARY READING SKILLS: MAKING PREDICTIONS Collection 1: Plot and Setting Part 1 Make Skills Skills Reading understand predictions. Understand ocabulary V Use prefixes to foreshadowing. word meanings. Literary Skills 4

4 The Holt Reader: Teacher’s Manual Collection 1 Student pages 6–7 7 15 - setting. 27 that tell how - that describe the What mood, or feeling, do Circle the words in lines 7 these words create in you? Suggested response: a The setting creates mysterious mood. Underline the sentences in lines 20 about hunting animals. Rainsford feels about hunting animals. Circle the sentences that tell how Whitney feels The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous — fear. — a bad one.” — ): British manufacturer of hunting equipment. ” — should have some good hunting up the Amazon. up the some good hunting should have

p∞r√d≤z ( We y?” Rainsford. asked the hunters and the huntees.the hunters Luckily, the and I are you 1 h annibals?” Rainsford. suggested hey were a bit strange,hey were mention it. you now Even he best sport in the world,” Rainsford. agreed has a reputation he place es, that tough-minded old Swede, even go up to who’d — “Nor four yards,”“Nor Rainsford. admitted moist like It’s “Ugh! will“It be light in Rio,” should Whitney. promised “We “T Whitney. the hunter,” amended “For for the jaguar.” “Not talk rot,“Don’t a big-game Whitney,” said Rainsford. “You’re the jaguar does,”“Perhaps Whitney. observed no understanding.” “Bah! They’ve so,“Even I rather think they understand one thing “Nonsense,” laughed Rainsford. “This is mak- hot weather in the dark. tell “I can’t I hope so.” “W “T “C a in such “Hardly. live cannibals wouldn’t Even “T “Y y?” eat sport, hunting.” unters. passed that island yet?” think we’ve Do you unter, not a philosopher. a jaguar feels?” how cares Who black velvet.” it in a few days.make from come I hope the jaguar guns have Purdey’s. 1. Purdey’s Gr h The fear of pain and the fear of death.” soft,ing you Whitney. Be a realist. is made up of The world two classes h as if the air about us was actually poisonous. Now, mustn’t you Godforsaken place.Godforsaken sailor lore, into gotten it’s But somehow. nerves seemed a bit jumpy that the crew’s notice you Didn’t toda Captain Nielsen the devil himself and ask him for a light. blue eyes Those ﬁshy held a look I before. there saw never All I get out of could him was: ‘This has an evil place name among seafaring men, sir.’ me,Then he said to very gravely: feel anything?’ you ‘Don’t

20 30 40

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Corel. ” — is a large island,” said — ” Brandt & Hochman Literary Agents, Inc. — somewhere — hat island is it?” asked. Rainsford an’t see it,” Rainsford,an’t remarked trying peer through to he old charts call it Ship-Trap Island,” replied. Whitney he old charts call it Ship-Trap ou’ve good eyes,”Whitney,ou’ve said with a laugh, I’ve “and “C “Y “W “T suggestive name,suggestive of a curious dread it? Sailors have isn’t the

hitney. rather a mystery “It’s undred yards,undred a see four miles or so through can’t you but even Off the right to there Richard Connell Richard place. why. know I don’t Some superstition the dank tropical night its thick the dank tropical that was palpable as it pressed warm blackness in upon the yacht. pick offseen you fall bush at four a moose moving in the brown h moonless Caribbean night.” “A W “ “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell. Copyright 1924 Connell; copyright renewed © 1952 by Louise Fox Connell. Reprinted permission of 10 Collection 1: Plot and Setting Part 1 will happen in the Underline the name of island in line 4. What do you predict based on this name? story, Students might that Rainsford predict and Whitney will on be shipwrecked Island. Ship-Trap 6

Student Pages with Answers 5 Collection 1 Student pages 8–9 9 used as v. ) 109? ri≈s≤d√i« ( - becoming more distant. eceding Pause at line 85. What has happened to Rainsford? What do you predict will happen next? Suggested response: He has fallen over- Most likely board. he will swim to the island. r adj.: What connection do you see title and between the story’s lines 103 Possible response: The cry Rainsford hears may be from the “game” referred to in the title. The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous ding ce re the muttering — — the most welcome he had ever heard he had ever the most welcome struggled and tried cry the surface to up to out, but did not recognize the animal that made sound;did not recognize he did

— n minutes ofn minutes effort determined another sound to brought estled himself out of with his clothes and shouted all his He Rainsford heard a sound. heard Rainsford came out of It the darkness, a He shot,”“Pistol Rainsford, muttered swimming on. Te Rainsford remembered the shots. remembered Rainsford the from They had come lunged for it; a short, hoarse cry his lips as came from wr leapt upon the rail and balanced himselfleapt upon the rail and balanced there, get greater to

ht, and doggedly he swam in that direction, swimming with g hance was slender and grew more slender as the yacht raced on. slender as the yacht was slender and grew more hance and growling ofand growling shore. on a rocky the sea breaking was almost He them; he saw before on the rocks on a night less calm he would against them. been shattered have he strength his remaining With He elevation; his pipe, striking a rope, his mouth. from was knocked He lights of the yacht, he had swum fifty before feet. but he stopped him; to had come A certain coolheadedness it was not the first time he had been in a tight place. that his was a chance There the yacht, someone aboard by be heard cries could but that c He he realized he had reached too far and had lost his balance. too he had reached he realized The cry off was pinched short of as the blood-warm waters his head. the Caribbean Sea closed over the wash from the speeding yacht slapped him in the face and slapped him in the face the speeding yacht the wash from in his open mouth made him gag and strangle.the salt water the after he struckDesperately out with strokes strong high sound, screaming the sound of an animal in extremity of anguish and terror. not try to; the sound. with vitality fresh he swam toward heard He it again; then it was cut short another noise, by crisp, staccato. his ears power. The lights of became faint and ever-vanishing the yacht fireflies; the night. by out entirely blotted then they were ri slow, strokes, deliberate conserving his strength. a seemingly For endless time he fought the sea. his strokes; count began to He and then more do possibly a hundred he could

80 90

100 110

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright puffed 2 ” — lazily. I did feel something like a sudden I did feel something like adv.: — ) ith wavelengths, just as sound and light The sensuous drowsiness ofThe sensuous drowsiness the night was w 3 — tobacco pipe made from the root of a n.: in√d¥·l¥nt·l≤ ) ( br¢√¥r abrupt sound startled him. Off the right to it, he heard ( a mental chill, a sort of sudden dread.”

here was no breeze.here The sea was as flat a plate-glass Good night, then, Rainsford. at breakfast.” See you — “T imagination,”“Pure said Rainsford. superstitious “One “Maybe. an extra sense sometimes I think sailors have But not sleepy,” said Rainsford.“I’m smoke going to “I’m “ “Right. Good night, Whitney.” Rainsford, chair, in a steamer reclining indolently An the rail, quickly to sprang up and moved Rainsford brier bush or tree. stified. the which from strained in the direction his eyes He yhow, getting out of glad we’re I’m this zone. Well, I think ain he heard the sound,ain he heard and again. Somewhere, off in the ports had come, trying but it was like a blanket. see through to indow. drawing near the island then. were We I What felt hill. c w was a with his fear.” company sailor can taint the whole ship’s them when in danger. theythat tells are Sometimes I think evil is a tangible thing have. evil An can, place speak, so to vibrations broadcast of evil. An I’ll turn in now, Rainsford.” another pipe on the afterdeck.” was no sound in the night sat there There as Rainsford of throb but the muffled swiftly the yacht the engine that drove the darkness,through and the swish and ripple of the wash of the propeller. 3. brier on his favorite brier. on his favorite laugh when I this you tell on him. so dark,” “It’s he thought, sleep without I could “that eyes;closing my eyelids the night be my would and his ears, expert matters, in such not be mistaken. could Ag blackness, times. a gun three someone had fired my re 2. indolently 50 60 70 do Collection 1: Plot and Setting mood Part 1 60 that describe the - setting and its effect on setting and its effect What Whitney. Underline details in lines 42 these details help create? Suggested response: a The details create chilling mood of danger and evil. Pause at line 76. What do you predict will happen? Students may predict will get shot Rainsford or find himself in danger. 8

