Section II. Crime stories

1. Прослушайте новые слова и выражения и повторите их за преподавателем:

1. release – освобождение

2. to release – освобождать

3. to blame for – обвинять в

4. to place the blame on – перекладывать вину на

5. to hail smb as a hero – приветствовать /встречать кого-либо как героя

6. to feel remorse – испытывать угрызения совести

7. to regret – сожалеть

8. to apologize to smb for smth – извиниться перед кем-либо за что-либо

9. an apology – извинение

10. to deny – отрицать

11. manslaughter – непредумышленное убийство

12. negligent homicide – убийство по неосторожности

13. a suspended jail sentence – условный тюремный срок

2. Подберите синонимы:

term

1. to be released

2. to blame for

3. to apologize

4. apology

5. manslaughter

6. to regret

7. to be blamed for

synonym

1. homicide

2. to feel sorry

3. excuse

4. to accuse of

5. to make excuses

6. to be accused of

7. to go free

3. Вставьте в пустые места подходящие по смыслу слова (в нужной форме) из упражнения a:

1. He is not an assassin, it was a … .

2. Adam was acquitted and … .

3. The police … them for robbery.

4. Carl didn’t … his guilt.

5. He hoped the judge would sentence him … .

4. Прочитайте статью «Россия встречает Виталия Калоева как героя» про себя, а затем вслух: Russia hails Vitaly Kaloyev a hero

Mark Franchetti, The Sunday Times, February 10, 2008

A killer who stabbed a man to death is usually shunned upon his release from prison. In Russia, however, the 52-year-old architect Vitaly Kaloyev, who killed the air traffic controller whom blamed for the plane crash in which he lost his wife and two children, almost a national hero.

stabbed a man to death – заколол человека ножом

as usually shunned – обычно обходят стороной

air traffic controller – авиадиспетчер

the plane crash – авиакатастрофа

almost – чуть ли не

Upon his release from a Swiss jail, where he spent less than 4 years, Kaloyev got a job as a deputy construction minister for his home region of North Ossetia. The Russian government lobbied his early release. When he arrived in Moscow he thanked Vladimir Putin, the Russian president. Members of the Nashi lined the roads from the airport in Vladikavkaz with posters hailing him as a hero.

Swiss – швейцарский

a deputy construction minister – заместитель министра строительства

the Nashi – «Наши» (про-кремлевское молодежное движение)

lined the roads – выстроились вдоль дороги

«I’m not a hero. I’m an ordinary guy», he said. «As for those people who lined the streets, they just care about their children and other people’s children. People ask me, ‘Do I feel any remorse?’ There’s only one thing I regret. That I’ve lost my family and my life is ruined».

ordinary guy – обычный, обыкновенный парень

care about – беспокоятся за

ruined – разрушенный

Kaloyev was building a holiday villa in Spain for a wealthy Russian when his wife Svetlana, 44, 10-year-old son Konstantin and 4-year-old daughter Diana, set out to join him for a holiday in July 2002. As their plane flew over Germany it collided with a cargo jet killing all 71 people on board, most of them Russian schoolchildren.

wealthy – богатый

set out – зд. вылетели на самолете

as – в то время как

collided with a cargo jet – столкнулся с транспортным самолетом

Investigators established that Peter Nielsen, a Dane working for Skyguide, the Swiss air-traffic control service at Zurich airport, was the only person on duty. When he realized the two planes were on a collision course he panicked and gave wrong instructions to the pilots.

a Dane – датчанин

air-traffic control service – служба контроля за движением воздушного транспорта

on duty – дежурный

were on a collision course – шли встречным курсом

«I was at the airport when I learned about the crash,» Kaloyev said. «I immediately flew to Germany to the crash site and for days walked round the fields looking for my wife and children. I found my children’s remains, washed them and laid them to rest in their coffins».

the crash site – место катастрофы

remains – останки

laid them to rest in their coffins – уложил останки в гробы

Like other bereaved relatives, Kaloyev grew angry at the slow pace of the investigation and the way Skyguide, fearful of lawsuits, tried to place the blame on others.

like – так же, как и

bereaved relatives – убитые горем родственники

slow pace – медленный ход

fearful of lawsuits – опасаясь судебных исков

«I wanted Skyguide to apologize, instead I got lies about the Russian pilots,» he said. In February 2004, he flew to Zurich to meet with representatives of Skyguide. When they refused to see him he sought out Nielsen at his house. «I wanted to talk to him. I wanted an explanation, an apology», he said.

