“书虫”是外语教学与研究出版社和牛津大学出版社共同奉献给广大英语学习者的一大精品。书虫在英语中大概是颇可爱的形象，试想想如痴如醉沉迷于书卷，孜孜不倦地咀嚼着字母的那么一只“书虫”……
　　如今这只“书虫”漂洋过海，轻盈落在了中国英语学习者的掌中。“书虫”首先将给你处信，即使你目前只有几百词汇，即可以不大费劲地阅览世界名作了。书虫还会用它细细的鸣叫声不停地提醒你：要坚持不懈地读下去要广泛而丰富地读下去。待到读完丛书系列中的之后一本，你也许会突然发现：你已经如蛹变蝶一样，振翅欲翔了！

本书适合初一、初二年级学生阅读学习。

柯南·道尔是英国著名小说家，因成功塑造福尔摩斯这一人物而成为侦探小说历史上最重要的作家之一。他曾在爱丁堡大学学习医学，毕业后作为随船医生前往西非海岸，1882年回国后开业行医，在此期间开始写作。

　　《福尔摩斯和公爵的儿子（1级）（适合初1、初2年级）》讲述了福尔摩斯解开的又一个谜团：公爵的儿子被人从学校绑架了，福尔摩斯和他的朋友华生大夫花了几个小时查看峡谷沼泽里的泥土，他们发现了自行车轮胎的车辙、牛羊的蹄印，还有一具尸体。每个秘密都有答案，但是福尔摩斯对这起神秘事件的答案也大感意外。

1 Sherlock Holmes has a visitor
1．有客人拜访歇洛克·福尔摩斯
2 Dr Huxtable's story
2．赫克斯特伯博士的故事
3 Holmes and Watson go north
3．福尔摩斯和华生北上
4 The body on the moor
4．沼泽地里的尸体
5 A visit to the Green Man
5．拜访林中人客栈
6 Sherlock Holmes talks to the Duke
6．歇洛克·福尔摩斯和公爵的谈话
7 The Duke's son
7．公爵的儿子
ACTIVITIES Before Reading
ACTIVITIES While Reading
ACTIVITIES After Reading

When visitors came to see Sherlock Holmes in Baker Street，they often did surprising things．Sometimes they put their heads in their hands and cried．Sometimes they talked and talked，and couldn't stop．And sometimes they just sat there and didn't say a word．But nobody was more surprising than Dr Thorneycroft Huxtable.
　　He was a large man，tall，well-dressed，and important-looking．He came into the room，walked to one of the big chairs，and suddenly fell into it．He sat there，with his eyes closed，looking white and ill.
　　I ran to get some water for him．Then I got my doctor's bag，and looked at him carefully.
　　'What is it，Watson？' said Holmes.
　　'He's all right，I think，' I said．'He's just very，very tired—and probably hungry too.'
　　Holmes looked in the man's pockets—and found a train ticket from Mackleton，in the north of England.
　　'Mackleton—that's a long way，' said Holmes．'It's not twelve o'clock yet，so he probably left home before five o'clock this morning.'
　　After a minute or two the man began to move，and his eyes opened．A second later he got quickly to his feet．His face was now red and unhappy.
　　'Mr Holmes，I am so sorry！I forgot to eat or drink anything this morning—that's why I felt ill.'
　　'When you feel better—' I began.
　　'I'm better now，thank you，' said our visitor．'And I want very much to talk to Mr Holmes—to ask him something．Please，Mr Holmes，come back to Mackleton with me by the next train.'
　　'I'm sorry，that's not possible，' said Holmes．'I'm working on two important cases—the Ferrers case and the Abergavenny case．I cannot leave London at the moment.'
　　'Important cases！' our visitor cried．'But this case is very important too．You know about the kidnapping of the son of the Duke of Holdernesse three days ago……'
　　'What！The Government Minister？'
　　'Yes，that's him．So you didn't know…… It's not in the newspapers yet，that's true．But Sherlock Holmes always hears news before other people，I thought.'
　　Holmes went to get one of his books，and began to read the page about the Duke of Holdernesse.
　　'Holdernesse，sixth Duke．Wife：Edith，daughter of Lord Grey．One child，Lord Arthur Saltire．Houses in London，Lancashire，and Wales．Government Minister for this……for that……for the other…… Well，well，' said Holmes．'He's one of the greatest men in the country.'
　　'One of the greatest，and one of the richest，' said Dr Huxtable．'I know，Mr Holmes，that you don't work for money，but I must tell you this．The Duke is offering five thousand pounds for news of his son，and another one thousand pounds for the name of his kidnapper.'
　　'That，' said Holmes，'is a most interesting offer.' He looked at me．'Watson，I think we are going with Dr Huxtable back to the north of England this afternoon.'