一个星期四的下午,屡报假警的醉汉比利来到爱丁堡伦敦路警局,说自己在卡尔顿山上杀了一个人。洛根督察判断比利又在无理取闹,于是把他放走了。接着,洛根接到一个电话,得知有人在卡尔顿山上发现一具年轻女子的尸体。这一次,比利被列为重点怀疑对象……
“剑桥双语分级阅读·小说馆”是一套从剑桥大学出版社引进的面向非英语国家英语学习者的分级系列读物,由英语语言教学专家及小说作家合力创作。创作过程历时二十余年,出版后受到世界各地英语教师和英语学习者的喜爱,许多读本再版十余次,二十余年来畅销不衰,成为全球英语学习者首选的优秀读本。
本系列读物具有以下突出的特色:
1.它是原创英语读物,而非改编自普通作品的读物。因此,阅读本系列读物,我们读到的是原汁原味的原创英语,而非人为改编过的二手英语。
2.它是当代优秀短篇小说,而非上个或上上个世纪的小说。因此,阅读本系列读物,我们读到的是当今活的、学了就能用的英语,而非穿越时空的、学了难以用的英语,了解的是与我们同时代英语国家人们的、而非隔代人的生活、文化、风土人情和价值观。
3.它是专为非英语国家的英语学习者量身定制的读物,而非为英语母语者而写的大众读物。因此,本系列读物是最适合英语学习的读物。
4.它是英美知名小说家和英语语言教学专家合力创作的读物,小说家保障了读物的可读性与可欣赏性,英语语言教学专家保障了读物语言作为英语习得材料的科学性与可学性。本系列中的很多小说都曾获得国际广泛阅读教育学会颁发的“语言学习者文学奖(Language Learner Literature Award)”。因此,阅读本系列读物,我们会在欣赏小说的同时,自然而然地、有效地提高自己的英语水平。
5.它的故事题材丰富多样,包括侦探、情感、历险、悬疑、人文、科幻、喜剧等,读者可以随心选择自己喜欢的类别进行阅读;它的故事内容生动有趣,故事情节引人人胜、扣人心弦,一旦开始阅读,就想一口气读完,使阅读真正升华到“悦读”。
6.随书附赠的音频材料内容精彩——它不是普通英语母语者的朗读录音,而是专业配音员的演绎再创作。听着它,我们犹如在听广播剧、听评书,又仿佛是在听电影、听话剧……这种聆听英语的享受将彻底扫除学生对英语听力的畏难心理。
7.读本中所使用的语言,既有英式英语,也有美式英语,对应的音频材料也相应分为英音和美音。读者可根据自己的喜好来选择。
8.本系列一百多本读物根据“欧洲共同语言参考框架(CEF)”和“剑桥大学外语考试部(ESOL)”的标准来确定级别划分,是建立在科学研究和实践基础之上的分级。全套共分七个级别(与中国学生英语基础水平的大致对应关系,请参见图书封底表格),读者可根据自己的英语基础选择相应级别的读本来学习。
Richard MacAndrew(理查德·麦克安德鲁),作家、英语语言教育专家,从事英语教学与研究工作三十余年,曾在不同国家任教。他先后为剑桥大学出版社创作了十余部英语学习小说。在“剑桥双语分级阅读·小说馆”系列中,他创作了《槟城档案》《加勒比档案》《新西兰档案》《女督察洛根》《洛根的选择》《牛津凶案》《黑珍珠项链》《血钻》《危险拍档》《罪案追凶》等侦探、悬疑、历险主题的读本。
《剑桥双语分级阅读·小说馆(第4级):校园谜案》:
The road to the top of Calton Hill goes up behind the old Royal High School, a beautiful building that in Logan's opinion should have been used to house the new Scottish government. Instead, millions of pounds had been wasted on a new building. About halfway up the hill Logan pulled her car over to the side of the road behind two police cars and an old blue Volvo. She recognised Helen Robertson, the police doctor, among a group of police officers near a wall some metres below the level of the road. As she got out of her car, Logan turned and looked up towards the Nelson Monument and the City Observatory. She thought that the view from the top of Calton Hill was one of the best over the city - well, it was when there wasn't a dead body on the side of the hill.
Walking down through the long grass by the side of the road, Logan could see the body of the young woman,lying half on her side with her back against the wall.Helen Robertson, who had been bending over the body examining it, stood up when she saw Logan arrive.
Robertson had dark hair and was wearing black trousers and a light blue blouse. She and Logan had worked together before on a number of cases and had always got on well.
‘Jenny, hi!' she said. She took a deep breath. 'It's ari unpleasant one, I'm afraid.'
Logan said nothing. She just looked down and studied the body and its position. She waited for Robertson to speak.
‘Young woman, blonde, mid-twenties, possibly a bit younger. I don't know who she is. She's been strangled but it wasn't done here.'
Logan looked up sharply when Robertson mentioned how the woman had died.
‘The body was brought here sometime after death,' continued Robertson. 'She was also hit on the head at sometime, and her hands have been tied.'
Logan bent down to have a closer look at the woman's body. She was wearing a pink T-shirt and a dark blue skirt.
‘A sex attack?' asked Logan.
‘I don't think so, but I can't be sure until I've done some scientific tests,' replied Helen. 'There don't seem to be any cuts or marks on the lower part ofher body.'
‘What about the time of death?' asked Logan.
‘Again, I'll know more when I've done some tests,'said Robertson, 'but at a guess I'd say about eighteen to twenty hours ago.'
Logan looked at her watch. It was five o'clock.
‘So sometime between ten and midnight last night, then.'
‘That sounds right,' said Robertson. 'Look, I'll do the tests and the scientific examination first thing in the morning, and ifl find anything interesting I'll give you a call.'
‘Great,' said Logan, and she put her hand lightly on Robertson's arm in thanks.
Robertson bent down again and started to pack her things into a small black bag.
……