C. Judges in Great Britain

TASK 1. Before listening to the tape, read the following text and answer the questions.

In Britain, the vast majority of judges J (that is, the people who decide what should be done with people who commit crimes) are unpaid. They are called "Magistrates", or "Justices of the Peace" (JPs). / They are ordinary citizens >ho are selected not because they have any legal training but^because they have "sound common sense" and understand their fellow^Kuman befogs. They give up time voluntarily.

A small proportion of judges are not

Magistrates. They are called "High Court Judges" and they deal with the most serious crimes, such as those for which the criminal might be sent to prison for гагяге than a year. High Court Judges, unlike Magistrates, are paid зашпезо^ the State and have eonsiderable legal training.

Magistrates are selected by special committees in every town and district. Nobody, not even the Magistrates themselves, knows, who is on the special committee in their area. The committee tries to*araw\lviagistrates from as wide a variety of professions and social classes as possible. ,

i ^J On this tape, a Magistrate describes the sort of people who come before

him, gives examples of a few typical cases and finally talks about the difficulty of deciding between when to help a person and when to punish him.

1 . What kind of people are Magistrates?

2. Why are they selected?

3. Who would judge a person who had committed a crime like murder?

4. Who selects Magistrates and what is 'unusual about'the system?

5. What does the Magistrate on the tape talk about?

TASK 2. Listen to Part 1 of the tape.

Magistrate talks about the sort of people who come before him.

TASK 3. Match each word or expression on the left with the correct definition on the right.

a) inadequate 1. the main impression

b) punishment 2. not to have enough sympathy

c) overwhelming impression 3. treat too softly d)insufficiently concerned with 4. inadequacies

e) shortcomings 5. the prison sentence or fine given to a

criminal

f) molly - coddle 6. used for people who somehow lack

the necessary intelligence or maturity to make a success of their lives TASK 4. Answer the questions.

1. What word does the Magistrate use to describe most of the people who come before him?

2. How, according to him, do they react to situations?

3. What does he think most of them need?

4. What sort of things does the public say about criminals?

5. What sort of people has the public sympathy for?

6. What sort of people has the public not enough sympathy for?

TASK 5. Work in pairs. Discuss the following.

"Criminals should be punished." How do you feel about that?

TASK 6. Listen to Part 2 of the tape.

The Magistrate describes a serious case he had recently, in which it was difficult to decide what to do.

TASK 7. Match each -word or expression on the left -with the correct definition on the right.

a) forgery

b) post office savings book

c) put on probation

d) old age pensioner

e) seriously in debt

f) a fine

1. punishment in the form of money you have to pay the Court

2. owing other people a lot of money

3. an old person receiving a pension (money from the State )

4. allowed to remain free but only under supervision

5. signing a check or some other document with another person's name

6. many people have a post office savings account. They put sums of money in the post office. When they want to take money out, they take this small book to the post office with them

TASK 8. Answer the questions.

1. What exactly had the woman done? Give details?

2. What do you learn about the woman herself?

3. He could have sent her to prison or fined her. Did he?

4. What finally happened to the woman?

5. What were the reasons for this?

TASK 9. Discuss the following.

Do you agree or disagree with what the Magistrate did? Give your reasons.

TASK 10. Combine the folio-wing pairs of sentences into one according to the model.

MODEL: We had a case. A woman stole a post office savings book. We had a case of a. woman -who stole a post office savings book.

a) We had a case. Someone attacked a man.

b) I remember having a case. Three men broke into a house.

c) I've never had a case. A man robbed a bank.

d) A colleague had a case. A young boy took a motor cycle.

TASK 11. Listen to part 3 of the tape.

The Magistrate describes two less serious cases. In both of them, it was easier to decide what to do.

TASK 12. Match each word or expression on the left with the definition on the right.

1. being found guilty of anything before

2. she had planned what she was going to do

3. something that makes you feel pity

4. to be mixed up, unclear about what you aredoing or what is happening

e) she had set out on a deliberate 5. to be accused by the police in court expedition

a) charged with

b) pathetic

c) confused

d) previous convictions

TASK 13. Answer the questions. ^r

1. The two women were both the same in one way. In what way?

2. How does the Magistrate describe the first woman?

3. What exactly does he say about "sleeping pills" in her case?

4. What did he with her and why?

5. What was different about the second woman?

6. What happened to her?

TASK 14 Discuss the following.

1. "There is no definite proof about the sleeping pills and the first woman. The Magistrate would have been right to send her to prison". Discuss it.

2. Why was it easier to decide what to do with the second woman? '

TASK 15. 1. Make the sentences containing reported questions according to the model.

MODEL: How many had she taken? Nobody knew. Nobody knew how many she'd taken.

a) How confused was she? It's difficult to say.

b) When had she last had a pill? We couldn't find out.

c) Where had she got the pills? The doctor didn't know.

d) How many things had she stolen? The police couldn't say.

e) How much were the things worth? Nobody asked.

2. Make sentences containing the ing-form according to the model.

MODEL: There was no question of confusion of mind.(fming her) There was no question of fining her.

a) sending her to prison

b) putting her on probation

c) being to soft

d) not punishing her somehow

e) not knowing what she was doing

TASK 16. Listen to part 4 of the tape.

The Magistrate says why he gives help in some cases and punishment in others.

TASK 17. Explain the meaning of the expressions.

a) to feel desperate;

b) on the other hand.

TASK 18. Answer the questions.

1. Why does the Magistrate feel desperate sometimes?

2. What does he have to consider when he sees that someone needs help?

3. What would happen if some people were left free?

4. What does he say would happen if people were never punished?

TASK 19. Discuss the following.

From what the Magistrate has said throughout the tape, do you think he is too "soft", too "hard" or what? Why?

TASK 20. 1. Make sentences containing reported questions according to the model.

MODEL: It depends. How anti-social has their action been? It depends how anti-social their action has been.

a) It depends. What did he do?

b) You must consider. How much has a man done?

c) It all depends. How many times has a criminal been in prison?

d) I always consider. What is his background?

e) It depends. How serious is the crime?

2. Make conditional sentences according to the model. MODEL: People must be punished. If people were not punished crime would increase. Discipline must be taught. If discipline weren't taught, crime would increase.

a) Things like this must be done.

b) The law must be enforced.

c) Fines must be given.

d) People must be sent to prison.

e) Magistrates must be firm.

TASK 21. Read the text and answer the questions.

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 1567