Advanced English Conversations (2) - Robert Allans, Matt Edie, A. Mustafaoglu 2020

Set 9 - We aren’t joined at the hip

Policeman: Right, Martin, Could we just go over this one more time?

Martin: When are you going to realize it’s useless to keep grilling me about this? I’ve told you everything. I got back home late. There had been a break-in and police were swarming all over the flat. End of!

Policeman: You see. It all strikes me as very odd. It’s on that particular night you suddenly take into your head to go and visit your ex-boss.

Martin: So, can’t we stay friends?

Policeman: A convenient alibi, though, isn’t it? His living just opposite, right on the doorstep, and all. Anyway, you know he never stays in on Friday evenings, does he?

Martin: How should I know. We aren’t joined at the hip, you know.

Policeman: Oh, come on Martin. We weren’t born yesterday. You knew that he’d been paid that day for building job. You also knew he’d stashed it away somewhere. Your neighbor said she saw you at 8:15 at the door. So let’s stop playing games. Shall we?

Martin: No wonder she would! She’s a nosy old bag, and as blind as a bat at the best of times.

Vocabulary;

go over: to consider, examine, or check (something).

grill someone about something: o question or interrogate someone intensely and relentlessly.

a break-in: an illegal forced entry of a building or vehicle, typically to steal something.

swarm: to move somewhere in large numbers.

strike someone as odd: to make someone feel something is strange.

take into one’s head: to suddenly decide to do something foolish, surprising or strange.

alibi: proof that someone who is thought to have committed a crime could not have done it.

be joined at the hip: (of two people) be inseparable; closely connected; always together.

not born yesterday: not naive or inexperienced; knowledgeable, intelligent, or shrewd.

stash away: to secrete, hoard, or store something away so as to avoid discovery by others.

play games: to deliberately attempt to evade, deceive, or misinform one (about something).

nosy: (adjective) showing too much curiosity about other people's affairs.

as blind as a bat:

at the best of times: even in the most favorable circumstances.

Exercise;

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrases or words

1. You're going to have to .......... Janet if you want any answers about her spending habits.

2. If you will write the article, I'll go .......... it and touch it up for you.

3. You can't read the sign from here? You must be as .......... as a bat!

4. The normality of their life together, minimal at the best of.........., seemed to be vanishing completely.

5. People .......... over the pavements, trying to catch a glimpse of the President's car.

6. He was having to whisper in order to avoid being .......... by their nosy neighbours.

7. The serial killer is playing .......... with the police, leaving false clues everywhere to muddy the investigation.

8. Sure enough, a guy showed up at Zia on the day of the .......... - in with a stack of the stolen goods.

9. My grandmother .......... away a bit of money every week under her mattress until she and my grandfather retired.

10. I know you think Mom is clueless about these things, but she wasn't born ..........

11. Every time I see Jenna, Kelli is right there with her. Those two are really joined at the .......... these days.

12. The report examines all the important issues raised in the case, including the identification evidence and the ..........

13. Anyway, they took it into their .......... to get married after a week of meeting each other.

14. It .......... me as a little bit odd that she was always alone.

1. grill 2. over 3. blind 4. times 5. swarmed 6. overheard 7. games 8. break 9. stashed 10. yesterday 11. hip 12. alibis 13. heads 14. struck