A Better Way to Learn English from the Video Game

正逢Steam的夏季促销，我入正了《黑色洛城》，第一部在纽约翠贝卡电影节上展出的游戏作品。这款被各大媒体评为高分9.3分的侦探大作由澳洲游戏制作公司Team Bondi与世界知名游戏商Rockstar Games合作开发，并由Rockstar Games发行。
At the summer sale on Steam, I got L.A. Noire, the first video game being presented on Tribeca Film Festival, which’s rating 9.3 by media. The game is a neo-noir detective action-adventure video game developed by Team Bondi and published by the world-renowned Rockstar Games.

黑色洛城完美还原了1947年的洛杉矶，以黑色电影拟真的视觉风格，为大家带来了动作冒险侦探故事。玩家则操控一位洛杉矶警察Cole Phelps去解决一系列错综复杂的案件，找寻大量蛛丝马迹，跟随线索找到答案，甚至审问嫌犯。通过嫌犯的回答、语气及表情来判断说的是真话还是假话，任何线索及审问的答复都将对案情有很大的影响。
The game is set in Los Angeles in 1947 and challenges the player, controlling a LAPD officer Cole Phelps, to solve a range of cases across five divisions. Players must investigate crime scenes for clues, follow up leads, and interrogate suspects, and the player’s success at these activities will impact how much of each case’s story is revealed. When interrogating witnesses and suspects, players have the option to believe them, doubt them, or accuse them of lying.

为了让审讯更为真实，黑色洛城还使用了Lightsprint的实时全景光照技术，以及运用了Depth Analysis专为电影与电视游戏业开发的最新MotionScan技术，即通过32台环绕摄像机捕捉演员面部各个角度的细微动态。
In order to make the interrogation up a notch, L.A. Noire is also notable for using Lightsprint’s real-time global illumination technology, as well as Depth Analysis’s newly developed technology for the film and video game industries called MotionScan, where actors are recorded by 32 surrounding cameras to capture facial expressions from every angle.

阅读到这儿，各位肯定是迫不及待想一睹为快了吧，小编我录制了一小段破案的情节，并附上了自己的图文解说供学习，大家可以用它来锻炼英语听力和阅读，以此增加词汇量。
Right now, you guys might be really wanna check this game out. I’ve recorded one of the cases I’ve been through to share my DEMO with you to boost your listening & reading comprehension, to enlarge your vocabulary.

无WIFI环境，可以看下方我的图文解说：
If you are burning your data, enjoy the image story below:

案发地点：P.E.货运站
Location: P.E. Freight Depot
11:02 AM

此次案件名为《驾驶员的座位》，我与搭档驱车前往案发现场。在场的警员告知有位报警者，让我调查完事发地点后，赶紧回来问话，因为目击者已经等的不耐烦了。
In this case The Driver’s Seat, my partner and I drive at the crime scene. The officer inform us that there’s a witness who phoned in finding the abandoned vehicle could be P.O.I. So, I head to the scene first to search for the clues and then get back to him before he get restless.

线索A：一个皮包，一副眼镜
Clue A: A Purse, A Pair of Glasses
皮包内可得知车主的信息，车主为Adrian Black，男，32岁，已婚。而眼镜则了解到品牌为STENZEL，旧款，胶带缠住了损坏的地方。
In the purse, we could know the car owner’s name, or Adrian Black who was a 32-year-old married guy. And a pair of glasses shows us the old one that fixed by tape in brand STENZEL.

线索B：血迹斑斑的管道
Clue B: A Bloody Pipe
上面的品牌名INSTAHEAT，或许与什么相关联。
A brand name INSTAHEAT might link to something.

线索C：遗弃的车，后备箱内的收据
Clue C: An Abandoned Vehicle, A Receipt
根据法医的鉴定，被害人受伤严重，流血过多，导致车内全是血迹
According to the doctor, he assumes that the victim might be in a bad way and lost lots of blood. That’s why the car was full of blood.

从收据来看，可得知车主在一位名叫F.Morgan的人那里购买了一头活猪。
Regarding the receipt, I could know the car owner purchased a live hog, which leads to a guy name F. Morgan.

至此，我们收集齐了这些零零散散的线索，是时候询问那位报警者Nate Wilkey了。
We’ve got all the clues and it’s time to ask about Nate Wilkey, the witness who reported witness at the crime scene.

问题1：你到这里去的目的何在？
The first question I inquired: Purpose at Scene
Nate解释道，作为一名铁路工人打算抄近道给火车换轨，殊不知发现这案发现场。
Nate explains that he who works for railway tried to take a shortcut to make a switch.

观察了他的语气和表情，以及打扮没有理由是在说谎，所以我认为他回答的是真话。我继续问道：是否看到现场有其他人在，或者躲在车后？他说：“一天都没见个人影，直到你们出现了。”
Judging by his tone, expression, and dressing, there’s no way saying that he tells the lie. So I go head asking about if he saw someone or maybe behind the car. “Nope, I haven’t seen a soul all day until you guys turned up.” he replied.

