Cambridge Objective Proficiency
CATEGORIES OF CRIME
A crime is an illegal act which may result in prosecution and punishment by the state if the accused (= the person or people charged with a crime) is / are convicted (= found guilty in a court of law). Generally, in order to be convicted of a crime, the accused must be shown to have committed an illegal (= unlawful) act with a criminal state of mind. Look at the list of crimes in the box, then look at the categories below. Decide which category each one comes under, and write the crime in the appropriate space in the table. Some crimes can be listed under more than one category. One of the words / expressions in the list is not a crime.
1. abduction
2. actual bodily harm
3. aiding and abetting (= assisting) an offender
4. arson
5. assault
6. battery
7. being equipped to steal
8. blackmail
9. breach of the Official Secrets Act
10. breaking and entering
11. bribery
12. burglary
13. careless or reckless driving
14. committing a breach of the peace
15. conspiracy
16. contempt of court
17. criminal damage (vandalism, hooliganism)
18. deception or fraud in order to obtain property, services or pecuniary advantage
19. driving without a licence or insurance
20. drug dealing
21. drunk in charge / drink driving
22. embezzlement
23. espionage
24. forgery
25. grievous bodily harm
26. handling stolen goods
27. indecent assault
28. infanticide
29. manslaughter
30. misuse of drugs
31. money laundering
32. murder
33. obscenity
34. obstruction of the police
35. perjury
36. perverting the course of justice
37. piracy
38. possessing something with intent to damage or destroy property
39. possessing weapons
40. racial abuse
41. robbery
42. sedition
43. suicide
44. terrorism
45. theft
46. treason
47. unlawful assembly
48. wounding
Crimes against the person
Crimes against property
Public order offences
Road traffic offences
Political offences
Offences against justice
Look at these situations, then decide which crime has been, or is being, committed in each case. In some cases, more than one option is possible. (Note that you do not need to use all of the crimes from previous page)
1. TV Newsreader
Police believe the fire was started deliberately at around 2 o’clock this morning when burning paper was pushed through the letterbox. They are appealing for witnesses to the event.
2. Crown Prosecutor
Tell us in your own words exactly what happened.
Witness
We were in the bar when a man walked up to the victim, pointed a gun at his head and said ‘You’re a dead man.’ Then he pulled the trigger three times.
3. Police constable
You were going in excess of 60, and this is a 30 zone.
Man in car
I think you’re mistaken, constable. I was well within the speed limit.
4. Woman
When I got home, I discovered that my back door had been broken open.
Police officer
Had anything been stolen?
Woman
Yes, my new laptop, £200 in cash and my pet parrot.
5. Police officer
I’m sorry sir, but I have to report your actions to the proper authorities.
Man
Look, officer, here’s £50. Let’s just pretend this didn’t happen, eh?
6. Extract from a newspaper article
The two men were arrested and detained after police checks revealed that they had been distributing pornographic material over the Internet.
7. Interviewing detective
All right, Dagsy. We know you didn’t do the Cornmarket Street bank job yourself, but we know that you were involved somehow.
Police suspect
I was just driving the car Mr Regan, honest. And I didn’t know what the others were up to until they came back with bags of cash.
8. TV newsreader
The car bomb went off in a busy marketplace, injuring several shoppers.
9. Radio newsreader
The police raided a house in New Street this morning and recovered 250 illegal copies of the latest Harry Potter film, along with professional film copying equipment.
10. Man reading newspaper
I don’t believe it. The Foreign Minister has been caught giving government secrets to another country!
11. Shop assistant
I can’t accept this £20 note, madam. It’s a fake.
Customer
What? You mean it’s counterfeit?
Shop assistant
I’m afraid so. Do you have any other means of payment?
12. Extract from a newspaper article
The investigation into the rail accident confirmed that it occurred because the rail company had failed to maintain the tracks properly over a five-year period. Eight people died when the train left the tracks and hit an embankment.
13. Police officer
Take your time and tell me what happened, dear.
Pensioner
The man who came to my door said he had come to read the electric meter, so I let him in. I went to the kitchen to make him a cup of tea. When I returned he had gone, and so had my television.
