Lamb To The Slaughter

Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl
The wife loves her husband and eagerly waits for him to come home from
work each day at 5:00 P.M. The house is clean and well run. The husband is
a reliable man and a respected police officer. What on earth could possibly
go wrong? Read on to find out.
LITERARY FOCUS: TWO KINDS OF IRONY

Lamb to the Slaughter contains two kinds of irony. The use of irony
upsets our expectations of how the story will turn out, yet it leaves a
memorable impression. Situational irony occurs when an event in a story
turns out to be the exact opposite of what the reader had expected. In
dramatic irony the reader knows something important that one or more
of the characters dont know.
Look for the story events that lead to situational irony. Ask yourself:
Which story events are expected? Which are unexpected?
As the story progresses, you are in on information that some story
characters are not. Look to see how this situation creates dramatic irony.
READING SKILLS: MAKING PREDICTIONS

You probably make predictions all the time: You may predict which team
will win a sports event, or you might predict that your friend Jeff will ask
Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

Lily to the prom. Making predictions about life is fun, and doing so keeps
you involved in whats going on around you. The same holds true when
you make predictions about stories you readyou become involved with the
characters and their experiences as you try to predict what they will do next.
Make predictions as you read Lamb to the Slaughter. Fill out a chart like
this one to help you keep track of your predictions. The first row has been
filled in as an example.
Literary Skills
Understand
situational irony
and dramatic Detail from Story Prediction
irony.
Reading Mary is happily waiting for her He will be happy to see her, too.
Skills husband to come home.
Make
predictions.
Vocabulary
Skills
Use context
clues to
understand the
meanings of
words.
148 Part 1 Collection 5: Irony and Ambiguity

PREVIEW SELECTION VOCABULARY
Get to know the following words before you begin reading Lamb to the Slaughter.
anxiety (azt) n.: state of being worried or premises (premisiz) n.: house or building and
uneasy; stress. its surrounding property.
Although the news filled her with anxiety, she Did the police find clues in the house or
smiled calmly. anywhere else on the premises?
placid (plasid) adj.: calm; tranquil. consoling (knsli) v. used as adj.: comforting.
Her placid look showed how peaceful she felt. The officer tried to comfort her, but Mary did
not find his words consoling.
luxuriate (lugrt) v. (used with in): take
great pleasure. hospitality (hspitalt) n.: friendly, caring
treatment of guests.
She would luxuriate in the feeling of closeness
to her husband. In a show of hospitality, Mary invited the police
officers for dinner.
administered (administrd) v. used as adj.:
given; applied.
Administered with great force, the blow knocked

the man over.
CONTEXT CLUES
When you come across an unfamiliar word, look for clues in the context
the words, phrases, and sentences surrounding the word. Context clues
may provide a definition, a restatement, an example, a comparison, or a
contrast that helps you figure out the meaning of the unfamiliar word. In
the examples below, the italicized context clues help you figure out the
meaning of the boldface words.
DEFINITION: Her instinct, or automatic response, is to run away.
RESTATEMENT: She knows what the penalty is and will accept her punishment.
EXAMPLE: Her action might bring relieffor example, it would end the anger she felt.
COMPARISON: Ice cubes clinking in a glass sound like pencils tapping on a table.
CONTRAST: Although she looks tranquil, she doesnt feel peaceful.
Lamb to the Slaughter 149

