Pete and Nell go to the pictures

One day Pete phoned Nell and invited her to the pictures. «What film are we going to see?» — she asked. «Oh, it's the one based on the famous Agatha Christie's novel «Witness for the prosecution». «OK, We'll meet near the cinema at 7».

And would you like to join them and see the film? I'm sure you would. So here are some scenes from the script of the film.

Scene I

(The office of Sir Wilfred, one of the finest and most experienced barristers in London. Leonard Vole, a hand­some young man of about thirty and Mr Mayherne, his solicitor come to the office. Mr Mayherne urges Sir Wilfred to take the case of Leonard Vole, who may be arrested any minute on the charge of murdering Mrs Emily French. Mrs French, a wealthy widow, was murdered two days ago. She left 80,000 to Leonard Vole, who had visited Mrs French earlier in the evening on the night of the murder).

MAYHERNE: It's the case of Mrs Emily French. You've probably seen the reports in the press. When the housekeeper returned from her day off, she found her mistress dead, struck on the back of the head and killed.

SIR WILFRED: I see.

MAYHERNE: I'm sure Vole is harmless chap caught in the web of circumstancial evidence.

VOLE: I haven't murdered anybody. It's absurd! But my wife Christine thought I might need a lawyer. That's why I went to see Mr Mayherne. But now I have two lawyers. It's rather silly, don't you think?

MAYHERNE: Vole, I am a solicitor. Sir Wilfred is a barrister. Only a barrister can plead a case in court. Mr Vole, isn't it obvious to you that you will be regarded as the principal suspect in this case? I'm very much afraid you'll be arrested.

Scene II

(Mr Vole is arrested and now he's in the prisoner's box in one of the courtrooms of the Old Bailey. It is the first day of Vole's trial. The court is in session. The judge is presiding. The jury, consisting of nine men and three women are in the jury box. The counsels for the Prosecu­tion and Defence are in their seats.)

COURT CLERK: Leonard Stephen Vole, you are charged on indictment that you on the 14-th day of October in the County of London murdered Emily Jane French. How say you, Leonard Stephen Vole, are you guilty or not guilty?

VOLE: Not guilty.

JUDGE: Members of the jury, by the oath you have just taken you swore to try this case on the evidence. (To the prosecutor.) You may proceed for the prosecution, Mr Myers.

MYERS (rising): The facts in this case are simple. You will hear how the prisoner made the acquaintance of Mrs Emily French, a woman of 56, how he was treated by her with kindness. Medical testimony will be introduced to prove that death was caused by a blow from a blunt and heavy instrument and it is the case for the Prosecution* that the blow was made by the prisoner Leonard Vole!

VOLE: That's not true! I didn't do it!

MYERS: Among the witnesses you will hear police evidence, also the one of Mrs French's houskeeper Janet Mackenzie, and from the medical and laboratory experts, and the evidence of the murdered woman's solicitor, who drew up her final will.

(The prosecutor proceeds with examination of his witnesses, but cross-examination by Sir Wilfred makes their evidence look rather weak.)

(You'll read the end of the story in the next Unit.)

1. It is the case for the Prosecution — (зд.) обвинение утверждает.

17.3.4. В тексте есть 20 слов, оканчивающихся на -ed.

Можете ли вы определить, в какую группу из 4 групп поместить эти слова?

1 2 3 4

Past Indefinite Perfect Forms Passive Forms Participle II

17.3.5. Петр затрудняется в определении форм с суффиксом -ed. Ему дали несколько предло­жений с такими словами и, когда он пытался распределить их по группам (см. п. 17.3.4), он сделал несколько ошибок. Помогите ему.

1 2

a) The USA has lost the in- a) The man has created the

dustrial dominance it en- new unusual robot.

joyed after World War II.

b) Senator Brown's bill

hasn't been adopted.

3 4

a) The programme adopted a) The revolution abolished

by Parliament was a new the landlord system and

stage in the development handed over all the land

of the country. to the peasants.

b) New branches of nation- b) When invited, he always

al economy have been agrees to come.

created in developing

countries.

* 17.3.6. Скажите по-английски:

1. Опытный юрист был приглашен защищать дело в суде. 2. Он доказал, что беспокойство, причиненное соседям, было не столь уж велико. 3. Когда его арестовали, он попросил адвоката. 4. Смерть наступила (была вызва­на) в результате удара тупым и тяжелым предметом. 5. Суд под председательством главного судьи продолжил работу. 6. С за­ключенным обращались очень сурово.

