Tom: John Blake wanted a job in a museum. He went to see the director, but he didn’t get the job. When he was in the museum, someone broke one of the glass cases and stole a pendant. The director accused John. He sent for the police. The police detective, who had a cold in the head, asked John a lot of questions. He searched his pockets. He didn’t find anything, but the director of the museum still accused John. John said to the detective, “I didn’t steal the pendant. I didn’t steal it.” John didn’t steal the pendant. He wasn’t guilty.
Cathy: So, you’re guilty if you steal something.
Tom: Not only when you steal. Listen.
(screeching, screaming)
Man: He ran over the old lady. I saw him.
Woman1: Yes, he was driving very fast. The old lady was on the zebra crossing. The driver of the car is guilty.
Woman2: Yes, he is guilty. Arrest him! Arrest him!
Woman1: You’re guilty.
Man: Police! Police!
(children talking)
Woman: Children, someone took Mary’s pen. She can’t find it. Who was it? It’s better if you say so at once. If anyone feels guilty, stand up.
Boy: I took her pen, miss, but I’m not guilty. I just wanted to try it. Please, believe me, I didn’t want to steal it. I’m not guilty.
(glass breaking)
Woman: My window! You naughty boys! I’ll call the police. They play football under my window and break it. The hooligans.
Man: Excuse me, madam, it was my fault. I wanted to kick the ball back to the boys. They aren’t guilty. I’m guilty.
Woman: You’re guilty. You’re guilty. Why does such an old crackpot play football?
Tom: Well, John said, “I didn’t steal the pendant. I didn’t steal it.”
John: Don’t you believe me?
Detective: I believe you, sir.
Director: But I don’t. I don’t believe him. He broke the glass because he didn’t get the job. Then he stole the pendant.
John: I didn’t.
Detective: Mr. Blake! That’s all, Mr. Blake. Good afternoon, sir.
John: Oh, good afternoon.
Tom: The museum director still believed that John had stolen the pendant. But the detective wasn’t so sure. He said: “That’s all, Mr. Blake,” meaning he could go. John left the director’s office and went back to the museum. You probably remember that John touched the glass case when he was looking at the exhibits.
Cathy: “Touched the glass case—”. Sorry, but I don’t remember the verb “touch”.
Man: What do you think this is?
Child: What? A bottle?
Man: No, it’s a very old and valuable vase.
Child: A valuable vase?
Man: Oh, no! Don’t touch it.
Child: Why not?
Man: Can’t you hear? Don’t touch it! Don’t put your hands on it. You’ll break it. No, don’t put your fingers on it. Don’t touch it. (noise of vase breaking) Oh!
Tom: Well, John left the director’s office and went back to the museum. He went to the broken glass case. There he saw a man working. “What are you doing?” asked John. “I’m taking fingerprints,” he answered. He was another policeman, and he was taking fingerprints.
Cathy: “Fingerprints?” I’ve already heard about footprints, but what are fingerprints?
Tom: When you touch something, your fingers leave marks. The marks left by your fingers are fingerprints.
Woman: Johnny, don’t touch the window, I’ve just cleaned it. Can’t you hear, Johnny? Look, how dirty the window is now. Your sticky fingerprints are all over it. You naughty boy!
Cathy: John’s fingerprints were also on the glass case. When he was looking at the exhibits, he touched the glass case, didn’t he?
Tom: Yes, he did.
Cathy: But he was not the thief.
Tom: No, he wasn’t.
Cathy: He wasn’t guilty, was he? He didn’t steal the pendant.
Tom: No, he wasn’t guilty. The man who stole the pendant was guilty. But it wasn’t John. Nevertheless, the fingerprint man wanted his fingerprints.
Cathy: “Wanted his fingerprints”? That sounds funny.
Tom: Well, the verb “want” is a strange one. It can have special meanings, which are unusual for us, when we first meet them.
(screeching noise)
Policeman: Good afternoon, madam. Are you the driver of this car? I want your papers, please. I want your driving licence.
Woman: Ah, I’m not English. I’m from France.
Policeman: Oh, then I want your passport as well, please.
Man: Jimmy!
Child: Yes, sir?
Man: I think your hair is too long.
Child: I don’t think so, sir.
Man: But I do. Your hair wants cutting.
Child: No, it doesn’t want cutting, sir.
Man: It wants cutting, Jimmy. If you don’t go to the barber’s, I’ll talk to your father.
Child: My father? His hair is much longer than mine.