Roald Dahl
The room was warm and clean, the curtains drawn, the two
Re-read lines 115. What is table lamps alighthers and the one by the empty chair
Mary doing? How would you opposite. On the sideboard behind her, two tall glasses, soda
describe her mood?
water, whisky. Fresh ice cubes in the Thermos bucket.
Mary Maloney was waiting for her husband to come home
from work.
Now and again she would glance up at the clock, but with-
out anxiety, merely to please herself with the thought that each
minute gone by made it nearer the time when he could come.
10 There was a slow smiling air about her, and about everything
she did. The drop of the head as she bent over her sewing was
curiously tranquil. Her skinfor this was her sixth month with
childhad acquired a wonderful translucent1 quality, the mouth
was soft, and the eyes, with their new placid look, seemed larger,

darker than before.
When the clock said ten minutes to five, she began to listen,
and a few moments later, punctually as always, she heard the
tires on the gravel outside, and the car door slamming, the foot-
steps passing the window, the key turning in the lock. She laid
20 aside her sewing, stood up, and went forward to kiss him as he
anxiety (azt) n.: state
of being worried or uneasy; came in.
stress. Hullo, darling, she said.
placid (plasid) adj.: calm; Hullo, he answered.
tranquil. She took his coat and hung it in the closet. Then she
Placid is from the Latin walked over and made the drinks, a strongish one for him, a
placere, meaning to calm
or soothe. Tranquil (line 12)
weak one for herself; and soon she was back again in her chair
is a synonym, or word with
the same meaning. 1. translucent (translsnt) adj.: glowing; clear.
Lamb to the Slaughter from Someone Like You by Roald Dahl. Copyright 1961 by Roald Dahl.
Reprinted by permission of Roald Dahl and David Higham Associates Limited.

with the sewing, and he in the other, opposite, holding the tall
glass with both his hands, rocking it so the ice cubes tinkled
against the side. Pause at line 29. From her
30 For her, this was always a blissful time of day. She knew he actions, would you think
this was an ordinary day
didnt want to speak much until the first drink was finished, and for Mary?
she, on her side, was content to sit quietly, enjoying his company
after the long hours alone in the house. She loved to luxuriate
in the presence of this man, and to feelalmost as a sunbather
feels the sunthat warm male glow that came out of him to
her when they were alone together. She loved him for the way
he sat loosely in a chair, for the way he came in a door, or moved
slowly across the room with long strides. She loved the intent, luxuriate (lugrt) v.
(used with in): take great
far look in his eyes when they rested on her, the funny shape of
pleasure.
40 the mouth, and especially the way he remained silent about his
tiredness, sitting still with himself until the whisky had taken
some of it away.
Read the boxed passage
Tired, darling? aloud two times. Improve
Yes, he said. Im tired. And as he spoke, he did an the speed and smoothness
of your delivery with your
unusual thing. He lifted his glass and drained it in one swallow second read.
although there was still half of it, at least half of it left. She
wasnt really watching him, but she knew what he had done
because she heard the ice cubes falling back against the bottom Pause at line 51. Underline
of the empty glass when he lowered his arm. He paused a the unusual thing that
Marys husband does. Make a
50 moment, leaning forward in the chair, then he got up and went prediction about the change
slowly over to fetch himself another. in his behaviorhow might
this change affect Mary?
Ill get it! she cried, jumping up.
Sit down, he said.
When he came back, she noticed that the new drink was
dark amber with the quantity of whisky in it.
Darling, shall I get your slippers?
No.
She watched him as he began to sip the dark yellow drink,
and she could see little oily swirls in the liquid because it was
60 so strong.

I think its a shame, she said, that when a policeman gets
to be as senior as you, they keep him walking about on his feet
Re-read lines 6177, and all day long.
underline each of the He didnt answer, so she bent her head again and went on
husbands responses to
Mary. In what way is this with her sewing; but each time he lifted the drink to his lips, she
situation ironic?
heard the ice cubes clinking against the side of the glass.
Darling, she said. Would you like me to get you some
cheese? I havent made any supper because its Thursday.
No, he said.
70 If youre too tired to eat out, she went on, its still not
too late. Theres plenty of meat and stuff in the freezer, and you
can have it right here and not even move out of the chair.
Her eyes waited on him for an answer, a smile, a little nod,
but he made no sign.
Anyway, she went on, Ill get you some cheese and
crackers first.
I dont want it, he said.
She moved uneasily in her chair, the large eyes still watch-
ing his face. But you must have supper. I can easily do it here.
80 Id like to do it. We can have lamb chops. Or pork. Anything you
want. Everythings in the freezer.

