LISTENING COMPREHENSION: LEGAL ENGLISH 1

WEEK 1

Unit 1, Lesson 2, Exercise B (T1.1)

Part 1

1. Discussion: Work in pairs & answer these questions

1. What is law?
2. Does a society exist without law?
3. How do rules control the society?
2. Listen and fill in the gaps with the missing words
Welcome to the Law (1) ……………faculty…. I want to start my first lecture by asking a
simple question. What is law? That's a very simple question, isn't it? We all know the answer-
don't we? Let's see.
We know that the law provide (2) ………………. that allows people to live in an (3) ………
organise………. and (4) …civilised……………. way. If someone breaks a rule, there's a
system of (5) ………………. that not only protects people but also provides a (6)
………………. That is, it (7) ………………. or (8) ………………. people from breaking the
rule. OK. But what are these rules and who decides what they are? For example, most people
would agree that you should wash your hands before you eat a meal. If you don't, have you
broken the law? In my (9) ………house………. my mother (10) impose this rule and if any of
the children broke it, they were punished. But has someone who hasn't washed their hands
before dinner broken the law? Well. Yes and no, it (11) ………………. So what is law? What
is the (12) ………………. meaning of the word? A word that we use every day and think we
understand.

Unit 1, Lesson 2, Exercise C (T.1.2)

Part 2

1. Discuss these questions in groups

1. Why is the meaning of word important?
2. Does a word have only one meaning?
3. Do you think the meaning of a word in general English is the same in the legal
context?
4. How does it impact the way you study vocabulary?
2. Listen to the tape and answer these questions:
1. What is an intrinsic meaning?
2. Which the first word does the speaker mention to illustrate its different meanings in use in
different contexts?
3. Why is it important to know the basic meaning of words?
4. What message does the speaker want to send you?
Listen the second time and fill in the blanks the words you hear:
May words have an intrinsic or (1) ………. ………….. We use the words in different situations
and they have different surface meanings, but the basic meaning remains the same. Let’s start
with a word that is (2) ……..… ………. many students: bar. We use the word bar to mean a
place where you go (3) ……… …..…… ………..; a coffee bar, for example, or in a hotel you
have a lounge bar. On the campus there are many student bars. But we also use the word bar in
an English legal context. If you have been called to the bar, it means that you have (4) ……..…
………. to speak in court. In legal terminology, you have a barrister. Is there any connection
between these two words? Yes, there is. A bar is a wooden stand from which a person can
serve drinks, for example, in a hotel. In (5) ……..… ………., it is also a wooden stand, not for
serving drinks but where someone can speak to the court.
Somehow, when we’re learning our (6) ……….… ……………., we get the feeling for the basic
meaning of words which helps us (7) ……..… …………. the same word in a new context.
When we’re learning another language, it’s very important to find the basic meaning of a word
because the direct translation in one context may not be the direct translation (8) ……….…
……………. For example, if you directly translate the words fair and just, they may not have
the same meaning as in (9) ……….… ……………. One of the basic meanings of fair is to
describe a hair colour that is pale or not dark. Just often means very recently. These words are
used with these meanings in the sentence: my fair-haired sister has just arrived. This is not the
same as a (10) ……….… ……………or a just outcome. In this more legal context fair means
that the trial is conducted in the right way and just means that the outcome was correct and
appropriate.

Unit 1, Lesson 2, Exercise D (T.1.3)

Part 3

1. Before you listen, work in groups of two or three and do these activities:
- Discuss this question: How many branches of the law do you know?
- Write down the list of the branches of the law you have just discussed.
- In your opinion which branch of the law has developed most?
2. Listening
Listen to the tape for the 1st time and tick the names of branches of the law you hear in your
list. Then listen to the tape the second time and answer these questions:
1. What are all elements of the set of rules made for?
2. According to the speaker which area of law will many of the most important legal
developments take place?
3. What does case refer to?
Unit 1, Lesson 2, Exercise E (T.1.4)
Part 4
Discussion : Before you listen, work in groups of three and discuss:
1. What will happen if the citizens in your country break the rule?
2. In your country, how can a case come before a court? Give an example.
Listening: Listen to part 4 and answer the questions below.
1. In what ways does a case come before a court?
2. What will happen if the driver is seen by the police or photographed by a speed camera?
3. In speaker’s opinion, what is the role of law?
 WEEK 2

Unit 1, Lesson 3, Exercise E (T.1.5)

Introduction 1,2,3,4,5

Before you listen, work in groups of three and discuss:

- Imagine you are going to give a lecture/presentation. How do you begin your
lecture/presentation?
- What do you present in the “Introduction” part of your lecture/ presentation?
- Which verbs do you use to state the purpose of your lecture/ presentation?

