VOA常速英语2007-Private Investigators, Once All Males, Now Chang

By Ernest Leong
Washington
09 October 2007
 

"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean."  That is how U.S. mystery writer Raymond Chandler once described the American detective.  He took it for granted the investigator¹ was a man.  But more and more it is a female, not a male detective, who is solving the case. Recent surveys show 15 percent of all private investigators² in the U.S. are women.  VOA's Ernest Leong has more on the increasing number of women in this male-dominated occupation.

A mysterious woman, the "femme fatale," tells the detective a story that may or may not be true.  Men in trench³ coats and fedoras [brimmed hats] follow each other on dark, crowded streets.  A typical Hollywood private eye movie, but Hollywood's depiction⁴ of men and women in the detective films is very different from real life.

Joan Beach owns a private investigation⁵ firm.  A grandmother and former adult probation⁶ officer, she is a far cry from the square-jawed men who portray⁷ "hard-boiled" detectives in film.  Still, Beach says she feels a common bond with her male counterparts. "They [the male private investigators] were entrepreneurs, they were risk takers.  They were aggressive.  And I'm a risk taker.  I look on investigations⁸ as a puzzle.  Let me put the pieces together.  Let me solve something."

A growing number of women share Beach's desire to solve mysteries.  Michelle Platt, whose father was a CIA counterintelligence officer, is one of them.  Platt, who does undercover work, asked not to be photographed for this interview. "I think I was born with it in my DNA," she says. "Because I've always been into mysteries.  I've always been someone that was able to figure things out quickly."

Bill Stollhans, president of the Private Investigators Association of Virginia, says being a private investigator is rewarding and fulfilling work, with appeal to both genders⁹. "There's a lot of self-satisfaction, because you're a people-oriented person.  You're dealing¹⁰ with people.  And you're getting results to further some goal."

Work in this field involves collaboration¹¹, especially in surveillance.  Platt, who offers surveillance-training courses to the intelligence community, frequently works with retired¹² government agents. "They [former agents] were chiefs of station.  They were case officers overseas at a time when we were combating the Russians in the Cold War.  And they have a true ability to understand exactly what is threatening our country and our companies in the post-9/11 era," says Platt.

In one surveillance exercise, Platt's father, Jack¹³, is going to pass some papers to an accomplice¹⁴.  Platt's team will follow her father, nicknamed the "Rabbit" for this operation.  Their job is to observe his movements without being discovered.

Platt follows behind, and directs her surveillance team via walkie-talkie.  "Good copy.  That's probably coming towards you, Ron.  Gene¹⁵, you have the eye."

"The art of a good investigator is one that is able to take their own biases¹⁶, opinions and emotions out of it, and assess a situation, an individual, a circumstance for what it is, and get down to the heart of the matter.  I think women especially excel at this role," says Platt.

The suspect stops at a clock store, and tries to determine whether or not he is being followed. 

Platt must decide whether to risk exposure, and send an agent to watch him in the store. "Good copy, good copy.  Okay, that's going to be into the clock shop.  Gene, I'm going to need you to intrude¹⁷ in there?  Copy?  Give it one mic."  Gene:  "Gene, copy, one mic.  I'll intrude in the clock shop.  Going off air now."

Jack Platt explains the situation. "So when a target goes into a store, for example, if the target is surveillance conscious, he or she [the agent] probably shouldn't have the wind up until about a minute or two after they're in the store.  Because it's going to take a surveillance team that long to make its mind up whether to cover that or not."

Next, the target visits the post office -- again, to make sure he is not being followed.  He proceeds down the back stairs and up the street to the rendezvous¹⁸.  Although not seen, Platt is nearby, constantly directing, to ensure at least one agent has the suspect under surveillance.

The "Rabbit's" exchange with his confederate takes only a second -- but an agent down the road observes it all. "Package exchange.  Gray hair, gray suit, balding in the back."

For men and women, undercover work can be dangerous.  Platt says such risks are necessary in order to get results. "If you don't take risks, if you're not willing to have some moxie and give it a shot, then you're not going to get the information you're after.  You're not going to get to the individual you're after."

In the movies, the femme fatale is ultimately brought to justice.  In the real world, more women are joining the ranks of those who make sure that justice is done.

1 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

2 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 trench   

n./v.(挖)沟，(挖)战壕

参考例句：

• The soldiers recaptured their trench.兵士夺回了战壕。
• The troops received orders to trench the outpost.部队接到命令在前哨周围筑壕加强防卫。

4 depiction   

n.描述

参考例句：

• Double rhythms, resounding through the lyric depiction and connecting with each other, indicate the thespian place of mankind and the cognition of the writer to this thespian place. 这双重旋律互为表里，表明了人类的某种悲剧性处境以及作家对这种悲剧性处境的感受和认识。
• A realistic depiction of scenes from everyday domestic life. 日常家居生活的写实画。

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 probation   

n.缓刑(期)，(以观后效的)察看；试用(期)

参考例句：

• The judge did not jail the young man,but put him on probation for a year.法官没有把那个年轻人关进监狱，而且将他缓刑察看一年。
• His salary was raised by 800 yuan after his probation.试用期满以后，他的工资增加了800元。

7 portray   

v.描写，描述；画(人物、景象等)

参考例句：

• It is difficult to portray feelings in words.感情很难用言语来描写。
• Can you portray the best and worst aspects of this job?您能描述一下这份工作最好与最坏的方面吗？

8 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

9 genders   

n.性某些语言的（阳性、阴性和中性，不同的性有不同的词尾等）( gender的名词复数 )；性别；某些语言的（名词、代词和形容词）性的区分

参考例句：

• There are three genders in German: masculine, feminine and neuter. 德语中有叁性：阳性、阴性和中性。 来自辞典例句
• Japan was fourth among the genders of foreign students. 日本在二十个留美学生输送地中列第四位。 来自互联网

10 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

11 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

12 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

13 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

14 accomplice   

n.从犯，帮凶，同谋

参考例句：

• She was her husband's accomplice in murdering a rich old man.她是她丈夫谋杀一个老富翁的帮凶。
• He is suspected as an accomplice of the murder.他涉嫌为这次凶杀案的同谋。

15 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

16 biases   

偏见( bias的名词复数 )； 偏爱； 特殊能力； 斜纹

参考例句：

• Stereotypes represent designer or researcher biases and assumptions, rather than factual data. 它代表设计师或者研究者的偏见和假设，而不是实际的数据。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• The net effect of biases on international comparisons is easily summarized. 偏差对国际比较的基本影响容易概括。

17 intrude   

vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰

参考例句：

• I do not want to intrude if you are busy.如果你忙我就不打扰你了。
• I don't want to intrude on your meeting.我不想打扰你们的会议。

18 rendezvous   

n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇

参考例句：

• She made the rendezvous with only minutes to spare.她还差几分钟时才来赴约。
• I have a rendezvous with Peter at a restaurant on the harbour.我和彼得在海港的一个餐馆有个约会。