HOMEWORK – SESSION 16

Section 1 - Noun Clauses: Complete the two sentences about each topic. Change the
sentences and quotes in parentheses to noun clauses and indirect speech.

1. NASA scientists wanted to know whether there was water on Mars or not.

(“Was there water on Mars?”)

The Mars Rover discovered that the Plains of Meridian used to be underwater.

(The Plains of Meridian used to be underwater.)

2. Botanists know trees took up carbon from the atmosphere.

(Trees take up carbon from the atmosphere)

The botanists found trees trade carbon with other trees through fungi.

(Trees trade carbon with other trees through fungi)

3. Researchers wondered what kind of food customers are buying.

(“What kind of food are consumers buying?”)

New research found consumers buying both healthy options and junk food.

(Consumers buy both healthy options and junk food.)

4. Many proverbs say you cannot judge something on its appearance.

(You cannot judge something on its appearance)

New research suggests people are remarkably good at making quick judgments.

(People are remarkably good at making quick judgments.)

Section 2 – Vocabulary – Crime

Write a sentence (your example) with each word or phrase.

S/N Vocabulary Meaning

a place where trials and other legal cases happen, or
1 court (n) [C or U] the people present in such a place, especially the
officials and those deciding if someone is guilty
ADJ: high| appeal, civil, crown, high, juvenile, magistrates, military| supreme | county,
federal, etc. | European, French, etc.
VERB: go to, take sb/sth to| come to, get to, go to| bring sth to| settle sth out of| a court of
appeal| a court of law| a ward of court + COURT
E.g.: The lack of evidence means that the case is unlikely to go to court.
Your example: Such a serious crime could be solved in the court
a punishment, or the usual punishment, for doing
2 penalty (n) [C]
something that is against a law
ADJ: harsh, heavy, severe, stiff, strict, tough | light | maximum, minimum | fixed, mandatory
| financial, tax | death
VERB: impose, introduce | threaten | increase | carry | face, incur + PENALTY
PREP.: on/under ~ of | ~ for | ~ on
E.g.: The law carries a penalty of up to three years in prison.
Your example: I myself do not agree with a death penalty, unless the criminal is too
dangerous.

a result of a particular action or situation, often one

3 consequence (n) [C]
that is bad or not convenient

ADJ: full | far-reaching, important, profound | adverse, bad, catastrophic, damaging,

dangerous, devastating, dire, disastrous, fatal, harmful, negative, serious, severe, terrible,
tragic, unfortunate, unpleasant | beneficial, good, positive | major, main | direct,
immediate | indirect | inevitable, necessary | likely, possible, potential | logical, natural |
long-term, short-term | unintended + CONSEQUENCE
VERB: have, lead to | accept, bear, face (up to), suffer, take + CONSEQUENCE
CONSEQUENCE + VERB: arise, ensue, follow
PREP.: as a ~ | in ~ (of) | ~ for
E.g.: You must accept the full consequences of your behaviour.
Your example: Bad behaviour can result in a lot of consequences.

4 deterrent (n) [C] something that deters people from doing something
ADJ: effective, good, great, powerful, real | the ultimate | nuclear
VERB: act as, be + DETERRENT
DETERRENT + VERB: effect
DETERRENT + NOUN: effect
PREP.: as a ~ | ~ against | ~ for | ~ to
E.g.: Some people say that capital punishment acts as a deterrent.
Your example: Actually, I think that long term imprisonment is the can be deterrent.

