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你喜欢看侦探小说吗？侦探故事有哪些主要元素？
How to read a detective story
What kind of story is most exciting? What story keeps you reading until the very end? The answer is the detective story.
Detective stories are among the most written, read and discussed stories in the world. They can be novels, animations and movies. When we start reading a detective story, we always wish to find out the truth before we reach the end. But it can be quite difficult to solve the problem as quickly as the detective does. Paying attention to the following elements may help you find the truth.
Motive
Motive is the reason behind a crime. Some common motives are money, love, revenge and so on.
Suspect
Suspects are those who may have done the crime. Usually there is more than one suspect in a case. Detectives have to find out the real criminal among them. Suspects with different genders, ages, jobs and personalities often confuse the readers.
Clue
Clues are the most important things in solving a crime. Clues can be very small things, such as hair, mud or a piece of paper from a diary. Clues don't lead directly to the truth. Detectives use reasoning to find out what those clues truly mean, and put them together to find the truth.
Alibi
An alibi is a special kind of evidence. It means a proof of your not being at the crime scene when the crime took place. For example, if you are having dinner with a friend when the crime happens, your friend's words are your alibi. However, an alibi can be forged. Your friend may have told a lie to protect you.
Detective stories are like puzzles. Following the elements of motive, suspect, clue and alibi can help us see how the detective sees and solves the puzzle in the end.
WORD BOX ＞＞
| animation | [ˌænɪˈmeɪʃn] | n. 动画片 | element | [ˈelɪmənt] | n. 要素 |
| :-------- | :----------- | :------- | :------ | :--------- | :----- |
| motive | [ˈməʊtɪv] | n. 动机 | revenge | [rɪˈvendʒ] | n. 报仇 |
| gender | [ˈdʒendə(r)] | n. 性别 | confuse | [kənˈfjuːz] | vt. 使迷惑 |
| alibi | [ˈæləbaɪ] | n. 不在犯罪现场证明 | evidence | [ˈevɪdəns] | n. 证据 |
| proof | [pruːf] | n. 证明 | forge | [fɔːdʒ] | vt. 伪造 |
COMPREHENSION CHECK UP ＞＞
Answer the following questions.
1. What story can keep you reading until the very end?
The detective story.
2. What do you wish to do when you begin to read a detective story?
We wish to find out the truth before we reach the end.
3. What elements can help you find out the truth of a detective story?
Motive, suspect, clue and alibi.
4. How do detectives use clues to find out the truth?
Detectives use reasoning to find out what those clues truly mean, and put them together to find the truth.
5. What do you think of an alibi?
An alibi is a special kind of evidence, but it can be forged.
