Главная страница

Just_English_2 часть. Just English. Английский для юристов 43


Скачать 1.96 Mb.
НазваниеJust English. Английский для юристов 43
АнкорJust_English_2 часть.doc
Дата02.05.2017
Размер1.96 Mb.
Формат файлаdoc
Имя файлаJust_English_2 часть.doc
ТипДокументы
#6435
страница3 из 20
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   ...   20

Chapter II. Crime and Punishment


Just English. Английский для юристов

59

58


TASK 6. What is your personal understanding of the following famous statements? Make a list of examples from history to illustrate these statements. Use the words and expressions from Task 5 to support the following opposite points of view:

логических' преступников: предателей, шпионов, террористов. Смертная казнь для такого рода преступников — меньшее из двух зол.

TASK 4. Answer the following questions:

  1. Why was capital punishment imposed so frequently in ancient
    societies?

  2. Why were blacks punished more severely than whites in early
    American colonies?

  3. When did European thinkers begin considering the
    alternatives to death penalty?

  4. How have the attitudes towards capital punishment changed
    in Britain since the abolition of death penalty in 1965?

  5. Is imprisonment effective for revolutionaries and terrorists?
    Why?

  6. How have Americans treated the problem of death penalty?

  7. What factors may hamper fair administration of justice in
    capital cases?

TASK 5. Continue the table below with the following words and expressions describing polar views. The first few are done for you:

FOR

AGAINST

proponent to argue in favour of smth.

opponent to argue against smth.

to consent to smth.

to contradict to smth.

to deny smth.

to disagree with smth.

to object to smth.

to oppose smth.

to reject smth.

con

defender

pro

supporter

to accept smth.

to admit smth.

to agree to/with smth.

to confirm smth.





FOR




AGAINST

1

. "An eye for an eye and a

1

"An eye for an eye and




tooth for a tooth!" — We




a tooth for a tooth!" — This




should admit this Biblical




is a cruel pre-Christian spirit




principle. It is eternal!....




of revenge. We are civilized










now — let's give it up and










be humane!....

2

"Let the punishment fit the

2.

"Let the punishment fit the




crime." — Those who steal




crime." — We can not accept




should be deprived of their




fixed punishments for crimes.




property those who kill




Circumstances should be




should be deprived of their




taken into account.




own lives!....







3

"The pain of the penalty

3.







should outweigh only slightly










the pleasure of success in










crime."










J. Bentham







4.




4.

"It is much more prudent










to acquit two persons, though










actually guilty, than to pass a










sentence of condemnation on










one that is virtuous and










innocent."










Voltaire

5.

"The primary purpose of the

5.







punishment which society










inflicts is to redress the










disorder caused by the










offence."










Pope John Paul II







6.




6.

"An evil deed is not










redeemed by an evil deed




<




of retaliation."










С S. King

7.

"Whosoever sheds man's

7.







blood, by man shall his blood










be shed."







60

Just English. Английский для юристов

Chapter II. Crime and Punishment

61


DISCUSSION

Describe the current attitudes to the following problems using the expressions from Task 5. Make up no fewer than 5 sentences.

International terrorism

Environment

Artificial intelligence

Drugs

Political correctness

Just for Fun

Murder is always a mistake... One should never do anything that one cannot talk about after dinner.

Oscar Wilde

A man sentenced to death was being taken to the execution

place in very nasty weather.

"What lousy weather", he remarked.

"You are not the one to grumble", commented one of the escort.

"We've got yet to go back".

UNIT 8. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT: FOR AND AGAINST

Perhaps all criminals should be required to carry cards which read: "Fragile: Handle With Care". It will never do, these days, to go around referring to criminals as violent thugs. You must refer to them politely as 'social misfits'. The professional killer who wouldn't think twice about'using his cosh or crowbar to batter some harmless old lady to death in order to rob her of her meagre life-savings must never be given a dose of his own medicine. He is in

need of 'hospital treatment'. According to his misguided defenders, society is to blame. A wicked society breeds evil — or so the argument goes. When you listen to this kind of talk, it makes you wonder why we aren't, all criminals. We have done away with the absurdly harsh laws of the nineteenth century and this is only right. But surely enough is enough. The most senseless piece of criminal legislation in Britain and a number of other countries has been the suspension of capital punishment.

