Lesson 87 A perfect alibi

【New words and expressions】(7)

alibi n. 不在犯罪现场

commit v. 犯(罪、错)

inspector n. 探长

employer n. 雇主

confirm v. 确认，证实

suggest v. 提醒

truth n. 真相

★alibi n. 不在犯罪现场，不在场证明，当时不在场的申辩(不可数名词)

Ian had an alibi/alibis for that morning.

★commit v. 犯(罪、错)

① vt. 犯(罪)，做(错事、坏事等)

He has never committed any crime before.

A murder was committed at 8 o’clock this morning.

② vt. 承诺，使承担义务，卷入(经常与反身代词连用)

You should know each other better before committing yourselves to marriage.

He has committed his friend to taking part in the race.重庆新概念英语

★confirm v. 确认，证实

① vt. 证实，确定

My employer will confirm that I was there on time.

His words are confirmed.

② vt. 巩固，加强

His experiences in that company that confirmed his decision to have a factory of his own.

What he saw and heard that night confirmed his belief that the pub was haunted.

【Text】

'At the time the murder was committed, I was travelling on the 8 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 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 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 o'clock train did not run at all. It broke down at Ferngreen station and was taken off the line.'

参考译文

“在凶杀发生的时候，我正坐在8点钟开往伦敦的火车上。”那人说。

“您总是赶这样早的火车?”探长问。

“当然是的，”那人回答。“我必须在10点钟上班，我的雇主会证明我是按时到了那儿的。”

“晚一点儿的车也能送您按时上班吗?”

“我认为可以，但我从来不乘晚一点儿的车。”

“您几点钟到的火车站?”

“7点50分。我买了张报纸，等着车来。”

“您没有注意到有什么异常情况发生吗?”

“当然没有。”

“我提醒您，”探长说，“您讲的不是实话。您乘的不是8点钟的火车，而是8点25分的，这次车同样能使您按时上班。您看，在凶杀发生的那天早晨，8点钟的那次车根本没有发。它在芬格林车站出了故障而被取消了。”

【课文讲解】

1、And you didn't notice anything unusual?

这是一个陈述疑问句，如：

You’re out of work?

不定代词anything，something等被形容词修饰时，形容词必须跟在不定代词之后：

This isn’t anything important.

I’d like something cheaper.

2、I suggest,' said the inspector, 'that you are not telling the truth.

I suggest (that)… 依我看……，恐怕……

I suggest that he is not so honest as he looks.

I suggest that the car crash was not accidental.

3、You see, on the morning of the murder, the 8 o'clock train did not run at all.

you see在口语中经常作为插入语出现，句首、句中或句尾均可以，表示“你知道，事实上”等含义：

He was not really interested in film, you see.

My leg isn’t all right yet, you see, so I can’t climb the hill with you.

run可以指火车、公共汽车、船等“定时/定期行驶，(在两地间)往来”：

This ship runs between Dover and Calais.