6 The Holt Reader: Teacher’s Manual Collection 1 Student pages 10–11 11 162 sus- - in which is a kind of 141 create - by leaving questions in pense our minds. What questions Lines 137 would you like answered? Suggested response: Who is the hunter? What was killed? Personiﬁcation figurative language a nonhuman thing or something inanimate (not alive) is talked about as if it were human or alive. Underline the detail in lines 161 son” is this sea? a Possible response: animal greedy hungry, that gives the sea a human What kind of “per- quality. The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous it was set on a high bluff, 6 and wounded it.and wounded The last shot was a lofty structure with towers pointed 5 — large country house. drove the animal he was hunting out of n.: ) the print of boots. hunting along They pointed — ◊a·t£√ ( xamined the ground closely and found what he had xamined the ground e saw no sign ofsaw a trail the closely knit web through twenty-two,” he remarked. odd. “That’s have must It

He Some wounded thing,Some wounded the evidence by a large animal, had “A He Bleak darkness was blacking out the sea and jungle when “Mirage,” thought Rainsford. it was no mirage, But he its hiding place. me upon a village, lights. many were for there as he forged But eedy lips in the shadows. eedy unter flushed his quarryunter wy outlines of a palatial château; plunging upward into the gloom. into plunging upward made out the shad- eyes His o 6. château 5. flushed his quarry: of and trees; weeds go along the shore, it was easier to and the water. along by floundered Rainsford where far from Not he had landed, he stopped. thrashed about in the underbrush; crushed the jungle were weeds down and the moss was lacerated; of one patch was weeds stained crimson. A small, caught glittering object not far away it up. and he picked eye Rainsford’s was an empty It cartridge. been a fairly large animal too. had his nerve with The hunter tackle it withhim to a light gun. put clear that the brute It’s up a fight. I was when the shots I heard the first three suppose h when he trailed and finished it.” it here find hoped to the cliff he had been going. in the direction Eagerly he hurried along, log or a loose stone, slipping on a rotten now but making headway; night was beginning settle down on the island. to sighted the lights.Rainsford came upon them as he turned He in the coastline,a crook and his first thought was that he had co along, in that all the lights astonishment his great were to he saw one enormous building sides ofand on three the sea licked where down to it cliffs dived gr found, gate. iron when he opened the tall spiked steps The stone

140 150 160

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright © Kevin Schafer/Getty Images. here, darkness. Something opaque does 4 n.: ) £·p†k√nis ( forced himselfforced upward, hand. hand over Gasping, here there are pistol shots, pistol are there here men. are there there Where

hen he opened his eyes, the position of he knew from the He W “W not let light pass through. ndered, of front unbroken An in so forbidding a place? jut into the opaqueness. jut into

gor; a sharp was picking at him. hunger about him, looked He dragged himself the swirling from waters. crags appeared Jagged to his hands raw, at the top. a flat place he reached Dense jungle the verycame down to edge of the cliffs. perils that tangle What of and underbrush trees might hold for him did not concern just then.Rainsford his All he knew was that safe from enemy, the sea, weariness was on him. and that utter flung He himself down at the jungle edge and tumbled headlong into the deepest sleep of his life. in the afternoon.sun that it was late him new Sleep had given vi almost cheerfully. men,are is food,” there he thought. what kind of But men, he wo snarled and ragged jungle fringed the shore. 4. opaqueness 120 130 Collection 1: Plot and Setting Part 1 Pause at line 124. Where is Rainsford now? He is on a junglelike island. 10

Student Pages with Answers 7 Collection 1 Student pages 12–13 13 Notes Notes Circle the word in line 216 uses to describe that Zaroff read on Cossacks. Now, through line 219. What do remarks suggest Zaroff’s about how he himself will behave later in the story? will probably Zaroff behave like a ruthless savage. The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous said the general, and his smile showed 8 ): member of a group from Ukraine, many whom käs√ak≈ ( matically Rainsford shook the man’s hand. shook the man’s matically Rainsford to ome,” he said, here. be chatting shouldn’t “we can We was to a huge,was to with bedroom a canopied beam-ceilinged an had reappeared, him with to and the general spoke

Au “I’ve read your book about hunting snow leopards in Tibet, leopards snow book about hunting your read “I’ve was that the man singularly first impression Rainsford’s fellow,” strong is an incredibly the general,“Ivan remarked he Russian?” “Is is a Cossack,” “He “C Iv Ivan,“Follow if please, you Mr. Rainsford,” said the general. It served as horsemen to the Russian czars and were famed for their fierceness in battle. ut he has the misfortune be deaf to and dumb. A simple crat. the giant to in uniform, Turning the general made a sign. d lips and pointed teeth.d lips and pointed am I.” “So iant. suit, laid out an evening Ivan and Rainsford, as he put it ou see,” the man. explained “I am General Zaroff.” ou. clothes will fit you, find that my You’ll I think.” pleasure and honor to welcome Mr. welcome and honor to pleasure Sanger Rainsford, the celebrated hunter, home.” my to 8. Cossack y handsome; was an original, was that there his second almost face.bizarre quality about the general’s was a tall man past He middle age, for his hair was a vivid white; but his thick eyebrows as black the night militaryand pointed from were moustache had come. Rainsford which eyes, His too, black and very were bright. had high cheekbones, He a sharp-cut nose, a spare, dark face, of the face giving a man used to orders, of the face an aris- to his pistol,The giant put away saluted, withdrew. “b fellow, but, afraid, I’m all his race, like a bit of a savage.” bed big enough for six men that Rainsford followed the silent bed big enough followed for six men that Rainsford g re talk later. want clothes, you Now food, rest. them. shall have You spot.” This is a most restful forth no sound. but gave lips that moved came. dinner when you my have “I was about to I’ll wait for y

200 210 220 230

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright a gigantic crea- — curly fur of very young lambs. “I’m no robber.“I’m I fell off a yacht. My n.: ) 7 disarming. as√tr¥·k¥n ( lifted the knocker,lifted up stifﬂy, and it creaked as if it had thought he heard steps within;thought steps he heard the door remained

a cultivated voice marked by a slight accent that gave that gave a slight accent by marked voice a cultivated

eal enough; door with a leering for a the massive gargoyle r “I’m Sanger Rainsford of Sanger Rainsford “I’m began Rainsford York,” New raise with was to only answer the his thumb The man’s In He He Out of the snarl of regarded small eyes two beard be alarmed,”“Don’t said Rainsford, with a smile which did not change.The menacing look in the eyes The revolver

re ith gray astrakhan. we again. “I fell off a yacht. I am hungry.” hammer of hand free his revolver. the man’s saw Then Rainsford in a military his forehead go to salute, him click his and he saw and stand at attention.heels together man was coming Another marbledown steps, the broad an erect, slender man in evening clothes. and held out his hand. Rainsford to advanced He and deliberateness,it added precision he said: is a very great “It 7. astrakhan knocker was real enough; was real knocker an air of about it all hung yet unreality. been used. before never let it fall, He and it startled him with its booming loudness. closed. and let it fall. knocker the heavy lifted Rainsford Again The door opened then, opened as suddenly if on a it were spring, of blinking in the river stood and Rainsford glaring gold light out. that poured discerned eyes The ﬁrst thing Rainsford’s seen had ever was the largest man Rainsford ture, the waist. to solidly made and black-bearded his hand In the man held a long-barreled revolver, and he was pointing it heart. straight at Rainsford’s Rainsford. he hoped was ofname is Sanger Rainsford City.” York New as rigidlypointed as if a statue. the giant were no sign gave He heard or that he had even words Rainsford’s that he understood them. in uniform, was dressed He a black uniform trimmed w 170 180 190 or mean? adj.: ) Collection 1: Plot and Setting means “take ärm≈i« • external discomfort dis ( Part 1 Explain. disarm ? is a prefix meaning 178. Is it - - removing or lessening suspicions or fears. Dis Here’s a conflict in lines Here’s 176 internal This is an external conflict—man versus man. disarming What does “deprive of comfort” 12 “take away; deprive of.” Literally, away weapons or arms.”

