Lesson87 A perfect alibi 極好的不在犯罪現(xiàn)場(chǎng)的證據(jù)
'At the time the murder was committed, I was travelling on the 8.0 o'clock train to London,' said the man.
'Do you always catch such an early train ?' asked the inspector.
'Of course I do,' answered the man.' I must be at work at 10.0 o'clock. My employer will confirm that I was there on time.'
' Would a later train get you to work on time ?' asked the inspector.
' I suppose it would, but I never catch a later train.'
'At what time did you arrive at the station ?'
'At ten to eight. I bought a paper and waited for the train.'
'And you didn't notice anything unusual ?'
' Of course not.'
'I suggest,' said the inspector, 'that you are not telling the truth. I suggest that you did not catch the 8.0 o'clock train, but that you caught the 8.25 which would still get you to work on time. You see, on the morning of the murder, the 8.0 o'clock train did not run at all. It broke down at Ferngreen station and was taken off the line.'
“在兇殺發(fā)生的時(shí)候,我正坐在8點(diǎn)鐘開往倫敦的火車上.”那人說.
“您總是趕這樣早的火車?”探長(zhǎng)問.
“當(dāng)然是的,”那人回答.“我必須在10點(diǎn)鐘上班,我的雇主會(huì)證明我是按時(shí)到了那兒的.”
“晚一點(diǎn)兒的車也能送您按時(shí)上班嗎?”
“我認(rèn)為可以,但我從來不乘晚一點(diǎn)兒的車.”
“您幾點(diǎn)鐘到的火車站?”
“7點(diǎn)50分.我買了張報(bào)紙,等著車來.”
“您沒有注意到有什么異常情況發(fā)生嗎?”
“當(dāng)然沒有.”
“我提醒您,”探長(zhǎng)說,“您講的不是實(shí)話.您乘的不是8點(diǎn)鐘的火車,而是8點(diǎn)25分的,這次車同樣能使您按時(shí)上班.您看,在兇殺發(fā)生的那天早晨,8點(diǎn)鐘的那次車根本沒有發(fā).它在芬格林車站出了故障而被取消了.”
Lesson88 Trapped in a mine 困在礦井里
Six men have been trapped in a mine for seventeen hours. If they are not brought to the surface soon they may lose their lives. However, rescue operations are proving difficult. If explosives are used, vibrations will cause the roof of the mine to collapse. Rescue workers are therefore drilling a hole on the north side of the mine. They intend to bring the men up in a special capsule. If there had not been a hard layer of rock beneath the soil, they would have completed the job in a few hours. As it is, they have been drilling for sixteen hours and they still have a long way to go. Meanwhile, a microphone, which was lowered into the mine two hours ago, has enabled the men to keep in touch with the closest relatives. Though they are running out of food and drink, the men are cheerful and confident that they will get out soon. They have been told that rescue operations are progressing smoothly. If they knew how difficult it was to drill through the hard rock, they would lose heart.
6個(gè)人被困在礦井里已有17個(gè)小時(shí)了.如果不把他們盡快救到地面上來,他們就有可能喪生.然而,事實(shí)證明營(yíng)救工作非常困難.如果用炸藥爆破,震動(dòng)會(huì)引起礦頂塌落.因此,營(yíng)救人員在礦井的北側(cè)鉆了一個(gè)洞.他們準(zhǔn)備用一種特制的容器把這6個(gè)人救上來.如果不是因?yàn)橥寥老旅嬗幸粚訄?jiān)硬的巖石,他們的營(yíng)救工作僅用幾個(gè)小時(shí)就可以完成了.實(shí)際情況是,他們已連續(xù)鉆了16個(gè)小時(shí)了,但離鉆透還早著呢.與此同時(shí),兩個(gè)小時(shí)以前放下井去的一只麥克風(fēng)使井下的人可以與其親屬保持聯(lián)系.雖然他們的食物和飲料都快消耗盡了,但這些人的心情很好,堅(jiān)信他們很快就會(huì)出去.他們一直被告知營(yíng)救工作進(jìn)行得非常順利.如果他們知道了鉆透那堅(jiān)硬的巖石有多么困難,他們會(huì)喪失信心的.
Lesson89 A slip of the tongue 口誤
People will do anything to see a free show--even if it is a bad one. When the news got round that a variety show would be presented at our local cinema by the P. and U. Bird Seed Company, we all rushed to see it. We had to queue for hours to get in and there must have been several hundred people present just be- fore the show began. Unfortunately, the show was one of the dullest we have ever seen. Those who failed to get in need not have felt disappointed as many of the artistes who should have appeared did not come. The only funny things we heard that evening came from the advertiser at the beginning of the programme. He was obviously very nervous and for some minutes stood awkwardly before the microphone. As soon as he opened his mouth, everyone burst out laughing. We all know what the poor man should have said, but what he actually said was: 'This is the Poo and Ee Seed Bird Company. Good ladies, evening and gentlemen !'
人們總要想盡辦法看不花錢的演出——哪怕是拙劣的演出.當(dāng)“皮尤”鳥食公司將在我們當(dāng)?shù)赜霸貉莩鱿矂」?jié)目的消息傳開后,我們都趕緊跑去觀看.我們不得不排了好幾個(gè)小時(shí)才進(jìn)得場(chǎng)去.在演出開始前場(chǎng)內(nèi)肯定已有好幾百人了.不幸的是,這次演出是我們看過的最乏味的演出了.那些沒能進(jìn)到場(chǎng)內(nèi)的人沒有必要感到失望,因?yàn)楹芏鄳?yīng)該出場(chǎng)的專業(yè)演員都沒有來.那天晚上唯一有趣的事情是節(jié)目開始時(shí)那個(gè)報(bào)幕員的開場(chǎng)白.他顯然非常緊張,局促不安地在麥克風(fēng)前站了好幾分鐘.但他剛一開口說話,人們便哄堂大笑起來.我們都明白那個(gè)可憐的人應(yīng)該說些什么,而他實(shí)際說的卻是：“這是‘浦伊’鳥食公司,好女士們,晚上和先生們!”