Passages adapted from Wikipedia (https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/death_penalty) Directions: Read and annotate the passage below then answer the questions on the next page. The Death Penalty The death penalty, also called capital punishment, is when a government or state executes (kills) someone, usually because they have done something wrong. Executions in most countries have become rarer in recent centuries. The death penalty is a disputed and controversial topic. About one third of the countries in the world have laws that allow the death penalty. [1] The United States, The People's Republic of China, Japan and Iran are examples of countries that have a death penalty. Canada, Australia, Mexico and all members of Council of Europe are examples of countries that have abolished the death penalty. It is common to have people executed for crimes like murder, but there are also other crimes that carry the death penalty. For example, in the U.S., if someone dies during a robbery, that is punishable by the death penalty. Controversy Some people think the death penalty is a good thing, and others think it is a bad thing. Many people on both sides of the argument have very strong feelings. One side says the death penalty is good because it scares people away from doing things that could get them killed, the other side says there's a potential of executing an innocent man; one says justice, retribution, and punishment; the other side says that execution is murder. Most people know the threat of crime to their lives, but the question lies in the methods and action that should be used to deal with it. Throughout human history, governments and rulers have used many death penalty methods to execute people, such as crucifixion, flaying, and hanging. Some methods like crucifixion and flaying are no longer used by governments, because people think that these methods of killing are too cruel. The gas chamber was found unconstitutional in the United States (that is: against the United States constitution not allowing "cruel and unusual punishments") and is no longer used. The Council of Europe has abolished all death penalty by 13th amendment of the European Convention on Human Rights. Amnesty International oppose all death penalty on ground of the right to life and prohibition of all tortures or any cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment insisted by Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (turn over--keep reading!)
Forms of Execution The following forms of execution are in use today: Electric chair: The prisoner is killed by a strong source of electricity attached to their head and leg. Lethal injection: The prisoner is poisoned with a mix of chemicals that are put into their body. Some countries use chemicals that cause controversy. Firing squad: Some people shoot the prisoner with rifles. Firing squads are often used as the death penalty for soldiers during wars. One or more of those firing may have false ammunition that does not kill to make sure that nobody can brag with a decisive shot. Firing squad is traditional military execution, and often deserters, traitors and spies are shot. Hanging: The prisoner has a rope tied around their neck. They are then dropped from a height. They die because their neck is broken or through choking (asphyxiation), if the drop is too small or knot was badly made. If the drop is too long or the prisoner too heavy, the result may be their head being torn off. Japan, India and former British colonies use hanging. Strangulation, by hand or by garrote. The garrote was the principal device for capital punishment in Spain for hundreds of years. Originally, the convict was killed by hitting him with a club (garrote in Spanish). This later developed into putting a loop of rope placed around the neck. A wooden stick was placed in the loop, and rotated to tighten the rope until the condemned person was strangled to death. Stoning: Stones are thrown at the prisoner until they die. Stoning is still used in some Middle Eastern countries. Decapitation: The victim has his or her head cut off with a sharp blade, such as sword, axe or guillotine. This was the traditional means of execution in Central Europe and many other places. Decapitation is also called beheading. Decapitation still used today in some Middle Eastern countries. 1. What is capital punishment? 2. Why do some support capital punishment? Why do some oppose it?
3. What is your opinion of capital punishment? Why? Classwork 4.24: Some of Us Had Been Threatening Our Friend Colby Directions: After finishing the story, answer the questions below in complete sentences. 1. Write a 2-3 sentence summary of this story. 2a. Circle three words that make this quote ironic: We told him kindly that the expense didn t matter, that we were after all his dear friends and if a group of his dear friends couldn t get together and do the thing with a little bit of eclat, why, what was the world coming to? 2b. Explain how the quote in #2a is ironic. _ 3. How does Colby feel about the story s events? Annotate two pieces of evidence to support your answer, and label them #3 on your text.
_ 4. What is the author satirizing in this story? What is his message about that topic or idea? Returned ELA Given Date: April 5, 2016 Due Date: April 5, 2016 1a. Read the following sentences. Name_ Date Homeroom TTL 4.24 Some of us had been threatening our friend Colby for a long time, because of the way he had been behaving. And now he d gone too far, so we decided to hang him How do these sentences set the tone for the story? a. They create an earnest tone that fully recognizes the severity of the story s events. b. They create an apprehensive tone that reveals the author s uncertainty about the fate of the character of Colby. c. They create a sarcastic tone that mocks the use of the death penalty as punishment. d. They create a consoling tone that seeks to comfort the reader despite the story s content. 1b. Which other piece of evidence below supports the tone in 1a?
a. We asked him what sort of music he would like played at the hanging. He said he d think about it but it would take him a while to decide. (167) b. The next item of business was the gibbet. (168) c. Victor said he liked the idea of doing it outdoors, possibly on the bank of a river, but noted that we would have to hold it some distance from the city, which presented the problem of getting the guests, musicians, etc. to the site and then back to town. (169) d. At this point, everybody looked at Harry, who runs a car-and-truck-rental business. (169) 2a. Based on this short story, what is the author s view of the death penalty? a. The death penalty is best carried out by the person s loved ones. b. The death penalty should be considered carefully to ensure the person s comfort. c. The death penalty is just as cruel as the original crime committed by the person being executed. d. The death penalty should only be used in extreme cases. (Turn over) 2b. Which three details best support your answer to #2a? a. Some of us had been threatening our friend Colby for a long time, because of the way he had been behaving. 167) b. Colby asked if he would be able to have drinks, too, before the event. We said, Certainly. (168) c. At this point, everybody looked at Harry, who runs a car-and-truck-rental business. (169) d. Colby said that everybody went too far, sometimes, and weren t we being a little Draconian? (169) e. Tomas, who is quite modern in outlook and not afraid of innovation, proposed that Colby be standing on a large round rubber ball This would afford a sufficient drop and would also roll out of the way if Colby suddenly changed his mind after jumping off. (170) f. Colby began looking a little green, and I didn t blame him, because there is something extremely distasteful in thinking about being hanged with wire instead of a rope it gives you a sort of revulsion, when you think about it. (170)