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.
★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.
本课的重点英语知识包括以下几个方面：
1. 时间和地点的表达：
- 使用时间状语从句来表达在过去某个具体时间点发生的动作："At the time the murder was committed, I was travelling on the 8 o'clock train to London," 这句话使用了时间状语从句 "At the time the murder was committed" 来说明在谋杀发生的时候，说话者正在乘坐8点钟开往伦敦的火车。
2. 一般疑问句的使用：
- 通过提问来获取信息：'Do you always catch such an early train?' 这是一个询问说话者是否总是乘坐这么早的火车的一般疑问句。
3. 确认和回答：
- 使用模态动词 "must" 来表达义务或必要性："I must be at work at 10 o'clock." 说话者使用 "must" 来强调他必须在10点钟到达工作地点。
- 使用 "of course" 来加强语气，表示肯定的回答："Of course I do," 说话者用 "of course" 来强调他总是乘坐那么早的火车。
4. 可能性的表达：
- 使用 "I suppose" 来表达不确定性或假设："I suppose it would, but I never catch a later train." 说话者用 "I suppose" 来表达他对晚一点的火车能否让他准时到达工作的假设。
5. 过去的动作和经历：
- 描述过去的动作和经历：'At ten to eight. I bought a paper and waited for the train.' 说话者描述了他在差10分8点时买了份报纸并等待火车的经历。
6. 否定的回答：
- 使用 "Of course not" 来表达否定的回答：'And you didn't notice anything unusual?' 'Of course not.' 说话者用 "Of course not" 来坚决否认他注意到了任何不寻常的事情。
7. 建议和推测的表达：
- 使用 "I suggest" 来提出建议或推测："I suggest," said the inspector, 'that you are not telling the truth.' 检查员使用 "I suggest" 来提出他怀疑说话者没有说出真相的推测。
8. 具体事件的描述：
- 描述具体事件和情况："on the morning of the murder, the 8 o'clock train did not run at all." 这句话描述了谋杀当天早上8点钟的火车根本没有运行的具体情况。
通过这些英语知识点，我们可以看到如何构建和理解涉及时间和地点的复杂叙述，如何提问和回答问题，以及如何表达确认、可能性、否定和推测。这些知识点对于提高英语口语和写作能力都非常重要。
在这段课文讲解中，我们可以看到几个重要的英语语言点，这些点对于理解和使用英语非常有帮助。下面将详细解释这些语言点：
1. 陈述疑问句：
- "And you didn't notice anything unusual?" 这是一个典型的陈述疑问句。陈述疑问句通常以陈述句的形式出现，但在末尾使用问号和上升的语调，使其具有询问的功能。这种句子通常用来寻求确认或反应，而不是真正的提问。
- 例如："You’re out of work?" 这句话虽然看起来是陈述句，但实际上是在寻求对方的确认。
2. 形容词修饰不定代词的位置：
- 当形容词修饰不定代词如anything、something时，形容词必须放在不定代词之后。
- 例如："This isn’t anything important."（这不是什么重要的事。）
- 例如："I’d like something cheaper."（我想要一些更便宜的东西。）
3. 表达建议或推测的结构：
- "I suggest (that)…" 是一个常用的表达建议或推测的结构。它可以用来礼貌地提出自己的看法或怀疑。
- 例如："I suggest that he is not so honest as he looks."（我认为他并不像他看起来那么诚实。）
- 例如："I suggest that the car crash was not accidental."（我认为那起车祸不是偶然的。）
4. 插入语 "you see" 的使用：
- "you see" 在口语中经常作为插入语出现，可以在句首、句中或句尾使用，用来提供额外的解释或信息，含义类似于“你知道”、“事实上”。
- 例如："He was not really interested in film, you see."（你看，他其实对电影并不真正感兴趣。）
- 例如："My leg isn’t all right yet, you see, so I can’t climb the hill with you."（你看，我的腿还没有完全好，所以我不能和你一起爬山。）
5. 动词 "run" 的特殊用法：
- "run" 除了表示“跑”，还可以指火车、公共汽车、船等“定时/定期行驶，（在两地间）往来”。
- 例如："This ship runs between Dover and Calais."（这艘船定期在多佛和加莱之间航行。）
通过理解这些语言点，我们可以更好地把握英语的细微差别，并在实际交流中更准确地表达自己的意思。这些知识点在提高英语听说读写能力方面都非常有用。