15. Choose the right word.

a/ guilt, fault, blame

1. John’s attempt to shift the _____ onto his companion met no response.

2. His __________ are accepted as the necessary compliment to his merit.

3. The colonial system bears the ___________ for the present-day backwardness of some African states.

4. The boy is punished for the slightest __________

5. If anything had gone wrong, I would have had to take the ____________

6. The evidence against the accused was so incontrovertible that he had to admit his ____________

b/ jerk, shove, twitch

1. The boys_________ the chairs and tables from the centre of the room.

2. The train made a sudden____________ and stopped.

3. The dog's nose ____________ as it passed the butcher's shop.

4. A strong gust of wind ____________ the letter from the girl's hand.

5. Jane's face __________ with terror at the sight of the crazy woman.

Reading comprehension

Recalling

1. Where is the scene set?

2. What was Tom Robinson charged with?

3. Why did Judge Taylor appoint Atticus Finch to defend him?

4. In what way did Atticus Finch speak to the jury and why?

5. What did Atticus Finch say about the case?

6. What did Atticus Finch say about Mayella Ewell?

7. What did the girl do to get rid of her own guilt?

8. What were the witnesses for the state sure of when giving their testimony?

9. What was the evil assumption of the witnesses for the state?

10. What did Atticus Finch say about people not being created equal?

11. Why didn't Atticus Finch believe firmly in the integrity of their courts and in the jury system?

Interpreting and Evaluation

1. Make your specific interpretation of “first”.

2. Select some of the words or phrases which are slightly unexpected in the present context thus giving a personal character to the narration.

3. Point out details which add a dramatic flavor to the extract.

4. What was Atticus's aim?

5. Sum up your observations and say what peculiarities of the text testify to its belonging to oratorical style. What devices help the author keep the reader in the state of expectation?

6. List the words from the passage which belong particularly to the vocabulary of the lawyer.

7. Speak about the social background of juvenile delinquency and its role in contributing to the crime rate. Consider the following:

a/ Are juvenile offenders usually found among children from broken homes or large unhappy poor families?

b/ Is being unemployed an important enough reason to push somebody onto the path of crime?

c/ What would you say about disillusionment, loss of faith in the surrounding grown-up world as a possible reason for juvenile delinquency?

d/ Speak on the vital role of drug addiction and alcohol consumption in the growing crime rate in general and in juvenile delinquency in particular.

8. As you read the text below note down the functional phrases of attack and response:

Juror 1: It's a tough decision to make, isn't it? Don't you think that it's an awful responsibility to have the future of that lad in our hands? I feel so sorry for him, he's not yet 21.

Juror 2: Come off it! You can't be serious! He didn't just take the money, he also beat up the old lady. He's guilty, it's written all over his face. It's our social duty to keep our streets safe at night

Juror 3: I agree with your last statement, but surely you admit the evidence for convicting this young man is rather flimsy? Wouldn't you say that we need something more definite?

Juror 2: Ideally that's quite true, but there weren't any other witnesses. As I see it he had the motive, he has no alibi and the old lady recognized him...

Juror 1: Hang on a minute. I'd like to point out that she only thought she recognized him. Isn't it just possible that a scared old lady of 76 could have been mistaken?

Juror 2: Fair enough, but it's all we have to go on. All the fingers seem to point at him.

Juror 3: That may well be, but strong suspicion isn't enough to put someone away in prison. If you ask me, even if he is guilty, the shock of arrest and coming to trial will be enough to stop him making the same mistake again.

Juror 4: I see what you mean, but the punishment's not our problem. We're here only to decide whether he's guilty or not. And the point is he was carrying a knife when the police picked him up, wasn't he?

9. Complete each of the following conversations below by supplementing the appropriate tactics of attack of the first speaker:

1. ...

Possibly (may be so) I'd agree with you to a certain extent.

2. ...

I see your point.

3. ...

That may well be.

4. ...

I see what you mean, but...

10. Could we regard prostitution as a criminal offence? What could the evidence be?

Who could bear witness?

11. Do people have to distinguish between a moral and a criminal code?

Reproduction and Composition

1. Make up and act out the dialogues between:

• Atticus Finch and Judge Taylor before the trial.

• Atticus Finch and Judge Taylor after the trial.

• Scout and Jem discussing the trial

2. Discuss the following issues with other members of your group:

• If every act were dictated by an article of the Criminal Code rather than one’s consciousness and moral sense, human beings would become mere legal objects.

• Punishment is not an end in itself, but a means of restoring social justice. It’s a way for re-education .

• Should drug addiction entail legal prosecution?

• The reformatory function of imprisonment is little more than fiction?

3. Enact a role play "Trying a criminal case". Yon are the jury and must decide whether to acquit the accused or sentence them to a term of imprisonment (minimum 3 months / maximum life). Or could yon think of a more appropriate punishment?

Case 1. A driver while speeding hit a cyclist off her bike. She was badly injured and confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. The driver didnt't stop so he's charged with hit and run.

Case 2. The accused is a doctor who gave an overdose to an 87-year-old woman. She had a terminal illness, was in constant pain and had asked for the overdose. Her family are accusing the doctor of murder.

Case 3. A. and B. mug Mr X., take his money and leave him for dead. B. later returns alone and pushes the body in the river. An autopsy reveals that the man was still just alive when pushed in the water and subsequently drowned.

4. Comment on in written form ( not more than 200 words) the following expression:

‘The stricter the punishment, the lesser the crime rate’. Does it always true?