The Secrets of the Wardrobe
The air in the old professorâs house was thick with the scent of polish and dust. Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy had been sent away from London to escape the dangers of the war. To the children, the house felt like a labyrinth of endless corridors and silent rooms. One rainy afternoon, they decided to explore. While the older children looked at old books, Lucy, the youngest, stepped into an empty room containing nothing but a large, wooden wardrobe.
Curiosity sparked in Lucyâs eyes. She opened the heavy door and pushed through several long fur coats. They felt soft and cold against her face. She kept walking, expecting to feel the wooden back of the wardrobe, but her hands met something sharp and prickly. It wasnât wood; it was the branch of a tree. A moment later, Lucy found herself standing in the middle of a snowy forest at night. A single lamp-post glowed in the distance, casting a pale light over the drifts of white.
- Labyrinth:
- A complex system of paths or tunnels in which it is easy to get lost; a maze.
- Prophecy:
- A prediction of what will happen in the future.
- Redemption:
- The act of making up for a mistake or being saved from bad behavior.
- Vibrant:
- Bright, striking, and full of life or energy.
One passage, many ways to practice
Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts â all built from this text.
Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
Use clues in the passage to work out what words mean. A separate printable Vocabulary worksheet is also available.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Purpose
Analyze what the author aims to do and how choices serve audience and purpose.
Structure
Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.
Language & Tone
Interpret nonliteral language and analyze how word choice shapes tone and meaning.
Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
Fix the Sentence
Practice editing sentences drawn from this passage with a printable worksheet.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why were Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy sent away from London to the professor's house?
- 2What was the first sign Lucy had that the wardrobe was more than just a piece of furniture?
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About this fiction passage for Upper Elementary
âThe Secrets of the Wardrobeâ is a fiction reading passage about Courage and Redemption, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 4 minutes to read (581 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.