Newspaper Chase PDF

 "Newspaper Chase" is a popular graded reader, often by John Escott, found in series like Oxford Bookworms or Penguin Active Reading. It's a simple, engaging mystery designed for English language learners.

Here's a summary of the plot:

The story begins with a thief named Harry Black breaking into the Ritesville Town Art Gallery in the middle of the night. His target is a valuable million-dollar painting. While stealing the painting, he accidentally knocks over and breaks a beautiful blue glass vase.

After the theft, Harry returns to Mrs. Allen's rooming house, where he is staying. To hide the painting, he rolls it up and tucks it inside an old newspaper, then hides the newspaper under his bed.

The next morning, Mrs. Allen's daughter, Janey Allen, is busy with her recycling routine. Janey is very keen on recycling and diligently collects old bottles and newspapers from around the house. When she goes to Harry's room to collect his old newspapers, she finds the one under his bed and unknowingly adds it to her recycling pile.

Meanwhile, Harry is trying to make arrangements to sell the stolen painting to a buyer, but he's unhappy with the low offer. He then realizes that Janey has taken the newspaper containing his million-dollar hidden treasure!

Harry races out of the house just as the recycling truck is pulling away with Janey's box of newspapers. He desperately chases after the truck, yelling for them to stop. He jumps into the back of the truck, frantically searching through thousands of old newspapers to find the one with his painting.

Janey, watching Harry's strange behavior, becomes suspicious. As Harry is rummaging through the newspapers, she notices a small, distinctive piece of blue glass stuck in the sole of his shoe. She immediately recognizes it from the news reports about the broken vase at the art gallery. Connecting the pieces, she realizes Harry is the thief.

Janey quickly calls the police. When the police arrive, they find Harry still searching the truck. They arrest him and discover the stolen painting hidden in the newspaper among the recycling. Janey is then commended for her quick thinking and honesty.