Short Story Reading Guide
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
by Ambrose Bierce
Est. Time
60 mins
Level
B2
Themes
Time, Reality vs Illusion, War
1Quick Reading Guide
Warm Up
Prediction: Who is speaking? Detailed or vague?
Reading
Structure Slice: Summarize Section I, II, and III in one sentence each.
Evidence
Timeline Reconstruct: Order the actual events chronologically.
Discussion
Theme: Escape vs Acceptance.
2Scaffolds for Support
Sentence Starters
- •"The ticking sound is actually..."
- •"In the end, we realize that..."
- •"The escape was a dream because..."
3Vocabulary & Grammar
Key Words
sentinelropecurrentdizzyconsciousnessescapeillusionabruptsuspendinevitable
Grammar Focus
Tense Shifts & Narrative Perspective
4Writing Task
News Report
Write a 150-word news brief about the event.
Rubric Checklist
- Include 5Ws (Who, What, Where, When, Why)
- Objective tone