圖書描述
Welcome to the sights and sounds of the world with the Footprint Reading Library, a unique new series of reader for learners of English. This series offers fascinating stories and facts from the four corners of our world, and develops the language and skills needed to understand non-fiction writing.
Features:
‧市麵上第一部非小說類(Non-Fiction)的讀本,由國傢地理頻道National Geographic Learning & Cengage Learning嚴選一係列內容豐富有趣的影片設計而成。包含五大主題:
━Incredible Animals 動物生活,例如:猩猩/紅熊貓/南美洲乳動物
━Fascinating Places 名勝古蹟,例如:富士山(日本)/馬丘比丘(祕魯)/紐西蘭冒險之旅
━Remarkable People 人文民族,例如:濛古遊牧民族/日本藝伎生活
━Exciting Activities 各式活動,例如:阿拉斯加攀冰/漫遊戈壁沙漠
━Amazing Science 科學新知,例如:生物學/氣象學/火山的形成
‧100本單獨讀本,依程度分成8個等級;字匯量(Academic Word)由800到3,000 Headwords。適閤Pre-intermediate到Advanced程度的讀者。
‧透過閱讀讀本、觀賞影片、聆聽朗讀、互動遊戲以及綫上學習,反覆加強學習印象。
‧可依需求選擇有搭配多媒體光碟的讀本,光碟中包含國傢地理頻道Media Center獨傢原始影片,以及讀本所有內容的朗讀音檔。
‧提供完整的教師授課資源,內容包含:
━Lesson Planner
━Story Summary
━Teaching Notes
━Copiable Worksheets & Quizzes
━Grammar Presentation
━Exam Generator
‧聽力可選擇美式發音及英式發音2種。
Footprint Reading Library - Level 1600 Title: The Secret of Willow Creek Author: Eleanor Vance Genre: Mystery/Adventure, Middle Grade Fiction Word Count: Approximately 45,000 words Reading Level: Advanced Intermediate (Suitable for proficient young readers transitioning to complex narratives) --- Book Summary: The Secret of Willow Creek Synopsis Thirteen-year-old Maya Sharma has always found comfort in the familiar, sleepy rhythm of Willow Creek, the small town her family moved to just two years ago, seeking a quieter life away from the city's relentless pace. Maya is observant, methodical, and possesses a keen eye for details most people overlook—a trait that often puts her at odds with her more carefree younger brother, Leo. Their ordinary summer takes a sharp turn when the town's oldest and most mysterious resident, Old Man Hemlock, passes away suddenly. Hemlock was a local enigma, known for his sprawling, overgrown property and the whispered tales surrounding his past as a renowned cartographer and amateur historian. Shortly after the funeral, a peculiar item surfaces in the town’s historical society archives: a tarnished, antique compass accompanied by a cryptic, hand-drawn map fragment hidden within a donated first-edition book. The map doesn't depict any recognizable location in Willow Creek, yet it bears symbols that Maya instinctively feels are connected to Hemlock. When Leo, ever the impulsive one, accidentally damages the compass, a tiny, tightly rolled piece of parchment falls out of its casing. This parchment contains a series of seemingly nonsensical rhymes and astronomical notations. Intrigued and slightly unnerved, Maya realizes this is more than just local folklore; it's a genuine puzzle left behind. She enlists the reluctant help of her best friend, Sam, a pragmatic aspiring engineer with an encyclopedic knowledge of local geography and mechanics. The Investigation Unfolds The trio begins to decode the rhymes, which lead them on a scavenger hunt across Willow Creek’s most overlooked landmarks: the abandoned grist mill by the river, the peculiar alignment of stones in the ancient town square fountain, and the overgrown foundation of the original settlement church, destroyed by fire decades prior. Each clue unlocks a deeper layer of Willow Creek’s history—a history that the official town records seem suspiciously eager to omit. They discover that the town wasn't founded by the respectable pioneers celebrated in the history textbooks, but by a smaller, secretive collective led by Hemlock’s distant ancestor, who were allegedly searching for something highly valuable hidden during a colonial conflict. The deeper Maya digs, the more obstacles she encounters. A shadowy figure, a real estate developer named Mr. Silas Thorne who has been aggressively buying up old properties on the outskirts of town, seems overly interested in the same areas the map fragment points toward. Thorne’s intentions appear purely profit-driven, yet his surveillance of Maya and her friends makes them question if he’s also after the secret. Challenges and Discoveries The clues demand a blend of historical research and practical application. Sam uses his engineering skills to calculate angles based on the compass readings and the position of the summer solstice sun relative to the old stone markers. Maya, meanwhile, dives into the dusty town archives, cross-referencing property deeds and faded newspaper clippings, uncovering evidence of suppressed land claims and suspiciously convenient "accidents." The journey tests their friendships. Leo’s initial skepticism gives way to genuine excitement, though his tendency to act before thinking often lands them in minor trouble. Sam struggles with the growing realization that the history he learned in school is incomplete, forcing him to confront his rigid belief in established facts. Maya must learn to trust her instincts even when the evidence seems inconclusive, pushing past her fear of confrontation. The Climax The final clue points to the deepest part of Willow Creek’s expansive state park—a notoriously difficult-to-navigate ravine known locally as "The Devil’s Gulch." Following the map’s final directions, which involve measuring paces from a specific, ancient oak tree described in Hemlock’s journals (which Maya located hidden behind a false panel in his shed), they arrive at a hidden, man-made cistern, long forgotten and completely overgrown. They manage to clear the entrance just as Thorne and his associates arrive, having followed their trail. A tense standoff ensues. Thorne reveals that he knows the legend of the 'Lost Charter'—a document that, if genuine, would invalidate the current township's ownership claims on vast tracts of valuable land, effectively giving control back to the descendants of the original secretive group. He believes Hemlock found the Charter and hid it before he died. Using her quick wits, Maya manages to utilize the cistern’s dilapidated structure to create a diversion, allowing Sam and Leo to seal the entrance temporarily. They discover the 'treasure' is not gold or jewels, but the actual, perfectly preserved Lost Charter, along with the journals confirming the true, complex origins of Willow Creek. Resolution Maya and her friends manage to escape with the Charter. They present their findings—the Charter, the map, and the journals—to the town council and the local historical society president, proving the corruption and oversight in the town’s founding narrative. Thorne’s attempts to seize the documents are thwarted by the irrefutable evidence. The revelation shakes Willow Creek, leading to public debate and a slow process of re-evaluating its history. Maya and her family realize that Willow Creek is anything but ordinary. The summer mystery solved not only revealed a secret history but also strengthened the bonds between the young investigators. They learned that the greatest adventures are often hidden in plain sight, waiting for someone observant enough to piece together the forgotten fragments. --- Educational and Thematic Focus (For Teacher Reference) Level 1600 aligns with advanced vocabulary acquisition and complex narrative structures, focusing on: Inference and Deduction: Students must synthesize multiple, fragmented pieces of evidence (rhymes, map symbols, damaged objects) to build a cohesive theory. Historical Literacy: Introduction to the concept of biased or incomplete historical records and the importance of primary source analysis (journals, hidden documents). Figurative Language and Symbolism: Decoding the cryptic language used in the clues requires understanding metaphor and symbolic representation beyond literal meaning. Character Development: Exploration of protagonists who rely on intellectual curiosity and critical thinking to overcome physical obstacles and interpersonal conflicts. Setting Integration: The town of Willow Creek functions not merely as a backdrop but as an active participant in the mystery, with its landscape holding historical secrets.