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Level 5: Advanced Daily Audio Lessons

DailyStep-5_politics-American-002_US-02

Monica: Do you believe that the shooting of the congresswoman was a

political assassination attempt by a right-wing radical or just the work of

an unhinged misfit?

Doug: Well, I would say that there was definitely a political element to it

- after all, he deliberately sought out the congresswoman when she was

meeting constituents in the local shopping mall before turning his gun on

anyone else who happened to be present. Ms Giffords survived the attack

but is in a coma in the hospital with a bullet lodged in her head. Nobody

knows if she will pull through but six others died of gunshot wounds.

Monica: I read that the police managed to take him alive, which is

unusual in these situations as the gunman usually turns the gun on

himself rather than having to answer for his crimes.

Doug: Well, so far he hasn’t been very forthcoming with the police. He’s

refused to talk and hasn’t given a clue as to his motives.

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Level 5: Advanced Daily Audio Lessons

Situation: Monica and Doug wonder whether the gunman who shot the congresswoman
had a political agenda or whether he was just crazy. This conversation took place in
2011.
Style: General conversation
.

Functions:
1. Asking for an opinion: Do you believe that the shooting of the US
congresswomen was a political assassination attempt..? (note: please copy the
tone and emphasis carefully here.)
2. Giving an opinion: Well, I would say that there was definitely a political element
to it - after all, he deliberately sought out the congresswomen... (note: please
copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)
3. Introducing further information showing that what you have just said is
true: - after all, he deliberately sought out the congresswomen when she was
meeting constituents in the local shopping mall (note: please copy the tone and
emphasis carefully here.)
4. Introducing a point: I read that the police managed to take him alive, which is
unusual in these situations...
.

Notes:
1. Do you believe that...? = Would you say that...? / It is your view that...? (more
formal) / Do you reckon...? (informal) / Are you of the opinion that...? (much
more formal)
2. a political assassination attempt = an attempt to kill someone for political reasons
3. a right-wing radical = a politically extreme person from the right of the political
spectrum
4. just the work of an unhinged misfit = simply the actions of an unhinged misfit
(more formal)
5. an unhinged misfit (idiom) = a person with severe psychological problems who
has no real place in society
6. there was definitely a political element to it = politics definitely came into
(phrasal verb) it / there were clearly political reasons behind it
7. deliberately = intentionally
8. he deliberately sought out (phrasal verb: to seek out = to search for) = he
deliberately looked for
9. constituents = voters from a particular political area of the country
10. before turning his gun on anyone else who happened to be present = before he
shot anybody else who was unfortunate enough to be there
11. in a coma = in an unconscious and totally unresponsive state
12. with a bullet lodged in her head = with a bullet stuck in her head
13. Nobody knows if she will pull through (phrasal verb) = Nobody knows if she will
recover
14. gunshot wounds = injuries caused by bullets
15. the police managed to take him alive = the police were able to arrest him without
having to kill him and without him killing himself
16. the gunman usually turns the gun on himself (more descriptive) = the gunman
usually shoots himself
17. to answer for (phrasal verb) his crimes = to be judged for his crimes / to be held
accountable for his crimes

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Level 5: Advanced Daily Audio Lessons

18. he hasn’t been very forthcoming with the police (more formal) = he hasn’t given
the police much information
19. He’s refused to talk = He has exercised his right to remain silent (more formal
and legal)
20. hasn’t given a clue as to his motives = hasn’t given any reasons that explain why
he did what he did
.
Audio file name: DailyStep-5_politics-American-002_US-02
.

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DailyStep English, London, UK. © DailyStep Ltd. www.dailystep.com
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step