The violent criminal has become a kind of hero-figure in our time. He is glorified on the screen; he is pursued by the press and paid vast sums of money for his 'memoirs'. Newspapers which specialise in crime-reporting enjoy enormous circulations and the publishers of trashy cops and robbers stories or 'murder mysteries' have never had it so good. When you read about the achievements of the great train robbers, it makes you wonder whether you are reading about some glorious resistance movement. The hardened criminal is cuddled and cosseted by the sociologists on the one hand and adored as a hero by the masses on the other. It's no wonder he is a privileged person who expects and receives VIP treatment wherever he goes.



Capital punishment used to be a major deterrent. It made the violent robber think twice before pulling the trigger. It gave the cold-blooded poisoner something to ponder about while he was shaking up or serving his arsenic cocktail. It prevented unarmed policemen from being mowed down while pursuing their duty by killers armed with automatic weapons. Above all, it protected the most vulnerable members of society, young children, from brutal sex-maniacs. It is horrifying to think that the criminal can literally get away with murder. We all know that 'life sentence' does not mean what it says. After ten years or so of 'good conduct', the most desperate villain is free to return to society where he will live very comfortably, thank you, on the proceeds of his crime, or he will go on committing offences until he is caught again. People are always willing to hold liberal views at the expense of others. It's always fashionable to pose as the defender of the under-dog, so long as you, personally, remain unaffected. Did the defenders of crime, one

62

Just English. Английский для юристов

Chapter II. Crime and Punishment

63


wonders, in their desire for fair-play, consult the victims before they suspended capital punishment? Hardly. You see, they couldn't, because all the victims were dead.

TASK 1. Explain the meaning of the following words and expressions: i

a brutal sex-maniac

• to batter

a cold-blooded poisoner

• to breed evil

a desperate villain

• to cosset

a hardened criminal

• to cuddle

a professional killer

• to deter criminals

'a social misfit'

• to do away with

a train robber

• to get away with murder

a violent criminal

• to go on committing

a violent robber

offences

a violent thug

• to mow down




• to pull the trigger




• to rob




• to think twice

TASK 2. Study the following key phrases from the text above. Reproduce the text using these key phrases:

  1. Criminals should carry cards: "Fragile: Handle With Care".

  2. We mustn't refer to them as thugs, but as social misfits.

  1. Killer who murders old lady for savings needs 'hospital
    treatment'.

  2. "Society is to blame" argument — why aren't we all
    criminals?

  1. We have done away with absurdly harsh laws: that's enough.

  2. Suspension of capital punishment: senseless.

  3. Violent criminal: a hero figure.

  4. Glorified on screen and by press.

  5. Great demand for crime stories.




  1. Train robbers: a glorious resistance movement?

  2. Cuddled by sociologists, adored by masses, the criminal is
    a privileged person.

  3. He expects and receives VIP treatment.

  4. Capital punishment was once a major deterrent.

  5. It protected unarmed policemen, young children.

  6. Now the criminal can get away with murder.




  1. 'Life sentence': ten years of 'good conduct' and then
    freedom to live on the proceeds of crime.

  2. People hold liberal views at the expense of others.

  3. Were victims consulted before suspension of capital
    punishment? No: they were dead.

TASK 3. Follow the statements given in Task 2. Provide counter­arguments to each statement. Compare your list with those of other students.

TASK 4. Read the text below and write down the main ideas in Russian paying special attention to the words and expressions in bold type. Translate them into English. Use the vocabulary from the Unit to render the text into English:

Пришло время отменить смертную казнь. С каждым годом это становится все более очевидным. Опыт всех стран показыва­ет, что смертная казнь приводит к ожесточению в обществе. В ряде стран смертные приговоры применяются в основном к представителям неимущих слоев населения либо расовых или этнических меньшинств.
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   ...   20


написать администратору сайта