Are you in favor of or against the death penalty?




Jeannie (United States): The death penalty1? I don't believe in the death penalty because for me it's always a thing2 of, you know, who gets who gets to judge3 who gets to live or die. Even if4 the person being5 killed is being killed because they killed someone, I still don't go for that6, eye-for-an-eye7 type thing.

Kate (New Zealand): No, I don't believe in the death penalty. I don't believe in killing8. In fact9, I think if someone deserves10 the death penalty, actually11 instead of getting12 a death penalty they should13 serve time in jail14 and have to face15 society and feel the humility16. If they don't, if they serve the death penalty, they will not feel the shame and will not realize the consequences.

Nitya (India): I believe in the death penalty because I think rape17 and terrorism are some crimes which are totally so disgusting18 towards the human race19 and that's, I don't think it encouraged by20 anyone21 in the whole22 world, and everyone wants peace so I think, yeah there are some reasons why23 the death penalty should be there24.

Joel (America): The death penalty? That's a tough25 one because I think the death penalty is a good deterrent26. It would definitely stop me from doing27 certain crimes if I knew that I was going to be killed28 if I did them, but the problem with it is, is that you can never be sure29 if the person actually30 did it, so if we convict31 someone and then kill him and later find out31 that the person actually didn't do the crime, then I think that's a tragedy.

Steve (England): I'm against33 the death penalty, for, well, the main reason34 I'm against it, is that there's always35 an element of doubt36. You never know if someone really did murder37 someone, or. well, murder is usually the main reason for the death penalty, so there's always an element of doubt. You can never be quite sure38, so I think there's always a risk, and you shouldn't39 kill someone.

Marion (Ireland): I think that's a really difficult question if the death penalty should be in place40. Most of the time, I think that I'm against the death penalty, but then, you know, you read stories in the newspaper, especially about children being killed41, particularly cruel ways42 of ending people's lives, and then sometimes, I get so angry43 that I think, yeah, just kill that person because they deserve44 it, but really, when I calm down45, I don't believe in the death penalty.


Vocabulary

1.     death penalty = Pena de morte
2.     thing = coisa
3.     who gets to judge = quem vem a ser o juiz
4.     Even if = mesmo que
5.     Being = sendo
6.     don't go for that = “não concordo com isso”
7.     eye-for-an-eye = olho por olho
8.     Killing = assassinato
9.     In fact = na verdade
10. Deserves = merece
11. Actually = na verdade
12. instead of getting = ao invés de receber
13. should = deveria
14. jail = cadeia
15. face = enfrentar
16. feel the humility = sentir a humilhação
17. rape = estupro
18. disgusting = repugnante
19. towards the human race = para a raça humana
20. encouraged by = encorajado por
21. anyone = qualquer um
22. whole = inteiro
23. reasons why = razões pelas quais
24. should be there = deveria existir
25. tough = dificil, duro
26. deterrent= fator de intimidação
27. stop me from doing = impedir-me de fazer
28. I knew that I was going to be killed = se eu soubesse que seria morto
29. you can never be sure = você nunca pode ter certeza
30. actually = realmente
31. convict = condenar
32. find out= descobrir
33. against = contra
34. main reason = razão principal
35. there's always  = há sempre
36. doubt = dúvida
37. murder = matar
38. quite sure = totalmente certo
39. shouldn't = não deveria
40. be in place = estar em vigor
41. children being killed = crianças sendo mortas
42. particularly cruel ways = de formas particularmente cruéis
43. I get so angry = Eu fico com tanta raiva
44. Deserve = merecem
45. calm down = acalmar-se