17.3.7. В тексте вам встретилось несколько раз слово «one» в разных значениях, в частности, когда оно выполняло функцию заменителя сущест­вительного. Найдите слова «one» в этой функции.

17.3.8. Петр утверждает, что в следующих пред­ложениях слово «one» только дважды вы­ступает в роли заменителя существительного. Вы согласны с ним? Определите другие фун­кции слова «one» в этих предложениях.

1. One might say that at the end of World War II the United States was the only strong capitalist country with most of the gold reserves.

2. The problems of the defence in this case are big ones.

3. One cannot exclude the possibility that they will use their missiles deployed on other countries' territory to deliver the first nuclear strike.

4. In this colonial country there were no indus­tries except for a few unimportant local ones.

17.3.9. Предположим, что вы очень заняты и не можете тратить время на разыскивание кое-каких необходимых вам предметов. Попросите ваше­го друга помочь вам. Используйте диалог-модель и слова в скобках.

Model:

MAN: Give me a book please, Jane.

WOMAN: Which book? This one?

MAN: No, not that one. The red one.

WOMAN: This one?

MAN: Yes, please.

WOMAN: Here you are.

MAN: Thank you.

(NOUNS: bottle, box, cup, fork, knife, spoon, glass. ADJECTIVES: blunt, empty, full, large, sharp, etc.)

17.3.10. Какая группа составит больше предложений со словом «one» за 5 мин?

*17.3.11. Перед вами еще одно секретное послание агента своему боссу. Попытайтесь расшиф­ровать его.

4,12,5 4,16,1,11,14 13,1,14,14 15,5,21,1,2 4,8,7,8,16,16,8,13 1 11,7 11,20,16,11,1,10 7,9 21,17,1,14,4 13,1,14,14 15,5 18,16,8,3,5,10 1 10,8 2,8,4 6,5,5 4,12,5 13,11,9 8,17,4

1,2,3,1,4,5 — ask smb. to come somewhere

4,5,6,4,1,7,8,2,9 - declaration that smth. is true

10,5,11,4,12 - ending of life

13,1,14,14— statement in writing saying how smb. wishes his property to be distributed after his death

14,1 1,15,8,16,11,4,8,16,9 - room or building used for scientific experiments

6,17,6,18,5,19,4 — person who may be guilty

20,1,2,10 — get or discover after search

19,12,11,16,21,5 - accusation

17.3.12. В то время, когда Нелли и Петр смотрели фильм, что-то случилось со звуком. Зрители слышали только начало нескольких фраз. Помогите им и закончите фразы. Не смотрите в сценарий!

1. Vole is a harmless chap caught in the web of...

2. Only a barrister can...

3. How say you, Leonard Stephen Vole, are you...

4. Members of the jury, you swore...

5. Medical testimony will be introduced...

17.3.13. Петру так понравился фильм, что он решил пересказать его содержание своим друзьям, но, кажется, кое-что перепутал. Найдите ошибки в его рассказе.

Leonard Vole with his barrister came to the solicitor and asked him to help him in his case. He had visited an old woman who was found murdered soon after his visit. She had left much money to him. He is regarded to be the murderer and is arrested. At the trial he pleads guilty. The prosecuting counsel says that the murdered woman Mrs French was treated by Vole with kindness. He also mentions that the death was caused by a blow of a sharp knife. He examines his witnesses. Sir Wilfred makes his cross-examinations but without any success.

* 17.3.14. Когда коллеги Нелли узнали, что она видела фильм «Свидетель обвинения», они засыпали ее вопросами об этом фильме. Предположите, что кто-нибудь из вас — Нелли, а все остальные — ее коллеги. Какие бы вопросы вы ей задали? Пусть она постарается ответить на них.

*17.3.15. Вы решили поставить первую часть «Свидетеля обвинения». Но прежде чем взяться за постановку, необходимо выде­лить основные события, происходящие в этой части. Попробуйте сделать это сейчас.

* 17.3.16. А теперь распределите роли и попытайтесь представить свой вариант «Свидетеля обви­нения». Работайте группами.

* 17.3.17. Скажите по-английски:

1. Он признал себя виновным. 2. Его судили за убийство. 3. Он был первым свидетелем, который дал показания. 4. Их судили по обвинению в краже со взломом. 5. Последний свидетель представил только косвенные улики преступления. 6. Он попытался до­казать, что смерть была вызвана не его действиями. 7. Он был обвинен по обви­нительному акту об убийстве. 8. На пере­крестном допросе было доказано, что заве­щание было составлено под давлением со стороны обвиняемого.

