Lesson 87 A perfect alibi

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.'

Words & Expressions

*alibi /ˈæləbaɪ/ a perfect/cast-iron/unshakeable alibi

--He had a perfect alibi and the police let him go.

*debunk /ˌdiːˈbʌŋk/, to show that an idea or belief is false揭穿

--The author attempts to debunk unreal expectations of marriage.

*punctual /ˈpʌŋktʃuəl/, arriving, happening, or being done at exactly the time that has been arranged =on time

--She is always punctual for appointments.

*blatant /ˈbleɪtənt/,something bad that is blatant= is very clear and easy to see, but the person responsible for it does not seem embarrassed or ashamed.公然地

--blatant discrimination

*allergy /ˈælərdʒi/, a medical condition in which you become ill or in which your skin becomes red and painful because you have eaten or touched a particular substance.

--I have an allergy to cats./ a food allergy

*buy your story 相信你的话

--I won't buy your story.

*burn your bridges/boats 自毁长城,自断后路, to do something with the result that you will not be able to return to a previous situation again, even if you want to.

--I’m really tempted to take up that job offer in Washington, but I don’t want to burn my boats with this company.

*somebody’s mind goes blank=somebody’s mind is a blank一片空白

--For some inexplicable reason, her mind went completely blank.

Pronunciation

*employer /ɪmˈplɔɪər/

*murder /ˈmɜːrdər/

*London /ˈlʌndən/

*ask /æsk/

*course /kɔːrs/

*answer/ˈænsər/

*perfect /ˈpɜːrfɪkt/