Dramatic Listening... The Podcast Where You Learn English By Listening To Radio Plays

Richard Diamond, Private Detective — The Louis Spence Case (Part 7 of 7) Dick Powell is not only a voice actor. He's also a famous singer.[Photo © Yastremska/www.Bigstock.com] Summary of Part 7 The battle with Spence is over, but there is still a lot of psychology involved in how Richard treats his girlfriend's questions and in how he and Walt handle 'Thank-yous'. Women are from Venus... Helen wants to know how Richard hurt his hand, but Richard doesnt want to tell her about his day. What does this show you about Richards beliefs about men and women? Don't thank me Whats the problem with doing a favour for your friend? Well, your friend then feels obligated to return the favour. How do you pay someone back for saving your life? This is the dilemma that complicates Richard and Walt's telephone conversation. Listen and try to figure out... ~ why Richard behaves the way he does with Helen and Walt. FREE PDF: Keywords & Transcript Quizlet: Have fun learning the keywords with English-Chinese Flashcards and Games

Richard Diamond, Private Detective — The Louis Spence Case (Part 6 of 7) Spence relates how he built the bomb.[Photo © Couperfield/www.Bigstock.com] Summary of Part 6 Diamond has a psychological advantage now. He goes back in knowing more than he did the first time. And this time, he has a plan. But for his plan to work, he needs Walt Levinson's cooperation and Otis' help in the music department. Together, they try to disarm Spence. A Psychological Advantage Knowing how Spence thinks of himself and how he feels misunderstood and unappreciated, Diamond is able to go in and tell Spence exactly what he wants to hear. He is still having a difficult time convincing Spence that he understands him, but gradually Spence does come to believe that Diamond recognizes his talent. For this, he is willing to spare Diamond's life, but he is still determined to go through with his plan of blowing up the police station. Then the music starts... Do you hear that? ...music that no one else seems to hear. He's convinced that his

Richard Diamond, Private Detective — The Louis Spence Case (Part 5 of 7) Otis is nervous that he'll louse it all up.[Photo © Dean Drobot/www.Bigstock.com] Summary of Part 5 Richard Diamond gets back to the fifth precinct with phonograph and album in hand. He puts Otis in charge of the music while he himself returns to the room with Spence and Walt Levinson. Thoughts of Becoming a Maryr Spence is getting excited. Time is almost up and the mayor hasn't jumped, but he will still be able to make his statement to the world by blowing himself and Lieutenant Levinson up... and maybe Diamond and Otis, too. He'll be a martyr and people will finally recognize his great genius. This is what is getting him excited. Diamond is worried that he might 'jump the gun'. (Like a runner in a race, he might start before the starting gun goes off.) He certainly has 'an itchy trigger finger'! He really wants to use the trigger to make the bomb go off. The Challenge Diamond has to make sure Spence doesn't blow up the fifth precinct a

Richard Diamond, Private Detective — The Louis Spence Case (Part 4 of 7) Cool sales clerk making suggestions[Photo © YakobchukOlena/www.Bigstock.com] Summary of Part 4 The psychiatrist gave Diamond a good idea. In order to use what he just learned about Spence, Diamond needs some music. He goes shopping at a music store but gets impatient with the sales clerk for obstructing justice. Time Pressure Diamond is under time pressure. He isn't at the store to browse. He needs to make this purchase right away, as quickly as possible. But the young sales clerk is chatty and also has store policy to follow. Getting It Right It was important to get the music right. It needed to be something that would move the emotions. It also needed to be calming. Obstructing Justice The clerk is so insistent on following the store policy that Diamond finally threatens to arrest her. What is the crime? Obstructing justice - getting in Diamond's way of apprehending a criminal.   Listen to predict... ~ what Diamond will do with the mu

Richard Diamond, Private Detective — The Louis Spence Case (Part 3 of 7) A psychiatrist gives insight on what makes Spence tick.[Photo © YakobchukOlena/www.Bigstock.com] Summary of Part 3 Diamond consults with a couple psychiatrists and gains a lot of insight about how Spence's mind works. This is crucial information, but he still has to figure out a way to use this information to save Lieutenant Levinson, Spence's hostage. What makes Louis Spence tick? The psychiatrist has worked with Spence for four years in the mental hospital. He tells Diamond how Spence sees himself, how he sees authority, and whether he is capable of carrying out his threat. Psychiatric Therapy For Spence, his therapy used music. Hearing beautiful music made him feel secure. He sees himself as very talented and sometimes even believed he himself had written the song. But the feelings of safety and security brought on by the music would not last long. He would fight off anything that he felt was manipulating him to be good. Insight Time'