instead I got lies – вместо этого мне лгали

refused – отказались

sought out – разыскал

«I was very calm when I knocked on his door. He came out. I told him that I was from Russia and asked him to let me in, but he unexpectedly shut the door behind me. I said, «Okay», and pulled out pictures of my children’s grave. Nielsen pushed my hand away, waving at me to go. The pictures fell on the ground. When they fell, I felt that Nielsen had killed my children all over again. Everything turned back, I couldn’t see anything.

calm – спокойный

to let me in – позволить мне войти

unexpectedly shut – неожиданно захлопнул

pulled out – вытащил

grave – могила

pushed my hand waving at me to go – оттолкнул мою руку, показывая мне, чтобы я уходил

all over again – заново

Kaloyev said he cannot remember what happened next, but does not deny stabbing Nielsen several times with a pocket knife. Nielsen died before an ambulance arrived. The police arrested Kaloyev and the Swiss court sentenced him to 8 years for manslaughter. Last year the court found four Skyguide employees guilty of negligent homicide. Three managers received suspended jail sentences and another received a fine of 6,000 pounds.

employees – служащие

Kaloyev believes that the killing speeded up the crash investigation. «People ask me, ‘Have you forgiven Nielsen?» he said. «Why should I? All I did was to protect the memory of my children. His children are growing up. They’re healthy and happy. I’ve no reason to be happy with my life. He is a nobody to me. I think he was foolish and he paid for it. If he had invited me in, I believe we would have had a different conversation and this tragedy could have been avoided». («Я полагаю, что если бы он пригласил меня к себе домой, наш разговор сложился бы по-другому, и этой трагедии можно было бы избежать»)

speeded up – ускорило

reason – причина

Adopted from the Sunday Times

E. Прочитайте статью еще раз и определите, справедливы ли данные высказывания (T – true) или нет (F – false). Исправьте неверные утверждения:

1. Vitaly Kaloyev shot the air traffic controller whom he blamed for the death of his family in the air crash.

2. Kaloyev left prison earlier.

3. The Russian government didn’t do anything to help Kaloyev

4. Many Russian people supported Kaloyev’s release from prison.

5. Kaloyev doesn’t think he’s a hero.

6. He feels sorry for his crime.

7. Kaloyev and his family planned to spend a holiday in Germany.

8. Two planes collided because of the pilots’ mistake.

9. The relatives of the victims were not satisfied with the crash investigation.

10. The management of the air-traffic control service Skyguied apologized to the relatives for their mistake.

11. Kaloyev came to Zurich to kill Nielsen.

12. Nielsen refused to let Kaloyev inside his house and told him to go away.

13. Kaloyev killed Nielsen in the heat of passion (убийство в состоянии аффекта).

14. Nielsen died in hospital.

15. The Swiss court found Kaloyev guilty of murder.

16. Kaloyev’s case played a positive role in the crash investigation.

17. Vitaly Kaloyev didn’t forgive Nielsen.

F. Обсудите следующие вопросы:

1. In your opinion, is Vitaly Kaloyev a hero, a criminal or both? Give your reasons.

2. What crime did he commit? Murder? Manslaughter? Heat of passion homicide?

3. Do you agree with the punishment that the Swiss court gave Kaloyev? Why? Why not?

4. What punishment did Peter Nielsen deserve?

5. Was it right for the Russian government and the president to lobby Kaloyev’s early release from prison?

6. Do you find it easy or difficult to forgive other people?

G. Заполните пропуски в резюме статьи недостающей информацией:

The article tells the story of Vitaly Kaloyev, a 52-year-old architect from North Ossetia, Russia, who lost (1) … in the plane crash over (2) … . In July 2002, the plane with his family on board collide with (3) … .

After the crash the investigators established that (4) … was the only person on duty at the Swiss air-traffic control service Skyguide at Zurich airport. When he realized that (5) … he panicked and (6) … . In 2004, Kaloyev, who grew angry at (7) … , flew to Zurich to meet with (8) … but they refused to see him. Then Kaloyev decide to (9) … and talk to him.

Nielsen didn’t let him in his house and told him to (10) … . When Kaloyev showed him (11) … Nielsen pushed his hand and the (12) … fell on the ground. This made Kaloyev very angry and he stabbed Nielsen with (13) … .

The next day the police (14) … . Later the Swiss court (15) … to 8 years in prison for manslaughter. Kaloyev’s trial speeded up the pace of the (16) … and two years later the court convicted (осудил) 4 Skyguide employees of (17) … .

Thanks to the support of the Russian government Kaloyev (18) … less than 4 years. When he arrived in Moscow upon his (19) … many people lined the streets and (20) … . Vitaly, however, doesn’t think he’s a hero. He said that his life is ruined but he doesn’t (21) … . He didn’t forgive Nielsen, who, in his opinion, could avoid the tragedy.