an accepted principle or instruction that states the

5 rule (n) [C] way things are or should be done, and tells you what
you are allowed or are not allowed to do
ADJ: basic, fundamental, golden | formal, official, written | informal, unwritten | rigid, strict,
stringent | absolute, hard and fast | clear | simple + RULE
VERB: draw up, establish, formulate, impose, issue, lay down, make, set out | abide by,
adhere to, follow, go by, obey, observe, play by, stick to | be in line with, conform to | be in
breach of, break, disregard, fall foul of, flout, violate | apply, enforce | bend, relax | waive |
tighten up | interpret, understand + RULE
RULE + VERB: apply, be applicable, operate | provide sth, say sth, state sth, stipulate sth |
govern sth | allow (for) sth, permit sth | forbid sth, prohibit sth | limit sth, restrict sth
RULE + NOUN: book
E.g.: It's a club rule that new members must sing a song.
Your example: Well, my family rules are mostly consist of silly things.

a punishment given by a judge in court to a person

6 sentence (n) [C] or organization after they have been found guilty of
doing something wrong
ADJ: maximum, minimum | long, short | harsh, heavy, severe, stiff | lenient, light |
indefinite, indeterminate | appropriate | mandatory | suspended | custodial, jail, prison |
non-custodial | death | life
VERB: hand down, impose, pass, pronounce | be given, get, receive | serve | carry out |
await | face | commute, reduce | suspend | appeal against | review | carry + SENTENCE
PREP.: under ~ (of) | ~ for
E.g.: He got a heavy sentence.
Your example: Usually, I would not write a long sentence as that!

to decide officially in a law court that someone is

7 convict (v)
guilty of a crime
E.g.: He has twice been convicted of robbery/arson.
Your example: She has been convicted of murder three times, and unlike the previous ones,
she’s executed.

if the police arrest somebody, the person is taken to

8 arrest (v) a police station and kept there because the police
believe they may be guilty of a crime
E.g.: You could get arrested for doing that.
Your example: “Quick, arrest him!” said the chief commander.

9 terrorism (n) (threats of) violent action for political purposes

ADJ: urban | international, organized, state
VERB: combat, fight | defeat | give in to + TERRORISM
TERRORISM + NOUN: campaign
PREP.: ~ against
E.g.: The bomb explosion was one of the worst acts of terrorism that the country had
experienced in recent years.
Your example: Well, I heard that the US- Afghanistan war started due to terrorism (the
attack of 9/11)

to do something illegal or something that is

10 commit (v)
considered wrong
E.g.: He was sent to prison for a crime that he didn't commit.
Your example: He committed a crime and lied about it, even though the evidence for that
was clear.
Section 3 – Writing Task

Do you think stricter laws will deter crime?

For a long time, people have been committing crime for various reasons, mostly
because of addiction or for other benefits. Personally, I think that strict laws that judges
made should be enough to deter the arrest one.

Suitable sentences for the right kind of criminals should be considered carefully with
the number of times before convicting should be able to let the accused learn their lesson
and the consequences of the action.

As for those who committed small crimes, the idea of imprisonment, labour without
pay or confiscation to property may have been enough to put them off, driving fear and the
will to not commit such crimes in the future into their minds.

And as for much more serious crime like terrorism or murder, the idea of a death
penalty can not only threaten the person but also other thieves, too.

In conclusions, I highly agree thanks to stricter laws, smallest crimes like stealing to
the worst one, terrorism could be deterred.

Checklist (to be filled out by the teacher)

Items Y/ N/ Other comments

Is there a topic sentence?
Is there a concluding sentence?
Is the paragraph fully developed?
Are there any unrelated sentences?
Are links between sentences smooth and clear?
Are there choppy sentences?
Are there many grammar, spelling, and
punctuation mistakes?
 Is the vocabulary used appropriate and varied?

Section 4 – Great Writing 2 – Unit 8 – Activity 10 – 17

 Sample texts written by students in the previous batches:

Sample Text 1 (Dennis) Many people are being robbed and many shop owners are being
shoplifted in today's society. These are not the only crimes that some may
witness as numerous other crimes are reported in newspapers on a daily
basis. Because of this, some individuals call for tighter regulations to
prevent crime, but others claim that criminals will simply find another way
to do it. In my opinion, although stricter rules may have some effect on
crime prevention, it will not resolve the problem.