8 The Holt Reader: Teacher’s Manual Collection 1 Student pages 14–15 15 the most danger- predict Notes Notes Pause at line 273. What do you ous game will be? Students may predict is talking that Zaroff about hunting human beings. The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous Corel. Cape buffalo. r a moment the general did not reply; he was smiling “Did he charge you?” “Did he charge me against a tree,”“Hurled said the general. my “Fractured thought,” always “I’ve said Rainsford, the Cape buffalo “that Fo Rainsford expressed his surprise. expressed Rainsford big game on there “Is The general nodded. “The biggest.” “Really?” ong, sir. big The Cape buffalo is not the most dangerous skull. I But the brute.” got ofis the most dangerous all big game.” his curious smile. red-lipped Then he said slowly: “No. are You wr game.” sipped his wine. He on this island,” preserve in my “Here tone,he said in the same slow game.” dangerous more “I hunt this island?”

270

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright 10 of civi- 9 lions, tigers, elephants, the linen, the crystal, the — — knowledgeable citizen of the world. n.: comforts and conveniences. ) n.: ) käz·mäp√¥·l¢t≈ ( ¥·men√¥·t≤z ( ou’ll have a cocktail, have ou’ll Mr. Rainsford,” he suggested. The ou have some wonderful heads here,” some wonderful ou have said Rainsford Oh, that fellow. Yes, he was a monster.” “Y eating borscht,They were soup with the rich red sour The dining room to which Ivan conducted him was in conducted Ivan which to The dining room “Perhaps,” said General Zaroff, surprised were that “you “Y “ “Not in the least,”“Not Rainsford. declared was finding the He ff said: the amenities preserve do our best to “We t there was one small traitt there of that made the general’s ro ecognized your name. your ecognized see, You all books on hunting I read cktail was surpassingly good; and, noted, Rainsford the table ack, know. you from think the champagne has suffered Do you 9. amenities moose, bears; perfect had specimens larger or more Rainsford seen.never table the general the great was sitting, At alone. co ofappointments were the finest silver, the china. palates. Russian so dear to cream Half apologetically General Za 10. cosmopolite on, a London tailor who ordinarily that it came from noticed the rank of for none below cut and sewed duke. remarkable. ways many was a medieval magnificence There about it; hall of a baronial it suggested feudal times, with its panels,oaken its high ceiling, its vast refectory table where eat. sit down to men could two-score the the hall were About heads ofmounted animals many Bu uncomfortable.Rainsford his plate up from he looked Whenever he found the general studying him, appraising him narrowly. Ir published in English, French, and Russian. but one I have life,passion in my Mr. Rainsford, and it is the hunt.” as he ate a particularly well-cooked filet mignon. a particularlyas he ate well-cooked “That Cape saw.” buffalo is the largest I ever lization here. lapses. any Please forgive off well are We the beaten tr trip?”its long ocean general a most thoughtful and affable host, a true cosmopolite. 240 250 260 Collection 1: Plot and Setting Part 1 Read the boxed passage to aloud two times. Try improve the speed and smoothness of your delivery on your second read. When you appraise something, you estimate its value. Why might the general be appraising Rainsford (line 255)? The Sample response: general may be sizing because up Rainsford he is a famous hunter. 14

Student Pages with Answers 9 Collection 1 Student pages 16–17 17 means prºd≈¥nt) • im ( mean? is an expression Imprudent unwise. is a prefix meaning idiom - “not prudent.” What does adj.: Im that means something differ- ent from the literal defini- tions of its parts. Circle the idiom in line 328. What does imprudent immature “not mature” An it mean? Sample response: “become very depressed” “not.” The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous 15 ): gambling resort in Monaco, a country in Russia I left the country,in Russia it was for overwhelming defeat. Zaroff is referring to the overwhelming defeat. Zaroff 13 n.: ) ): river in northern India and Bangladesh. or drive a taxi in Paris.or drive Naturally, I continued mänt√¥ kär≈l£ 14 ( izzlies in your Rockies,izzlies in your in the Ganges, crocodiles for an ofﬁcer offor an ofﬁcer there. stay the czar to Many noble di·bä√k¥l gan√j≤z ontinued the general,ontinued myself “I asked the hunt why ( ( gr ”c hat was it?” — fter the debacle fter o, es, so,” said Rainsford. that’s unusually cunning.unusually They sighed. The Cossack weren’t.” The general puffed at his cigarette. “A “Y The general smiled. pieces,” “I had no wish go to to he doubt,“No General Zaroff.” “S “W

up the business that has been their life.” unt

on the Mediterranean Sea. Russian Revolution of 1917, in which the czar and his government were overthrown. erican securities, so I open a tearoom to have shall never re h bore me! And hunting,And me! bore remember, life. had been my I have hey were no match at all for a hunter with at all for a hunter his wits no match about him hey were

ve ussians lost everything. I, luckily, in heavily had invested hinoceroses in East Africa. in East hinoceroses Africa that the Cape buffalo was in It 15. Ganges in every land. how you tell be impossible for me to would It killed.” animals I have many r hit me and laid up for six months. soon as I recovered As jaguars, hunt to Amazon I started for the for I they had heard we 13. debacle 14. Monte Carlo to R Am Carlo in Monte imprudent “T rifle.and a high-powered disappointed. I was bitterly I was lying with one night tent a splitting headache when a terriblein my mind. my into thought pushed its way was beginning Hunting to when they pieces go to America businessmen often that in heard gi said. do something. “I must Now, mine is an analytical mind, Mr. Rainsford. of the problems I enjoy Doubtless that is why the chase.” no longer fascinated me.no longer fascinated than I am, younger much are You Mr. Rainsford, as much, not hunted and have perhaps you but can guess the answer.”

310 320 330 340

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright when 12 and for — unt. I went h prolonged egan Rainsford. ”b — ): mountainous region between southeastern ): peninsula in Ukraine jutting into the Black Sea. it was expected ofit was expected sons noblemen’s — kô√k¥·s¥s ( kr¢·m≤√¥ ( and he was an ardent sportsman.and he was an ardent I was only five When hat have you imported, you hat have general?” asked. Rainsford e will have some capital hunting,e will have and I,” you said the 11 hank you, general.” Oh, naturally, here it isn’t of course. I stock to have ea, “I’ll tell you,”“I’ll tell said the general. will be amused, “You I know. “T The general filled both glasses and said: some makes “God “ “W The general smiled. “No,” he said. tigers ceased “Hunting case and a gold cigarette his pocket The general from took “W what “But game marksmanship. first bear in the Caucasus I killed my Europe and western Asia. was a very rich man, with a quarter of in the a million acres

interest me some years ago. me some years interest their possibilities, I exhausted igers?”