问题2：是否认识Adrian Black？
Question 2: Knowledge of Adian Black
他说并不相识，回答得快速又坦然自若，感觉像是真话。我追问是否见过这辆车。他说见过，有几天晚上就停在对面停车场。
His quick reply and calmness make him that tell the truth, I guess. Then I asked if he’d seen the car before. He said he did. A couple of nights ago it was over there in the parking lot.

问题3：车旁的钱包，你到场时有无看到里面有什么？
Question 3: Contents of Wallet
他随即否认，还反过来说我诬告，眼睛却漏出马脚，下意识的往左往右看，又不敢直视我，显然有问题。
He quickly denies, saying I accuse him of sth. However, his eyes sell him out by looking left and right instead of looking me right into the eyes, which’s I doubt it.

所以，我说：“要不要让巡警按住你，然后我们把你的口袋翻个底朝天？”这下把他吓住了，随即坦言：“可能我是翻过了，但不意味着我要偷什么，再说里面也没有钱。”
So I asked: “Do you want the patrolman to hold you down while we turn out your pockets?” That makes him confess that he may be checked inside the wallet. Not that he was going to steal anything. But there’s no money in there.

问题4：我们在车旁发现一根沾满血迹的管道，这件事你知情吗？
Question 4: Bloodstained Pipe Found
他说没有，一看到血迹斑斑的车就立马报警了。在这种情况下，我想一般很难说假话，为此我继续追问：“当你第一时间看到的时候，血迹是否还未干？鲜红色？还是现在的深色？” 深色，而且已经干了。”他回复道。
He said that he went straight for the law as he saw the car was full of blood. I think he’s telling the truth since no one would lie about it at that horrible moment. Then I go on the question by asking the color and the status of the blood when he saw it. “Darker, I’d say. Looked dry already.” He added.

至此询问结束，并提示我所有的猜测全对。接下来，通知受害人家属，于是我和搭档立刻奔赴他家。
From now on, that’s the end of the inquiry. And it says that all my intuitions are correct. Well, it’s time for me to inform the victim’s wife. So we head over to his home.

地点：受害人住处
Location: Black Residence
11:10 AM

向受害人家属告知其噩耗后，我趁势询问是否知道INSTAHEAT这一品牌。受害人妻子哽咽的回忆道：“知道，因为我们刚新装了这一品牌的热水器。”我立刻问其安装在何处，她说就在屋子的另一侧，厨房窗外。我随即起身查看，同时安抚对方并让她回忆昨晚所发生的事情。
As I notify the wife about the tragedy, I continue to ask whether she knows the INSTAHEAT or not. “Yes, it does. We just had a new water heater installed.” she replied, her voice choked. I ask the whereabouts, she tells me that the water heater was outside the kitchen window at the side of the house. So, I get up to take a look around, leaving her to calm down and gather thoughts.

在这儿，我找到了6条关键线索，如下：
The following are the six key clues I’ve found here:

线索1：眼镜盒
Clue1: Glasses Case
品牌与案发现场的眼镜相吻合。
The brand name match with the pairs at the crime scene.

线索2：隐藏的信息。
Clue2: Concealed Message
第一间卧室放着他妻子的照片，而第二间卧室却搁着受害人的照片，两人可能分床睡，夫妻之间或许有着什么矛盾。翻开受害人照片的背面，打开来发现写着对受害人的思念语句，而署名则是另外一位女性Nicole，可以隐约推测其矛盾缘由。
I found his wife’s photo in one bedroom, and her husband’s photo in another bedroom, indicating that they might sleep separately. And when I turn over the victim’s photo, I find there’s a love note signed by another lady Nicole, which she might be the fuse that causes the problem.

线索3：前往西雅图的一张火车票
Clue3: A Train Ticket to Seattle
一个旅行箱也已缺失，显然受害者准备离开，并较为匆忙，因为票都没拿。
And one of the suitcases was missing. The victim probably tries to leave in a hurry for he’s left the ticket behind.

线索4：Cavanagh火柴盒
Clue4: Cavanagh’s matchbook
将其展开，得知其源自一家酒吧，遂通过接线员提供了地址。屋子里有多处该火柴盒的身影，所以可推测受害者经常光顾那里。
There are many matchbooks of this kind in the house that showed the victim went to this bar lots of times. So I call the operator to get the address.

线索5：一张传单和一张收据
Clue5: A Flyer & A Receipt
从InstaHeat热水器的收据来看，暗示最近才安装好，可能也就2天前不到的时间。
InstaHeat Receipt represents the recent purchase not two days ago.

线索6：热水器
Clue6: Water heater
现场一片狼藉。之前他妻子说新装好，显然有人拆除了。通过重组，发现了缺失的一根管道正是案发现场那根沾满血迹的管子，可以猜测凶手比较熟。
Mrs. Black told us the water heater was newly installed. And now, it’s all the mess. Having been reinstalled the pipes, I find out the missing one was the one with blood on it at the crime scene, which means the murder is near.