On the one hand, tight regulations appear to deter crime. Firstly,

potential criminals, who are aware that violating the law will result in
severe punishment, will be more conscious of their actions. For example,
they can no longer produce phony IDs because they will likely need an
official's signature in order to use them. This is due to strict restrictions that
require them to display their IDs every time they enter a store. Because
they cannot make as much money as they used to, criminals will feel
frustrated. Some of them might even become homeless or give up being
criminals, which would be fantastic news. Second, tougher rules make it less
likely for innocent people to fall victim to online fraud or hacking. Due to
strict restrictions, internet vendors will need to display a license emblem on
their website. Additionally, it will decrease the likelihood that those working
in the IT sector have a side business compromising people’s identity.
Because of the heightened restrictions, fraudsters are likely to sell
legitimate goods as well.

On the other hand, a lot of people vehemently disagree and claim that
tougher restrictions would be useless. It is commonly believed that
criminals will discover effective ways to carry out their crimes without being
convicted by learning how to bypass the legal system. For example,
frequent traffic offenders can learn how to stay away from spots monitored
by CCTVs. Second, introducing laws without effective enforcement
measures may not lead to strong deterrence effects. After all, criminals are
more concerned with the consequences and punishment they receive than
the actual conduct they committed.
 Personally, I do not believe that more regulations will benefit any given
city. First of all, as was already established, criminals adapt to changing laws
just like the rest of us. Because of this, thieves, for example, will easily
figure out how to enter a home or even steal from a store without leaving
any proof. This will be even worse if thieves take action in a place with
inadequate security. Second, if laws are too stringent, they may also have
an impact on the local populace. Rigorous restrictions can make people feel
anxious as some activities of citizens can border on violating the law. Many
of them could even relocate to another country in search of a better life
with more leisure and freedom. For these reasons, governments should
come up with effective solutions to crime rather than solely relying on
imposing more severe punishment.

In essence, I agree that other measures should be used instead of

bringing forward tough legislation. Tougher regulations can protect citizens
from crime, but other considerations have demonstrated how strict rules
can be detrimental and even destroy a community.
Sample Text 2 (Steve) Nowadays, crime is becoming a very common issue in large cities. Laws
give people rights but also give people obligations, which may reduce crime;
therefore, many people wonder a simple question: will stricter laws deter
crime? I can understand why people would think so, but from my
perspective, stricter laws cannot deter crime in any way.

I think that people commit crimes for a specific reason. This is usually
because of the way people are brought up. They did not get the chance to
receive a proper education, which explains why a longer jail term may not
stop some from violating the law. Over time, crimes such as stealing, and
robbery might become part of their habits. Because of this, stricter laws will
not deter crimes committed by these individuals. They are humans and not
superhumans, so they have no control over their actions and emotions.
Punishments and stricter laws will not help hide the scars. I think that we
should try to help them make a difference and turn a new leaf as the saying
goes, "Nothing is impossible", and "A river cuts a rock not because of
power, but because of persistence."

On the other hand, some people believe that stricter laws can truly add
to the long-term benefit of society and can deter crime. People might get
scared of harsh punishments and stop committing crimes. However, the
deterrence effect is only effective if criminals are given a chance to turn a
new leaf. If they have no criminal record, then devoting time to earning an
honest living might be what they choose to do. Making punishment harsher
will only worsen many people’s criminal records, making it increasingly
difficult for them to find a job. We should have faith that people can change
and bring benefit to society rather than bringing destruction and mayhem
to it by incarcerating all criminals. Instead of giving criminals long prison
terms, I think that education will bring about incremental changes that can
add up over time to create a very large positive impact.

In conclusion, I truly believe that the government should not increase

the penalties for breaking the law. Instead, more effort should be expended
to help all children living in poverty have a chance to make it to school. This
is because those without education might grow up and commit crime, and
some might show their anger that they never had a fulfilling childhood. But
we can change that through education and sympathy.