5 Wise advice to district attorney (After r. Traver)

Exercise 1 Read the text and answer the questions, get ready to discuss it.

Judge Belden called me to his office just before my circuit court term as D. A.* “Shut the door and sit down”, he said, slowly filling his pipe. I sat watching the man.

Despite his advancing years he was as erect and slender as a young man. His powerful neck and shoulders were a heritage from his early days of hard physical labour. (He had put himself through law school and had worked hard at all kinds of jobs after he got out). He had the head of Roman emperor, with deep-set blue-grey eyes, a strong curving nose, a firm chin, and a full, mobile mouth. His thin­ning hair was white, as was his mustache and a small beard. This man radiated awareness and good will.

As he sat there he looked more like a judge than any man I ever knew. In the long professional years that lay ahead together I was to find that he was more like a judge than any judge I ever knew. I was to find that he was wise, patient, humorous, and simple – a fine lawyer and a gentle man. I was also to find that he was my friend, that judge Belden was every inch a man...

“Young man”, he said, “you are embarking on a tough job, a poorly paid job, and one in which you will receive far more criticism than praise. Criticism is the lot of all men in public life, but particularly that of a public prosecutor”. He paused and added dryly, “I know that is so because I was prosecutor of this country before you were born. On the other hand, few people will know whether you are doing a good job and fewer yet will care. I know and I will care”. He held out his hand and smiled. “Good luck, Johnny.”

“Thank you, Judge Belden,” I said. I was thrilled that this grand old man of the law should care what happened to this young D. A. He had seen so very many.

“Another thing,” Judge Belden continued, “you will lose cases that you will think you should have won. At first it will be hard. But you will have to learn to take these things easily”. The Judge smiled, perhaps recollecting his early days as prosecutor. “You will have to learn to do this because you will be dealing with that strange and wonderful – and unpredictable – beast, the jury.” I sat there visualizing a writing creature with twelve heads, all mechanically repeating. “Not guilty.” “And remember this,” he continued, “jurors in criminal cases always ask themselves not one but two questions: “Is the defendant guilty? If so, do we want to see him punished?” Remember this and your way may be easier. The road will be rocky at best. Now let’s get to work, Johnny.”

D. A. = District Attorney (U. S.), окружний прокурор

1 How does the author describe Judge Belden’s appearance?

2 Do you think that the author likes Judge Belden? What makes you think so?

3 Why did the author visualize the jury like a writing creature with twelve heads?

4 What wise advice did judge Belden give to a young D. A.?

Grammar supplement a formation of tenses in active voice

	Indefinite I або II	Continuous to be  + IV	Perfect to have  + III	Perfect Continuous to be  + IV
Present	I, we, you, they +  I he, she, it +  I-s I ask	I   + am IV he, she, it +  is IV we, you, they + are IV I am asking	I, we, you, they + have III he, she, it + has III I have asked	I, we, you, they + have been IV he, she, it + has been IV I have been asking
Past	I, he, she, it, we, you, they + II I asked	I, he, she, it + was IV we, you, they + were IV I was asking	I, he, she, it, we, you, they + had III I had asked	I, he, she, it, we, you, they + had been IV I had been asking
Future	I, we, he, she, it, you, they  + will I I will ask	I, we, he, she, it, you, they + will be IV I will be asking	I, we, he, she, it, you, they + will have III I will have asked	I, we + shall have been IV he, she, it, you, they + will have been IV I will have been asking
Future in the Past	I, we, he, she, you, they + would I I would have been asking	I, we, he, she, it, you, they + would be IV I would be asking	I, w,e he, she, it, you, they + would have III I would have asked	I, we, he, she, it, you, they + would have been IV I would have been asking

I = infinitive

II = past simple

III = past participle

IV = -ing form