14. TV newsreader
A journalist working in the city disappeared this morning. Police later received a note from a militant faction claiming that they had taken him and were holding him hostage.
15. Woman
The graffiti around here is getting really bad. Last week somebody wrote ‘Chelsea are rubbish’ on our garden wall.
Man
That’s not good. It should say ‘Chelsea are complete rubbish’.
16. Man
Look at this note, Cheri. It arrived in the post today. It says ‘Leave £10,000 in cash in the bin by the bus stop, or I’ll tell everyone your dirty secret’.
Woman
Don’t worry about it, Tony. It’s probably another little joke from him next door.
17. Prosecuting lawyer
Tell us again what happened on the night of the incident, Mr Williams. And let me remind you that you are still under oath.
Defendant
Like I told you, I was at home asleep, so I have no idea what happened.
Prosecuting lawyer
Don’t lie, Mr Williams. We have video evidence that you were in the night club until 3am. And you were seen by several witnesses.
18. Defendant
I don’t recognise this court. This trial shouldn’t be taking place.
Judge
Sit down, Mr Dowling. You are out of order.
Defendant
Oh, shut up, you silly old woman. Go back home and do some washing up or something.
19. Accountant
We’ve audited these accounts very carefully, and they just don’t add up.
Office manager
What exactly are you saying?
Accountant
I’m saying that someone in your office has been secretly helping themselves to company money.
20. TV presenter
Jimmy Bond, a former government intelligence agent, has just published a book about the Intelligence Service called ‘Lifting the Lid’. In it, he gives us a revealing insight into the life of a secret agent. The government have strongly condemned the book, claiming it contains classified information that should not be in the public domain.
21. Radio newsreader
The judge in the trial of notorious gangster Joe ‘Pinko’ Pallino adjourned the court today after it was revealed that several members of the jury had been offered bribes and other incentives to pass a verdict of ‘not guilty’ on Mr Pallino.
22. TV presenter
A bank account was opened in a false name in the Bahamas, and the cash deposited there. The funds were then sent by telegraphic transfer to another account in Switzerland, and the Bahamas account was closed. It was at this stage that the Metropolitan Police called in Interpol
LEGAL REFERENCING
Aforementioned
hereafter
hereby
herein
hereinafter
hereof
hereto (x2)
heretofore
hereunder
herewith
thereafter
therein
thereinafter
thereinbefore
1. We are somewhat confused, as the contract we received named the company as The Sophos Partnership in the first paragraph, but __________ as Sophos Ltd. (listed or mentioned afterwards in the document)
2. Could you explain why the interest rate is quoted as 17% on the final page of the agreement you sent us, but as 15% __________. (listed or mentioned earlier in a document)
3. He was present when the exchange took place and has been summoned as witness __________. (of this event / fact)
4. For more information, see the documents listed __________. (below this heading or phrase)
5. All parties are expected to comply with the conditions stated __________, unless a formal application is made to do otherwise. (in this document)
6. Final delivery of the merchandise is to be made no later than the dates listed __________. (Relating or belonging to this document)
7. The copyright for this book will __________ be in the name of the author, Archibald Thrupp. (From this time on)
8. According to the schedule of payments attached __________, invoices must be submitted at the end of each month. (to this document)
9. You are advised to refer to the previous contract, and the terms and conditions cited __________. (in that document)
10. The accused is to report to his probationer twice a week for the first month, and __________ once a week for the next five months. (after that)
11. The parties __________ acting as trustees are to be consulted regularly. (previously, earlier or before now)
12. Thank you for the prompt dispatch of our goods. Please find a cheque enclosed __________. (together with this letter or document)
13. This agreement is made on 1 April 2007 between Blueberry Press (__________ called the PUBLISHER), and Michael Halmsworth (__________ called the AUTHOR). (stated later in this document: the same word should be used to complete both gaps)
14. Mr Harrison has failed to comply with the terms set out in his contract, and we __________ revoke the contract. (as a result or in this way)
15. The __________ company was awarded the contract under certain conditions. (mentioned earlier)