Read the composition on the advantages and disadvantages of imprisonment as a form of punishment. Fill in each gap with one of the following words or phrases.

For centuries imprisonment has been one of the main means of punishing a criminal in different countries. (1)____________, there is growing evidence that prison is not always the best solution to the problems of crime that people face. Several scientific studies have shown that prison is not nearly as beneficial to society as it might be imagined. (2)_____________, alongside advantages there are disadvantages to imprisonment as a form of punishment.

There are some positive sides of imprisonment as a form of punishment. (3)_____________, prison is a social defence against anti-social people. In short, it keeps people safe. (4)_________, prison punishes wrongdoers through their loss of freedom. (5)_____________, it teaches convicts the error of their ways, so that when they are released, they can enter back into daily life as law-abiding citizens.

(6)___________, there are certain drawbacks to sending people to prison. (7)______________, the terrible conditions in most prisons mean that imprisoned criminals rarely receive a positive education. Rather, they spend their time inside with other prisoners who can teach them the tricks of their trade. (8)_____________, when they are released, it is very difficult for them to find a job, so they often feel that they have no choice but to reoffend. It is the only thing they know. (9)___________ the truth is that they are more likely to commit crimes again when they are released than if they had not been sent to prison in the first place.

(10)______________, it can be seen that as a form of punishment imprisonment has both positive and negative sides. (11)______________, it isolates criminals from society and punishes them by depriving them of freedom. (12)____________, it converts inmates into productive members of society. (13)_____________, prison tends to provide criminals with a negative education and does not offer the opportunities to start a new life.

/Adapted from Use of English: Skills for First Certificate. Malcolm Mann, Steve Taylore-Knowles/

3. Give each of the paragraphs one of the following headings: Conclusion, Introduction, Advantages, Disadvantages.

Work with your partner and compare the arguments in the essay with those you put forward before you read.

Write an essay discussing the advantages and disadvantages of providing prisoners with education and training.

Reading 2

1. Pre-reading task

1. First look at the photograph, and discuss these questions: What are the people doing? Where are they? What do their signs mean?

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1631