Forget it, he said.
Pause at line 93. What do But, darling, you must eat! Ill fix it anyway, and then you
you predict the husband
will tell Mary? can have it or not, as you like.
She stood up and placed her sewing on the table by the lamp.
Sit down, he said. Just for a minute, sit down.
It wasnt till then that she began to get frightened.
Go on, he said. Sit down.
She lowered herself back slowly into the chair, watching
90 him all the time with those large, bewildered eyes. He had
finished the second drink and was staring down into the glass,
frowning.
Listen, he said. Ive got something to tell you.
What is it, darling? Whats the matter?

Notes
CORBIS.
He had now become absolutely motionless, and he kept

his head down so that the light from the lamp beside him fell
across the upper part of his face, leaving the chin and mouth in
shadow. She noticed there was a little muscle moving near the
corner of his left eye.
100 This is going to be a bit of a shock to you, Im afraid, he
said. But Ive thought about it a good deal and Ive decided the

only thing to do is tell you right away. I hope you wont blame
me too much.
Pause at line 107. Do you And he told her. It didnt take long, four or five minutes at
think your prediction was most, and she sat very still through it all, watching him with a
correct? If not, how would
you change your prediction? kind of dazed horror as he went further and further away from
her with each word.
So there it is, he added. And I know its kind of a bad
time to be telling you, but there simply wasnt any other way. Of
110 course Ill give you money and see youre looked after. But there
neednt really be any fuss. I hope not anyway. It wouldnt be very
good for my job.
Why does the husband say Her first instinct was not to believe any of it, to reject it all.
its a bad time to tell Mary
It occurred to her that perhaps he hadnt even spoken, that she
the news? (Re-read lines
111115.) Why does he not herself had imagined the whole thing. Maybe, if she went about
want her to cause a fuss?
her business and acted as though she hadnt been listening, then
later, when she sort of woke up again, she might find none of it
had ever happened.
Ill get the supper, she managed to whisper, and this time
120 he didnt stop her.
When she walked across the room she couldnt feel her feet
In lines 121127, underline
how the husbands news touching the floor. She couldnt feel anything at allexcept a
affects Mary. Has her day

remained ordinary? slight nausea and a desire to vomit. Everything was automatic
nowdown the steps to the cellar, the light switch, the deep
freeze, the hand inside the cabinet taking hold of the first object
it met. She lifted it out, and looked at it. It was wrapped in paper,
so she took off the paper and looked at it again.
A leg of lamb.
All right then, they would have lamb for supper. She carried
Pause at line 128. Where else 130 it upstairs, holding the thin bone-end of it with both her hands,
in the story have you seen and as she went through the living room, she saw him standing
the word lamb? What does
the repetition suggest about over by the window with his back to her, and she stopped.
lamb in the story? For Gods sake, he said, hearing her, but not turning
round. Dont make supper for me. Im going out.
At that point, Mary Maloney simply walked up behind him
and without any pause she swung the big frozen leg of lamb

high in the air and brought it down as hard as she could on the
back of his head.
She might just as well have hit him with a steel club. Re-read lines 135139. What
140 She stepped back a pace, waiting, and the funny thing was does Mary do to her husband?
How does her behavior create
that he remained standing there for at least four or five seconds, situational irony?
gently swaying. Then he crashed to the carpet.
The violence of the crash, the noise, the small table over-
turning, helped bring her out of the shock. She came out slowly,
feeling cold and surprised, and she stood for a while blinking
at the body, still holding the ridiculous piece of meat tight with
both hands.
All right, she told herself. So Ive killed him.
It was extraordinary, now, how clear her mind became
150 all of a sudden. She began thinking very fast. As the wife of a
Pause at line 147. What will
detective, she knew quite well what the penalty would be. That Mary do next, now that
was fine. It made no difference to her. In fact, it would be a shes come out of her state
of shock?
relief. On the other hand, what about the child? What were the
laws about murderers with unborn children? Did they kill them
bothmother and child? Or did they wait until the tenth
month? What did they do?
Mary Maloney didnt know. And she certainly wasnt
prepared to take the chance.