Practice in communication

(Interrogation)

*17.4.1. Here are some questions which can be asked at the Customs Office. Read them and try to remember:

1. Where are you travelling?

2. Why are you going there?

3. How long are you going for?

4. How much money are you taking?

5. Who are you travelling with?

6. Whose luggage is this?

7. What have you got to declare?

8. Have you got anything to declare?

17.4.2. Read the dialogue and then dramatize it. Mr. Brown was stopped by the police because he was driving too fast on a London road.

POLICE: Why didn't you stop when we first signalled?

DRIVER: Did you signal more than once, then?

POLICE: What do you think? Of course we did. Only you didn't see us because you were speeding. That's why.

DRIVER: Was I? I'm sorry about that. What's the speed limit on this road?

POLICE: Don't you know? 60 kph.

DRIVER: Was I doing more than that, then?

POLICE: What do you think? Of course you were. You were doing more than 80 kph.

DRIVER: Was I? I'm sorry about that.

POLICE: I'm afraid I shall have to charge you with an offence under the Road Traf­ fic Act.

DRIVER: Will I have to pay a fine? Will I have my licence endorsed?

POLICE: That's for the Court to decide.

Note: 60 kph — kilometers per hour — (столько-то) километров в час

17.4.3. The Magistrate questions Mr Brown at Court. He asks him:

1. what his name/address is;

2. if he is the owner of a vehicle, registration number NLD 782K;

3. if he was driving at 80 kph on the night of 9 April 19... down Lyndale Avenue;

4. whether he has anything to say in his own defence.

General understanding

17.5.1. Read the text. Try to understand it and be ready to answer the questions.

The man who escaped

(Episode 17)

1. Once, a long time ago, someone had told him that an Army training was useful in many ways. Coke knew now that that was true. There was a drainpipe at the back of the garage that led to the roof, and Coke managed to climb up it. He had often done such things in the army.

There was a window in the roof, or a sky-light, as it is called. It was closed but not locked. Coke managed to get it open and peered down into the dark garage below. There was a lorry parked almost directly underneath. He jumped down onto it. It was completely dark inside the garage itself.

«Masters told me the secrets were kept in the office, but where's the office?» he wondered. Suddenly he heard a sound behind him, and realised he was not alone in the garage.

2. Before he could turn around, someone grabbed him from behind and someone else shone a powerful light into his eyes. He was blinded. Then there was an explosion of pain in his head. He realised, just before he lost consciousness, that what had happened in Epping Forest was happening to him all over again.

When he came to again, he was lying on the floor of the garage. It was at least an hour later. He heard loud voices. When he opened his eyes, he saw Kate tied to a chair. Four men were standing above him. One of them was Masters, looking pale and frightened. He was listening to a short blond man. Coke knew it must be Hugo himself. Hugo was shouting.

«I told you you were a fool... and idiot! Do you believe me now?» he demanded. Masters tried to say something but could not. Hugo slapped him across the face. «I asked you if you believed me now?» he shouted.

3. «But... but Hugo. PI... please listen to me!» Masters stammered. «I told you someone had phoned me and had asked me to look at some pistols! I told you it was an old, blind man but you said there was nothing to worry about!» Masters said.

«No, I didn't. I asked you what you wanted me to do about it, you idiot!» Hugo roared. Suddenly, one of

the other men interrupted. «What did you say we were going to do with the girl and Coke?» he asked.

«I said we were going to kill them! And I said we were going to do the job properly this time!» Hugo answered.

17.5.2. Choose the correct answer. Don't use the text.

1. Coke managed to get into the garage because...

a) there was a drainpipe at the back of the garage;

b) there was a sky-light which was not locked;

c) there was a lorry beneath.

2. When he came to himself he saw:

a) Masters shouting at a short blond man;

b) short man shouting at Kate;

c) short man crying at Masters.

3. Hugo said that they were going...

a) to kill Coke and Kate;

b) to kill Coke and Masters;

c) to beat the girl and Coke.

17.5.3. Answer the teacher's questions. (Books closed.)

1. How did Coke manage to get into the garage?

2. What happened to him there?

3. What did he see when he came to himself?

4. What was Hugo going to do with Coke and Kate?

17.5.4. Try to tell the main events of this extract in 3-4 sentences.

Scanning practice

17.6.1. Read the questions. Be sure you've got them in mind.

1. What is a barrister according to Mr Staughton?

2. What does the phrase «With respect» really mean?

3. What does the judge want?

4. What does the judge say about some words?

17.6.2. Start scanning the text. Don't fail to note your time.