Date: Nov 17, 2007
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Audio: 1:58 - 460.5KB - 32kbps
Online Test: Recreate the text in this online test.
A United Nations committee has voted for an immediate worldwide freeze on the use of the death penalty. A total of 99 countries voted in favor of a suspension of capital punishment, while 52 opposed the proposal and the remaining 33 nations did not vote. Those who campaigned against the death penalty said the abolition would "contribute to the enhancement and progressive development of human rights." They said capital punishment has not been a deterrent for crimes and many innocent people are still put to death by mistake. British ambassador to the UN Sir John Sawers said the vote showed that international opinion has changed in the past decade: "We now have a global coalition and I think it's an important sign that the death penalty is increasingly unpopular and is seen as unreliable," he said.
The vote followed two days of heated and at times bad-tempered discussions. Singapore, the USA, China, Syria and Libya were among those wanting to keep the death penalty. Singapore’s ambassador Vanu Gopala Menon was very vocal in his support of it. He was angry at the European Union because it voted for a ban on capital punishment. He accused the EU of improperly linking the death penalty with human rights and said it was imposing its “values” on the rest of the world. He blasted the EU for trying “to force through a resolution that a significant number of other countries do not agree with.” He argued that countries have a “right to determine the legal measures and penalties which are appropriate for their societies, including the death penalty for the most serious crimes”.
1. PUNISHMENT: Walk around the class and talk to other students about different kinds of punishments. Change partners often. After you finish, sit with your original partner(s) and share what you found out.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.
committees / voting / the death penalty / human rights / global coalitions / heated discussions / ambassadors / being vocal / imposing one’s values
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. TWO-MINUTE DEBATES: Debate these arguments about the death penalty with a partner for just two minutes. Change partners often. Student A agrees with the first argument, Student B, the second.
a. All killing is wrong. Vs. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
b. It saves taxpayers’ money. Vs. No price can be put on human life.
c. The death penalty stops crime. Vs. Murders happen with or without it.
d. The death penalty goes against human rights. Vs. So does multiple murder.
e. Mistakes are made. Innocent people die. Vs. No system is perfect.
f. The death penalty gives society the message that killing is OK. Vs. No way.
g. It provides closure for victims’ families. Vs. That’s a poor reason to kill someone.
h. Life in prison is better. Vs. Life in prison means life watching TV, reading and chatting.
4. DEATH PENALTY METHODS: In pairs / groups, talk about the following methods of capital punishment that are used around the world. What are the worst things about each method?
5. DEATH PENALTY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the death penalty. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. QUICK DEBATE: Students A think the death penalty should be banned worldwide; Students B think individual countries should be able to decide whether or not to have the death penalty. Debate this with your partners. Change partners often.
1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):
The UN has banned the use of the death penalty around the world.
33 countries voted against the abolition of the death penalty.
Many countries believe the death penalty does not deter crime.
International opinion towards the death penalty has changed.
The discussions at the UN were, in general, good-natured.
Singapore’s ambassador spoke strongly in favor of abolition.
Singapore’s ambassador was very angry with the European Union.
The ambassador said countries needed to decide for themselves.
2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:
3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):
an immediate worldwide freeze on
deterrent for crimes
in favor of a suspension
through a resolution
the enhancement and progressive
of capital punishment
capital punishment has not been a
We now have a global
with human rights
heated and at times
development of human rights
Menon was very vocal
improperly linking the death penalty
measures and penalties
He blasted the EU for trying to force
the use of the death penalty
a right to determine the legal
GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.
A United Nations committee has voted for an __________ worldwide freeze on the use of the death penalty. A total of 99 countries voted in __________ of a suspension of capital punishment, while 52 opposed the proposal and the remaining 33 nations did not vote. Those who campaigned __________ the death penalty said the abolition would "__________ to the enhancement and progressive development of human rights." They said capital punishment has not been a deterrent for __________ and many innocent people are still __________ to death by mistake. British ambassador to the UN Sir John Sawers said the vote showed that international opinion has changed in the past decade: "We now have a __________ coalition and I think it's an important sign that the death penalty is increasingly unpopular and is seen as __________," he said.
global
favor
contribute
unreliable
immediate
put
against
crimes
The vote followed two days of __________ and at times bad-tempered discussions. Singapore, the USA, China, Syria and Libya were __________ those wanting to keep the death penalty. Singapore’s ambassador Vanu Gopala Menon was very __________ in his support of it. He was angry at the European Union because it voted for a ban on capital punishment. He accused the EU of improperly __________ the death penalty with human rights and said it was imposing its “values” on the rest of the world. He __________ the EU for trying “to __________ through a resolution that a significant number of other countries do not agree with.” He argued that countries have a “right to __________ the legal measures and penalties which are appropriate for their __________, including the death penalty for the most serious crimes”.
societies among
blasted
force
linking
heated
determine
vocal
A United Nations committee has voted ________________ worldwide freeze on the use of the death penalty. A total of 99 countries ________________ suspension of capital punishment, while 52 ________________ and the remaining 33 nations did not vote. Those who campaigned against the death penalty said ________________ "contribute to the enhancement and progressive development of human rights." They said capital punishment has not _____________________ crimes and many innocent people are still put to death by mistake. British ambassador to the UN Sir John Sawers said the vote showed that international opinion has changed ________________: "We now have a global coalition and I think it's an important sign that the death penalty is increasingly unpopular and ________________," he said.
The vote followed two days of _____________________ bad-tempered discussions. Singapore, the USA, China, Syria and Libya were among those ___________________ death penalty. Singapore’s ambassador Vanu Gopala Menon was very vocal in his support of it. He was angry at the European Union because ________________ on capital punishment. He accused the EU of improperly linking the death penalty with human rights and said it was ___________________ on the rest of the world. He blasted the EU for trying “to force through a resolution that a significant number of other countries do not agree with.” He argued that countries ________________ determine the legal measures and penalties which are appropriate for their societies, including the death penalty ________________ crimes”.
1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘death’ and ‘penalty’.
2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.
3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?
4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.
5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:
Write five GOOD questions about the death penalty in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.
When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.