The History of Haunted Houses - Reading Comprehension Questions

Sep 30, 2026

Reading comprehension passage describing the origins and evolution of haunted house attractions. It explains how people in earlier eras enjoyed ghost stories for entertainment, how Halloween-style spooky rooms emerged in the 1930s using simple tricks, how schools and community groups built haunted houses to raise money, and how theme parks later expanded them into large rides and mazes with special effects. The page includes multiple-choice questions assessing vocabulary, time order, and main idea.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Questions

Passage details and multiple-choice items

Picture a dark hallway where a door creaks open all by itself, cold air brushes your neck, and something groans in the shadows. No, this isn't a real ghost house, it's a haunted house attraction, a spooky place people build on purpose just for fun! Some are set up in a school gym for one night, and others fill whole buildings at a theme park. Believe it or not, these thrilling places have a history that stretches back much further than you might guess. Long before there were flashlight tours, people already loved a good scare in a warm parlor. In the 1800s, telling ghost stories became a popular kind of entertainment, especially in cool autumn months when candles flickered and the wind howled outside. Folks would gather to hear tales that made their hearts pound, then laugh with relief when the story ended. Those cozy ghost-story evenings eventually moved from words into rooms you could walk through. In the 1930s, families throwing Halloween parties began building spooky rooms inside their own homes. Children were led through dark hallways in a blindfold and told they were touching eyeballs, when really the "eyeballs" were peeled grapes and the "guts" were cold spaghetti! These simple tricks fooled the imagination and made everyone giggle and shriek. From backyard party rooms, the idea grew into something whole neighborhoods could enjoy together. Schools, clubs, and other groups started building haunted houses to raise money, charging a small fee to walk through the frights. This clever idea, using scares to raise money, helped haunted houses spread across the United States. One reason they caught on was that they were cheap to make and fun for the whole town. Once people saw how popular these attractions were, theme parks decided to build far bigger ones. Starting in the late 1960s, parks created huge haunted rides and mazes packed with special effects. Designers today use flashing lights, spooky sounds, fog, and sudden surprises to trick your brain into feeling scared. Here's the wildest part: the fear you feel is completely safe, which is exactly why your heart can race and you can still grin the whole way through! The History of Haunted Houses Name: | Solve each problem.
Use the article to answer the question.
1) What is a haunted house attraction, according to the passage?
A. A store that sells Halloween costumes and candy
B. A spooky place people build on purpose just for fun
C. A real house where ghosts are known to live
D. An old building that people are afraid to enter | | | | | Answers
1.
2.
3. | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2) What reason does the author give for why fundraising haunted houses caught on?
A. They were built by famous designers from parks
B. They used the newest flashing lights and fog
C. They were cheap to make and fun for the whole town
D. They were required by schools every October | | | | | 4.
5.
6. | | | | | | | 3) In the 1930s spooky rooms, what were the pretend "eyeballs" really made of?
A. Cold spaghetti B. Peeled grapes
C. Painted marbles D. Small rubber balls | | | | | 7.
8. | | | | | | | 4) In the passage, what does the word "thrilling" most nearly mean?
A. Confusing and hard to understand
B. Boring and slow to move through
C. Exciting in a way that gives you a rush
D. Quiet and calm and very relaxing | | | | | 9.
10. | | | | | | | 5) When did theme parks begin building huge haunted rides and mazes?
A. Starting in the 1930s B. Starting in the year 2000
C. Starting in the late 1960s D. Starting in the early 1800s | | | | | | | | | | | | 6) During which time did telling ghost stories become a popular kind of entertainment?
A. The 1930s B. The early 1700s C. The 1800s D. The late 1960s | | | | | | | | | | | | 7) Why did schools and clubs start building haunted houses?
A. To

FAQs

What is a haunted house attraction according to the passage?

It is a spooky place people build on purpose just for fun.

Why did fundraising haunted houses catch on, as the author explains?

They were cheap to make and fun for the whole town.

How do modern designers make visitors feel scared?

They use flashing lights, spooky sounds, fog, and sudden surprises to trick your brain into feeling scared.

Sep 30, 2026

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