Emma had always been fascinated by puzzles and mysteries. She worked as a librarian in a small town called Riverside. One rainy afternoon, while organizing old books in the basement, Emma discovered something unusual. Hidden between the pages of an ancient leather-bound book, there was a folded piece of paper. Emma carefully unfolded the yellowed paper and examined it closely. The paper contained a series of strange symbols and numbers that she had never seen before. 'This looks like some kind of code,' Emma whispered to herself. She noticed that the book belonged to the library's original collection from 1892. Someone had hidden this message more than a hundred years ago. Emma's heart began to beat faster with excitement. She decided to try to crack the code herself before telling anyone. That evening, Emma took the paper home and spread it on her kitchen table. She made herself a cup of tea and began to study the symbols carefully. The first thing she noticed was that certain symbols appeared more frequently than others. 'Perhaps these represent common letters like E or A,' she thought. She worked late into the night, trying different combinations. Finally, after many failed attempts, she realized the code was based on a book cipher. The numbers must refer to page numbers, line numbers, and word positions in a specific book. But which book was the key to decoding the message? The next morning, Emma returned to the library with renewed determination. She examined the leather-bound book where she had found the code. It was a collection of poems by a local poet named William Hartford. Emma searched the library's old records and discovered that Hartford had been one of the town's founders. He had also been known for his interest in secret societies and cryptography. 'This must be it!' Emma exclaimed quietly. She used Hartford's poetry book to decode the message. Slowly, letter by letter, the secret message began to reveal itself. 'The treasure lies beneath the old oak by the river bend.' Emma could hardly believe what she was reading. A real treasure hidden in her quiet little town! She knew exactly which oak tree the message was referring to. There was an ancient oak tree at the bend of the Riverside River that everyone in town knew about. It was said to be over three hundred years old. Emma spent the rest of the day trying to decide what to do. Should she tell someone about her discovery, or should she investigate alone? In the end, she decided to confide in her best friend, Marcus. Marcus was a history teacher who had lived in Riverside all his life. When Emma showed him the code and her translation, his eyes widened with amazement. 'Emma, this is incredible! I have heard stories about Hartford's hidden treasure since I was a child,' he said. 'Most people thought it was just a legend, but you may have found proof that it actually exists!' They agreed to visit the oak tree together the following Saturday. When Saturday arrived, Emma and Marcus walked to the river bend carrying shovels and flashlights. The old oak tree stood majestically on a small hill overlooking the water. Its thick trunk was covered with moss, and its branches spread wide in all directions. 'The message said beneath the oak,' Emma reminded Marcus. 'But where exactly should we start digging?' Marcus examined the ground around the tree carefully. 'Look here,' he said suddenly, pointing to a spot near the roots. 'There are stones arranged in a peculiar pattern.' Emma looked where Marcus was pointing and noticed a circle of flat stones. The stones were almost completely hidden by grass and fallen leaves. They cleared away the debris and began to dig inside the circle. After about twenty minutes of digging, Emma's shovel hit something hard. 'I think I found something!' she exclaimed excitedly. They carefully dug around the object and uncovered an old metal box. The box was covered with rust, but it was still intact after all these years. Emma's hands trembled as she lifted the box out of the ground. Marcus helped her brush off the dirt and examine the lock. 'The lock is completely rusted,' Marcus observed. 'We should be able to open it easily.' Using his pocket knife, Marcus carefully pried open the old lock. The lid creaked as Emma slowly lifted it open. Inside the box, they found several items wrapped in oilcloth. The first package contained old photographs and letters. The second contained a beautiful gold pocket watch that still worked. But it was the third package that made them gasp in astonishment. Inside was a collection of rare gold coins from the nineteenth century. 'These must be worth a fortune!' Marcus whispered in disbelief. Emma picked up one of the letters and began to read it aloud. The letter was written by William Hartford himself. In it, he explained that he had hidden these items for his descendants to find. He wanted them to have something to remember their family history. 'The most valuable treasure is not gold, but the memories and stories of those who came before us,' Hartford had written. Emma and Marcus sat quietly for a moment, touched by Hartford's words. They decided to contact the local historical society about their discovery. The news of the treasure spread quickly through the town. Historians were excited to study the photographs and letters from Hartford's era. The gold coins were valued at over fifty thousand dollars. As the finder, Emma had the right to keep the treasure according to local law. However, she had a different idea about what to do with her discovery. Emma decided to donate the historical items to the local museum. She used part of the money from the gold coins to create a scholarship for young historians. The scholarship was named after William Hartford. The local newspaper wrote a long article about Emma's detective work. They called her the real-life Sherlock Holmes of Riverside. Emma felt embarrassed by all the attention but also proud of what she had accomplished. Her discovery had brought new interest in the town's history. Many people started visiting the library to learn more about William Hartford and the town's founders. The old oak tree by the river became a popular tourist attraction. A small plaque was placed there telling the story of the secret code and the hidden treasure. Marcus and Emma remained close friends after their adventure. They often talked about the experience and wondered if there were more secrets hidden in the old library. Emma continued her work as a librarian with a new sense of purpose. She now carefully examined every old book that came through the library. Who knew what other mysteries might be waiting to be discovered? The experience had taught Emma that history is all around us, waiting for someone curious enough to find it. Sometimes the greatest adventures begin with nothing more than an old piece of paper and the willingness to ask questions.
English Story (B1)The Secret Code
This B1 English story is designed for intermediates learning English. It includes simple vocabulary and short sentences to help you improve your reading and listening skills. Click any word to see translations and hear pronunciation.
About this story
Emma, a librarian in the small town of Riverside, discovers a mysterious coded message hidden in an old book from 1892. Using her puzzle-solving skills, she deciphers the book cipher and learns it points to a treasure buried beneath an ancient oak tree. With her friend Marcus, she unearths a metal box containing gold coins, photographs, and letters from town founder William Hartford. Instead of keeping the treasure, Emma donates the historical items to the local museum and creates a scholarship in Hartford's name, inspiring renewed interest in the town's history.
Translations in English
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Comprehension Questions
4 questions
1
Where did Emma work?
2
What type of cipher was the secret code based on?
3
What did Emma and Marcus find inside the metal box?
4
What did Emma decide to do with the treasure she found?
Vocabulary
41 words from this story
