5-minute listening: Who killed Lord Black?

Or play on your own below to test your understanding:

1. What do participants need to do at a Mystery Murder event?
A. escape from a crime scene
B. solve a crime
C. plan a murder
D. prove murder suspects are innocent

2. In what time period do Mystery Murder Evenings take place?
A. Victorian era
B. French Revolution
C. Great Depression
D. during World War II

3. Which word has the opposite meaning to “fictional” in the podcast?
A. unreal
B. imaginary
C. actual
D. fabricated

4. How many people will be joining Wai-man for the event?
A. nine
B. 11
C. 10
D. 12

5. How would participants know which character they will be playing?
A. They get to choose their own characters.
B. They will need to draw names to decide their characters.
C. They will be assigned by the company.
D. none of the above

6. What sort of information will guests receive via email before the event?
A. future events organised by Mystery Murder
B. directions on how to get to the event venue
C. the clothes they need to wear to the event
D. information about the character they are playing

7. What is the preferred dress code for Mystery Murder Evenings?
A. casual wear
B. business attire
C. tuxedoes and evening gowns
D. outfits provided by the company

8. Where do Mystery Murder Evenings events take place?
A. in a ballroom
B. in a mansion
C. inside a restaurant
D. at the company’s headquarters

9. If you “keep an eye on things”, you …
A. hide them in a secret place
B. help to solve a problem
C. make sure everything goes well
D. try not to get distracted

10. What does Carey mean when she says that guests need to introduce themselves “in character”?
A. They speak and behave as they normally would.
B. They behave just like the person they are impersonating.
C. They do and say things in a suspicious manner.
D. all of the above

11. Where does the plot of “Who Killed Lord Black?” take place?
A. Lord Black’s office
B. in a garden
C. Lord Black’s home
D. in an undisclosed location

12. At what point during dinner is Lord Black killed?
A. at the very beginning
B. during the starter
C. about 20 minutes in
D. while guests are about to start the last course

13. Why wouldn’t the guests actually witness Lord Black’s murder?
A. because the room is in total darkness when it happens
B. because they are all too busy eating and talking
C. because the murder happens in another location
D. because they are all blindfolded

14. Which famous character from 221B Baker Street is featured in “Who Killed Lord Black?”
A. Dr John Watson
B. Sherlock Holmes
C. Irene Adler
D. Professor Moriarty

15. What information can Wai-man find on Mystery Murder’s website?
A. the dates and times that are available for booking
B. how much each Mystery Murder event costs
C. feedback about previous Mystery Murder events
D. all of the above

1. B
2. A
3. C
4. B
5. C
6. D
7. D
8. A
9. C
10. B
11. C
12. D
13. A
14. B
15. D

Carey: Good morning, thanks for calling Mystery Murder. This is Carey speaking. How may I assist you?

Wai-man: Hi Carey, my name is Wai-man and I would like to find out more about your company’s Mystery Murder Evenings.

Carey: Sure! We specialise in themed events where participants dress up to match an era or a genre. They then work together to solve a murder which takes place during the party. The Mystery Murder Evenings specials feature famous fictional characters and plots set during the Victorian era.

Wai-man: Oh, that sounds cool. My classmates and I are planning to celebrate the end of exams and I think Mystery Murder Evenings would be perfect for this. There are 12 of us. What do we get if we book with you?

Carey: A dozen is a good number of people for one of our Mystery Murder Evenings. Each guest will be assigned a character to play and everyone will receive an email with detailed notes about their character’s profile, background and personality a week before the event. These should be kept secret and should not be shared with the rest of the party. We will also provide costumes for each character, and participants are encouraged to wear them. The actual event will start in the evening, with a private dinner in the ballroom at one of our partner hotels.

Wai-man: Right. Will anyone from your company be present at the event?

Carey: Yes. At least one of our staff members will play one of the characters in the game, depending on the theme selected. They will help keep an eye on things and keep the plot unfolding.

Wai-man: I see. And which theme would you suggest we go for?

Carey: As there are 12 of you, I would highly recommend our most popular game, ‘Who Killed Lord Black?’. It is a classic that never fails to entertain. Here’s a summary: Guests sit down to dinner at the residence of English aristocrat Lord Black. Before dinner is served, the guests introduce themselves in character. The evening progresses uneventfully and then everyone is having a great time. Just as dessert is about to be served. Just as dessert is about to be served, the lights go down and the dining room is plunged into darkness. There is a loud scream. The lights go up and Lord Black is slumped over the table with a dagger plunged into his back. You begin to realise the night has just begun.

Wai-man: Woah! That sounds exciting!

Carey: Indeed! And if you’re a fan of the Victorian era, you’d be pleased to know Sherlock Holmes, the famous detective at 221B Baker Street, is one of the characters in the story. Holmes, Lord Black, and the different guests at the dinner party will be played by you and your friends.

Wai-man: I really hope I’ll get to play the part of Holmes! Either way, I’m sure all that would be great fun.

Carey: I’m sure you’ll have a whale of a time. If you’d like to find out more about this theme, you can check out the reviews on our website, together with the available timeslots and price list for the various mystery murder events. And just to let you know, if you are thinking about booking ‘Who Killed Lord Black?’ within the next two months, I would suggest you do so as soon as possible. This is a very busy time of year for us and a lot of the dates are already sold out.

Wai-man: Thanks for letting me know! How do I go about making a booking?

Carey: You can either call us at this number or make a reservation online. Is there anything else I can help you with today?

Wai-man: I’m good for now. Thanks, Carey! You’ve been really helpful.

Carey: You’re most welcome!