She carried the meat into the kitchen, placed it in a pan,
Underline the words in lines
160 turned the oven on high, and shoved it inside. Then she washed 159163 that tell you what
Mary does with the lamb
her hands and ran upstairs to the bedroom. She sat down before after using it as a weapon. In
the mirror, tidied her face, touched up her lips and face. She what way does her behavior
create situational irony?
tried a smile. It came out rather peculiar. She tried again.
Hullo Sam, she said brightly, aloud.
The voice sounded peculiar too.
I want some potatoes please, Sam. Yes, and I think a can
of peas.
That was better. Both the smile and the voice were coming
out better now. She rehearsed it several times more. Then she
170 ran downstairs, took her coat, went out the back door, down the
garden, into the street.

It wasnt six oclock yet and the lights were still on in the
grocery shop.
Pause at line 180. Why does Hullo Sam, she said brightly, smiling at the man behind
Mary go to the grocery the counter.
before calling the police?
Why, good evening, Mrs. Maloney. Howre you?
I want some potatoes please, Sam. Yes, and I think a can
of peas.
The man turned and reached up behind him on the shelf
180 for the peas.
Patricks decided hes tired and doesnt want to eat out
tonight, she told him. We usually go out Thursday, you know,
and now hes caught me without any vegetables in the house.
Then how about meat, Mrs. Maloney?
No, Ive got meat, thanks. I got a nice leg of lamb, from
Re-read lines 181187. Under- the freezer.
line the question Sam asks Oh.
that creates dramatic irony.
What important information I dont much like cooking it frozen, Sam, but Im taking a
does Sam not know?
chance on it this time. You think itll be all right?
190 Personally, the grocer said, I dont believe it makes any
difference. You want these Idaho potatoes?
Oh yes, thatll be fine. Two of those.

Anything else? The grocer cocked his head on one side,
looking at her pleasantly. How about afterwards? What you
going to give him for afterwards?
Wellwhat would you suggest, Sam?
What is ironic about the The man glanced around his shop. How about a nice big
thank-yous that Sam and
Mary exchange in lines slice of cheesecake? I know he likes that.
200202? Perfect, she said. He loves it.
200 And when it was all wrapped and she had paid, she put on
her brightest smile and said, Thank you, Sam. Good night.
Good night, Mrs. Maloney. And thank you.
And now, she told herself as she hurried back, all she was
doing now, she was returning home to her husband and he was
waiting for his supper; and she must cook it good, and make it
as tasty as possible because the poor man was tired; and if, when

she entered the house, she happened to find anything unusual,
or tragic, or terrible, then naturally it would be a shock and shed
become frantic with grief and horror. Mind you, she wasnt In lines 219225, it becomes
210 expecting to find anything. She was just going home with the clear that Mary really did
love her husband. What do
vegetables. Mrs. Patrick Maloney going home with the vegeta- you predict she will do now?
bles on Thursday evening to cook supper for her husband.
Thats the way, she told herself. Do everything right and
natural. Keep things absolutely natural and therell be no need
for any acting at all.
Therefore, when she entered the kitchen by the back door,
she was humming a little tune to herself and smiling.
Patrick! she called. How are you, darling?
She put the parcel down on the table and went through
220 into the living room; and when she saw him lying there on the
floor with his legs doubled up and one arm twisted back under-
neath his body, it really was rather a shock. All the old love and
longing for him welled up inside her, and she ran over to him,
knelt down beside him, and began to cry her heart out. It was
easy. No acting was necessary.
A few minutes later she got up and went to the phone. She
knew the number of the police station, and when the man at
the other end answered, she cried to him, Quick! Come quick!
Patricks dead!
230 Whos speaking?
Mrs. Maloney. Mrs. Patrick Maloney.
You mean Patrick Maloneys dead?
I think so, she sobbed. Hes lying on the floor and I think
hes dead.
Be right over, the man said.
Precinct (line 238) means
The car came very quickly, and when she opened the front
division of a city for law
door, two policemen walked in. She knew them bothshe knew enforcement purposes. In
common usage, precinct also
nearly all the men at that precinctand she fell right into Jack refers to the actual building
Noonans arms, weeping hysterically. He put her gently into that police officers work out
of. Locate and circle context
240 a chair, then went over to join the other one, who was called clues that help you figure
OMalley, kneeling by the body. out the meaning of precinct.