ears old, me a little gun, he gave for specially made in Moscow ou see. thrill left in tigers, No danger. no real for danger, I live into the army into a division ofa time commanded cavalry, Cossack real but my the hunt. was always interest every hunted kind of I have game I think I may say,I think may in all modesty, thing. done a rare that I have I a new sensation. invented have another glass of I pour you May port, Mr. Rainsford?” men poets. kings, makes Some He some beggars. made He Me a hunter. hand was made for the trigger, My father said. my He Crim 12. Caucasus the island.” “T to y Mr. Rainsford.” tip; with a silver his guest a long black cigarette offered it was offperfumed and gave incense. a smell like general. society.” your “I shall be most glad have to y me, with. shoot sparrows to I When shot some of his prize withturkeys it, he did not punish me; me on he complimented my 11. Crimea I was ten. whole life has been one My 280 290 300 v. Collection 1: Plot and Setting lo«d√) • extended. 302 that tell pr£ - ( Part 1 306 that tell when - adj.: Notes used as Notes Notice the sequence of tells about events as Zaroff his past. Underline the words in lines 301 prolonged 16 he shot his first bear. Underline the words in line 313 that tell when he left Russia. when he received his first gun. Underline the words in lines 305

10 The Holt Reader: Teacher’s Manual Collection 1 Student pages 18–19 19 kind, adj.: ruf√¥ld) • un ( is a prefix meaning to give these words - - calm; not disturbed. Un Pause at line 382, and con- firm your prediction. What is hunts? the game that Zaroff human beings unruffled able. necessary, unpleasant; unkind, unable unnecessary, the opposite meaning: “not.” What word in line 400 also uses this prefix? Use un The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous 17 gain that “a blacks, Chinese, 18 unrufﬂed, oldblooded murder,” lascars, c 16 — asped Rainsford. ”g — feelings of doubt or guilt about a suggested overlook an offense; excuse. overlook an offense; n.: v.: East Indian sailors employed on European ships. ) ) n.: ) ” k¥n·d£n√ skrº√p¥lz ( ( should I not be serious? I am speaking of hunting.” las√k¥rz

( — hy sailors from trampsailors from ships hank you, a hunter, I’m not a murderer.” nd why not?” nd why es?” a genuine new thrill in store for you, new thrilla genuine in store Mr. Rainsford.”

— “Did not make me condone “Did not make “A serious, are you believe “I can’t General Zaroff. This is a “W Good God,“Hunting? General Zaroff, speak of what you The general laughed with good nature. entire regarded He Laughter shook the general. extraordinarily droll “How “T “Dear me,” said the general, quite “But you can’t mean can’t you “But “Y “Life is for the strong, the strong, by be lived to and if need the strong pleasure.the strong I am strong. should I not use my Why ve

action. itan ancestors. had. have Americans appear to So many I’ll r u’ isly joke.” ve ift? If I wish hunt, to the scum of should I not? hunt why the ou are!” he said. find a to nowadays does not expect “One oung man of class, the educated America, in even with a such wager you’ll forget your notions when you go hunting with go hunting me. notions when you forget your wager you’ll Yo gr is murder.” quizzically.Rainsford that so modern and believe to “I refuse be harbors seem to romantic man as you a young civilized ideas about the value of life. human experiences your Surely in the war finished Rainsford stiffly. finished Rainsford y y naive, and, if I so, say may point of mid-Victorian view. like in a limousine. It’s finding a snuffbox Ah, well, had doubtless you Pu unpleasant word. scruples that your you I think can show But are quite ill-founded.” quite are be, the strong. by taken of The weak to put here were the world gi 16. condone 18. lascars 17. scruples g earth

380 390 400

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright it with success. a new invent “I had to ” — there are jungles are withthere of a maze trails in — surmounted new animal? You’re joking.” You’re new animal?

nd that was?” imply this: call a be what you to had ceased Hunting Oh,” said the general, “it supplies me with the most excit- “But the animal,“But General Zaroff?” “ bewilderment in his face. showed Rainsford’s hunt,” the ideal animal to “I wanted the general. explained no animal can reason,”“But Rainsford. objected dear fellow,” said the general,“My is one that can.” “there Rainsford leaned across the table, leaned across Rainsford absorbed in what his host me as an inspiration do,” what I must came to “It the “A The general smiled the quiet smile of an one who has faced “A at all,”“Not said the general. about hunting. joke “I never “S cigarette. The general lit a fresh with me anymore. animal had a chance “No That is no ou.” y en I thought of this, it was a tragic moment for me, I can eeded a new animal. I found one. So I bought this island, o I said: the attributes of are ‘What an ideal quarry?’ the And ing hunting in the world.ing hunting with it for compares other hunting No an instant. I hunt, day Every now, bored grow and I never for a quarry wits.” my I have with I can match which “S was,answer of course: courage, have must ‘It cunning, and, all,above reason.’” be able to it must was saying. general on. went obstacle and animal to hunt,”animal to he said. In built this house, I and here hunting. my do The island is perfect purposes for my them, hills, swamps sporting proposition. easy. too had become It got my I always quarry. Always. than perfection.” bore is no greater There boast; it is a mathematical certainty. The animal had nothing but his legs and his instinct. for reason. is no match Instinct Wh tell 350 360 370 v.: Collection 1: Plot and Setting m¡nt√id) • s¥r ( Part 1 Notes overcame. Notes surmounted Pause at line 357. What could this “new animal” be? a human being 18

Student Pages with Answers 11 Collection 1 Student pages 20–21 21 ? game in line 450 432)? - game brings to mind Zaroff uses false Zaroff signals to shipwreck his “game.” Suggested response: Game play and lighthearted use of this fun. Zaroff’s to describe hunt- word ing men suggests that he is coldblooded and heartless. means “competition for amusement.” What associa- tions come to mind when you hear the word How does Zaroff find men to How does Zaroff hunt (lines 422 The word What impression do you when he form of Zaroff uses this word to describe hunting men? The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous he loses.” “ — that had the bad luck to go on that had the bad luck to San Lucar the general smiled — aised his hand, and Ivan, who served as waiter, brought ilized? And you shoot down men?” you And ilized? ’ll visit my training’ll visit school,” my smiled the general. in “It’s r hat do you mean?” hat do you e

iv uppose he refuses to be hunted?” to uppose he refuses Oh,” said the general, him his option, “I give of course. y to be civilized here.” be civilized y to “S “ A trace of black eyes, anger was in the general’s but it was “W “W He a game,“It’s see,” you pursued the general blandly. “I suggest “C The general chuckled. “They a channel,” indicate he said, tr need not play that game ifneed not play wish to. he doesn’t If he does not

follow, armed only with of a pistol the smallest caliber and one of go hunting. them that we him a supply of I give food

ange. If quarry my whole days, eludes me for three he wins the He r game. If I ﬁnd him” there for but a second,there and he said, in his most pleasant manner: “Dear me, you I assure are! what a righteous man you young suggest.I do not the thing you be barbarous. That would these visitorsI treat with every consideration. They get plenty of good food and exercise. con- splendid physical They get into dition. shall see for yourself You tomorrow.” the cellar. now. pupils down there about a dozen I have They’re the Spanish bark from out there.the rocks A very inferior lot, say. to I regret Poor the jungle.” the deck than to to accustomed specimens and more coffee.thick Turkish Rainsford, with an effort, held his tongue in check. to and an excellent hunting knife. hunting and an excellent hours’ him three I give start. I am to general pressed a button,general pressed the flash saw sea Rainsford far out to of lights. none; there’s “where a like giant with rocks edges crouch razor withsea monster wide-open jaws. They can crush a ship as easily as I crush this nut.” on the hardwood a walnut dropped He his heel grindingfloor and brought down on it. “Oh, yes,” he said, casually, as if a question, to in answer electricity. “I have We

