“Lucky” Lord Lucan ----- Alive or Dead

　　On 8th November 1974 Lord Lucan，a British aristocrat，vanished. The day before，his children's nanny had been brutally murdered and his wife had been attacked too. To this day the British public are still interested in the murder case because Lucan has never been found. Now，over 30 years later，the police have reopened，the case，hoping that new DNA techniques will he1p solve this murder mystery.1

　　People suspected that“Lucky”，as he was called by friends，wanted to kill his wife he no longer lived with. They say that Lucan entered his old house and in the dark，killed the nanny by mistake. His estranged wife heard noises，came downstairs and was also attacked，but managed to escape. Seven months after the murder，a jury conc1uded that Lucan had ki1led the nanny.

　　What happened next is unc1ear，but there are several theories which fall into one of three categories：he may have killed himself，he could have escaped or he might have been killed. It appears that the night after the murder，“Lucky”borrowed a car and drove it，Lucan's friend Aspinall said in an interview that he thought Lucan had committed suicide by sinking his boat in the English Channel.

　　Another version of events says that “Lucky” left the blood-soaked car on the coast and took a ferry to France.2 He was met there by someone who drove him to safety in another country. However，after a time，his rescuers became worried that they would become involved in the murder too and so Lucan was killed.

　　A further fascinating theory was made in the book Dead Lucky by Duncan MacLaughlin，a former detective. He believes that Lucan travelled to Goa，India，where he assumed the identity of a Mr Barry Haplin. Lucan then lived in Goa till his death in 1996. In the end the c1aim turned out be a case of mistaken identity. The man who died in 1996 was real1y Haplin，an ex­schoolteacher turned hippy. So what is the truth about Lucky? DNA testing has solved many murder cases，but who knows if it can cIose the book on this one. 3

　　词汇：

　　vanish  v. 消失

　　suicide   n. 自杀

　　case  n. 案件

　　detective  n. 侦探

　　nanny  n. 保姆

　　注释：

　　1. Now，over 30 years later，the police have reopened the case，hoping that new DNA techniques will help solve this murder mystery. 30 多年后的今天，警察重新调查案件，希望新的 DNA技术帮助揭开这个谋杀之谜。

　　2. Another version of events says that “Lucky” left the blood-soaked car on the coast and took a ferry to France. 另一个版本是说“幸运的”把被血染了的车子扔在了海岸上，乘上了一艘开往法国的船。

　　3. DNA testing has solved many murder cases，but who knows if it can close the book on this one.

　　DNA 鉴定破了很多谋杀案件，但是不知它能否把这个案件做个了结。

　　练习：

　　1. The public are still interested in the investigation because______.

　　A) of the terrible murder

　　B) of the use of new DNA techniques

　　C) Lord Lucan has never been found

　　D) Loard Lucan was famous

　　2. It is thought that Lucan killed the nanny because______.

　　A) she was looking after the children

　　B) she was a friend of Lucan's

　　C) it was dark and he thought she was Lady Lucan

　　D) Loard Lucan thought the nanny stole his car

　　3. Aspinall thought Lucan killed himself by______.

　　A) jumping into water

　　B) jumping out of his house

　　C) sailing his boat

　　D) sinking his boat

　　4. Lucan could have been killed because people ______.

　　A) didn't want the police to catch him

　　B) thought he might talk to the police about them if he was caught

　　C) were unhappy with him

　　D) thought he was rich

　　5. Ex-detective MacLaughlin claimed that Mr Barry Haplin ______.

　　A) was an old schoolteacher

　　B) died in Goa，India

　　C) was really Lord Lucan in disguise

　　D) was a merchant

　　答案与题解：

　　1. C 本题问的是：公众对这件谋杀的调查依旧很感兴趣的原因是什么?根据第一段第二句 话：To this day the British public are still interested in the murder case because. Lucan has never been found. 可知 C 是正确的答案。

　　2. C 本题问的是：Lucan 被认为是杀了保姆的凶手是因为什么? A 的意思是保姆正在照看孩子。B 的意思是她是 Lucan 的一个朋友。C 的意思是一片漆黑中 Lucan 以为她是自己的太太。D 的意思是Lucan 认为保姆偷了他的车。根据原文意思，可知 C 是正确的答案。

　　3. D本题问的是：Aspinall 认为 Lucan 是怎样自杀的?根据第三段的最后一句话：他觉得Lucan 伯爵在英吉利海峡弄沉了自己坐的船，已经自杀了。因此 D 是正确的答案。

　　4. B本题问的是：Lucan 可能已经被杀了，原因是什么?根据第四段的最后一句话：他们担心 自己也会被卷入到谋杀案件中，因此杀了 Lucan。最符合此意的选项为 B ，意思为他们觉得 如果 Lucan 被捕，他有可能跟警察提起这些人。

　　5. C 本题问的是：前侦探 MacLaughlin 声称Barry Haplin是什么?根据本文最后一段：MacLaughlin确信，Lucan 逃到了印度的果阿，在那里他换了个身份假装 Barry Haplin 这个 人。C的意思是 Barry Haplin 是 Lucan 伯爵假装的。因此C是正确的答案。