Transcript crime - TeacherWeb

Mystery Terms
alibi
• An excuse that an accused
person uses to show he/she was
somewhere else than at the
scene of a crime.
The police found many holes in his alibi.
breakthrough
• an advancement or discovery that helps
solve a crime
Finding her number on his cell phone
records was a huge breakthrough.
clue
•a fact or object that helps solve a crime
The kitten’s syrupy paw print on the window was an important clue.
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crime
• an act committed in violation
of the law
Benedict Arnold was accused of the crime of treason.
deduce
•to infer by logical reasoningi
By examining the clues, I can deduce the name of the culprit.
detective
• person who investigates crimes and gathers
information
Joe Friday is a famous detective from the show Dragnet.
evidence
•Something such as a witness statement or
object that helpstsolve a crime.
The slashed football was entered as evidence of the fight.
flashback
• an interruption in the plot to
tell what happened earlier
A good mystery reader will use flashback to his advantage.
foreshadowing
•using clues to suggest what will happen later in
the plot
Good foreshadowing can create a mood of fear and anxiety.
hunch
• a guess or feeling not based
on known fact
When I saw the muddy tracks, I had a hunch Susan was inside.
motive
•an inner drive that causes a person to do
something or act in a certain way
Getting an extra holiday was his motive for doing well on the science test.
mystery
• something that is secret
or unknown
How the glass shattered with no one around is a
mystery to me!
plot
•the arrangements of
incidents in a story
I had a difficult time following the plot of “The Tell-Tale Heart” because
the narrator was insane.
purloin
• to steal or filch
My cat purloined the guppy from the fishbowl.
red herring
•something used to divert attention
from the basic issue
We need to plan a red herring so we can get out of the room without being
noticed!
setting
• time and place of a story
The setting of “The Tell-Tale Heart” instantly foreshadows mystery
.
sleuth
•another name for a detective
Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes is a famous
British sleuth.
suspect
• one thought to be guilty of
committing a crime
Siegfried was the primary suspect in the case of the missing tissue box.
suspense
•anxiety or apprehension resulting from
mysterious, undecided, uncertain circumstances.
Jonas experienced great suspense at the Ceremony of Twelve.
victim
• one who is harmed or suffers a
loss
It is most distressing when a child is the victim of a crime.
witness
•one who saw or can give first-hand
information about something
Were you an witness to that event, or did you just hear about it?