《The Ghost of Geenny Castle (level 2)》.doc

Introduction Claire looked across the fields and saw a tall stone building. An old castle! she said. I must go and see that before I go home again. Aunt Min didnt look at the castle. It - its not a nice place to visit, she said. Genny Castle is dangerous. Dangerous? said Claire. Why? When Claires mother and father go away for Christmas, Claire goes to stay with her Aunt Min. Aunt Min lives in the village of Little Genny and near it is an old castle. Claire is very interested in the castle and she wants to know more about it. But the people in the village are afraid of Genny Castle and they wont talk to her about it. Accidents happen there. People die . . . Aunt Min says she must stay away, but Claire knows she cant. She must find answers. And soon, she will. Because in the castle something is waiting. And it knows her. John Escott writes books for students and young people. He was born in a small country town in Somerset, in the south-west of England. Now he lives in Bournemouth, by the sea. He is married and has two children. When he is not writing, he likes walking and he plays music. He wrote The Ghost of Genny Castle after he saw a real old dark castle: Corfe Castle in Dorset, England. This is near his home town. Corfe Castle is nearly one thousand years old and people there tell a lot of stories about it. You can also read Detective Work and Money to Burn by John Escott in Penguin Readers. Chapter 1 The Castle It was a cold December afternoon. Walter Burge was outside his cottage when he saw the car in the road, across the fields. It was Minnie Dawes car. Whos she taking home? thought Walter. A visitor? Walter didnt like visitors. Stay away from the castle, he told them when they came in the summer. Sometimes they didnt listen to him. But this was winter, when not many people came. He watched the car for a minute or two, then he went back to his work.. An orange cat was outside the cottage. It was the colour of fire. It too watched the car. Then it walked s