The Young Treasure Hunter (ESL/EFL Version with Audio)

By Qiliang Feng and Frank V. Webster

This is Book 6, Collection I, of the Million-Word Reading Project (MWRP) readers. It is suitable for learners with a basic vocabulary of 1,500 words.
Million-Word Reading Project (MWRP) is a reading project for ESL/EFL learners at the elementary level (with a basic vocabulary of 1,500 words). In two years, for about fifteen minutes each day, an ESL/EFL learner can read one million words, and reach the upper-intermediate level, gaining a vocabulary of about 3,500 words and a large number of expressions.

Text Information]
Readability | 87.63
Total word count | 23234
Words beyond 1500 | 1034
Unknown word percentage (%) | 4.45
Unknown headword occurrence | 2.98
Unknown words that occur 5 times or more | 53
Unknown words that occur 2 times or more | 174

[Synopsis]
Norman Stanley, Fred’s father, is injured in a mining accident. He cannot do hard work to support the family. As the only child of the family, Fred, 17 years old, has to quit school to help earn a living for the family.
While trying to look for a job, Fred learns from one of his father’s friends that a gold miner has buried a lot of gold in a cave in Alaska. Many people have tried to find the gold, but have all failed. Fred decides to try his luck. With the permission of the widow of that gold miner, Fred receives a copy of the map for the gold and sets out to look for the treasure with his father’s friend, Mr. Baxter and his son Jerry. Can they find the treasure? If they can find it, can they bring it safely home?
This book is rewritten from “The Young Treasure Hunter: Or Fred Stanley's Trip To Alaska” by Frank V. Webster.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Qiliang Feng
• Release date: Dec 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310634772

Qiliang Feng

Qiliang Feng has been a teacher of English in senior high schools since 1983. He is a keen supporter of reading in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and is expert at rewriting graded/simplified ESL(English as a Second Language) and EFL (English as a Foreign Language) readers. He has published several series of English reading course books and is promoting a reading project called Million-Word Reading Project (MWRP), in which ESL/EFL learners at the elementary level (with a basic vocabulary of 1,500 words) are expected to read one million words within two or three years, and reach the upper-intermediate level easily.

Book preview

The Young Treasure Hunter

(ESL/EFL Version with Audio)

Original by: Frank V. Webster

Rewritten by: Qiliang Feng

Million-Word Reading Project Workshop

Copyright 2022 Qiliang Feng

License Notes

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About This Book

This is Book 6, Collection I, of the Million-Word Reading Project (MWRP) readers. It is suitable for learners with a basic vocabulary of 1,500 words.

Million-Word Reading Project (MWRP) is a reading project for ESL/EFL learners at the elementary level (with a basic vocabulary of 1,500 words). In two years, for about fifteen minutes each day, an ESL/EFL learner can read one million words, and reach the upper-intermediate level, gaining a vocabulary of about 3,500 words and a large number of expressions.

Text Information

Readability | 87.6

Total word count | 23234

Words beyond 1500 | 1034

Unknown word percentage (%) | 4.45

Unknown headword occurrence | 2.98

Unknown words that occur 5 times or more | 53

Unknown words that occur 2 times or more | 174

Notes:

1. About readability: This is Flesch Reading Ease Readability calculated with MS WORD. The higher the score, the easier the text is to read.

Score | Level

0-29 | Very difficult

30-49 | Difficult

50-59 | Fairly difficult

60-69 | Standard

70-79 | Fairly easy

80-89 | Easy

90-100 | Very easy

2. This e-version does not give the meanings of unknown words. You can look them up with the dictionary on your e-reader. For words with different meanings and some expressions, we give their meanings at the end of the passages. We also provide some necessary background information.

3. To get the audio or video of this book, GO>>>

Synopsis

Norman Stanley, Fred’s father, is injured in a mining accident. He cannot do hard work to support the family. As the only child of the family, Fred, 17 years old, has to quit school to help earn a living for the family.

