Acknowledgements The authors would like to acknowlege our Kansai Gaidai University students without whom this project would not have been possible. Thank you also to KGU Intensive English Studies Department Director Dr. Francis Lindsey, and faculty members Ellen McFarland, Lisa Peoria, John Stark, and Derek Weygandt, and all of your students. “For Roberto and Marilda; and for Katty, the real Ellie Koo.” Writers: Adam Gray and Marcos Benevides Cover Design: Marcos Benevides Layout: Christopher Hanzie Design, Tokyo/Singapore Initial Layout and Cover Design: Design Office Terra, Tokyo Illustrations: Yuji Tachikawa ABAX Ltd. Tokyo and San Francisco www.abax.net (cc) 2010 Viewscrest UK Ltd. This eBook version of Fiction in Action: Whodunit is licensed through a Creative Commons Attribution- Noncommercial-No Derivative Works license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ You are free to copy, distribute and transmit the work but must attribute the work, may not alter or build upon the work, and may not use the work for commercial purposes. This is Version 1. Please check www.abax.net regularly to ensure you have the latest version of this PDF eBook Important Notice If you have enjoyed using this Creative Commons licensed e-book version of Fiction in Action: Whodunit, you might be interested in the print version of the book that is due to be released in the spring of 2010 (ISBN 978-1-890942-33-9). The print version contains the stories and exercises you have seen in this version but in addition comes with a CD where students can listen to recordings related to the story, a detective's notebook for students to use as they try and figure out who committed the crimes, and full color illustrations of the scenes and characters. For more information visit www.abax.net Introduction In this class, you will read two original detective stories. Each story is divided into six chapters. At the beginning of each chapter, there is a pre-reading section (for example, page 8). Answer these questions before reading the chapter. While you read the chapter, look for fingerprint clues like this one: ; you may find some important information nearby. You will also find some interactive illustrations to help you understand the story better. For example, the Scene of the Crime on page 9. Near the end of each chapter there is a puzzle, which is part of that chapter (for example, page 15 with questions on pages 16 and 17). Read each chapter and complete the puzzle by yourself for homework. At the end of each chapter there is a review section (for example, pages 18). These are in-class group discussion activities. Use this class time to check your understanding of the story, to talk about reading strategies, and to ask language questions of your group members or your teacher. But most important of all, please enjoy reading the stories! Sincerely, Adam Gray and Marcos Benevides Contents Introduction 3 Planning Your Reading 4 Story 1: The Inverted Eagle 6 Crime Talk 7 Chapter 1: The Scene of the Crime 8 Chapter 2: Three Interviews 19 Chapter 3: The Hospital 30 Chpater 4: The Suspect 41 Chapter 5: Family Secrets 51 Chapter 6: The Arrest 63 Story 2: Death on U Street 74 Crime Talk 75 Chapter 1: The Victim 76 Chapter 2: Blackmail 88 Chapter 3: The Videotape 99 Chpater 4: The Letter 110 Chapter 5: The Meeting 122 Chapter 6: Guilty, Guilty, Guilty 133 About the Authors 144 Planning Your Reading A. What are your reading habits? How well do each of the statements below describe your current reading habits? Remember, even good readers have different reading habits, so there are no right or wrong answers. The purpose of this exercise is just to make you think about how, where and when you read, so that you can best plan your future reading schedule. No Yes 1. I like to read for fun in my native language. 1 2 3 4 2. It is possible to enjoy reading and to learn something new at 1 2 3 4 the same time. 3. I spend several hours each week reading in my native 1 2 3 4 language. 4. I want to read more, but I just don’t have the time lately. 1 2 3 4 5. My reading skills in my native language help me to read in 1 2 3 4 English. 6. I enjoy reading in English. 1 2 3 4 7. I read a variety of things; for example, stories, newspapers, 1 2 3 4 etc. 8. I only read for specific purposes; for example for a class or for 1 2 3 4 work. 9. I can read anywhere; for example on a bus, in a noisy 1 2 3 4 restaurant, etc. 10. I can read anytime; for example late at night, on a short 1 2 3 4 break, etc. 11. I often stop to check the dictionary or the Internet while I am 1 2 3 4 reading. 12. Before reading a book, it is important to think about its 1 2 3 4 cover, the title, and the summary on the back cover. 13. I like to take notes while I read. 1 2 3 4 14. When I become confused about the facts in a story, I always 1 2 3 4 stop and go back to find out where I went wrong. 15. I’ve stayed up too late at night, missed my bus stop, or forgot 1 2 3 4 an important appointment because I couldn’t stop reading B. What are your reading habits? 1. From the table above, choose three or four statements about your reading habits which are most important for you. They can be positive or negative statements. Write them below. Example: I can’t read in noisy places. ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Now, discuss your reading habits with a partner. Suggest ways that you can plan or improve your reading experience. Remember that everyone has different reading preferences. C. Make your ideal reading plan. Use the space below to describe your ideal reading plan. You can make a weekly schedule, describe your plan in a few short sentences, or make a drawing. The important thing is to think about how, when and where you will be reading over the next few weeks so that you can both enjoy the experience and continue to develop your best reading habits. ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ Story 1 The Inverted Eagle by Adam Gray 4 3 2 4 3 2 Crime Talk The following words and expressions will be important for understanding and talking about this story. Look for a list of Crime Talk words at the beginning of each chapter (for example, page 9). Those are the Crime Talk words that will appear in that chapter. accuse – say that someone did a crime alibi – proof that you were elsewhere at the time of a crime and so could not do the crime attorney – a lawyer behind bars – in jail case – a police investigation clue – an item or piece of information that helps solve a case fingerprints – marks left by fingers; (everybody has different fingerprints) frame – use false evidence to make an innocent person seem guilty of a crime motive – a reason to commit a crime proof or evidence* – facts or objects that show who probably did a crime robbery – a theft; the stealing of something using force under arrest – taken by the police; charged with a crime victim – a person who is hurt or killed in a crime or accident * Note: Proof and evidence are uncountable nouns. You can say: • “Does he have some proof?” or “She found three pieces of evidence.” But you cannot say: • “She has three proofs.” or “He found many evidences.” CChhaapptteerr 11:: TThhee SScceennee ooff tthhee CCrriimmee 77 Chapter 1 : Pre-reading In this chapter, we meet Detective Eliana “Ellie” Koo, the hero of the story. She works for the Washington D.C. Police Department. She must investigate a crime in a very rich neighborhood of the city. • Answer these pre-reading questions alone or with a partner. If you don’t know the answer, guess. 1. What does “whodunit” mean? Hint: It’s three words mashed together. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What is the job of a police detective? How is it different from a police officer? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What do you think “the scene of the crime” means? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Have you read any interesting crime stories before, or watched them on TV? What usually happens in these stories? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 88 WWhhoodduunniitt:: TThhee IInnvveerrtteedd EEaaggllee Chapter 1 Crime Talk: case, fingerprint, robbery, victim The Scene of the Crime 4 3 2 4 3 2 Detective Eliana Koo stepped out of her car and stared at the front of the huge house at 329 1 Birch Drive. She couldn’t believe that anyone would want to live in such an enormous house. It was bigger than her entire apartment building in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Washington, DC. “Ellie,” called a familiar voice. “Over here.” Ellie looked from door to window to window, but couldn’t see anyone. “Where?” 5 “Look up.” In a third floor window she spotted the gray hair of her friend Officer Kazuo Yokota, a veteran Washington D.C. police officer. Fifteen years earlier, when Ellie became a police officer, Yokota helped and supported her like an older brother. They were still close friends. “I’ll be up in a minute,” she shouted. “If I don’t get lost.” 10 A young officer opened the front door and showed Ellie where the stairs were. Soon she was face to face with Yokota. His police uniform fit a little more tightly than before, but his face was still thin and handsome. “Well, what happened?” she asked, shaking her friend’s hand. “A drugging, a robbery, and almost a murder.” 15 Chapter 1: The Scene of the Crime 9 “ Almost is an important word,” Ellie said, smiling. She took out her detective’s notebook and a pen from inside her long black coat. “Details?” Yokota took out his own notebook. “This home belongs to Evan and Nancy Reed, ages fifty- two and fifty. Mr. Reed is an executive with Washington Bank. Mrs. Reed is a retired lawyer. This morning, at about 9:00, the housekeeper found them unconscious in their bedroom and called 9-1-1. 20 Their wall safe, located above their bed, was open and empty. Nancy Reed was barely breathing and almost died, but both victims are doing well now. The doctors expect them both to recover. We aren’t sure yet, but it looks like someone put some pills in their evening tea.” “What was stolen from the safe?” “According to Judith Reed, who is Evan’s mother, there was a box of Nancy Reed’s jewelry 25 inside the safe. The jewelry was worth more than $400,000. There was also cash, about $80,000. Finally, there was a collection of rare stamps that belonged to Judith Reed. They were worth about $40,000. She bought her most valuable stamp, an ‘Inverted Eagle’ stamp, less than a week ago.” Ellie nodded as she wrote her notes. Her nickname, Ellie, was short for Eliana, but it was also short for Elephant. She earned this nickname as a police officer because she never forgot any details 30 about a case, just like in the proverb ‘an elephant never forgets.’ Ellie, however, did not have a better memory than most other detectives. Her secret was that she took detailed notes and studied them frequently. “Who else lives in the house?” she asked. “Five other people live here. I already mentioned Judith Reed. She has lived here with her son 35 and daughter-in-law for three years, since her husband died. The Reeds have two children who also live here. Kevin Reed is twenty-four years old. He’s unemployed and lives here all year. Allison Reed is twenty-one. She’s a student at Brown University, and only lives here during the summer. She was planning on leaving Washington in less than a week to return to college. By the way, she is engaged to marry Derrick Quenton, the son of Ted Quenton.” 40 “Ted Quenton? The owner of Quenton Hotels?” Yokota nodded. “Ted Quenton is one of the richest people in the country.” “Rich people shouldn’t be allowed to marry other rich people,” Ellie joked. “I agree,” said Yokota, smiling. “One of them should marry me! Anyway, the other two people who live here are Lucia Deza, the housekeeper, and her son, Miguel. Lucia was born in Peru, like you, 45 but has lived in the U.S. for almost fifteen years. Miguel is nineteen years old, and a pre-med student at Georgetown University.” “Georgetown?” asked Ellie, very surprised. “Georgetown is a very expensive university. How can the son of a housekeeper afford to go there?” 10 Whodunit: The Inverted Eagle