Tom: So, the fingerprint man was taking fingerprints. Listen now.
Fingerprint man: Excuse me. (humming to himself)
John: What’re you doing?
Fingerprint man: I’m taking fingerprints, sir. Don’t touch the glass, please.
John: Don’t touch the glass?
Fingerprint man: No, sir, don’t touch it. There’re fingerprints on it.
John: Yes. My fingerprints are on it.
Fingerprint man: Then I want your fingerprints as well, sir.
John: Oh, well, yes. Of course, you want my fingerprints.
Mary: John! John!
John: Hello, Mary.
Mary: Oh, what’re you doing?
Fingerprint man: I am taking his fingerprints, miss.
Mary: But he is not guilty.
Fingerprint man: Not guilty, miss?
Mary: I’m sure he’s not guilty. You’re not guilty, are you, John?
John: Of course I’m not.
Mary: Don’t take his fingerprints. I’m sure he’s not guilty.
Fingerprint man: I’m sure he’s not guilty, too, miss. But his fingerprints are on the glass.
John: It’s all right, Mary.
Mary: I’m sure you’re not guilty.
John: That’s all right. Come on, Mary. Goodbye.
Fingerprint man: Goodbye, sir. (humming to himself)
John: But why did you come here, Mary?
Mary: I came because you phoned me.
John: Yes, I know I phoned you, but why did you come here?
Mary: You dropped the phone, didn’t you?
John: Oh, yes, I did. I dropped the phone.
Mary: Why did you drop the phone?
John: Well, I dropped the phone because I heard the glass break.
Mary: And I came here because you dropped the phone.
John: So, you came here because I heard the glass break.
Mary: Yes. What happened?
John: Well, I had… no, I saw… well, the director… no, it was the pendant…
Mary: Oh, come on! Tell me at home. Come on, John.
Tom: John started to tell Mary about it all. But as he was very excited, he couldn’t tell Mary about the pendant. They went out of the museum. Outside, a man stopped them.
Man: Excuse me! Excuse me! You’re John Blake, aren’t you?
John: Yes, I’m John Blake.
Man: You saw the thief, didn’t you, Mr. Blake?
John: No, I didn’t.
Man: You didn’t see the thief? Then why did he hit you?
John: The thief didn’t hit me. The attendant hit me.
Man: Why did the attendant hit you?
John: Well, because…
Mary: Why are you asking these questions?
Cathy: Yes, why? Why is he asking these questions? And why should he ask questions?
Tom: You’re asking too many questions, too, Cathy. Before I answer your questions, you have to
EXERCISE YOUR ENGLISH.
Exercise 1
Listen to the example:
A: You didn’t break the glass case, did you?
B: Of course I didn’t.
And now, listen, speak, listen.
A: You didn’t break the glass case, did you?
[Your response]
B: Of course I didn’t.
A: John isn’t guilty, is he?
[Your response]
B: Of course he isn’t.
A: The director didn’t see the thief, did he?
[Your response]
B: Of course he didn’t.
A: He hasn’t opened the door, has he?
[Your response]
B: Of course he hasn’t.
A: John wasn’t telling a lie, was he?
[Your response]
B: Of course he wasn’t.
A: You haven’t phoned him, have you?
[Your response]
B: Of course I haven’t.
A: You didn’t answer his letter, did you?
[Your response]
B: Of course I didn’t.
A: You are not going to ask too many questions, are you?
[Your response]
B: Of course I am not. You’re asking too many questions, aren’t you?
A: All right. All right. I’ll promise not to ask a single one in the following exercise.
Exercise 2
Listen to the example:
A: He didn’t break the glass case.
B: I’m sure he didn’t break it.
Well, listen, speak, listen.
A: He didn’t break the glass case.
[Your response]
B: I’m sure he didn’t break it.
A: He didn’t see the thief.
[Your response]
B: I’m sure he didn’t see him.
A: He didn’t take the director’s fingerprints.
[Your response]
B: I’m sure he didn’t take them.
A: He didn’t call the police.
[Your response]
B: I’m sure he didn’t call them.
A: They didn’t send for the doctor.
[Your response]
B: I’m sure they didn’t send for him.
A: The reporter didn’t understand the situation.
[Your response]
B: I’m sure he didn’t understand it.
A: The director didn’t know Mary.
[Your response]
B: I’m sure he didn’t know her.
A: The attendant didn’t notice the thief.
[Your response]
B: I’m sure he didn’t notice him.
