Units 4-5

Topic for discussion: Laws of Babylon. The First Laws.

Grammar: Pronoun.Verb. Simple Tenses (Present Simple, Past Simple, Future Simple)

Ex.1 Read the following text and translate into Ukrainian:

The Birth of Law

Rules and laws – and the conventions or customs from which they are descended – have been a part of human life ever since our ancestors first began to live in large and settled groups. But our knowledge is vague of laws that were in effect before the invention of writing in about 3500 B.C. The earliest known legal text was written by Ur-Nammu, a king of the Mesopotamian city of Ur, in about 2100 B.C. It dealt largely with compensation for bodily injuries, and with the penalties for witchcraft and runaway slaves.

Ex2 Find in the text the words that mean the following:

• the use of magic power, especially with the aid of evil spirits;

• a punishment imposed for a violation of law or rule;

• an accepted social custom or practice;

• payment for damage or loss, restitution;

• one form whom a person is descended;

• harm or damage done or suffered.

Ex.3 Answer the following questions:

1. Why is it difficult to judge about the earliest laws?

2. Where and why did the first laws appear?

3. What issues did the early laws emphasise? Why?

Ex. 4 Read the text “The first laws: Laws of Babylon. The birth of law.

(13, C.8-13) and translate it into Ukrainian.

Laws of Babylon

One of the most detailed ancient legal codes was drawn up in about 1758 B.C. by Hammurabi, a king of Babylonia. The entire code, consisting of 282 paragraphs, was carved into a great stone pillar, which was set up in a temple to the Babylonian god Marduk so that it could be read by every citizen.

The pillar, lost for centuries after the fall of Babylon in the 16^th century B.C., was rediscovered by a French archaeologist in 1901 amid the ruins of the Persian city of Susa. Hammurabi’s words were still legible. The pillar is now in the Louvre museum in Paris.

The laws laid down by Hammurabi were more extensive than any that had gone before. They covered crime, divorce and marriage, the rights of slave owners and slaves, the settlement of debts, inheritance and property contracts; there were even regulations about taxes and the prices of goods.

Punishments under the code were often harsh. The cruel principle of revenge was observed: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, which meant that criminals had to receive as punishment precisely those injuries and damages they had inflicted upon their victims. Not only murderers but also thieves and false accusers faced the death penalty. And a child who hit his father could expect to lose the hand that struck the blow. The code outlawed private blood feuds and banned the tradition by which a man could kidnap and keep the woman he wanted for his bride. In addition, the new laws took account of the circumstances of the offender as well as of the offence. So a lower-ranking citizen who lost a civil case would be fined less than an aristocrat in the same position – though he would also be awarded less if he won.

Nevertheless, Hammurabi’s laws represented an advance on earlier tribal customs, because the penalty could not be harder than the crime.

Ex.5 Complete the sentences:

1. One of the most detailed ancient legal codes was drawn up…

2. The entire code of Hammurabi was carved into …

3. The pillar was set up…

4. It was rediscovered …

5. The pillar is now…

6. The laws laid down by Hammurabi were more extensive than…

Ex. 6 Translate into Ukranian:

1. The pillar was rediscovered by a French archeologist in 1901 amid the ruins of the Persian city of Susa.

2. There were even regulations about taxes and prices of goods.

3. A child who hit his father could expect to lose the hand that struck the blow.

4. Hammurabi’s code banned the tradition by which a man could kidnap and keep the woman he wanted for his bride.

5. Hammurabi’s laws took account of the circumstances of the offender as well as of the offence.

Ex.7 Translate into English:

1. Повний кодекс, що складається з 282 статей, був висічений на величезній камяній колоні.

2. Колона була встановлена у храмі вавилонського бога Мардука для того, щоб кожен громадянин міг прочитати кодекс.

3. Закони Хамурапі стосувались злочинів, розлучення і шлюбу, прав рабів та рабовласників.

4. Покарання по кодексу були завжди жорстокими.

5. Дотримувався жорстокий принцип помсти.

6. Не лише вбивці, але і злодії та наклепники засуджувались до смертної кари.

Ex.8 Agree or disagree:

1. One of the most detailed legal codes was drawn up by Ur-Nammu, a king of the Mesopotamian city of Ur.

2. The entire code of Hammurabi consisted of 292 paragraphes.

3. The pillar was rediscovered by a French archeologist in 1801.

4. Hammurabi’s words were still legible.

5. The pillar is now in the Louvre museum in Paris.

6. Under Hammurabi’s code not only murderers but also thieves and robbers faced the death penalty.

Ex. 9 Match the words from A with the words in B to make up word-combinations:

1. legal, stone, legible, slave, property, harsh, cruel, false, death, blood, lower-ranking, civil, tribal.

2. Citizen, accusers, principle, case, customs, feuds, case, pillar, owner, words, contracts, punishment, penalty.

Ex.10 Answer the following questions:

1. Why is it difficult to judge about the earliest laws?

2. Where and why did the first laws appear?

3. What issues did the early laws emphasise? Why?

Ex. 11 Put into the plural, pay attention to the form of demonstrative pronouns:

1. This is our application form.

2. That is my case.

3. That is a criminal.

4. This is our teacher.

5. That is a department of the Procurator’s Office.

6. Is that a new bank?

7. Is this a good investigator?

Ex.12 Replace the nouns in the Objective case by possessive pronouns:

1. This woman’s name is Mary.

2. That man’s suitcase is so big!

3. The student’s knowledge is poor.

4. The mouse’s tail is long.

5. Our professor’s advice is useful.

6. Our friends’ dream is to become prosecutors.

Ex. 13 Say that people do something themselves, using reflexive pronouns:

Example: I usually prepare my law reports ….- I usually prepare my law reports myself.

1. The chief inspector went to Kyiv…

2. The prisoners built the bridge …

3. The Professor performed the operation…

4. This investigator usually types documents…

5. Irene makes an expert examination …