Now, listen to the introduction 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 for the 1st time and choose the suitable topic for
each lecture

Introduction 1

Introduction 2

Introduction 3

Introduction 4

Introduction 5

Listen to the introductions 1, 2 for the 2nd time and decide which statement is True or False.
1. In England and Wales, courts are generally divided into the civil and criminal systems.
2. The Supreme Court deals with only criminal cases.
3. The Court of Appeal is the highest court in England and Wales.
4. The jury has 20 members.
5. The duties of the jury are to listen to the facts in a trial in a law court and decide
whether the case has been approved.
6. It is claimed that the jury system always ensures a fair trial in all cases.
Listen to the introduction 3, 4, 5 for the 2nd time and answer the questions below.
7. What is statutory interpretation?
8. Which three rules do judges use to interpret the exact meaning of words in statutes?
9. What are the two important dates in the development of English law?
10. Choose the best answer.
A solicitor will give advice the client on:
a. Legal transaction
b. Civil dispute
 c. Possible prosecution
d. All (a), (b), and (c)

Unit 1, Lesson 4, Exercise E (T.1.6)

Lecture 1

Before you listen

Discuss these questions
1. Can you name different levels of court in the UK?
2. What kinds of cases does each court deal with?
Listen and complete the sentences.
1. The High Court is the highest court of……… …………
2. There are three separate divisions: the ……….. …………., the …………. and the
…………..
3. Below the High Court on the …………….side is the County Court which deals with
relatively straightforward cases such as…………..and …………. ……………
…………….
4. Below the High Court on the criminal side is the…………… ………………… which
deals with………….. ……………… cases and …………….. from the magistrates’
court.
5. Magistrates’ court is the ………….. ……………court and has jurisdiction over a
……………
6. ………… ……………. deals with offenders aged between 10 and 17.
Answer these questions:
7. Which courts are not opened to the public?
8. Which courts have no juries?
9. Which courts deal with civil cases?
10. Who is the magistrates’ court presided over by?

Unit 5, Lesson 2, Exercise D (T.1.22)

Part 2

A. Before listening
You are going to hear a lecture about theft. Before you listen, work in groups and discuss
those questions:
1. What is theft?
2. What are the components of theft?
3. Do you know any different types of offences of theft? Can you give some examples?
B. While listening
In this lecture, the speaker gives an overview of a few key concepts: “theft, appropriation,
property, and permanently deprive” relating to theft given in the Theft Act 1986. Listen and
fill NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS in EACH blank of each definition.
The offence of theft: “A person is (1)………………theft if he dishonestly (2)…………
property belonging to another with (3)……………………..permanently depriving the other of
it”
Appropriation: “Any (4)………………..by a person of the (5)..……….of an owner amounts
to an appropriation, and this (6)………….., where he has (7)…………..the property
(innocently or not) (8)…………………….it, any later assumption of a right to it by keeping or
(9)…………………………it as an owner.”
Property: “Property includes (10)……….…and all other property, (11)…………..…,
including (12)…………………
Permanently deprive: “This in effect means to (13)…………………..….as your own to (14)
………………..…, regardless of the other’s rights.”
Listen again and answer questions below:
1. What are a few of the most important offences the speaker mentions? Can you name?

2. What components of theft does the speaker mention in his lecture?

3. What does “actus reus” mean?

4. What does “mens rea” mean? Which defendant acting does the “mens rea” consist of?
 WEEK 3

Unit 3, Lesson 2, Exercise B (T.1.11)

Part 1

Taking better notes

Organizing Main Ideas and Supporting Details
There are two main purposes for taking lecture notes:
o To help a listener concentrate on the speaker’s presentation;

o To record information that the listener can review later.

Taking organized notes is very important, especially for the purpose of review. It can be
helpful to write the main topics on your left side of the page. Indent the main idea slightly to
the right, and then indent the supporting facts, details, and examples event farther to the right.
Look at example below:

Improving Memory
- Use written information
+ E.g. memos, calendars, …..
- Concentrate
+ think carefully about information you want to remember.

When you listen to the lecture, try to take organized notes.

Listening to the lecture
Before you listen
You will hear a lecture about ‘English courts’. Write the topic you think the speaker might
discuss.
1. ………………………………………………………………………………….
2. ………………………………………………………………………………….
Listening
A. Listen to the lecture and take notes.
B. Use your notes to answer these questions.
1. What’s the main topic of the lecture today?
2. What are the main ideas of the presentation?
 3. Use your notes and briefly summarize the lecture in your own words.
C. Further discussion: The speaker mentions ‘there is an overlap’. Where do you think may
overlap?