Richard Diamond, Private Detective — The Louis Spence Case (Part 2 of 7) Time is running out.[Photo © Stoathphoto/www.Bigstock.com] Summary of Part 2 Diamond gets pulled in to meet the insane man face to face. Will he be taken hostage too? His former boss and friend, Lieutenant Levinson, who has already been taken hostage by the crazed activist, doesn’t like doing this to Diamond, but he needs help…and Diamond is much more capable than Sergeant Otis. Doomed Lieutenant Levinson has given up hope. He called Diamond in to help, but the situation seems hopeless. What could Richard Diamond possibly do? What could any man do? Hostage Negotiations Diamond tries reasoning and negotiating with Spence, but Spence doesn't wear down. He knows he has the upper hand and enjoys shocking people with his demands. The Dilemma Diamond and Otis clear the building. But they have no idea about how to solve the hostage situation beyond that. Diamond isn't used to dealing with the insane. They seem too unpredictable, so he doesn't k

Richard Diamond, Private Detective — The Louis Spence Case (Part 1 of 7) Otis: He won't let us in. He won't let the Lieutenant out! He's sitting there holding a big bomb, and it's ready to go off![Photo © Elnur/www.Bigstock.com] Summary of Part 1 Bumbling cop, Sergeant Otis, pulls Richard Diamond away from chit-chatting with his girlfriend to rescue Lieutenant Levinson from a crazy man. A little background As the series title says, Richard Diamond is a private detective. Richard used to be a police detective, working for the police force. So he knows the guys on the police force. He used to work for Lieutenant Levinson and they are still good friends. Sometimes Levinson asks for his help on a case. As a private detective, Diamond can chose whether to take the case or not, and he isn’t quite as restricted to following the rules. That means, if need be, he can punch or threaten to shoot someone to make him talk, but a police detective wouldn't be allowed to do that. Six years ago, he worked with the men who are

Andy's actions speak loudly in his favor. He kills a man, but in doing so, his motives shine through. ~ Gunsmoke, The Choice, part 5

~ Gunsmoke, The Choice, Part 4 Photo: © Bigstock Photo |  jeffbanke Andy: Any objections, Marshall? Getting Up on the Wrong Side of Bed Andy didn't appreciate the night in jail. He and Matt don't see it the same way at all. Matt locked him up for his own good, to protect him while he was drunk. But Andy, too sure of himself for his own good, was sure he could look after himself. It's morning now and he's being released, but he's not relieved its over. Oh, no! He's sullen and angry. You might say he's "gotten up on the wrong side of bed". He feels untrusted by Matt Dillon, the Marshal of Dodge City, so in return, he keeps his distance. A Bad Gamble Let's look at it from Matt's point of view, now. He really wants to help Andy, so Andy's rejection hurts him. He actually sees himself in Andy. A little of Matt's background is hinted at here, but he doesn't go into any details. That was the old Matt. He's a new man now...and Andy could be too! But Matt knows that decision will have to be Andy's personal choice. He

~ Gunsmoke, The Choice, Part 3 Photo: © Bigstock Photo |  vectorpocketMatt Dillon:Doc, that's the first time I ever turned an outlaw loose. Doc: What's that? Matt Dillon: Kerrick. I saw his picture the other day on one of those circulars. Too Brave for His Own Good Andy gets into a fight in the bar, the saloon. He didn’t start this fight, but he’s ready to stand up to this other man. Matt and Doc are in the saloon at the time and hear the talk at the bar getting more and more heated. In the middle of it all, Matt catches the name of the stranger. Andy seems to know him and calls him Kerrick. That Name Rings a Bell Hmm... Kerrick. That name seems to ring a bell for Matt, but where did he hear it before? Then he remembers the wanted circular that just arrived. He hadn't posted it yet, but it was in his office. Kerrick, yeah, this guy is a bad dude! Matt Intervenes Andy won't back down. He's ready to get into a gun fight with Kerrick. Problem is, Andy's drunk and he doesn’t realize how drunk he is. Matt step