430 440 450

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Corel. a thoroughbred horse or hound is worth a thoroughbred — atch! Out there!”atch! the general, exclaimed pointing into es me pleasure. They can reason, a fashion. after So they “But where do you get them?” do you where “But down in a wink. fluttered left eyelid The general’s “This “But they are men,” they“But are hotly. said Rainsford said the general.“Precisely,” I “That is why use them. Rainsford went to the window and looked out toward out toward the window and looked to went Rainsford “W idence is not so kind,idence I a bit. help Providence to Come v ov gi hites, mongrels

are dangerous.” are he answered.island is called Ship-Trap,” an angry “Sometimes god of the high me. seas sends them to Sometimes, when Pr w of than a score more them.” It the window with me.” the sea. the night. only blackness, saw eyes Rainsford’s and then, as the 410 420 Collection 1: Plot and Setting Part 1 Pause at line 410. It’s clear Pause at line 410. It’s dis- that Rainsford and Zaroff agree about the “sport” of hunting men. How do you think they will solve their conflict? They will probably fight each other or have to outwit each other. 20

12 The Holt Reader: Teacher’s Manual Collection 1 Student pages 22–23 23 510). - created by ennui mood ) in line 517? än√w≤≈ Underline it. Describe the this setting (lines 498 Students should understand that is cut off Rainsford the world and from will have to fight The mention Zaroff. of stealthy steps, the jungle sounds, the hounds, and guard the pistol shot create a mood of tension and fear. What context clue tells you the meaning of ( The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous the of sleep. 24 23 thin pancakes folded in a hot n.: a big, black. strong looks He — anything that tends to soothe or calm someone. ll, good night, Mr. Rainsford; I have hope you kr†p sº·zet√) n.: ( ) We — £√p≤·it ( Rainsford’s questioning glance the general said:Rainsford’s “Ennui.

s for me,” sighed the general, “I do not feel so well. I am orry you can’t go with me tonight,”orry can’t you called the general. ed, Mr. Rainsford. Last night I traces of detected old my The bed was good and the pajamas of silk, the softest and Rainsford was hurryingRainsford the room. from “S General Zaroff did not appear until luncheon. was He “A To Then, helping of taking a second crêpes suzette, of shadow, black, were noiseless forms; the hounds heard

An opiate may also be a medicine containing opium or related drug used to relieve pain. orange-flavored sauce and served in flaming brandy. lay, wide eyes open. steps he thought stealthy Once he heard rri

mplaint.” es. down. the bed and lay back to went Rainsford many By rn esourceful a good night’s rest.” a good night’s in everyhe was tired ﬁber of his being, nevertheless but not quiet his brain with could Rainsford the opiate in the corridor outside his room. open the sought throw to He door; not open. it would the window and looked to went He out. was high room up in one of His the towers. The lights of out now, were the château and it was dark and silent, but there was a fragment of moon, sallow its wan light and by he could see, dimly, the courtyard; there, in and out the pat- weaving te 24. crêpes suzette “I expect rather fair sport r 23. opiate He him at the window and looked up,him at the window and looked expectantly, with their green ey methods he tried put himself to sleep. to a had achieved He when,doze come, just as morning began to he heard, far off in the jungle, the faint report of a pistol. of faultlessly in the tweeds dressed a country squire. was He of about the state solicitous health. Rainsford’s wo co Boredom.” general explained: “The was not good last night. hunting The

490 500 510 520

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright ” — One 20 ell, I sup- “W 22 Mr. Rainsford, invariably the Great White Czar,White the Great and he

in a concerned manner. something extremely regrettable something extremely to ): famous nightclub in Paris. variably, 19 — In adv.: ) person who beats criminals with a knout, kind n.: ) fô√l≤ ber·¤er≈ or out of it get more than one bargained for. A tartar is a violent, get more than one bargained for. ( 21 s¥·lis√¥·t¥s·l≤ — ( n¡t√¥r ( ather good lot, I think,” observed the general. “They r he dogs?” his way, please. you.” I’ll show

nd if they win?” nd now,” said the general, new my you show “I want to h, indeed?” solicitously. the general inquired “A widened. face not The smile on the general’s I have date “To Then he added, hastily: think me a to wish you “I don’t “T “T a window. to Rainsford The general steered The lights from “A “A “I hope,” said Rainsford, me tonight, will you excuse “that “A of leather whip. unmanageable person. uld occur to him.” to uld occur of a snatch hummed He the song from llection of heads. with the library?” me to come you Will ward him,ward greenly. glittered their eyes ish to hunt,ish to I Ivan. to turn him over had the honor once Ivan olies-Bergère. estful night’s sleep. Tomorrow you’ll feel like a new man, feel like sleep. you’ll estful night’s I’ll Tomorrow has his own ideas of sport. they the hunt.” choose lost,” he said. braggart, Mr. Rainsford. of Many only the most them afford elementary sort of problem. I Occasionally strike a tartar. wo F are let out at seven every let out at seven night.are If should try get to anyone house my into almost did win. use the dogs.” had to I eventually illuminationthe windows that made grotesque sent a flickering below, on the courtyard patterns see mov- could and Rainsford black shapes; or so huge a dozen ing about there as they turned to 22. solicitously 20. strike a tartar: 21. Folies-Bergère w of serving as ofﬁcial knouter co General Zaroff. not feeling at all well.” really I’m 19. knouter pose that’s only natural,pose that’s long swim. your after need a good, You r wager. hunt, Then we’ll prospect one rather promising eh? I’ve 460 470 480 bl≤) • Collection 1: Plot and Setting ¥ • 490. What - Rainsford will ver≈≤ • in ( Part 1 predict always; without Students may say that will try to Rainsford escape during the night or that he will not hunt with Zaroff in the morning. invariably changing. Re-read lines 482 do next? 22 adv.: do you

Student Pages with Answers 13 Collection 1 Student pages 24–25 25 ? (line 581) is French foreshadow Suggested response: or Either Zaroff is going to Rainsford die in Death Swamp. Pause at line 559. What does Rainsford have to do win the game? He must successfully for Zaroff hide from days. three A sloop (line 559) is a kind of ship. Circle the context clues that help you figure out the meaning. word’s Underline the name of the place in line 573 that tells Rainsford to Zaroff avoid. What might the suggestive name of this place Au revoir for “until we meet again.” Read on, and underline the context clues that help you figure out the meaning of the phrase. The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous .... t why discuss that t why part of it was Bu 26 — regrettable; very bad. ): brand of fine champagne. Rainsford, au revoir.” adj.: r. ) egan Rainsford huskily. egan Rainsford French for “goodbye.” : ,M ) ”b 27 ” vöv kl≤·k»√ — — ( d≤·plôr√¥·b¥l ( £’r¥·vwär√ ( unless as a gentleman and sportsman. Of you, course in 25

nd if I win om another door came Ivan. one arm he carried Under rd Oh, can trust me,” you said the Cossack. “I will you give Oh,” said the general, “in that case General Zaroff, with a deep, courtly bow, from strolled Fr “A myself acknowledge “I’ll cheerfully if defeated I do not was thinking. whatThe general Rainsford read “ The general sipped his wine. him. air animated Then a businesslike “Ivan,” he said to “I’ll agree to nothing of“I’ll agree to the kind,” said Rainsford. “ ll want to start,ll want to no doubt. till dusk. I shall not follow wo

u’ ntaining a long-bladed hunting knife;ntaining a long-bladed hunting his right on hand rested o that you avoid the big swamp in the southeast corner of the big swamp in southeast corner avoid o that you unting at night is so much more exciting than by day, than by exciting unting at night more is so much don’t ou think? Au revoir Au ou think? 27. au revoir H y the room. clothes,khaki hunting of a haversack food, a leather sheath co thrust in the crimson sash about his waist revolver a cocked that Lazarus followed him.that Lazarus followed feelings, can imagine my You Mr. Rainsford. I Lazarus; loved he was the finest hound in my pack. Well, I me now. excuse to beg you must a take I always time for a nap, lunch. have siesta after hardly I fear. You’ll Yo find you by midnight by offind you day,” said General the third Zaroff. sloop“My on the mainland near a town.” will you place my 25. Clicquot Veuve 26. deplorable Rainsford, with “will clothes, hunting supply you food, a knife. moccasins; wear I suggest you trail. a poorer they leave I suggest to the island. call it Death Swamp. quicksand there. We There’s triedOne foolish fellow it. The deplorable now? Three days hence we can discuss it over a bottle of can discuss it over we hence days Three now? Veuve Clicquot, turn, nothing of say agree to must visit here.” your