Unit 3, Lesson 2, Exercise C (T.1.12)

Part 2

Taking better notes: Organizing Main Ideas and Supporting Details

Topic Preview
You will hear the second part of the lecture. What information do you expect to be included?
1. ………………………………………………………………………………….
2. ………………………………………………………………………………….
3. ………………………………………………………………………………….
Vocabulary Preview
The boldfaced words below are from the lecture. Read the sentences below and the definitions.
Match each sentence with the correct definition of the boldfaced word.
....... 1. A TV programme highlights the problems of the unemployment in the country.
....... 2. He accused her of trespassing on his estate.
....... 3. The police prosecute the driver for exceeding the speed limit and dangerous driving.
....... 4. The injured party would seek an injunction preventing the company competitor from
marketing similar product.
....... 5. The government is alarming the increase in cases of indecent = improper , crude
assault, eg. rape.
....... 6. He was fined £200 for driving recklessly.
....... 7. The police apprehend the man in the act of stealing a car.
....... 8. He was accused of battery as hitting the other man to death with a hammer.
....... 9. He is the victim of his own success, because overwork has made him ill.
....... 10. He was accused of contempt of court because he behaved badly in the court
....... 11. Security guards are hired to protect the store against theft.

a) charge against somebody in a court of law.

b) entering somebody’s land or property without his permission or other authority.
c) court order compelling someone to stop doing something or not to do something.
d) draw special attention to something; emphasize.
e) sudden violent attack
f) crime or tort of using force against another person.
g) crime of stealing, taking of property belonging to someone else.
h) thoughtlessly the consequence or danger etc.
i) person, animal or thing that is injured, killed or destroyed as the result of carelessness,
crime or misfortune.
j) seize (sb); arrest (sb).
k) disregard of the court rules.
Listening for main ideas
A. Listen to the lecture and take notes using the technique of notes taking in part 1.
B. Use your notes. Put the topics in the order presented in the lecture. Number the topics
from 1 to 4. Compare your answers in small groups.
…... Crime defined as an intentional act, but might be unactionable in case of no way out.
…... Highlighting the differences between the types of court.
…... Assault an example of both a crime and a tort.
…... A tort is sued in a civil court, but someone is prosecuted only in a criminal court.
…... Within the jurisdiction of court.
Listening for details
A. Listen to the lecture again. Add details to your notes and correct any mistakes.
B. Use your notes to decide if the statements below are true or false. Write T (true) or F
(false). Correct the false statement.
....... 1. Trespassers will be prosecuted .
....... 2. Trespass is a crime.
....... 3. The court would normally order the trespassers to pay damages.
....... 4. If there was a breach of the injunction, the trespass case would be heard only in the
county courts.
....... 5. ‘Apprehend’ means to understand that something is very likely to happen.
....... 6. Battery is defined as the intentional or reckless application of force on another person.
....... 7. If you deliberately bump into someone in an extremely crowded street, that would not
be part of acceptable social interaction.
....... 8. Under the Theft Act 1978, Theft is defined as ‘dishonestly appropriating the property
of another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it’.
....... 9. If a taxi driver took the money amounted to far more than the actual fare from his
passenger, he would be convicted of theft.

Unit 3, Lesson 2, Exercise D (T1.13)

Part 3

You are going to hear a lecture from a law professor about cases brought before the civil and
criminal courts and how they are cited in those courts.
1. Before listening, we have to get to know some Latin words used therein.
- V or vs is the abbreviation of versus. In a civil case citation, versus is
said ‘and’.
- R is the abbreviation for the Crown (Regina for a Queen, Rex for a
King); v (Latin for versus) is said ‘against’ in a criminal case.
2. What are Latin words you have known? Make a list of those and their explanations
in English.
3. Listen to the lecture and answer the questions below.
a. Which cases are brought before the civil courts?
b. How are they cited in the courts?
c. What can the injured party be awarded by the court?
d. Which cases are brought before the criminal courts?
e. How are cases cited in the criminal courts?
f. What can the court do if the accused is found guilty?
g. What can make the distinction between a court and a tribunal?
 WEEK 4

Unit 1, Lesson 4, Exercise E (T.1.10)

