Episode 94 B

EPISODE 94
LEVEL B2

READING COMPREHENSION 

 

Crime and criminals                                                                

As the foreman of the jury got to his feet to deliver his verdict at the climax (= the most important moment)of the trial, the traditional tense silence descended (= happen) on the court. For the defendant Alan Brown it was the moment of truth. Unfortunately it was also the moment when a member of the jury couldn’t control the tickle in the back of his throat any longer. He suddenly coughed just at the moment when the foreman declared the word: “not guilty”. Because of the cough nobody heard the word not- so in an innocent man was turned into a convicted criminal.

A man found guilty by a jury was jailed by mistake because somebody coughed as the foreman (= leader of a jury or a group of workers) delivered the verdict.

The judge sentenced Alan brown to two years’ imprisonment believing he had been found guilty of making a threat to kill. But the ill-timed cough drowned out (=If a loud noise drowns out another noise, it prevents it from being heard) the vital word “not”, leaving the court and defendant convinced that he had been convicted. The judge said: “The maximum sentence for making a treat to kill is 10 years. Taking everything  into consideration, the least sentence I can give you is two years’ imprisonment.”

Mr Brown was led to the cells at London Crown Court and the judge discharged (=to allow someone officially to leave somewhere) the jury. But he waited in the van to take him to jail, a mystified juror asked a court usher (= a man who shows people where they should sit, especially at a formal event) why a man they had acquitted (= say sb was not guilty) was being imprisoned. The court was hastily (= done in a hurry) reconvened and Mr Brown was freed.

Nicolas Williams, the court manager, said: “It was very bizarre. The jury foreman indicated a guilty verdict and the court proceeded to sentence the defendant. One of the jurors was puzzled (= confused) why he was jailed after being found not guilty, the judge was informed. Mr Brown was relieved when the judge explained what had happened. Jurors hadn’t spoken earlier during the hearing on Wednesday because they believed that Mr Brown had been convicted (= say sb is guilty) of other offences.

 

EXERCISE 1 

Add the missing vowels (a, e, I, o, u).

1. The court and the judge DSCHRGD…………………………. the jury.
2. He felt RLVD…………………… when he heard the verdict.
3. We couldn’t believe that the NNCNT ………………….man was jailed.
4. The cough DRWND …………………….out the vital word NOT.

 

EXERCISE 2

Put the phrases in the right order, then answer the questions.

1. The atmosphere / What was / like / before the jury / the verdict ?/ gave
2. when the judge / told him / How did / he was free? / he feel 
3. sentence him? Why / the judge / did

 

 

ENGLISH IN USE  

You have learnt in today’s lesson that …an innocent man was turned into a convicted criminal… this is an example of Passive Voice structures.

How to form Passive Voice

PASSIVE VOICE =             BE                    +   PAST Participle

 

ACTIVE	PASSIVE
Students take exams.	Exams … are taken
Students are taking exams.	Exams…are being taken
Students took exams.	Exams…were taken
Students were taking exams.	Exams…were being taken
Students have taken exams.	Exams…have been taken
Students will take exams.	Exams …will be taken
Students are going to take exams.	Exams …are going to be taken
Students must take exams.	Exams…must be taken

 

Passives with Future Cont. /Present Perf. Cont. / Past Perf. Cont. are not used.

 

EXERCISE 3

Fill in the sentences with the proper form of passive voice:

1.I’m sorry madam, but this carpet (already sell) ………………..

2. The old house on the corner (knock down) ………………………. Last year.
3. When exactly (John give) ………………….. his prize?
4. Most people agree that America (not discover) ………………by Colombus.
5. All complaints about products (deal with)…………………. by our customers services department.
6. Police confirmed that the murder weapon………………….(not / discover) in a nearby lake since last Monday.
7. Good news. I (ask) ……………………. to take over as the new manager.
8. She really likes (invite) …………………. to dinner parties.
9. I am going (promote)………………… to a Sales Manager.
10. She must (observe)…………….. carefully because the symptoms of the illness are quite worrying.

 

IDIOM CLOSE-UP

 

If you are so dissatisfied with this verdict, why don’t you vote with your feet?

VOTE WITH YOUR FEET = means to sow that you don’t support or agree with sb/ sth by not going somewhere or walking away

 

PHRASAL VERBS CLOSE-UP

 

TIP OFF = warn sb secretly about sth that will happen so that they can take action or prevent it from happening

GET MIXED UP = become involved in an illegal activity

 

EXERCISE 4 

Complete each gap in this news report with one word.

1. They refused to come to the meeting. That’s right, ……………………………………
2. I suspect that young neighbor has got ……………………………. in something illegal.
3. …………………………. leads to arrest – the newspaper headline read.

 

NEWS

 

SAFER CITIES…

“Whoever succeeds Mayor Michael Bloomberg will have an important legacy to protect: the astounding reductions in violent crime that began three mayors ago and have continued under Mr. Bloomberg and his police commissioner, Raymond Kelly.

When you think the murder rate has fallen as far as it can go, it drops again. This year, this city of eight million is on pace to have even fewer homicides than last year’s historic low of 417, a level not seen since the early 1960s.The next mayor’s challenge will be to meet high expectations for protecting the public — and not just against street crime, but terrorism, too — at a time of strapped budgets and with a depleted force of about 34,500 officers, down from a peak of about 40,000 in 2000. Though crime has been falling for a long time, the trend is not automatic or irreversible: data from this month, for example, show rapes, felony assaults and grand larcenies inching up. The new mayor will also have to curb unconstitutional policing — the widespread harassment of innocent black and Hispanic men and surveillance of law-abiding Muslims — that has inflamed resentment across the city. This won’t be easy. Still, it’s a chance for a fresh start, for new strategies that keep the peace, respect the Constitution and heal the divide between police and public.”

 

GLOSSARY:

Legacy – something that is a part of your history or that stays from an earlier time
Homicide – an act of murder
Strapped budgets – limited
Depleted force– reduced
Felony – (an example of) serious crime that can be punished by one or more years inprison:
To curb – to limit
Resentment – anger

 

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