The story of Marta

Marta had two jobs, one while her children were in school and one after the youngest had gone to bed. Unable to afford childcare, she left her 16-year-old daughter Gabriella in charge of the younger children when she went to work in the evening. What Marta didn’t know was that Gabriella had started sneaking out of the house after her younger brothers and sisters were asleep. During her nighttime outings, Gabriella had discovered a world of gangs, drugs and older men. None of these were ever told her mother, of course, until Gabriella got picked up by the police one evening for violating curfew. The detention center to which she was taken was stuffed by police and counselors specially trained to deal with teens in trouble, and they were able to help Gabriella and her mother create a plan for keeping all of Marta’s children safe. Had a curfew law not existed, Marta may never have discovered her daughter’s secret trips until after a disaster had occurred.

1. Determine whether this story is narrated by a curfew supporter or a curfew attacker. Substantiate your view.

2. Fill in the table writing pros and cons of curfew. Compare the results with your partner’s. Compare what you have more – pros or cons.

Curfew
pros	cons

3. Express your attitude to curfew as a necessary means of protecting teenagers in an increasingly violent way. Say whether your parents imposed curfew in your family and whether it was effective.

7. Each of the words in bold is in the wrong sentence. Write the correct word.

You’ve been Framed!

The most incredible arrest happened to me yesterday. I was walking home from school when I saw a thief on the ground full of money. I picked it up, and was just about to take it to the policestation to hand it in, when a police wallet jumped out and told me I was under police forstealing. I tried to explain the situation but he wouldn’t thing down. ”I won’t let you get away with this,” he said. “You’re a officer; and thieves have to be punished.” He begged me and drove me to the police station, where he took down my name and address. Istarted crying, and handcuffed him to let me off, again trying to explain that I wasn’tgoing to keep the money. Suddenly, my best friend Adrian and a TV presenter came in and the taken officer started laughing. It was a practical joke for a TV show, and I’d been completely back in!

7. Complete the sentences using the necessary prepositions.

1. Despite the many trials and appeals that people who are accused … a crime go …, the judges and the juries are human beings and can make mistakes. 2. Michael was indicted … a charge … theft. 3. The seniorstudent was accused and convicted … raping and murdering a nine-year-old girl. 4.He gave analibi… the night of the murder, which made the police doubt if he was really guilty … the crime he was indicted… .5. Charles Bloom was ordered to die … lethal injection. 6. The attorney … defence discovered an FBI report that cast doubt … his client’s conviction. 7. He was freed in 1993 after nine years … death row. 8. If his lawyer had not been so persistent, poor Jack would have been put … death as an innocent man.9. How many juvenile were wrongly convicted … capital crimes?10. Two of ten juveniles were sentenced … death but only one was executed. 11.They charged him … arson and manslaughter. 12.The jury found the minor guilty … vandalism and malicious hooliganism.13. I don’t think he deserves to be indicted … a capital charge. 14. That boy was a real trial … his parents. That’s why no one was surprised when the boy was put … trial. 15.She testified … her brother’s trial.

7. Put each of the following words from the box into its correct place in the passage below. Each word may be used only once.

a)

sentencing leader literally row

consistent execution condemned cases

provisions delays executions time

executed experienced pastime retain

juvenile offenders persons penalty