~ Gunsmoke - The Choice, Part 2 Photo: © Bigstock Photo | canicula, and KUCO JIM: We was held up, Marshal. Held up, by Heaven! And this so-called "shotgun man" sat there like an owl on a rafter! Sat there and did nothing! You're hired! Andy gets a job – the kind of job that requires a lot of responsibility. He'll be riding shotgun for Jim Buck, the stagecoach driver. He sits on top of the stagecoach beside the driver and carries a shotgun. If the stage gets held up by outlaws, the shotgun man is there to protect the stagecoach, the luggage, and the passengers. Matt's name is on the line Andy got this job on Matt's recommendation, so Matt's own reputation -- his good name -- is on the line. If Andy does a poor job, it will reflect on Matt. So, of course, Matt has a personal interest in Andy's success. You can imagine how relieved Matt is when he sees Andy get back to Dodge City with his boss. In Jim's Bad Books But Matt soon finds out that things did not go well between them. Jim is very angry and Andy is i

~ Gunsmoke: The Choice, Part 1 Photo: © Bigstock Photo | ByronWMooreMatt Dillon: Ask for Jim Buck. He’s the driver. He’s looking for a man to ride shotgun. Tell him I sent you. New Folks Showing Up All the Time Andy Hill is the new guy in Dodge City. It’s the late 1800’s (around the 1870s) when people were moving west across America. Towns were being settled and growing into cities. Its a fast growing town so there are new folks showing up all the time. The railway made much of this possible, bringing passengers by train to settle down in the West, and making it possible to move products across the country and do business. In this setting, we have the growing town of Dodge City. Many of the people who came to Dodge were ranchers and the cowboys they hired to herd their cattle. The cowboys moved around a lot from place to place. Then farmers came. They settled down to plant and harvest crops. They also built fences, which the cowboys didn’t like. In the town, there were shopkeepers, bankers, barbers, saloon ba

~ The Lives of Harry Lime: Ticket to Tangier, Part 7 Harry tells us the story of his trip to Tangier from the comfort of his livingroom. [Photo © YakobchukOlena/Bigstock] A Clear Conscience In this episode, it’s “every man for himself”. When the police raid the mansion, they're wondering what they  should do with the heroin. Should they abandon the heroin and run, or take it and risk being caught with it? They have to make a quick getaway, so Harry goes one way and Mrs Magetti another. Harry doesn't look out for Mrs. Magetti. Shouldn't he feel more responsible for her welfare? How can he have a clear conscience about this?After all is said and done, we find that we have been sitting in Harry's living room drinking tea and listening to Harry tell his story. He tells us what happened to Mrs Magetti and how he kept his wits about him to avoid the cops and profit from this situation. And he claims to have done it all with a clear conscience. So, how did he come out ahead financially without going against his mora

~ The Lives of Harry Lime: Ticket to Tangier, Part 6 When a third party shows up, Harry says it's getting overcrowded.[Photo © stokkete/Bigstock] It's Getting Overcrowded Harry and Patsy have company – an unexpected visitor. He says he’s an associate of her late husband. In other words, he’s a gangster who had some business dealings with her husband. He knows about the heroin and he has come to collect it. It's definitely overcrowded with this guy in the room. Harry and Patsy work together to get rid of him. Know Your Enemy Harry tells him where to find it, but he doesn't trust Harry. However, Harry's logic sounds reasonable, so he decides to get it himself all the while keeping a close eye on Harry. Too bad for him, he underestimated his enemy. FREE PDF: Keywords & Transcript Quizlet:  Have fun learning the keywords with English-Chinese Flashcards and Games. DL094 Keywords on Quizlet Let's Talk Harry doesn’t want to get involved in the drug trade, but now he’s associated with people who are, and he’s an

~ The Lives of Harry Lime: Ticket to Tangier, Part 5 Harry Lime: I’m not a connoisseur, Patsy... I don't know a thing about carpets! Patsy: Do you know about heroin? [Photo © ChiccoDodiFC/Bigstock.com]   It's Against My Morals: In this episode, Harry finds out why Patsy brought him to Tangier. She has something to show him and a job for him to do. But what Patsy expects of him goes against his morals — she wants him to help her sell the drugs she smuggles in to Europe from Tangier, Morocco. Although Harry isn't the most honest of businessman, he is not and will not be involved in drug trafficking. Persuasive Tactics: Even if it is true that he hasn't sold drugs before, Patsy — now known as Mrs Magetti — is sure he could do it. After all, Harry knows how to break the law and get away with it, so what's so different about drugs? Mrs Magetti explains how she got into this predicament. (Surely, Harry would help a woman in distress!) Her husband, Rico Magetti, had recently gotten into drug trafficking, but she k