Is he dead? she cried.
Notes Im afraid he is. What happened?
Briefly, she told her story about going out to the grocer
and coming back to find him on the floor. While she was
talking, crying and talking, Noonan discovered a small patch
of congealed2 blood on the dead mans head. He showed it to
OMalley who got up at once and hurried to the phone.
2. congealed (knjld) v. used as adj.: thickened; made solid.
Getty Images.

Soon, other men began to come into the house. First a
250 doctor, then two detectives, one of whom she knew by name.
Later, a police photographer arrived and took pictures, and a Re-read lines 255263. Where
man who knew about fingerprints. There was a great deal of did the detective go?
whispering and muttering beside the corpse, and the detectives

kept asking her a lot of questions. But they always treated her
kindly. She told her story again, this time right from the begin-
ning, when Patrick had come in, and she was sewing, and he was
tired, so tired he hadnt wanted to go out for supper. She told
how shed put the meat in the ovenits there now, cooking
and how shed slipped out to the grocer for vegetables, and come
260 back to find him lying on the floor.
Which grocer? one of the detectives asked.
She told him, and he turned and whispered something to
the other detective who immediately went outside into the street.
In fifteen minutes he was back with a page of notes, and
there was more whispering, and through her sobbing she heard
a few of the whispered phrases. . . acted quite normal . . . very
cheerful . . . wanted to give him a good supper . . . peas . . .
cheesecake . . . impossible that she . . .
After a while, the photographer and the doctor departed and
270 two other men came in and took the corpse away on a stretcher.
Then the fingerprint man went away. The two detectives
In lines 276283, Mary tells
remained, and so did the two policemen. They were exceptionally the officers she doesnt feel
well enough to go anywhere.
nice to her, and Jack Noonan asked if she wouldnt rather go
What might be the real
somewhere else, to her sisters house perhaps, or to his own wife reason she wants to stay?
who would take care of her and put her up for the night.
No, she said. She didnt feel she could move even a yard at
the moment. Would they mind awfully if she stayed just where
she was until she felt better? She didnt feel too good at the
moment, she really didnt.
280 Then hadnt she better lie down on the bed? Jack Noonan
asked.
No, she said. Shed like to stay right where she was, in this
chair. A little later perhaps, when she felt better, she would move.

So they left her there while they went about their business,
searching the house. Occasionally one of the detectives asked her
administered (administrd) another question. Sometimes Jack Noonan spoke to her gently
v. used as adj.: given; applied. as he passed by. Her husband, he told her, had been killed by a
premises (premisiz) n.: blow on the back of the head administered with a heavy blunt
house or building and its
surrounding property.
instrument, almost certainly a large piece of metal. They were
290 looking for the weapon. The murderer may have taken it with
him, but on the other hand he mayve thrown it away or hidden
it somewhere on the premises.
Re-read lines 293303. What
information about the Its the old story, he said. Get the weapon, and youve got
weapon does Noonan the man.
not know?
Later, one of the detectives came up and sat beside her. Did
she know, he asked, of anything in the house that couldve been
used as the weapon? Would she mind having a look around to
see if anything was missinga very big spanner,3 for example,
or a heavy metal vase.
300 They didnt have any heavy metal vases, she said.
Or a big spanner?
She didnt think they had a big spanner. But there might be
some things like that in the garage.
The search went on. She knew that there were other police-

