Now, you’re Inspector Abberline, the detective in charge of investigating the Ripper murders. You are writing a short speech to explain your presence to the population of the East End, and to ask for their help. Use these words and expressions to complete your speech: victims - murderer - – witnesses – hideous – critical – interrogating – solved - remain

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I know you may not appreciate our presence in the neighbourhood*. But remember that we are not here to arrest you. We are here for your safety**. We are here to ask for your cooperation.

We want this case to be solved as soon as possible. That is why we need witnesses who can give us information about the suspect. What he looks like, for example. We are looking for a dangerous murderer who has committed hideous crimes, and we know that we must find him quickly, or people will get scared and public opinion will become very critical. The police will also need information about the victims, so we will spend a lot of time interrogating their families and friends to try to discover why the killer murdered them and not someone else. I know you probably couldn’t see much, because it was dark, and because of the fog.

* Neighbour : a person who lives next door ( un voisin) → neigbourhood = le voisinage

** safe = not dangerous (= sûr) → safety = security

Victorian Times

Look at this picture. This is in the 19th century. Can you describe the document?

PROPOSITION DE DESCRIPTION: This document is an old photograph. It shows London in the 19th century. We can see factories (usines) and many chimneys (cheminées). Industrial activity caused and a smoky atmosphere. Moreover (De plus), people used (charbon) to heat their homes, which increased ( ) . This combination of fog and pollution was called “pea-soup fog” because of its greenish colour. The poor visibility caused by London could halt traffic and required the street lamps to be lit all day*.

Some areas were densely populated and sanitary conditions were terrible. As a result, epidemies were frequent. vocabulary increase : augmenter fog : brouillard lit (participe passé du verbe light : allumer, éclairer) THE PASSIVE MODE

FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THESE VERBS examined caused brought found used considered committed

This is Inspector Abberline’s report to his superiors:

The victim, a 42-year-old woman named Mary Ann N. was murdered in Whitechapel on August 31, as she was going back home.

The dead woman was ...... at half past twelve by two men who were on their way to work. They immediately called for the police. The body was first ...... by Police Constable John Neil who immediately saw that there was nothing he could do to save her. So the corpse was ...... to the morgue.

After forensic examination, it appears that the multiple injuries have been ...... by an extremely sharp knife, similar to the ones ...... by butchers or surgeons. According to the doctor who examined the body, the murderer is left-handed.

The policemen were not given any clues or details by the people who live in the street where the murder was ...... As usual, we have few* witnesses. Probably because of the fog, or maybe because the local population is too scared to testify.

Mary Ann N. was ...... a particularly nice person, who did not have any enemies.

* Rappel : few = not many (→ peu de)

REFLEXION SUR LA LANGUE

Compare ces deux phrases :

1. The dead woman was found at half past twelve. 2. Jack the ripper disappeared into the fog.

Souligne le sujet dans chaque phrase.

Dans quel cas le sujet est-il capable d’agir ? ……………………………………………

Dans quel cas n’a-t-il aucun pouvoir sur la situation ? ......

Quelle phrase est à la voix active ? ……………………………………………………………

Quelle phrase est à la voix passive ? ......

 La voix ………………………… permet de mettre en avant un sujet qui n’a pas d’autonomie, qui subit l’action.

Maintenant, repère le groupe verbal dans ces phrases et surligne-le ou encadre-le. A la voix passive, le groupe verbal est constitué de ………………………………… + ………………………………………………. On peut utiliser la voix passive à tous les temps : Temps Exemples de phrases passives Présent simple Inspector Aberline’s remarks are taken very seriously Preterit All the victims were killed at night

Present perfect Another body has been discovered!

Futur The investigation will be assigned to Scotland Yard.

Now, let’s practice! Complète les phrases suivantes en te servant du tableau précédent.

‘Where is the body?’ ‘I think it …………………………………… transferred to the morgue.’ The doctor says this woman ………………. killed 5 or 6 hours ago. Today, the streets of the East End ……………… considered a very dangerous place. Tomorrow, a press conference …………………… …………………… organised.