~ The Lives of Harry Lime: Ticket to Tangier, Part 4 Who gets to call the shots on a date?[Photo © Ammentorp/Bigstock] Along for the ride Let's face it, Harry knew that he wasn't the one to call the shots. Obviously, someone had looked for him with the personal ad in the newspaper, led him to the concierge who handed him an envelope, and provided him with a limousine ride to the airport, flight tickets to Tangier, and money in his pocket. Someone else was calling the shots. Time out for a date He intended to find out who that was, but tonight he was on a date with a beautiful woman. He had money (from his benefactor) in his pocket to treat her well on this night out, so in this area of his life, Harry was still the one in charge. But then, his date paid for the meal! Look who's calling the shots! Harry is in for even more surprises when the airline hostess he is dating proves to be more wealthy than he is. Not only that, but her money has allowed her to control his circumstances. It’s a rather awkward posit

~ The Lives of Harry Lime, Ticket to Tangier, Part 3: Who are you anyway? You are an unusually good dancer for an airline hostess![Photo © OSTILL/Bigstock]   Too Good to be True: Who is this woman? Already very attracted to her beauty, Harry now he finds that she can really dance too. In fact, she seems to be too good at it. It makes him question her true identity. Is she really just an airline hostess? It's my treat! Harry treats his new lady friend, the airline hostess, to dinner and dancing at the Cabala cabaret (or nightclub). He learns her name is Patsy, but he believes it is an alias — not her real name. When he goes to leave he finds out he wasn’t the one treating. She paid the check! She tries to convince him that she can afford it, but he can’t believe it. Male Chauvinist: Harry feels that it’s not right for the woman to pay. After all, she must not make much money. Men's jobs always pay more than women's, so when you take a woman out on a date, the man should pay. That sounds honorable, but Harry i

The Adventures of Harry Lime: Ticket to Tangier, Part 2 of 7 At the risk of looking foolish, Harry whistles a tune for the concierge.[Photo © axelbueckert/Bigstockphoto.com]   Nothing to lose: Harry wants to get to Tangier to chase after the promise of a lucrative deal. The only problem is, he doesn’t have the money to get there. As he puzzles over his problem in the pub, he sees a second ad. Is it intended for him too? Well, he has nothing to lose. It’s worth a try, right? It's all taken care of: He follows the lead in the ad and has a chat with a certain hotel doorman. It's a rather awkward conversation, but because of it, Harry finally succeeds in getting to Tangier. In fact, he’s a special guest — everything’s been taken care of for him. Harry turns on his charm: On the plane to Tangier, Harry flirts with the flight attendant, Patsy. He is very charming and succeeds in his quest of getting a date with her in Tangier. FREE PDF: Keywords & Transcript Quizlet:  Have fun learning the keywords with English-

The Adventures of Harry Lime: Ticket to Tangier, Part 1 of 7 So I was reading the newspaper when I came on the advertisement — one of those classified ads in the personal column. It was addressed to Harry Lime. Harry Lime being me, I read on with some interest.   Not the best role model Today’s episode open’s with a little history on Harry Lime. It connects the Harry Lime of the radio plays with the Harry Lime of the 1949 movie, The Third Man. So, who is Harry Lime? As a story character, Harry Lime is a criminal. Unlike our other stories, our hero is not a police detective or a private eye. He is a wanted criminal. He is wanted for breaking the law. The police would like to find him and arrest him. He’s a businessman involved in illegal activity — anything to make a quick buck. And yet, he’s the main character of our story, the hero that we want to see win. How does the bad guy become our hero? I hope that is something we can discuss as the story progresses and I hope you join me in the comments below or at

~ Part 7 of a "Dangerous Assignment" old-time radio play: Mitchel is very resourceful.[Photo © Illusionmachine/BigstockPhoto.com] Backed Into a Corner Government agent Mitchel has figured out how the oil was stolen and who did it, but how will he make it out of the ruins alive? It looks like the secret will die with him, but Mitchel is more resourceful than that! Gain the Upper Hand Steve Mitchel has to find a way to gain the upper hand, (佔上風、制勝). He has to figure out a way to keep himself and Haroon alive. Somehow, he has to look stronger, more powerful, than Williams. If you have the upper hand, you are in the better position. You are in a superior position. Your opponent, your enemy, has to give in to you. Use What You Have So who has the better strategy? Who has the better weapon? When you're backed into a corner, you have to use your wits. You have to be resourceful and use whatever you have to your advantage. In this episode, Steve is backed into such a corner. Let's listen and see how resourceful he is