June 19 - Second Part
The use of the dictionary is not allowed
A Translate the following passage into Italian (15 points)
Thirty years ago, only 16 countries had abolished the death penalty; now more than 90 have. In the developed world, only America and, occasionally, Japan still use it. Last year Japan executed nine people, compared with America's 42; it also has 106 people on death row. Executions in Japan take place in extreme secrecy under the auspices of the Justice Ministry. Prisoners are kept in near-isolation and are not usually informed that their time is up until less than an hour before the sentence is carried out. Japan's method of execution is hanging.
Taiwan and South Korea have capital punishment on their books, but no longer impose it. In December, the UN passed a resolution, backed by 104 states, calling for the first time for a worldwide moratorium on capital punishment. Even China, the world's most avid executioner, is seeking to limit the death penalty and make it more humane — by using more lethal injections. Of the 36 states that retain the death penalty in the United States, 35 have adopted lethal injections in the belief that this is the most humane method of execution. (Nebraska used to use the electric chair until its Supreme Court ruled in February that this was unconstitutional.)
B Translate the following passage into English (5 points)
Quando Barack Hussein Obama nacque al Queen Medical Center di Honolulu, nelle Hawaii, entrambi i genitori erano ancora giovani studenti universitari.
Dopo il liceo, Obama studiò per un paio d'anni all'
Occidental College, prima di spostarsi al
Columbia University, in New York City. Là si laureò in scienze politiche, con una specializzazione in relazioni internazionali. Dopo la laurea, si trasferì a
Chicago. Nel 1988, Obama lasciò Chicago per tre anni per studiare
giurisprudenza ad
Harvard, a Boston. Nel febbraio 1990 diventò il primo presidente
afroamericano della celebre rivista
Harvard Law Review. Nel
1989, durante uno
stage estivo conobbe Michelle Robinson, avvocato nello stesso studio. Si laureò con lode nel
1991 e sposò Michelle nel
1992. In seguito anche lui diventò
avvocato.
C Read the following passage and then answer the questions below. (10 points)
The European Union has been plunged into chaos after the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty by Irish voters. EU leaders must now decide if the treaty is dead or can be salvaged in some form — even if the cost is pushing Ireland to the fringes of the European project. Though strongly pro-European, early tallies on Friday, June 13th, showed Irish voters rejecting the new treaty by a hefty margin. During voting on Thursday, both supporters and opponents complained that they did not understand the highly technical text — many chose to “play safe” and say no.
Ireland was the only country legally obliged to hold a referendum on the EU reform treaty drawn up at Lisbon last year on December 13th, 2007. Already 15 countries had given their assent, and a vote in favour may have helped to add impetus to ratification efforts in other Member States.
Last week we read in newspapers: “If the Irish electorate turn up their noses at the prospect of greater European integration — which seems a more likely proposition than it did a few weeks ago — it could derail the whole process. This may set the stage for a split between countries that want to gather closer and the rest”.
1. In your own words, explain the meaning of “Many chose to ‘play safe’ ”. (2.5 points)
2. In your own words, explain the meaning of “If the Irish electorate turn up their noses at the prospect of greater European integration, it could derail the whole process.” (2.5 points)
3. Write your opinion on the Lisbon Treaty. (5 points)