Lethal injection

The convict is strapped down to a table, arms stretched out in a cross. An attendant inserts an intravenous (IV) tube, similar to those used for anesthesia during surgery, into the convict’s arm. From behind the window, an officer presses a button that releases a deadly dose of barbiturates through the IV. The convict falls into a deep sleep, his heart rate and breathing slow and, within minutes, stop.

Gas chamber

The convict is strapped into a chair in an airtight room. From outside the room, an attendant causes sodium cyanide pellets to be dropped into a bucket of acid located beneath the convict’s chair. The fumes cause death within ten minutes.

Hanging

The convict has a hood placed over his head and has his hands bound behind the back. He is led to a platform and a noose is placed over his head. The attendant causes the platform beneath the convict’s feet to fall away quickly. The force of the drop snaps the spinal cord. Death occurs within seconds. A common form of execution in the 19^th and early 20^th century, hanging is legal in only 3 states today.

Electrocution

The convict is strapped into a wooden chair, a helmet is placed on his head and the helmet is strapped to a brace behind the chair. Electrodes are attached to the head and one leg. The warden flips a switch causing five amperes of current at 2,000 volts to flow into the body. The electricity interferes with brain and nerve function and causes death within three minutes.

Firing Squad

The convict has a hood placed over the head and is made to stand against a concrete wall. On command, a dozen shooters take aim and fire several rounds into the convict. Depending on the number of bullets and their placement, death may be instant or take several minutes. Once a common form of military execution, the firing squad is legal in one state today.

√ Conduct debates on topic “Capital punishment should exist”.

Useful-to-know activity. Study properly word-combinations and compose sentences of your own.

Criminal

1. * at large – преступник, находящийся на свободе;

2. * behavior – преступное поведение;

3. * capacity – преступные наклонности;

4. * conversation (connexion) – прелюбодеяние;

5. * design – преступный замысел;

Listening activity.

Before you listen, think about the death penalty. Does it exist in your country? What sorts of crimes are usually considered serious enough for the death penalty?

√ Listen to the message and answer the questions:

1. What is the key problem of the interview?

2. What does Michael Swarovski cite in his interview?

3. What’s his opinion concerning the role of death penalty?

4. How many years would you have to spend in prison if you stole $500 and if you killed a clerk?

5. Is it possible for a killer to change? What comparison does he suggest?

6. What do prisoners feel like being on a life sentence?

7. How much money is it necessary to keep a killer in prison a year?

√ What do these numbers on the tape refer to?

32 500 2 20 100,000 3 million

√ The courts are sometimes make mistakes, and innocent people are found guilty. Is this an important point in the argument whether to have or not to have death penalty.

√ You are writing a screenplay for a film about a murder. Write a dialogue between a man who is going to be executed tomorrow, and a priest who is visiting him.

Activity18 Put each word into its correct place