560 570 580

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright ou and I.” at last.” y than Ivan’s?” — — diverting ” — ed Rainsford. ri ”c — t, dear fellow,” my the general protested, only “you’ve ﬁlled Rainsford’s glass a with Chablis from venerable ﬁlled Rainsford’s nodded toward the corner where the giant stood, where the corner nodded toward scowl-

eneral,” firmly, said Rainsford this island “I wish leave to onight,” said the general, will “we hunt ou’ll find this game worth playing,”ou’ll the general said ou don’t mean ou don’t Bu The general raised his glass, sat staring but Rainsford “Y “I wish go today,” said Rainsford. to the dead black saw He He “T “Y dear fellow,” said the general,“My you I not told “have “G ofThe general raised his thickets eyebrows; he seemed Rainsford shook his head.Rainsford “No, general,” he said. “I will a The general ate shrugged his shoulders and delicately He .“ rt es of the general on him, studying him. General Zaroff’s face tion. of I drink a foeman worthy to steel my ou will find my idea ofou will find my sport more hess! And the stake is not without value, the stake And hess! eh?” ests entirely withests entirely you. suggest that to I not venture may But at him. brain against mine.enthusiastically. woodcraft “Your Your against mine. and stamina against mine. strength Your Outdoor c just come. You’ve had no hunting just come. You’ve ey suddenly brightened. dusty bottle. ing, on his hogshead of his thick arms crossed chest. an inspi- This is really about hunting? mean what I say I always ra fellow lost his head.fellow made a straight He trail no that offered at all.problems with the trouble these sailors; That’s they have begindull brains to with, get to how and they do not know about in the woods. stupid and obvious They do excessively things. most annoying. It’s another glass of have you Will Chablis, Mr. Rainsford?” at once.” hu not hunt.” hothouse grape. wish, you “As friend,” my he said. “The choice r y 530 540 550 used central v. Collection 1: Plot and Setting v∞rt≈i«) • 549, the - d¥ Part 1 ( is established. Who entertaining. adj.: Notes conflict next will be the general’s as Notes diverting In lines 540 victim? next victim Zaroff’s will be Rainsford. 24

14 The Holt Reader: Teacher’s Manual HRT9_pp_001_054 10/3/03 3:20 PM Page 15 impos03 108:hrhrt9r1:hrt9ch:layouts:

Collection 1 Student pages 26–27 27 613. How - Re-read lines 601 captured and killed? He acts like a hunted false fox, creating to trails in an effort avoid being killed by hunters. does Rainsford avoid being The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous Corel. runk race him race d, and he security. on a thickly e to leave not leave e to wing the into ricate loops; rested. Rest His need for rest His ould follow that ould follow ling all the lore of ling all the lore otch and stretching otch yed the fox;yed now Night found him leg- Night “I’ll give him a trail Rainsfor follow,” to “I’ll give muttered en so zealous a hunter as General Zaroff a hunter en so zealous not t could ackless wilderness. a series of executed He int eary, the branches, with lashed by hands and face ooded ridge. blunder on be insane to knew it would He there, himself; he told only the devil himself c Ev out on one of limbs, the broad a fashion, after and almost a feeling of him new conﬁdence brought I must play the cat of play I must the fable.” with A big tree a thick t branches was nearby,and outspread and taking car the slightest mark, the cr he climbed up into was imperative and he thought:was imperative pla “I have through the dark,through if even he had the strength. w w the fox hunt and all the dodges of hunt the fox the fox. he doubled on his trail again and again, recal tr struck off the rude paths he had been follo from

610

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright o 28 ould o hours. e with rip on himself, ust take place ust take and the situation. aroff, and, this to ve,” he said through y the sharp rowels small wheels with spurs that horseback riders n.: ( r¡√¥lz ) had not been entirely clearheaded when the château had not been entirely saw that straightsaw flight was futile; inevitably it w He He wear on their heels. ithin that frame. put distance between himself between put distance and General Z end, he had plunged along, on b spurred gates snapped shut behind him. snapped shut gates whole idea at ﬁrst was t His tight teeth. w Rainsford had fought his way through the bush for tw through had fought Rainsford his way nerve. my keep “I must I ner my keep must of panic. something very like he had got a g Now 28. rowels a frame of water, and his operations, clearly, m had stopped, of and was taking stock himself bring him face to face with face the sea.bring to him face was in a pictur He 590 600 Collection 1: Plot and Setting flashes Part 1 When do the events Notes later the same day Notes At line 588 the plot forward. beginning in line 588 occur? 26

Student Pages with Answers 15 Collection 1 Student pages 28–29 29 v. trºd≈i«) • £ sticking out. (pr adj.: Zaroff has won, since Zaroff he chose to let escape. Rainsford now knows Rainsford the fear of hunted. Pause at line 661. The first stage of the hunt is over. Who has won? What does Rainsford now know that he know at the beginning didn’t of the story? protruding used as The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous on a 29 bough that was the trigger. unsteadily; in an unstable manner. adv.: protruding pri·ker√≤·¥s·l≤) ( slid down from the tree and struck the tree offslid down from the again into

llowing the trail with of the sureness a bloodhound came The job was ﬁnished at last, himself and he threw down Fo Rainsford’s second thought was even more terrible. thought more was even second Rainsford’s sent It him told what his reason believe did not want to Rainsford nerve.“I will not lose my I will not.” He emely difﬁcult trail; powers; uncanny have he must only by en as he touched it,en as he touched the general sensed his danger and leapt tr is foot touched the is foot touched oods. the machinery of was set and he forced face His his smaller living one. off Throwing his sack of food, took Rainsford with work all his energy. its sheath and began to his knife from feet away.behind a fallen log hundred wait to did not have He long. with the mouse. play again to The cat was coming General Zaroff. black eyes, escaped those searching Nothing no crushed blade of grass, no bent twig, no mark, how no matter faint, in the moss. on his stalking that was the Cossack So intent it. he saw had made before he was upon the thing Rainsford H Ev back with the agility of an ape. quick he was not quite But enough; the dead tree, on the cut liv- rest to adjusted delicately ing one, crashed down and struck the general a glancing blow on the shoulder as it fell; but for his alertness, been have he must smashed beneath it. staggered, He but he did not fall; nor did he follow a trail at night; the woods through follow an follow he could ex 29. precariously the merest chance had the Cossack failed to see his quarry. failed to had the Cossack chance the merest ofa shudder his whole being. through horror cold had the Why had he turned back? Why general smiled? was true, but the truth was as evident as the sun that had by the morning pushed through mists.now The general was playing with him! The general him for another day’s was saving sport! was the cat; The Cossack he was the mouse. Then it was knew the full meaning ofthat Rainsford terror. w function.mind to his hiding place from yards hundred Three leaned precariously dead tree a huge where he stopped

