Symbols instead of letters in Micro Word

I supposedly have a copy of my 2001 taxes and it is in Microsoft Word. When I click on it, it goes to Microsoft Word, but it comes up in symbols (instead of letters). It has a box that says File Conversion-2001 Tax. How do I convert this to English. This has alos happened when I copied something from my son-in-law's computer onto a floppy disc and tried to read it on my computer. It goes to Microsoft Word but also comes up in symbols. Please help? :

 

What is the extension of these files? They may not actually be Word files but their extension may have been somehow associated with Word.