While trying to look for a job, Fred learns from one of his father’s friends that a gold miner has buried a lot of gold in a cave in Alaska. Many people have tried to find the gold, but have all failed. Fred decides to try his luck. With the permission of the widow of that gold miner, Fred receives a copy of the map for the gold and sets out to look for the treasure with his father’s friend, Mr. Baxter and his son Jerry. Can they find the treasure? If they can find it, can they bring it safely home?

This book is rewritten from "The Young Treasure Hunter: Or Fred Stanley's Trip To Alaska" by Frank V. Webster.

Chapter 1. Seeking a Job

How are you feeling this morning, father? asked Fred Stanley as his father came slowly into the dining-room, leaning heavily on a crutch.

Not so well, Fred. My leg hurt badly last night, and I did not sleep much. You are up early, aren’t you?

Yes. I am going over to the new diggings and see if I can’t get a job.

Where are the new diggings, Fred? I hadn’t heard of any.

Near Cartersville. They’ve formed a settlement and called it New Strike. I heard they wanted boys to drive the ore carts, and I thought I’d go over and try for a place.

It’s too bad you have had to stop school, Fred, and go to work. If I wasn’t crippled I could make lots of money at mining.

Never mind, father. When you get well again, you’ll make more than ever. And I don’t mind giving up school - very much.

Fred added the last words in a lower voice, for he greatly liked his studies. But when he was needed at home he did not complain.

Norman Stanley, Fred’s father, had been injured in a mining accident about six months before. Though he was better now, he could not walk without a crutch. The doctor said he would get entirely well, but it seemed very slow, and sometimes Mr. Stanley was almost discouraged.

The Stanley family, of which Fred was the only child, lived in the town of Piddock, California. It was not far from a mining area, and within a short distance of the coast. Mr. Stanley had been well off[1] when he was able to work. But because of his accident, his savings had been used up. Fred made small sums by doing odd jobs here and there. Mrs. Stanley took in sewing, and they just managed to get along.

Well, Fred, went on Mr. Stanley, I hope some day I can send you back to school, and perhaps to college. If only my leg would get better, and he let out a sigh.

Don’t worry, father. We’ll get along somehow, said the boy.

Your mother is not up yet, Fred, said Mr. Stanley. She was sewing quite late last night, and I told her to take a rest this morning. I thought maybe you and I could get our own breakfast.

Of course we can, dad.

While father and son were getting their breakfast, Mrs. Stanley came downstairs. She was a little woman with slightly gray hair, but a sweet face and kindly, laughing blue eyes.

Well! she cried. You’re ahead of me this morning, aren’t you?

I thought you would like to rest a bit, said her husband. That is why I did not call you.

Oh, I’m not so tired. I slept well, and I wanted to be up early and get Fred’s breakfast. Do you feel any better this morning, Norman? asked Mrs. Stanley.

Not much. Perhaps a little. It is very slow.

Tears came into the eyes of Mrs. Stanley, but she turned her head away so he would not see them.

The little family gathered around the table, and Mr. Stanley told Fred something of how to drive an ore cart.

Perhaps I’ll not get a chance at one, dad.

Oh, yes, you will. If you see any old miners there, at the new diggings, just mention my name, and they’ll help you. They all know me, and I have helped lots of them. Yes, and some of them have helped me.

The meal was soon over. And, with a small package of bread and bacon, and a piece of pie, saved from the day before, Fred Stanley started off to look for work.

It was about eight miles from Piddock, where Fred lived, to New Strike, over the mountains. It was a hard journey, but the boy set off on it with a light heart. He was hopeful of getting a job, and he knew that if he did, there would be more happiness at home.

As Fred made a turn in the road, he saw, just ahead of him, an old man, riding on a small donkey. The man’s legs were so long, and the donkey so little, that the rider’s shoes nearly touched the ground.

The man had a big bundle before him, and the