650 660 670 680

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright was to hurl himself hurl was to impulse — a small automatic pistol. a small automatic — apprehensive night crawled slowly by like a wounded like by night slowly crawled apprehensive

was General Zaroff. along with his eyes made his way He

An It The hunter shook his head several times, shook his head several The hunter as if puz- he were held his breath.Rainsford had left the eyes The general’s lungs. Rainsford’s Then pent-up air burst hotly from His was varnishing the sky, the cry of some startled bird

mplicated trailmplicated the jungle through dark. after But, perhaps, the bush,ming through slowly, coming carefully, by coming ay ound and were traveling inch by inch up the tree. inch by inch traveling ound and were Rainsford co the general was a devil snake, and sleep did not visit Rainsford, although of the silence was on the jungle.a dead world morning, Toward when a dingy gr in that direction. attention focused Rainsford’s Something was co had come. Rainsford the same winding way himself flattened He down on the limb, of a screen and through almost as leaves thick as tapestry, he watched. The thing that was approaching was a man. him. before on the ground in utmost concentration ﬁxed He paused, almost beneath the tree, his knees and to dropped studied the ground. Rainsford’s down like a panther,down like right hand held the general’s but he saw something metallic zled. his case one of Then he straightened from up and took his black cigarettes; up to floated smoke its pungent incenselike nostrils. Rainsford’s gr there,froze every for a spring. tensed muscle the sharp But eyes of the limb where they reached before stopped the hunter lay;Rainsford face. his brown over a smile spread deliber- Very ring the air; into he blew a smoke ately then he turned his back away, carelessly and walked on the tree along the trail back he had come. The swish of the underbrush against his hunting and fainter. fainter boots grew ﬁrst thought made him feel sick and numb. The general could 620 630 640 Why sudden Collection 1: Plot and Setting n.: plot. Part 1 of the im√puls≈) ( 647 that add to the - Zaroff smiles because Zaroff he knows Rainsford is there. Pause at line 628. Who is coming through the bush? impulse desire to do something. Underline the details in lines 637 suspense smile? does Zaroff 28

16 The Holt Reader: Teacher’s Manual Collection 1 Student pages 30–31 31 According to Some students will is in the Zaroff predict has trap and Rainsford won. Others will pre- will not dict Rainsford win so easily. wins. Zaroff Rainsford is going to return with all of his hunting dogs. Pause at line 730. Who is in the trap? Has Rainsford won? Pause at line 735. Who wins the third stage of this conflict? what will happen Zaroff, the next day? The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous knew his pursuer was coming; the padding he heard

ou’ve done well,ou’ve Rainsford,” of the voice the general He “Y do one of knew he could Rainsford things. two could He ofThe baying nearer, the hounds drew then still nearer, daybreak Rainsford,daybreak lying near the swamp, by was awakened t with with and aching sweat tiredness, behind he crouched ain you score.ain you I think, Mr. Rainsford, can do I’ll see what you

ou for a most amusing evening.” ou for a most amusing we the stump of a lightning-charred tree. sound of feet on the soft earth, brought and the night breeze him the perfume of cigarette. the general’s seemed to It with that the general swiftness; was coming unusual Rainsford along,he was not feeling his way foot. by foot Rainsford, there,crouching not see the general, could he see the nor could pit. in a minute. a year lived He cry Then he felt an impulse to aloud with joy, the sharp for he heard crackle of the breaking ofbranches as the cover way; the pit gave the sharp he heard ofscream found their mark. stakes pain as the pointed leapt He of his place up from concealment. back. Then he cowered Three the pit a man was standing,feet from within an electric torch his hand. called. Burmese tiger pit has claimed one of “Your best dogs. my Ag whole pack.against my now. going home for a rest I’m Thank y At learn that he had new things to the sound that made him know about fear. was a distant sound, It faint and wavering, he but knew it. of was the baying It a pack of hounds. he was and wait. where stay That was suicide. flee. could He That was postponing the inevitable. a moment he stood For there, thinking. him, came to idea that held a wild An chance and, tightening his belt, the swamp. from he headed away nearer, nearer. ever climbed a tree. On a ridge Rainsford Down a watercourse, not a quarter of a mile away, see the he could bush moving. Straining his eyes, of the lean ﬁgure he saw General Zaroff; just ahead of made out another him Rainsford whose wideﬁgure the tall shoulders surged through jungle

720 730 740 750

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright when a second’s 31 ou are proving interesting, proving ou are Y 30 dug a hole for shelter from gunfire during 1918). - ): state in what is now the nation of Malaysia m¥·lak√¥ ( en the general, his bruised nursing shoulder, had gone, is hands were tight closed as ifis hands were something his nerve were orld War Iorld War (1914 Wh H had dug himselfRainsford in France, “Rainsford,” called the general, “if within are the sound you southeastern Asia. W his digging now. deeper; The pit grew his when it was above ith flying ﬁngers he wove a rough carpet a rough ofith flying ﬁngers he wove and weeds

iciously at his foot as if a giant leech. it were a violent With Mr. Rainsford. dressed; wound my have to I am going now it’s only a slight one. I But shall be back. I shall be back.” up his flight took again.Rainsford was flight It now, a desperate, hopeless flight, that carried him on for some hours. Dusk came, then darkness, on. and still he pressed softer grew The ground under his moccasins; ranker, grew the vegetation denser; insects bit him savagely. Then, forward, as he stepped his foot sank into the ooze. tried it back, wrench to He sucked but the muck v effort, loose. he tore he was now. knew where He Death Swamp and its quicksand. tangible that someone in the darkness was trying from tear to his grip. The softness of the earth him an idea. had given He feet or so, the quicksand a dozen back from stepped and, like beaver, prehistoric some huge dig. he began to delay meant death.delay That had been a placid pastime compared to shoulders, saplings cut some hard he climbed out and from and sharpened a ﬁne point. them to stakes he These stakes of in the bottom planted the pit with the points sticking up. W the mouth ofbranches and with it he covered the pit. Then, 31. dug himself in France: drop his revolver.drop there, stood He shoulder, rubbing his injured and Rainsford, with fear again gripping his heart, the gen- heard mocking laugh ring the jungle. through eral’s of voice, my are, as I suppose you you. let me congratulate Not man-catcher. a Malay make to how men know many for Luckily me, in Malacca. hunted have I too 30. Malacca 690 700 710 ) plas≈id Collection 1: Plot and Setting ( Zaroff placid Or Part 1 wins because he escapes the trap. Suggested response: wins Rainsford because he injures causing him Zaroff, to retreat. Most students will that Rainsford predict is going to set a trap for Zaroff. Pause at line 692. Who wins the second stage of this conflict? Pause at line 707. What do you predict Rainsford’s “idea” will be? The adjective in line 709 means “calm.” 30

Student Pages with Answers 17 Collection 1 Student pages 32–33 33 He expects Zaroff will He expects Zaroff have been knifed by the trap. Instead, Ivan has been knifed, and is still standing. Zaroff Answers will vary. Most students will guess that the game is not yet over. Pause at line 769. What does Rainsford hope to see when he climbs up the tree? What does he actually see? Pause at line 776. Trapped between his deadly pursuer and the sea, Rainsford jumps. Is the game over? What do you predict will happen next? The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous 32 .... adama Butterfly. M ): emperor of Rome from n he went up to his bedroom. up to n he went He te

At famous Italian opera by Giacomo Puccini 33 mär√k¥s ô·r≤√l≤·¥s ( so thought his after-dinner the general as he tasted 1924). — en the general and his pack reached the place by the sea, by the place en the general and his pack reached shinnied excitedly up a tree and looked back. and looked up a tree shinnied excitedly pur- His had to stop to get his breath. to stop had to of The baying the hounds -

