June 10
Part 2 – June 10, 2008
The use of the dictionary is not allowed
A Translate the following passage into Italian (15 points)
The Lisbon Treaty, also known as The Reform Treaty, was signed in Lisbon, Portugal, on 13 December 2007. Before it could enter into force, however, it has to be unanimously ratified by each Member State.
Most states are likely to try to avoid a referendum on the treaty – with only Ireland obliged to (due to its constitution) – and will aim to ratify it by their national parliaments. In Denmark calls for a referendum are ongoing to hold a referendum for the treaty. In Scotland the Scottish National Party wants to hold a consultative referendum on the treaty. In the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, the parliament could force a referendum against the government’s decision; however, this is considered unlikely, as anti-referendum parties hold a majority. Hungary's national assembly was the first to ratify the Treaty of Lisbon on 17 December2007. Since then, the number of Member States which have completed ratification has risen to eleven, of the total twenty-seven.
The Reform Treaty has been greeted with controversy in the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, the House of Commons approved the Treaty on 5 March 2008. The Italian ministers, who met on 30 May, are in favour of the ratification, although the “Lega” is calling for a referendum.
B Translate the following passage into English (5 points)
Secondo il resoconto annuale di Amnesty International, pubblicato il 28 maggio 2008, almeno 1.252 persone sono state giustiziate dai loro governi nel 2007. Il numero di prigionieri che aspettano di essere giustiziati dimostra che l’entusiasmo per la pena capitale varia da paese a paese. Il Pakistan è al primo posto, con 7.436 prigionieri in lista, seguito dall’America con 3.263 detenuti. La Cina è al terzo posto, nonostante le cifre non siano comparabili per diversi motivi. Il fatto che la Cina occupi una posizione così bassa e abbia così pochi prigionieri “nel braccio della morte” potrebbe dipendere dal fatto che la Cina applica le esecuzioni velocemente piuttosto che permettere un lungo processo. Lo stesso accade in Iraq e in India, dove i processi si svolgono in tempi molto brevi.
C Read the following passage and then answer the questions below. (10 points)
Is the American state racist? A startling 11% of black males aged 20-34 are behind bars. Overall, black men are seven times more likely to be incarcerated than white men. Ex-convicts in several states are barred from voting, a penalty that deters no crime but signals to wrongdoers that they can never be full citizens again.
Yet, it has to be admitted that racism has diminished in the past two generations. Inter-racial marriages are up sevenfold since 1970. Young Americans are far less likely to express racial animosity than their elders, suggesting that as old bigots die, they will not be replaced. And if Mr Obama becomes president, it would “raise the ceiling for everyone,” says Robert Franklin, the president of Morehouse, a black college in Atlanta, Georgia.
“For me, racism is not going to be an obstacle,” says DeWayne Powell, a student at Morehouse. He recalls an incident when, en route to drop off his college application, he stopped to ask for directions. A white receptionist asked sneeringly whether he could read. “I laughed,” he says. “I thought: I'm on my way to fulfill my destiny, and you’re stuck behind that glass.”
1. Explain the meaning of “Inter-racial marriages are up sevenfold since 1970”. (2.5 points)
2. Explain the meaning of “Young Americans are far less likely to express racial animosity than their elders” (2.5 points)
3. Write a short comment on the racial problem. (5 points)