“Synopsis Tom Atkins saw an accident last month. He is a witness in court today.

You are going to hear the

lawyer for one of the drivers. And then the lawyer for the other driver.

1st Lawyer: Mr. Atkins, would you please, tell the court what you were doing
when the accident happened.
Tom: Yes, I was driving home from work. It was about 5:15. And there was a
blue car in front of me. We were both driving along Harbor Road when a
small white Ford suddenly shot out of a side road. It shot out right in front of
the blue car. The driver of the latter tried to stop but it was impossible. He run
into the white Ford.
1st Lawyer: I see. Now, how fast the car in front of you was going when the
accident happened?
Tom: The blue car? 30 miles an hour. Certainly, no more than that.
1st Lawyer: And the white ford shot out without any warning?
Tom: Yes, that’s right.
1st Lawyer: Thank you, Mr. Atkins.
2d Lawyer: Mr. Atkins, how can you be sure the blue car was only doing 30?
Tom: Because I was only doing 30, and the blue car wasn’t going any faster
than I was.
2d Lawyer: Are you sure of that? Absolutely positive?
Tom: Yes, I am. I’m positive.
2d Lawyer: Positive? How can you be so positive, Mr. Atkins? Were you
looking at your speedometer when the accident happened?
Tom: Of course, not. I was looking at the road ahead. That’s how I managed
to see the accident!
2d Lawyer: Well. If you weren’t looking at your speedometer, how can you
possibly be sure how fast you were going?
Tom: Because I never go faster than 30 on that road. It’s against the law.
That’s’ why.”
Curtsey: “Kernel Lessons Intermediate”
 “Synopsis Most of Tom’s students at the technical College are between 15 and 18. Most of them are serious
students, too. A few are not. Tom is talking with one of the few now. She has just told him she can’t come to
school tomorrow because her grand mother is ill.

Tom: You already missed far too many lessons this term, Ms Gray.
Ms Grey: Yes I know I have. I am very sorry. You see, I have these terrible
headaches and…
Tom: Headaches? Only last week you said you had trouble with your
stomach.
Ms Grey: Er…Well…I have headaches and trouble with my stomach, you
see. That’s why I have been absent so often.
Tom: And you often come to college late as well. Yesterday, for instance
you...
Ms Grey: Yes, I am very sorry about that. You see, my alarm clock did not go
off and...
Tom: Your alarm clock? But you told me yesterday that the bus had broken
down!
Ms Grey: Oh did I? Well…er… I suppose I just forgot to say that my alarm
clock hadn’t gone off, either.
Tom: It’s a very complicated story, if you will forgive me saying so, Ms Grey.
Now, tell me again why you want tomorrow off?
Ms Grey: Well…er… you see…my grandfather’s ill. He is in the hospital
and…and he is going to have an operation. I want to visit him.
Tom: Oh, I see. So your grandfather’s ill AS WELL?
Ms Grey: As well? I… I don’t understand.
Tom: Neither do I, Ms Grey. When we began our conversation, you said your
grandmother was ill. And you did not say she was going to have an operation!
You said she already had one! And, by the way, you also said she was in an
old people’s home, not in a hospital!”

Source: “Kernel Lessons Intermediate”

“Synopsis: In the previous conversation Tom Atkins was a witness in the court. There Tom described an
accident he saw. A small white Ford shot out in front of a blue car. In this conversation you hear the two
lawyers questioning the driver of the blue car.

1st Lawyer: Please tell the court exactly what happened.

Driver: Certainly, I was driving home along the long Harbor Road. I was just
going to slow down when I saw a small white ford in a side road. I was sure
he was going to wait there until I drove past. I had no idea he was going to
shoot out in front of me.
1st Lawyer: In other words, the driver of the white ford shot out without out
any warning, is this right?
Driver: Exactly, it was totally unexpected.
1st Lawyer: And you had no idea this was going to happen?
Driver: No! None whatsoever!
1st Lawyer: Thank you.

2d Lawyer: Hmm… you say you were going to slow down when the accident
happened? Is that right?
Driver: Yes, it is. I was going to slow down.
2d Lawyer: I suppose you were going very fast when at that time.
Driver: No, not at all. I was doing 30 (ml/h), that’s all.
2d Lawyer: Well, why were you going to slow down, then? That suggests to
me, and I am sure to the court as well, that you were going too fast in the first
place.
Driver: No! Te reason I was going to slow down was very simple. I was going
to turn into the next side road.
2d Lawyer: Really? Why?
Driver: Because I LIVE THERE. That’s WHY.”

Courtesy: “Kernel Lessons Intermediate”