161 to 180, who wrote about the philosophy of Stoicism, which . ached it.ached of was the shore It the sea. he could a cove Across D He “Nerve, nerve, nerve!” he panted, as he dashed along. Wh He General Zaroff good dinner in his great had an exceedingly . Madama Butterfly: (1858 A held that people should make themselves indifferent to both pain held that people should make themselves indifferent and pleasure. re

ol Roger and halfol Roger a bottle of Chambertin. slight annoy- Two stopped abruptly,stopped heart too. stopped and Rainsford’s They must the knife. reached have suers had stopped. brain the hope that was in Rainsford’s But when he climbed died, valley in the shallow that for he saw General Zaroff was still on his feet. was not. Ivan But The knife, of the recoil by driven the springing tree, had not wholly failed. dead ahead. the trees between A blue gap showed nearer Ever the hounds.drew himself forced Rainsford that gap. on toward He see the gloomy gray stone of gray stone see the gloomy the château. feet below Twenty him the sea rumbled and hissed. hesitated. Rainsford heard He the hounds. the sea Then he leapt far out into the Cossack stopped.the Cossack the regarding he stood some minutes For ofblue-green expanse water. shrugged his shoulders. He Then he sat down, a drink took of flask, a silver brandy from lit a perfumed cigarette, a bit from and hummed 33. Aurelius Marcus was deliciously tired, himself he said to himself as he locked in. was a little moonlight,There turning on his light, so before down at the courtyard. the window and looked to he went paneled dining hall that evening. it he had a bottle of With P perfect enjoyment. him from kept ances One was the thought Ivan; replace be difﬁcult to that it would the other was that his quarry had escaped him; of played American hadn’t the course the game liqueur. his library In he read, soothe himself, to the works from of Aurelius. Marcus 32.

770 780 790

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright © John Lund/Getty Images. They would be on him any minute now. minute be on him any They would mind worked His anda. slid down the tree. He caught hold of He a springy eeds. was the giant Ivan, It and he seemed pulled forward by oung sapling and to it he fastened his hunting knife, his hunting it he fastened oung sapling and to with the w some unseen force. be holding must knew that Ivan Rainsford the pack in leash. frantically. thought of He trick he had learned in a native Ug y blade pointing down the trail; with a bit of wild grapevine he tied back the sapling. Then he ran for his life. The hounds raised scent. as they hit the fresh their voices how knew now Rainsford feels. an animal at bay 760 31). - Collection 1: Plot and Setting Part 1 or surprising? Why is Rainsford’s situation Why is Rainsford’s Pause at line 761, and recall earlier ideas Rainsford’s about hunting (lines 19 ironic, finds himself Rainsford in the position of animals he hunts; the hunter is now the hunted. 32

18 The Holt Reader: Teacher’s Manual Collection 1 Student pages 34–35 35 The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous can infer that he has some-

Resolution: how killed Zaroff. Rainsford sleeps in Zaroff’s bed. sleeps in Zaroff’s Rainsford We Sample answers appear below. Climax: Main events (Complications) ew the plot structure of Game.” Dangerous “The Most vi The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous Re Rainsford confronts Zaroff in his bedroom. Zaroff confronts Rainsford The celebrated hunter Sanger Rainsford falls overboard and swims to falls overboard The celebrated hunter Sanger Rainsford Plot Diagram Then, ﬁll in the plot diagram with story below key events. Ship-Trap Island, where an evil hunter hunts men for pleasure Island, where Ship-Trap Zaroff goes home, believing he has Zaroff won the game. dives into the sea. Rainsford builds a Ugandan Rainsford knife trap, which kills Ivan. builds a Burmese Rainsford tiger pit, in which one dogs is of Zaroff’s killed. builds a Rainsford Malay man-catcher, which wounds Zaroff. hides Rainsford up in a tree. lets Zaroff him escape. who owns the another hunter, Island. He is taken in by General Zaroff, Ship-Trap he will hunt him. hunts men for sport. The next day he tells Rainsford island. Zaroff Basic situation: Setting:

6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1.

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright for the 34 © George D. Lepp/CORBIS. meal. n: ....” ) ri·past√ ( wam,” said Rainsford. than walking “I found it quicker A man, who had been hiding in the curtains of the bed, “Rainsford!” the general. screamed name in God’s “How “S and smiled. in his breath The general sucked “I congratu- did not smile.Rainsford “I am still a beast at bay,” he said, The general made one of his deepest bows. “I see,” he ould see the great hounds,ould see the great and he called: luck “Better c had never slept in a better bed, slept in a better had never decided. Rainsford

another time,” them. to Then he switched on the light. was standing there. get here?” did you the jungle.” through you,”late the game.” he said. won have “You in a low, hoarse voice. ready, “Get General Zaroff.” said. One of “Splendid! furnish a repast us is to hounds. bed. The other will sleep in this very excellent On guard, Rainsford He He 34. repast 800 810 Collection 1: Plot and Setting Part 1 of this conflict. esolved? Rainsford wins. Rainsford Underline the passage on this page that reveals the climax How is the conflict finally r 34

Student Pages with Answers 19 Collection 1 Student pages 36–37 37 ocabulary V Skills Identify prefixes and their meanings. Use words in context. The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous imprudent disarming protruding impulse unruffled between before badly; wrong again not The rock climber was guided by a sudden desire, an b. c. d. e. a. (1) rocky path was covered in slippery moss, he remained (2) when a (3) reached the top, a park ranger caught him and scolded him, saying the climb was not only unwise but (4) (5) swayed by the climber’s Although the to climb Forbidden Cliff. gave him a ticket. and calm. He almost lost his footing, however, rock nearly tripped him. Just when he . Not charmed or smile, the park ranger The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous - - - Match the prefixes with their meanings. Write the letter of Match the prefixes with their meanings. Write Complete the paragraph below by writing a word from - - eceding impulse r un re mis pre inter diverting unruffled disarming invariably prolonged imprudent protruding surmounted Word Box Word Box 3. 4. 5. 1. 2. c a e b d ocabulary in Context ocabulary

Skills Review Skills Review Important Beginnings Prefixes: DIRECTIONS: correct meaning on each line. V DIRECTIONS: the word box in each numbered blank. Not all words from will be used.

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. rights All Winston. and Rinehart Holt, by © Copyright . C Rainsford kills Ivan. dogs. Rainsford kills one of Zaroff’s Rainsford wounds Zaroff. Rainsford dives into the sea. fight in Rainsford and Zaroff the bedroom. Rainsford builds a Burmese tiger pit. Rainsford builds a Malay man- catcher. Rainsford falls overboard. B C D Which of the following events happens last? F G H J Which of the following events happens first? A 4. 3. The correct answer is Rainsford struggles against the ocean, encounters quicksand in the Death Swamp, and must fight through the jungle. There is no freezing cold; Rainsford is in the tropics. Explanation of the Correct Answer Explanation of the Correct danger? have to not The Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous for most of the foreshadows setting Circle the letter of each correct response. Sample Test Item Sample Test does Rainsford “You’ve good eyes,” Whitney said. “You’ve “It will be light in Rio,” promised Whitney. “What island is it?” Rainsford asked. “The old charts call it Ship-Trap Island,” Whitney replied. A yacht A castle A jungle The sea The ocean Quicksand Freezing cold The jungle Which of the following passages from the story A B C D What is the action in this story? F G H J Which of the following elements setting struggle against? A B C D Sharpen your test-taking skills. Complete the sample test item below. Then, check Sharpen your test-taking skills. Complete the sample test item below. and read the explanation that appears in right-hand column. your answer, 1. Collection 1: Plot and Setting DIRECTIONS: 2. Part 1 Analyze plot structure and foreshadowing. Skills Review Literary Skills Skills Review 36

20 The Holt Reader: Teacher’s Manual Name Date

Selection Title

Plot Diagram

Review the plot structure of the selection you just read. Then, fill out the graphic organizer below. (The number of events will vary based on the selection.)

Climax

Event 6

Resolution Event 5

Event 4

Event 3

Event 2

Event 1

204 Graphic Organizers