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The Supernatural

Reading Comprehension and

Critical Thinking  Questions

Source One: A Night in Dracula's Castle, by David Lengyel

1. Is this material fiction or non-fiction? Is it primary source or secondary source of information? Why? Motivate your answer by using excerpts from the text.

 2. What information does the author provide about Vlad Tepes (Dracula)?

3. What were the author's feelings during his trip to the castle? Please refer to the different moments of his trip and quote several relevant passages. Refer to descriptions, atmosphere, setting, suspense, and other literary elements.

4. The author declared at the end of his story that he saw "the spirit of Dracula". What does that mean? Is this statement credible? Why?

Source Two: The Real Prince Dracula, by "Cinderella"

1. Is this material fiction or non-fiction? Is it primary source or secondary source of information? Why? Motivate your answer by using excerpts from the text.

2. What do you know about the identity of the author? What can you do to find out more about who set up the page? Is author identity important when we analyze the credibility of information? Why? Give examples.

3. What information about the historical Vlad Tepes did you find out reading this web page? How can you verify the veracity of this information?

Source Three: Romanian Castles, by Sonny DeGraw

1. What is the connection between Vlad Tepes and Dracula?

Source Four: Vlad Dracula: an Intriguing Figure in the Fifteenth Century, by Benjamin Leblanc

1. What does this information you know about the author tell you about the content of the article?

2. What are the sources of historical information presented in this article?

3. How does the article present the connection between history and imagination in the making of the Dracula legend? Please refer to the text.

Questions after Reading all Four Sources:

1. Which source seemed to you more informative? Why?

2. Which source was more interesting to you? Why?

3. Which source presented more substantial and credible information about Vlad Tepes, the real historical character? Please explain using references from the text.

4. Which source gave you information about the myth of Dracula the Vampire? Why? Please explain using references from the text.