Episode 60

EPISODE 60
LEVEL A1.2/A2.1

 

READING COMPREHENSION

 

CRIME PREVENTION

 

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I am officer John Smith and I am here to tell you a few words about crime prevention (= ways of stopping crime). You can ask yourselves: what can we do to prevent (= stop) or reduce (= make smaller) crime? You may also think: the police can carry guns (= have guns with them) and they are not always successful. This is true, but still you can do something to protect yourselves and your property (= things you have). Firstly, avoid (= keep away from) dark streets late at night. If you have to come home late, go home by taxi. It will be much safer. Secondly, buy and install a burglar alarm (= a special alarm which goes off when somebody wants to get into your house illegally). Keep your valuables (= expensive things) in a safe or hide them somewhere in your house or flat. You can also leave the lights on (= leave the lights turned on) when you leave your flat. Finally, remember to lock all doors (= with a key) when you go out. OK, now. Are there any questions?

 

More contexts for the new words: 

• Avoid wearing expensive jewellery when traveling by bus. (= Try not wear expensive jewellery when traveling by bus.) 
• Criminals should receive tough punishments. (= Criminals should receive strong punishments )

 

EXERCISE 1 

Match the words and expressions to their definitions.

1. crime prevention 
2. to reduce sth
3. to carry guns
4. property
5. to avoid sth
6. valuables

a) expensive things
b) things you have
c) to have guns with you
d) to keep away from sth
e) to make sth smaller
f) ways of stopping crime

 

 

ENGLISH IN USE  

 

This time I would like to draw your attention to the verb „to buy” and its forms. 

We say: buy bought bought, e.g. I bought a car last month. What about similar verbs? They are: 

 

bring brought brought, e.g. They brought up their children here. 

catch caught caught, e.g. The police caught this criminal last night. 

fight fought fought, e.g. They fight like cats and dogs.

 

 

IDIOM CLOSE-UP

 

A/ Why are the police putting so many people BEHIND THE BARS?

B/ It’s part of their action to prevent and reduce crime.

 

When someone is behind the bars, they are in prison.

 

 

PHRASAL VERBS CLOSE-UP

 

1. When you BREAK INTO a house, you enter someone else’s house in order to steal something.

Luckily, no one has ever broken into my house.

A house in Wołomin was broken into last night.

 

2. When you MAKE OFF WITH something, you escape with something, especially something stolen.

They made off with our television and our stereo.

Thieves made off with paintings worth over $10 million.

 

EXERCISE 2 

Complete the story putting one word into each gap.

 

The Pruszków gang broke (1) …………………. a house in Wołomin last night. They stole a lot of money, and also made (2) ………………………. with a TV set and some silver jewellery. Fortunately, the TV set had GPS installed, so the police caught the burglars very fast. They are now (3) …………………….. bars, waiting for trial.

 

 

NEWS

  

LAST NIGHT’S BURGLARY

 

The house of a famous celebrity was broken into last night. The owner was away on holiday in Haiti, and apparently the burglars knew it, for they took their time in finding precisely the most valuable objects. They did not waste their energy trying to make off with the huge TV set, or the extensive stereo system, but instead they managed to find precious diamond jewellery belonging to the celebrity’s wife. For one item from the collection, you could buy a brand new luxurious car. And the thieves stole twenty items. The owner is brokenhearted. ‘These were my favourite rings, earrings and bracelets. What will I do without them?’ she says. The police have promised to catch the thieves and put them behind bars. Let’s hope they’ll succeed.

 

GLOSSARY 

– a celebrity – a famous person, e.g. a singer or an actor

– took their time – didn’t hurry

– item – thing, object

– brokenhearted – extremely upset

 

 

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