Until two years ago, Clearing, Illinois was a tranquil
suburb of Chicago. But residents grew alarmed when they noticed armed teenagers
on the streets, giving gang signals and shouting at passing cars. Then came a
series of burglaries and graffiti messages on storefronts. By the time local
authorities realized they had a gang problem, it was too late. Last December,
two 13-year-old girls were shot outside their school as they sat in a car with
two members of a local gang, the Ridgeway Lords.
Nearly all 50 states have recently passed laws that allow youths aged 14-17 to be tried in court as adults. In about 25 states they have passed laws to punish parents for their children’s behaviour. And in 146 of the nation’s largest cities, they have imposed curfews to reduce juvenile violence. When you look at the spectacular rise of violent crime among young people recently, it’s easy to understand the concern. Over the past decade, there has been a decline in adult murders in the US, while murder rates have surged for youths between 14-17.
For young offenders who aren’t sent to prison, the punishments vary: some are ordered to perform community service, others are placed in job training programs, still others sent to youth prisons. But the Republicans in Congress want to reverse a basic principle of juvenile justice: the separation of young criminals from hardened adult criminals in prison. The reasons are partly financial – to reduce the cost of having separate prisons for young people – and partly psychological – to end what Republicans consider as society’s overly protective attitude towards young criminals.
Nearly all 50 states have recently passed laws that allow youths aged 14-17 to be tried in court as adults. In about 25 states they have passed laws to punish parents for their children’s behaviour. And in 146 of the nation’s largest cities, they have imposed curfews to reduce juvenile violence. When you look at the spectacular rise of violent crime among young people recently, it’s easy to understand the concern. Over the past decade, there has been a decline in adult murders in the US, while murder rates have surged for youths between 14-17.
For young offenders who aren’t sent to prison, the punishments vary: some are ordered to perform community service, others are placed in job training programs, still others sent to youth prisons. But the Republicans in Congress want to reverse a basic principle of juvenile justice: the separation of young criminals from hardened adult criminals in prison. The reasons are partly financial – to reduce the cost of having separate prisons for young people – and partly psychological – to end what Republicans consider as society’s overly protective attitude towards young criminals.
Questions
1 - Where is located Clearing?
A – In Great
Britain
B – In Spain
C – In the USA
2 - Why were residents unhappy?
A - Because
taxes increased
B - Because rents were too high
C - Because gangs came into their town.
3 - What happened in
December?
A - a policeman
shot a young man
B - two girls were killed because they were with two members of another
gang
C - criminality decreased
4 - What is "the
Ridgeway Lords"?
A - a famous
band
B - a gang
C - a prison
5 - Young people cannot be tried in
court in most U.S. states.
A – True
B – False
6 - Parents are not responsible for
what their children do.
A – True
B - False
7 - What is "a curfew"?
7 - What is "a curfew"?
A - Young
people are not allowed to smoke
B - Young people are not allowed to drink
C - Young people are not allowed to go out when it is too late (night).
8 - There is an increase in…
A
- the number of crimes done by young people
B - the number of crimes done by adults
C - the number of prisons
9 - What would the Republicans like
to do?
A
- They would like to separate young criminals from adult criminals
B
- They would like to put young criminals into prisons for adults
C
- They would like to ban youth prisons
10 - This would cost less money.
A
– True
B - False
Answers: - 1 – C ; 2 – C ; 3 – B ; 4 – B ; 5 – B ; 6 – B ; 7 – C ; 8 – A ; 9 – B ; 10 - A
GRAMMAR POINT –
Passive voice
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