现在受害人家属情绪已稳定了下来，于是乎，我开始向她了解情况。
The victim’s wife is all right now, so I head back and start the investigation.

问题1：是否知道您丈夫车的后备箱内有一张收据？上面写明他买了一只活猪。
Question 1: Slaughterhouse Receipt
她对此感到惊讶，寻思过后，认为她丈夫可能和Frank Morgan在一起，因为她丈夫是作工具生意的。但买只活猪，实在不可理喻。在这里，没有足够理由她在说谎，为此我选择说的是真话。
She’s surprised at first. After reconsidering it, she thought her husband went out with Frank Morgan for her husband runs a tools business. As for buying a live hog, she has no idea what’s really going on. In this one, I go for the TRUTH, no way indicate she’s lying.

问题2：昨晚离开前，您的丈夫是否佩戴着Stenzel牌的眼镜？
Question 2: Stenzel Glasses Case
她回答道：“是的，他刚新买了一副。我一直想让他把旧款扔掉，但他持意不肯，反而用胶带把坏的地方黏起来了，样子看起来糟糕透了。”显然在这个问题上也无需弄虚作假，所以我选择“真话”。
She replied: “Yes, he just bought the new pair. I kept telling him to throw the old one away, but he tries to repair them with tapes. It looks terrible.” This answer is apparently telling the truth.

问题3：您丈夫有无告知昨晚他的行踪？
Question 3: Location of Adrian Black
她告诉我，她丈夫只说约了Frank喝酒。我认为她说的是真话，于是我继续追问她丈夫有无反常的举动。她回忆道：“他那天下班回家很早，平时没这么早回来。而且，出门也特早，他平日7点左右才离开酒吧。”
She tells me that her husband only informs her that he went out for a drink with Frank. Since she tells the truth, I go on asking about anything unusual around her husband. She said: “Well, he came home early from work. He never comes home so early. And he went out early, too. He normally never leaves for the bar till about 7.”

问题4：能否解释下卧室里，您丈夫的照片？
Question 4: Photograph Signed ‘Nicole’
她说这是一张他最近去西雅图出差的照片。在此答复中，显然有着几分不自在，眼睛看着别处，说话像是在酝酿，尤其那“出差”一词突然音调提高。而之前我已发现照片后的字条，知道在说谎。为此我以字条为证，立马揭穿：“ Nicole，这个女人是不是您丈夫离开的原因？”她点头吐露真言：“作为女人有那种直觉，虽然他不知道，但我见过那照片，早就心理有数。不管他是否真得要离我而去，还是短期的一时糊涂，天知道，我只求他现在安好。”
She said it’s from his most recent business trip to Seattle. In this one, her tone changes as she answers the question. Especially, the word “Business” in a high pitch and the eyes are looking somewhere, which makes her suddenly feel uncomfortable. I know she’s lying, cuz I’ve already read the note behind the photo. So I pop the question: “What about Nicole, Mrs. Black? Was your husband leaving for her?” “I’ve seen that photo frame. He thinks I’m stupid. But women sense these things. I don’t know if he did to leave me or it was just a fling. God only knows. I only want to know that he’s safe,” she confesses with a nod.

问题5：您丈夫是不是经常去Cavanagh酒吧？
Question 5: Cavanagh’s Bar Matchbook
她一脸诧异，承认道下班后他常去那儿光顾。只有这几天，因去西雅图出差就没去那。这里可以看出说的是真话，因为之前在卧室找到过那张火车票。
There’s the surprise written on her face. She admits that he practically lives there after work. Up till recently, he’s been on a business trip to Seattle. From this one, I know she’s telling the truth for I found the train ticket as proof.

问题6：你有不在场的证明吗？
Question 6: Alibi for Mrs. Black
很遗憾没人可以证明。因为，那时就她一人在家苦苦等待着她丈夫回家。对此，从她的表情和语气中透露了一股无奈和心酸，所以是真话。
It’s a shame that no one could vouch for her. Cuz, she was alone at home all night waiting for her husband to come home. Judging by her tone and expressions with sadness, the truth is the correct intuition for me.

审问完毕，所有猜测均正确，各位感觉如何？是不是着实过了把侦探的瘾，接下来则是访问Cavanagh酒吧，这就让你们自个儿脑洞大开吧。
Right now, I complete this investigation, and all the intuitions are correct. Next stop will be Cavanagh bar, I’ll leave that to your imaginations.

在这城市化的枯燥生活，我给大家加点乐趣，期望该游戏演示，能提升你们对于英文学习的热情，另外颠覆你们对于游戏的理解，其实玩游戏也是一种学习方式，一种独特的拾取知识的途径。
In this boring routine life, I add some fun on it. Hope this demo could spark a love for English learning. And to let you guys know the new thing about playing games. The game somehow is another way of learning, a unique method to gain knowledge.

游戏演示/撰写/编译：BubbleSwan
Demo/ Writings/ Translations by BubbleSwan

Click here to read more: L.A. NOIRE: A Better Way to Learn English from the Video Game