This is Book 10, Collection II, 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 | 83.91
Total word count | 25612
Words beyond 1500 | 913
Unknown word percentage (%) | 3.56
Unknown headword occurrence | 2.7
Unknown words that occur 5 times or more | 40
Unknown words that occur 2 times or more | 168
[Synopsis]
The story is set in England in the 19th century. When Oliver Twist is born, his mother dies and he becomes an orphan. He spends his first nine years in a workhouse. When he is nine years old, Oliver is sent to a coffin-maker’s workshop and becomes an apprentice. After he is beaten by the other apprentice, Oliver runs out at night and set out for London on foot.
When he gets into London, he meets Dodger, who takes him to an old “gentleman” named Fagin. Fagin trains children to be thieves. But Oliver doesn’t realize that until he’s actually out with Dodger and another boy. Oliver sees the pair steal the pocket handkerchief out of an old gentleman’s pocket. When Oliver turns to run away, he is caught and taken to the police station.
The nice old man (his name is Mr. Brownlow) is sorry for Oliver when he realizes that Oliver is innocent. Oliver is very sick, so Mr. Brownlow takes him home and cares for him.
Mr. Brownlow is surprised to find that Oliver looks much like the picture of a young lady on his wall. So he becomes interested in his birth.
But he is not the only person who is interested in Oliver’s birth. Another man pays Fagin a high price, so that he can make Oliver a thief. He hopes Oliver will be caught by the police and driven out of the country….
This book is rewritten from “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens (1812~1870), which has been made into films and plays several times.
