(3) Capital punishment used to be a major deterrent. It made the violent robber think twice before pulling the trigger. It gave the cold-blooded poisoner something to ponder about while he was shaking up or serving his arsenic cocktail. It prevented unarmed policemen from being killed while pursuing their duty by killers armed with automatic weapons. Above all, it protected the most vulnerable members of society, young children, from brutal violence. It is horrifying to think that the criminal can literally get away with murder. We all know that “life sentence” does not mean what it says. After ten years or so of good conduct, the most desperate villain is free to return to society where he will live very comfortably, thank you, on the proceeds of his crime, or he will go on committing offences until he is caught again. People are always willing to hold liberal views at the expense of others. It’s always fashionable to pose as the defender of the under-dog, so long as you, personally, remain unaffected. Did the defenders of crime, one wonders, in their desire for fair-play, consult the victims before they suspended capital punishment? Hardly, you see, they couldn’t, because all the victims were dead.

 
    31. According to the passage, which of the following is the author’s opinion?

    A. All criminals should be required to carry cards which read: Fragile: Handle with Care.

    B. Capital punishment is the only way to deter criminals.

    C. Society is to blame.

    D. All criminals need hospital treatment.

 
    32. The tone taken by the author towards these defenders of crime in the passage is      .

    A. ironical.   B. critical.     C. agitated.    D. controversial.

 
    33. “Capital punishment” most probably means      .

    A. life sentence.    B. severe punishment    C. fine.       D. sentence of death

 
    34. The word “deterrent” in the third paragraph refers to      .

    A. something fearsome that can prevent or discourage from acting

    B. an influencing or determining element or factor

    C. a cleansing substance

    D. a catch that locks the movement of one part of a mechanism.

 
    35. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

    A. There has been a marked trend in society towards the humane treatment of less fortunate members.

    B. Everybody in society thinks it reasonable that all criminals should be punished.

    C. The author sympathizes with all criminals.

    D. Robbers usually think twice before shooting.

 
    Passage Three
 

    (1) In most countries, the law on organ transplantation is poorly defined, as legislation ahs not yet been created to cope with this advance in surgery. The existing framework relating to physical assault and care of the dead has no provision for organ transplantation. It is customary to ask the permission of the relatives, but, because organ removal must take place immediately after death, it may be impossible to reach the relatives in time. It has been suggested that there should be a widespread campaign to encourage persons to provide in their wills that their organs be used for transplantation. An alternative is to provide by law that permission is assumed unless removal has been forbidden by the individual in his lifetime. Such laws have been passed in Denmark, France, Sweden, Italy, and Israel. Compulsory postmortem examination, a far more extensive procedure than organ removal for grafting, is required in most countries after unexpected death, and this compulsion is not a matter of public concern and debate.