men in the garden all around the house. She could hear their
footsteps on the gravel outside, and sometimes she saw the flash
of a torch through a chink in the curtains. It began to get late,
nearly nine she noticed by the clock on the mantel. The four
men searching the rooms seemed to be growing weary, a trifle
310 exasperated.
Jack, she said, the next time Sergeant Noonan went by.
Would you mind giving me a drink?
Sure Ill give you a drink. You mean this whisky?
Yes, please. But just a small one. It might make me
feel better.
Torch (line 307) is a British
term for flashlight. Locate He handed her the glass.
and circle context clues that
help you figure out the
words meaning.
3. spanner n.: British English for wrench.

Why dont you have one yourself, she said. You must be
awfully tired. Please do. Youve been very good to me.
Well, he answered. Its not strictly allowed, but I might consoling (knsli) v. used
320 take just a drop to keep me going. as adj.: comforting.
One by one the others came in and were persuaded to take

a little nip of whisky. They stood around rather awkwardly with
the drinks in their hands, uncomfortable in her presence, trying Pause at line 327. Has Mary
really forgotten that the
to say consoling things to her. Sergeant Noonan wandered into meat is in the oven? Explain.
the kitchen, came out quickly and said, Look, Mrs. Maloney.
You know that oven of yours is still on, and the meat still inside.
Oh dear me! she cried. So it is!
I better turn it off for you, hadnt I?
Will you do that, Jack. Thank you so much.
330 When the sergeant returned the second time, she looked at
him with her large, dark, tearful eyes. Jack Noonan, she said.
Yes?
Would you do me a small favoryou and these others?
We can try, Mrs. Maloney.
Well, she said. Here you all are, and good friends of dear hospitality (hspitalt)
n.: friendly, caring treatment
Patricks too, and helping to catch the man who killed him. You
of guests.
must be terrible hungry by now because its long past your supper
time, and I know Patrick would never forgive me, God bless his
soul, if I allowed you to remain in his house without offering
Pause at line 346. Mary says
340 you decent hospitality. Why dont you eat up that lamb thats the police would do her a
in the oven? Itll be cooked just right by now. favor by eating the lamb.
Why is this an example of
Wouldnt dream of it, Sergeant Noonan said. dramatic irony?
Please, she begged. Please eat it. Personally I couldnt
touch a thing, certainly not whats been in the house when he
was here. But its all right for you. Itd be a favor to me if youd
eat it up. Then you can go on with your work again afterwards.
There was a good deal of hesitating among the four police-
men, but they were clearly hungry, and in the end they were per-
suaded to go into the kitchen and help themselves. The woman
350 stayed where she was, listening to them through the open door,

and she could hear them speaking among themselves, their voices
thick and sloppy because their mouths were full of meat.
Re-read lines 362367. Have some more, Charlie?
Underline the comments No. Better not finish it.
the officers make that are
examples of dramatic irony She wants us to finish it. She said so. Be doing her a favor.
and verbal irony. Why are
these comments ironic?
Okay then. Give me some more.
Thats the hell of a big club the guy mustve used to hit
poor Patrick, one of them was saying. The doc says his skull
was smashed all to pieces just like from a sledgehammer.
360 Thats why it ought to be easy to find.
Exactly what I say.
Whoever done it, theyre not going to be carrying a thing
like that around with them longer than they need.
One of them belched.
Personally, I think its right here on the premises.
Probably right under our very noses. What you think, Jack?
And in the other room, Mary Maloney began to giggle.

What do you think will
happen to Mary?