Lecture 5
 WEEK 5

Unit 1, Exercise 3, Express series

Listen and complete Deborah Flynn’s written notes from the meeting:
Miya Osborne is currently running her import business as a sole trader and has 2 employees.
She has found a possible new property to use as a shop and wants to make an offer to buy it
immediately. Risk! We don’t know whether she will be allowed to change its use from an
…………….._a building to a shop. Need to find out more.
She’s financed the business up to now using the …………….. b
of the business and
some savings. She has 3 reasons for forming a company now:
1. To reward the loyalty of her 2 staff by giving them a ………………..c in the business
2. Also to reward them some time in the future by making them ………………d of the
company
3. The business needs to expand and there is a possible new ……………….. e who wants
shares in the business
She doesn’t want to borrow money from the bank because the bank will ask her to
…………………..f the loan personally and that will put her home at risk as the loan will be
secured on her house.
 WEEK 6:

Unit 3, Lesson 4, Exercise E (T.1.17)

Part 1

1. Before you listen, work in groups of three to discuss the questions:

a. What is trespass? Where can it be sued by the plaintiff?
b. Do you know what types of trespass there are?
c. What is assault? Can it be a tort and/or a crime?
d. What kind of court can assault be brought to? Under which circumstances?
2. Match the words (1-8) to the best definition (a - h).

1. Implied a) a person who makes a legal complaint against another party

through the courts

2. consent (n) b) to control or limit a person’s movements

3. Constrain c) permission or agreement to do something

4. Intentional d) an essential requirement

5. Reasonable e) the cause of harm to another person

6. Necessity f) based on fair and practical judgment

7. Plaintiff g) communication of something that is not expressed directly

8. Infliction h) where there is a plan or purpose

A. Listening
Listen and answer the questions.
1. What is the focus of the lecture?
2. How many types of trespass to the person are there?
3. Can you give a definition of each type of trespass to the person?

Unit 3, Lesson 4, Exercise E (T.1.17)

Part 2

A. Brainstorming
Make sure you understand these words. Discuss their meanings in groups of three and
then make some collocations with the words/phrases on the right.
1. Apprehension of s.th a) their clenched fist
2. Application of s.th b) of a third party
3. Intend to do s.th c) a violent act
 4. Shake s.th d) for battery
5. Intervention of s.b e) of unlawful force
6. Commit s.th f) a customer for quite a long time
7. Infliction of s.th g) to apply force
8. Amount to s.th h) of the application
9. Detain s.b i) of unlawful force
10. Liable for s.th j) to battery
B. Listening
1. Listen to the talk and try to put these actions under the correct category/type of
trespass to the person.
a. Committal of a violent act
b. Detaining s.b at a shop for quite a long period of time
c. Application of force to another person
d. Touching a person in anger
e. Deliberately pushing s.b out of the way to get to the train door
f. Shaking a fist at another person

Assault Batterry False imprisonment

2.Listen and fill in the missing words/phrases in the following sentences.

a. In strict legal language, assault is ________ the apprehension of the application of
unlawful force.
b. It has also been argued that ______ _______ can constitute an assault.
c. _________ __________ the infliction of unlawful force.
d. In theory, ________ touching a person in anger could constitute battery.
e. If you unintentionally touch someone on a crowded underground train, this is __________
to _______ ________ battery.
f. If a customer hasn’t paid for some goods in a shop, and the shopkeeper detains them for
quite a long period of time, this _______ ________ _______ false imprisonment.
C. Post-listening activity
Discuss with your group and decide which trespass to the person is possibly committed by
each of these actions.
a. Punching someone in the face
b. Locking someone up in a room
c. Performing a medical operation without the person consent
d. Using abusive language

Unit 3, Lesson 4, Exercise E (T.1.17)

Part 3

1. Before you listen

a. Use the given words and phrases to complete the chart about types of trespass below.

Trespass to a person Assault trespass to land battery

false imprisonment Trespass to property trespass to goods

TRESPASS

(1)……….. (2)………

(3)……….. (4)…………. (5)…………. (6)………… (7)……………

b. What are the defences to trespass to the person?

2. Listen and answer the questions
The speaker mentions 4 types of defences against trespass to the person: self-defence, lawful
arrest, consent and necessity. Listen for the first time and put them in the order that you hear.
Listen again and answer these questions
a. How can consent be expressed?
b. When is consent a valid defence in a contact sport?
c. When is consent NOT a valid defence in a contact sport?
d. What’s an example of lawful arrest?
e. What is self-defence?
f. When is self-defence NOT a valid defence against trespass?
g. In what cases is necessity often used as a line of defence?
h. What are the examples of necessity mentioned in the lecture?