
At the height of a political corruption trial,the prosecuting attorney attacked a witness.“Isn’t it true,”he bellowed,“that you accepted five thousand dollars to compromise this case?”The witness stared out the window,as though he hadn’t heard the question.The prosecutor again blared,“Isn’t it true that you accepted five thousand dollars to compromise this case?”The witness still did not respond.Finally,the judge leaned over and said,“Sir,please answer the question.”
“Oh,”the startled witness said,“I thought he was talking to you.”
1.Corruption Trial - 腐敗審判。
2.prosecuting attorney - 檢察官。
3.witness - 證人。
4.attacked - 攻擊,此處指在法庭上質問。
5.bellowed - 咆哮,大聲喊叫。
6.compromise - 妥協,此處指影響公正性。
7.stared out the window - 向窗外看。
8.blared - 再次大聲喊叫。
9.startled - 受驚的,驚訝的。
10.leaned over - 身子湊過來。
腐敗的審判
對一起政治腐敗案的審判進入了高潮。檢察官對證人發起攻擊。“事實難道不是很清楚嗎?”他吼道,“你收受了五千美元,從而失去了自己在這起案件中應有的公正立場。”證人向窗外看去,好像沒有聽到。檢察官又一次地咆哮道:“你收受了五千美元,從而使自己在這起案件中不能持有公正立場。你能否認這樣的事實嗎?”證人仍然不做回答。最后,法官把身子湊了過來,說道:“先生,請您回答問題。”
“噢,”證人很驚訝地說,“我以為他在和您說話。”