Words & Phrases
[L78P1 & L78P2]

-

Lesson [L78P1]

-

Translation[L78P1]

-

Lesson [L78P2]

-

Translation[L78P2]

Index8

English USA
Lesson 78, Part 1

  音 L78P1J.MP3[654KB]

 

MARTIN:

Let's sit here Alan. You can see everything. Excuse me, please. Are these seats taken?

 

 

 

ALAN:

Excuse me. Thanks. What's happening, dad?

 

 

 

MARTIN:

Nothing yet. What do you want to know?

 

 

 

ALAN:

Everything. I've never been in a courtroom before. Of course, I've seen them on TV and the movies. Is that the person on trial?

 

 

 

MARTIN:

Which one? The one with blond hair?

 

 

 

ALAN:

No, the young man at the other table. He looks very excited.

 

 

 

MARTIN:

No. The one on trial is that short man. The plaintiff is the tall, thin woman in front of us. She's the victim.

 

 

 

ALAN:

She looks very confident. Are you sure she is the victim?

 

 

 

MARTIN:

Of course. You can be a victim and still be confident.

 

 

 

ALAN:

I know. I was kidding. I thought she was a lawyer.

 

 

 

MARTIN:

Why?

 

 

 

ALAN:

I don't know. She's well dressed. She looks very nice.

 

 

 

MARTIN:

She's the main witness. She needs to look her best. She wants the court to believe her.

 

 

 

ALAN:

Who is that woman sitting at that little table?

 

 

 

MARTIN:

She takes down everything people say in the courtroom.

 

 

 

ALAN:

She seems very uncomfortable. What is that machine? Is it some kind of tape recorder?

 

 

 

MARTIN:

No, she types on it.

 

 

 

ALAN:

It doesn't look like a typewriter. It's too small.

 

 

 

MARTIN:

It's a special kind of typewriter. The court must have a written record of what is said in the trial. You'll see. Someone will ask her later to repeat what someone else said.

 

 

 

ALAN:

Is it time to begin?

 

 

 

MARTIN:

Yes. We're waiting for the judge.

 

 

 

ALAN:

Where is he?

 

 

 

MARTIN:

He's probably in a room behind that door on the left.

 

 

 

ALAN:

Why is he waiting?

 

 

 

MARTIN:

He's probably studying his papers before he comes in. He'll be here in a minute.

 

 

 

ALAN:

Do you know the judge?

 

 

 

MARTIN:

I've seen him. His picture is in the newspaper or on TV now and then.

 

 

 

ALAN:

What does he look like?

 

 

 

MARTIN:

He's very large. He's more than six feet tall. He weighs over two hundred pounds. He has a lot of white hair.

 

 

 

ALAN:

Is he old?

 

 

 

MARTIN:

Not very. He's about fifty-five years old.

 

 

 

ALAN:

That's pretty old, dad.

 

 

 

MARTIN:

Here comes the judge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

MR. D:

Miss Richards. Could you describe the man you say came to your door?

 

 

 

MISS R:

Of course. He was very short.

 

 

 

MR. D:

How old was he?

 

 

 

MISS R:

I'll come to that. He was very short. He was shorter than average. Maybe only four and a half feet tall. He was also heavy.

 

 

 

MR. D:

Do you mean fat?

 

 

 

MISS R:

I don't use that word.

 

 

 

MR. D:

Was he what other people might call fat?

 

 

 

MISS R:

He was heavier than average.

 

 

 

MR. D:

So he was short and fat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUDGE:

This court is adjourned until tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock.

 

 

English USA L78P1J
Courtesy of Voice of America