Exercise 3
Listen to the example:
A: Don’t take his fingerprints.
B: I won’t take his fingerprints.
Listen, speak, listen.
A: Don’t take his fingerprints.
[Your response]
B: I won’t take his fingerprints.
A: Don’t touch the glass.
[Your response]
B: I won’t touch the glass.
A: Don’t ask too many questions.
[Your response]
B: I won’t ask too many questions.
A: Don’t answer the reporter.
[Your response]
B: I won’t answer the reporter.
A: Don’t swim in the river.
[Your response]
B: I won’t swim in the river.
A: Don’t stay out late.
[Your response]
B: I won’t stay out late.
A: Don’t drive fast.
[Your response]
B: I won’t drive fast.
A: Don’t leave me alone.
[Your response]
B: I won’t leave you alone.
A: Don’t do his homework.
[Your response]
B: I won’t do his homework.
Exercise 4
Listen to the example:
A: Go out.
B: He wants her to go out.
Now, listen, speak, listen.
A: Go out.
[Your response]
B: He wants her to go out.
A: Finish your dinner.
[Your response]
B: He wants her to finish her dinner.
A: Write my homework.
[Your response]
B: He wants her to write his homework.
A: Wash my shirt.
[Your response]
B: He wants her to wash his shirt.
A: Play with me.
[Your response]
B: He wants her to play with him.
A: Find my glasses.
[Your response]
B: He wants her to find his glasses.
A: Clean your teeth.
[Your response]
B: He wants her to clean her teeth.
A: Say good night to granny.
[Your response]
B: He wants her to say good night to granny.
A: Tell me about the pendant.
[Your response]
B: He wants her to tell him about the pendant.
Tom: And now, let’s go back to our story again. The detective asked John a lot of questions in connection with the pendant. Then he searched his pockets. John said, “I didn’t steal the pendant.”
John: Don’t you believe me?
Detective: I believe you, sir.
Director: But I don’t. I don’t believe him. He broke the glass because he didn’t get the job. Then he stole the pendant.
John: I didn’t.
Detective: Mr. Blake! That’s all, Mr. Blake. Good afternoon, sir.
John: Oh, good afternoon.
Fingerprint man: Excuse me. (humming to himself)
John: What’re you doing?
Fingerprint man: I’m taking fingerprints, sir. Don’t touch the glass, please.
John: Don’t touch the glass?
Fingerprint man: No, sir, don’t touch it. There’re fingerprints on it.
John: Yes. My fingerprints are on it.
Fingerprint man: Then I want your fingerprints as well, sir.
John: Oh, well, yes. Of course, you want my fingerprints.
Mary: John! John!
John: Hello, Mary.
Mary: Oh, what’re you doing?
Fingerprint man: I am taking his fingerprints, miss.
Mary: But he is not guilty.
Fingerprint man: Not guilty, miss?
Mary: I’m sure he’s not guilty. You’re not guilty, are you, John?
John: Of course I’m not.
Mary: Don’t take his fingerprints. I’m sure he’s not guilty.
Fingerprint man: I’m sure he’s not guilty, too, miss. But his fingerprints are on the glass.
John: It’s all right, Mary.
Mary: I’m sure you’re not guilty.
John: That’s all right. Come on, Mary. Goodbye.
Fingerprint man: Goodbye, sir. (humming to himself)
John: But why did you come here, Mary?
Mary: I came because you phoned me.
John: Yes, I know I phoned you, but why did you come here?
Mary: You dropped the phone, didn’t you?
John: Oh, yes, I did, I dropped the phone.
Mary: Why did you drop the phone?
John: Well, I dropped the phone, because I heard the glass break.
Mary: And I came here, because you dropped the phone.
John: So, you came here, because I heard the glass break.
Mary: Yes. What happened?
John: Well, I had… no, I saw… well, the director… no, it was the pendant…
Mary: Oh, come on! Tell me at home. Come on, John.
Man: Excuse me! Excuse me! You’re John Blake, aren’t you?
John: Yes, I’m John Blake.
Man: You saw the thief, didn’t you, Mr. Blake?
John: No, I didn’t.
Man: You didn’t see the thief? Then why did he hit you?
John: The thief didn’t hit me. The attendant hit me.
Man: Why did the attendant hit you?
John: Well, because…
Mary: Why are you asking these questions?
Announcer: Why is this man asking questions? Listen to the next episode of “The Missing Jewel”.