The Boy Who Lived in the Woods

November 2, 2011

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. dwell (v.) [dwel] – to live or reside in a place
Example: Wild animals dwell in deep forests.

2. collaboration (n.) [kuh-lab-uh-rey-shuhn] – to work together
Example: The movie is a collaboration of two award-winning directors.

3. version (n.) [vur-zhuhn, -shuhn] – another form or variety from the original type
Example: The entertainment channel broadcasted another version of my favorite drama.

4. drench (v.) [drench] – to be completely wet
Example: The recent storm drenched the whole city.

5. superbly (adv.) [soo-purb-lee] – in a high quality or excellent manner
Example: All of the finalists in the recent dance contest performed superbly.

Read the text below.

A 17-year-old boy is being investigated after showing up and declaring to the police in Berlin City Hall that he had been dwelling in the woods with his father for about 5 years.

According to Martin Otter, spokesperson for the German police, the teenager who identified himself as Ray, said that he decided to leave the woods after his father died. Ray can converse in English and a little in German.

For now, the boy is staying at a youth center in Berlin while the police, in collaboration with Interpol, investigate his identity and origin.

A similar version of this story, called the “Piano Man” case, happened in 2005. British police found the “piano man” in his drenched clothes along the beaches of Sheppey, Kent in southern England. According to rumors, the man could play the piano superbly, hence the name “Piano Man.” However, after several months, he confessed that he was from Bavaria, and that he really could not play the piano. He admitted that when the police found him, he was trying to kill himself.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

·         Do you think it is possible for people to survive in the woods? Explain your answer.
·         Would you consider living in the woods? Why or why not?

Discussion B

·         How do you find stories about mysterious identities?
·         Are there any stories of people in your country with mysterious identities?

November 2, 2011