🌒 The Lost City

The Lost City

Two years after their discovery of Captain Moore’s treasure, Emma and Daniel had become famous among local historians. Their story had been published in several magazines, and people often asked them to give talks about their adventures.

One morning, while Emma was checking her emails, she received a message from a university in Peru. The message invited her to join an international team of explorers who believed they had found signs of an ancient city hidden deep in the Amazon rainforest.

She immediately called Daniel. “Pack your bag,” she said, “We’re going to South America!”

A week later, they flew from London to Lima. The flight was long, but their excitement grew with every hour. When they arrived, they met Professor Alvarez, a kind but mysterious archaeologist who led the expedition. “The jungle can be dangerous,” he warned, “but what we might discover could change history.”

The team traveled by small plane to a remote village, then continued their journey by boat along a wide brown river. The air was hot and heavy, filled with the sounds of insects and parrots. At night, they slept in tents and told stories under the stars.

On the fourth day, they reached a dense part of the jungle. “According to the map,” said the professor, “the city should be somewhere beyond that ridge.” They climbed the hill slowly, cutting vines and branches as they went.

Suddenly, Daniel shouted, “Look!” In front of them stood a massive stone wall covered in moss. Ancient carvings decorated the surface — symbols of animals, suns, and stars.

Emma touched one of the carvings and felt a vibration under her hand. “There’s something behind this wall,” she said.

The professor examined the stones carefully. “There’s an entrance here, but it’s been sealed for centuries.”

Using ropes and tools, the team managed to open a narrow passage. Inside, the air was cold, and their flashlights revealed long corridors filled with statues and murals.

In the center of the chamber, they found a golden mask lying on a stone altar. “It’s Incan,” whispered Alvarez. “This could be the lost city of Karu, mentioned only in legends.”

As they studied the mask, the ground suddenly shook. A deep rumble echoed through the tunnels. “We have to get out!” Daniel cried.

They ran through the corridors as the ceiling began to fall. Dust and stones rained down around them, but somehow they escaped just before the passage collapsed behind them.

Outside, the jungle was silent, as if it knew what had happened. Emma looked at the golden mask in her hands and smiled. “We may have lost the city,” she said, “but we’ve found its truth.”

That night, under the dark sky, they sat by the fire, thinking about everything they had seen. They hadn’t just discovered a lost city — they had become part of its legend.

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The Lost City — Fill-in-the-Blank (Multiple Choice)

1. Two years after their discovery, Emma and Daniel had become ___.

a) scientists b) writers c) famous d) teachers

2. People often ___ them to give talks about their adventures.

a) ask b) asked c) asking d) asks

3. Emma ___ a message from a university in Peru.

a) received b) receiving c) receives d) receive

4. The message ___ her to join an international team.

a) invite b) invited c) inviting d) invites

5. They ___ from London to Lima.

a) flew b) flying c) fly d) flown

6. The flight was long, but their excitement ___.

a) grow b) grew c) growing d) grows

7. They met Professor Alvarez, who ___ the expedition.

a) leads b) leaded c) led d) leading

8. “The jungle can be dangerous,” he ___.

a) warns b) warned c) warning d) warn

9. The team ___ by small plane to a remote village.

a) travel b) traveled c) travels d) traveling

10. At night, they ___ in tents.

a) slept b) sleep c) sleeping d) sleeps

11. On the fourth day, they ___ a dense part of the jungle.

a) reach b) reached c) reaching d) reaches

12. They ___ the hill slowly, cutting vines as they went.

a) climb b) climbed c) climbing d) climbs

13. Suddenly, Daniel ___, “Look!”

a) shout b) shouting c) shouts d) shouted

14. A massive stone wall ___ in front of them.

a) stand b) stood c) standing d) stands

15. Ancient carvings ___ the surface.

a) decorated b) decorate c) decorating d) decorates

16. Emma ___ one of the carvings and felt a vibration.

a) touches b) touched c) touching d) touch

17. “There’s something behind this wall,” she ___.

a) say b) said c) saying d) says

18. The professor ___ the stones carefully.

a) examines b) examined c) examining d) examine

19. The team ___ to open a narrow passage.

a) manage b) managing c) managed d) manages

20. Inside, their flashlights ___ long corridors.

a) reveals b) revealed c) revealing d) reveal

21. In the center of the chamber, they ___ a golden mask.

a) find b) finding c) found d) finds

22. “This could be the lost city of Karu,” Alvarez ___.

a) whisper b) whispered c) whispering d) whispers

23. As they studied the mask, the ground ___.

a) shake b) shaking c) shook d) shakes

24. “We have to get out!” Daniel ___.

a) cry b) crying c) cried d) cries

25. They ___ through the corridors as the ceiling began to fall.

a) run b) running c) ran d) runs

26. Dust and stones ___ down around them.

a) rained b) rain c) raining d) rains

27. They ___ just before the passage collapsed.

a) escape b) escaping c) escaped d) escapes

28. Outside, the jungle ___ silent.

a) was b) is c) were d) are

29. Emma looked at the golden mask and ___.

a) smiles b) smiled c) smile d) smiling

30. “We may have lost the city,” she said, “but we’ve ___ its truth.”

a) find b) found c) finding d) finds

31. That night, they ___ by the fire, thinking about everything.

a) sit b) sitting c) sat d) sits

32. They hadn’t just discovered a lost city — they had ___ part of its legend.

a) become b) became c) becoming d) becomes