In
this third step, listen to the conversation again while you read
the transcription. Finally, read the glossary information, phrasal
verbs (highlighted in yellow) and notes at
the bottom. This step also means good practice for your reading
comprehension skills. To get information in Spanish, just place the
arrow of your mouse on any highlighted word without clicking.
What
puzzles me is why they stole office furniture.
BUCKHURST
Well,
apparently, it seems that the gang
had been
tipped off that a
lorry belonging to Andersons would be coming through that way with a
valuable load of cigarettes.
PETER
Ah,
that sounds more like it!!
BUCKHURST
When
Andersons' driver was approached by a man in the transport café he was
asked what he was carrying. He said it was a load of office desks and
filing cabinets, but they must have thought he was
lying for
some reason.
PETER
What
happened to the driver?
BUCKHURST
It
seems he was taken to a farm a long way from the main road and held
there for several hours before the gang
released him. Then he
had to walk six miles before he found a telephone and was able to get
hold of the police.
PETER
Did the
police raid the farm?
BUCKHURST
Yes,
they did. But by that time, of course, the gang had left.
PETER
What
did they do with the lorry?
BUCKHURST
They
took the brake off and let it go over the side of a steep hill!!
It's a total wreck.
PETER
What
about our desks?
BUCKHURST
Well,
now, apparently the insurance of the load is not so simple. I informed
our insurance brokers as soon as the theft was reported. As you know,
all goods delivered for us within the United Kingdom are covered by a
blanket insurance policy.
Yes,
we're insured with a syndicate of Lloyds underwriters. Someone from a
firm of adjusters is going up to inspect the
damaged goods
tomorrow to give an opinion about their value.
PETER
Well... what's the problem? They won't make any difficulty about
paying up, surely?
BUCKHURST
Well,
it could be difficult. Our insurers seem to think the desks and chairs
may not be too badly damaged.
PETER
I think
someone from the firm ought to go up and give us an opinion of the
damage. I'd like to go up there myself and have a look.
BUCKHURST
Oh, but
it's miles from a main road. It's right up in the Moorland Valley.
PETER
Well, I
can't go, anyway. I've got too much to do at the moment. I'll get
Christopher Thorn to go up; he's got a car...
(Christopher Thorn
gets to Moorland Valley. There he meets Mr. Roberts, the adjuster)
THORN
Good
morning! Nice morning for a country drive, isn't it? Ah, what a mess
that lorry's in.
ROBERTS
May I
ask who you are and what your business is up here?
THORN
Well, I
might ask you the same question.
ROBERTS
My name
is Roberts. I represent Brown & Johnson, Insurance Adjusters. I've
been asked to investigate the damage to the load which this lorry was
carrying.
THORN
Oh, how
do you do. My name is Thorn, I work for Harper & Grant.
ROBERTS
Oh,
yes, your firm is making the claim.
THORN
Well,
let's have a look. I was warned that the lorry doors might have
jammed.
ROBERTS
I don't
think these filing cabinets are too badly damaged. I think it should
be possible
to salvage the lot. These
dents could be quite
easily
knocked out, and these desks could be repainted.
THORN
Oh, I
don't think I agree, Mr. Roberts. Look at this chair, it's a complete
write-off.
We'd never be able to repair that. And the filing cabinets. Look at
them! They must have been under water for some time. They would have
to be
stripped down and completely repainted.
ROBERTS
Hmm...
well, I think I might recommend payment of... seventy-five per cent of
the insured value...
GLOSSARY
& NOTES
to look for
To try to locate or
discover
(buscar).
covered
To
have cover or
to be covered:
to
be insured
(estar cubierto, asegurado); To cover: To insure(asegurar o asegurarse).
to tip off
(slang)
To
tell someone about a forthcoming event; to give information, usually to
the advantage of the person receiving the information(pasar el dato).
lying
Not telling the truth(mentir).
to release
To set free(liberar, dejar en libertad).
to take (the break) off
To remove the break (quitar, destrabar el
freno).
to underwrite
To cover; to protect by insurance; to
guarantee financial support of(asegurar).
damaged
Ruined, spoiled(dañado, arruinado).
to pay up
To cancel or discharge a debt (cancelar
una deuda).
to salvage
To
rescue something which has been damaged because of an
accident, eg. to salvage material from a sunken ship, from a fire, etc.(recuperar).
dent
Hollow in a hard surface made by a blow(abolladura, hoyo).
to knock out
To repair a dent by knocking from inside(reparar una abolladura).