Lamb to the Slaughter
Irony Chart The contrast between expectations and reality is referred to as
irony. Situational irony occurs when events are the opposite of what we
expected. Dramatic irony occurs when readers know something important that
a character doesnt know. To help you appreciate the irony in Lamb to the
Slaughter, fill in the blanks in this chart.
Story Passage How Passage Creates Irony
At that point, Mary Maloney Marys actions before this point in the story:
simply walked up behind him
and without any pause she
swung the big frozen leg
of lamb high in the air and
brought it down as hard as she Marys actions now:
could on the back of his head.
(lines 135138)
What actions you expected:

What Mary actually does:
Have some more, Charlie? Why the police think Mary wants them to finish the lamb:
No. Better not finish it.
She wants us to finish it.
She said so. Be doing her a
favor.
(lines 353355) Why she really wants the police to finish the lamb:
What is ironic about the police eating the lamb:

Skills Review

Improve your test-taking skills by completing the sample test item below. Then, read
the explanation that appears in the right-hand column.
Sample Test Item Explanation of the Correct Answer
From your knowledge of the events in The correct answer is C.

Lamb to the Slaughter, which of the
Irony takes place when there is a
following is an example of irony?
difference between what we expect to
A Mary is a devoted wife. happen and what actually happens.
B Patrick is a police officer. The grocer thinks that Mary is shopping
C The grocer asks Mary whether she for dinner and may need meat. The
needs meat. truth is that Mary has just killed her
husband with meat from her freezer.
D The investigators know both Mary
A, B, and D are statements of fact that
and Patrick.
do not suggest a difference between
an expectation and a reality.
DIRECTIONS: Circle the letter of each correct response.

1. Which of the following shows 3. It is an irony that the grieving widow
situational irony? is also the
A Calm, loving Mary violently kills A murderer
her husband. B victim
B The police officer goes to the C grocer
grocers.
D investigating officer
C Patrick is a police officer.
D The doctor says that Patricks 4. Dramatic irony takes place when
skull was smashed. Mary tells the police that
F she would like a drink
2. Why does Mary go shopping for
G they would do her a favor by
groceries?
eating the lamb
F Her husband wants dinner at
H she feels too ill to leave
Literary Skills home.
Analyze J she went grocery shopping
situational irony G She needs fresh air.
and dramatic
irony. H She needs an alibi, or excuse.
J She wants to confess to Sam.

Skills Review

Context Clues
DIRECTIONS: Use context clues to figure out the meaning of the boldface
word. Circle the letter next to the correct definition.
1. With an intent look, he observed her 3. The situation was extraordinary

closely and thoughtfully. nothing prepared Mary for Patricks
A attentive C careless news.
B angry D sleepy A ordinary C difficult Vocabulary

Skills
B shocking D unclear Use context
clues to
2. After he told her the awful news, her understand the
face had a look of dazed horror. 4. Was Patricks death tragic for Mary, meanings of
words. Use
F careful H insulted or was she happy about it? words in
context.
G new J shocked F helpful H sad
G happy J exciting
Vocabulary in Context
DIRECTIONS: Complete the passage by writing words from the box in the
spaces provided. Not all words will be used.
Word Box My grandmother, who died last month, usually had a

anxiety (1) , calm outlook. She wouldnt let
placid (2) about family problems trouble her. She often
luxuriate gave parties and was famous for her (3) . She
administered
invited family and friends to (4) in the warmth of
premises
her home. We would walk around the (5) , from
consoling
the front porch to the shed way in back. When I felt sad, I would go to the
hospitality
garden, because Grandmas flowers were always (6)
to me.

Lamb To The Slaughter

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What is the story about?

What is the story about?

What is ironic about the events in the story?

What is ironic about the events in the story?

Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl

LITERARY FOCUS: TWO KINDS OF IRONY

READING SKILLS: MAKING PREDICTIONS

Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

148 Part 1 Collection 5: Irony and Ambiguity

Administered with great force, the blow knocked

DEFINITION: Her instinct, or automatic response, is to run away.

CONTRAST: Although she looks tranquil, she doesnt feel peaceful.