مکالمه ی فعالانه قسمت الف

ACTIVE SPEAKING / PART A

MIND GAMES

The alarms at the Somerset County Bank went off at 8:40 pm.

Did the alarms go off? Yes, the alarms went off. Which alarms went off? The alarms at Somerset County Bank went off. When did the alarms go off? The alarms went off at 8:40 pm.

False alarms were sometimes triggered by balloons, extreme weather or animals.

Were there sometimes false alarms? Yes, there were sometimes false alarms. What sometimes triggered the false alarms? The false alarms were sometimes triggered by balloons, extreme weather or animals.

On this night, none of those reasons fit the bill.

Which of these reasons fit the bill? None of these reasons fit the bill.

The bank was closed, and the blinds were shut.

What was closed? The bank was closed. What was shut? The blinds were shut.

As multiple SWAT teams approached the bank, they saw the shadow of a man standing behind the blinds.

Did multiple banks approach the SWAT teams? No, multiple banks didn’t approach the SWAT teams. Multiple SWAT teams approached the bank. What did they see behind the blinds? They saw the shadow of a man behind the blinds.

It was a tense standoff. For three hours, the police used bullhorns to persuade the man to surrender.

Was it a relaxed standoff? No, it wasn’t a relaxed standoff. It was a tense standoff. What did the police use to persuade the man to surrender? The police used bullhorns to persuade the man to surrender.

After getting nowhere trying to talk to the man, the police had no other choice but to go in after him.

Who was getting nowhere? The police were getting nowhere. Were they getting nowhere trying to talk to the man? Yes, they were getting nowhere trying to talk to the man. What did the police do next? The police went in after him.

When they entered the bank, they discovered that the man behind the blinds was a cardboard cutout.

Who was the man behind the blinds? The man behind the blinds was a cardboard cutout.

One piece of cardboard held 30 trained police officers at bay for 3 hours.

Did one bank robber hold 30 police officers at bay for 3 hours? No, one bank robber didn’t hold 30 police officers at bay for 3 hours. One piece of cardboard held 30 trained police officers at bay for 3 hours.

In the heat of the moment, the mind can play tricks on us.

What can happen in the heat of the moment? In the heat of the moment, the mind can play tricks on us.

And sometimes what sounds clearly ludicrous can seem all too real.

Can the ludicrous sometimes seem real? Yes, the ludicrous can sometimes seem real.

Perhaps that’s how Herson Torres felt when he went on a bank-robbing spree in 2012.

Who went on a bank-robbing spree? Herson Torres went on a bank-robbing spree. When did he go on a bank-robbing spree? He went on a bank-robbing spree in 2012.

Twenty-one year old Herson wasn’t made of cardboard, but he wasn’t your typical bank robber either.

Herson was made out of cardboard, wasn’t he? No, Herson was not made out of cardboard. He was a typical bank robber, wasn’t he? No, he wasn’t a typical bank robber.

He was a regular young man living with his parents in a Washington D.C suburb.

Was Herson an old man, living with his children? No, Herson wasn’t an old man living with his children. He was a young man living with his parents.

Herson liked Batman comic books and hanging out with his friends.

Did Herson like robbing banks and hanging out with criminals? No, Herson didn’t like robbing banks and hanging out with criminals. He liked Batman comic books and hanging out with his friends.

He’d had a minor brush with the law as a kid, but he had never gotten into trouble as an adult.

Who had a minor brush with the law as a kid? Herson had a minor brush with the law as a kid. What about as an adult? He had never gotten into trouble as an adult.

He worked a low paying job unloading trucks and dreamed of saving enough money to go to university.

What kind of job did he do? He worked a low paying job unloading trucks. What did he dream of? He dreamed of saving enough money to go to university.

Herson didn’t think he was turning to a life of crime. He thought he was on a secret mission from his government.

Did Herson think he was turning to a life of crime? No, Herson didn’t think he was turning to a life of crime. What did he think he was doing? He thought he was on a secret mission from his government.

Herson’s life as a secret agent bank robber began with a message from an old friend from High School.

Did Herson’s life as a bank robber begin in high school? No, his life as a bank robber didn’t begin in high school. His life as a bank robber began with a message from an old friend from High School.

Herson and Carolina Villegas had lost touch after graduating but had recently reconnected on Facebook.

Who had lost touch? Herson and Carolina had lost touch. How had they recently reconnected? They had recently reconnected on Facebook.

Carolina text messaged Herson saying, “I have a job for you. We’re going to get paid $25,000.” “Doing what?” he asked. “Robbing banks,” she said.

How much did Carolina say they would get paid? She said they would get paid $25,000.

What would they get paid $25,000 for? They would get paid $25,000 for robbing banks.

Herson thought it was a joke, but Carolina said it was legit and they would get paid by the federal government to do it.

Did Carolina think it was a joke? No, Carolina didn’t think it was a joke. Herson thought it was a joke. Who said it was legit? Carolina said it was legit.