/'Ts. UsingEnglish.

com
Crime and Punishment Vocabulary and Speaking
Worksheet 1 - Crime discussion questions
Choose interesting questions from below to ask your partner, then agree or disagree with
what they say.
What crimes are increasing in your country? What are the main reasons for that?
How does crime in this city compare to that in other cities and countries? Are there any
areas of the city which are much better or worse?
Are there any places (in this city, this country or the world) which you would avoid due to
fear of crime?
Are there any kinds of crimes which are more prevalent in your country than in other
places? Why do you think that is so?
Do you think the media or politicians unnecessarily increase the fear of crime? What are
their reasons for doing so?
What precautions have you taken/ do you take against crime? What is usual in your
country?
How do people generally feel about the police? Are there any groups that feel differently?
What are the reasons for those various peoples feelings?
Should the police carry guns?
Talk to your partner about a crime story that was in the news recently. What do you think
about how the media deal with such cases?
If minority groups turn to crime, is that generally the fault of discrimination or their own
cultures?
Do you think this country is generally too hard on crime or too soft on crime? Why do you
feel that way? Are there any crimes which that is particularly true for?
Are there any things which are crimes in this country but shouldnt be?

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com 2012

/'Ts. UsingEnglish.com
Crime and Punishment Vocabulary and Speaking
Worksheet 2 - Not worthy of punishment?
Choose one of the things below which you think should not be punishable by law and
explain why. Your partner will then give their opinion on what you said. Don't worry about
any words which you dont know at this stage.

Adultery

Advocating violence

Assisting in someones suicide

Attempted suicide

Begging

Being a conscientious objector

Belonging to an organisation that advocates terrorism

Blasphemy/ Offending a religious group

Bribery abroad

Browsing a terrorist organisations site

Building or farming on long-unoccupied land

Bullying/ Cyber-bullying

Crimes by diplomatic staff (= Diplomatic immunity)

Crimes by leaders of the country or MPs

Crimes by your children

Crimes committed on someone else's orders

Crimes that happened more than a certain amount of time ago (= The statute of
limitations)
-

Crimes under a certain age

Disrespecting the national flag/ national anthem

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com 2012

/'Ts. UsingEnglish.com

Offering file-sharing software

Persistent noise violations

Polygamy

Possession of small amounts of soft drugs for personal use

Prostitution

Public nudity

Publishing something about a celebrity that is true but has no public interest

Racist language/ Race hate/ Stirring up race hate

Refusing to give evidence against a friend, relative or colleague

Refusing to speak when questioned by police

Refusing to uncover your face for religious reasons

Shouting at, swearing at or insulting police officers

Slander or offensive content in an anonymous comment online

Something that is illegal in your country but legal in the country where you do it

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com 2012

/'Ts. UsingEnglish.com
Crime and Punishment Vocabulary and Speaking
Worksheet 3 - Punishments
Possible punishments for the crimes above:

"An eye for an eye

Apologising to the victim

Banishment/ Loss of citizenship

Banning publication

Being banned from contacting certain people/ approaching certain people (= A

restraining order)
-

Being banned from holding public office/ certain jobs

Being banned from using the internet

Being forced to resign

Blocking access to bank account(s)

Capital punishment (= The death penalty)

Community service

Compensation or other reparations to the victim(s)

Compulsory counselling/ drug therapy/ psychiatric treatment/ anger management

classes
-

Corporal punishment (= Physical punishment)

Curfew/ Electronic tagging

Fine

Hard labour

Having your name on a publically available list of offenders

Informal warning

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com 2012

/'Ts. UsingEnglish.com
Crime and Punishment Vocabulary and Speaking
Worksheet 4 - Crimes
What should the (range of) punishments be for these crimes?
accepting bribes
arson
assault
attempted
blackmail
bomb
burglary
buying
digital
drug
false
forgery
fraud
fund
hacking

murder
hoax
drugs
piracy
trafficking
advertising

raising

for

terrorism

handling stolen goods

hijacking
human trafficking
incitement of terrorism
insider trading

Rank the crimes above from the most to the least serious.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com 2012

/'Ts. UsingEnglish.com
Crime and Punishment Vocabulary and
Speaking
Worksheet 5 - Justifications
Are there any justifications or mitigating circumstances for these crimes? Choose one and
try to think of as many justifications for it as you can, then move onto another:
Accepting a bribe

Breaking the speed limit

Carrying a concealed weapon (knife, gun, etc)

Hacking

Illegal demonstrations

Illegal downloads

Leaking secret government documents

Murder

Possession of illegal drugs

Vandalism

Resisting arrest

Rioting

Shop lifting

Swearing at police

Publishing photos of people without their permission

Were there any which you couldnt think of any justification for?
What crimes would you be justified in committing in the situations below?

A long period of peaceful demonstrations has no effect

The last election was "stolen due to not following democratic procedures

The minority you belong to is discriminated against

You and your family have no other way of getting enough to eat

You are homeless

You have been unfairly dismissed

You know someone has committed a crime but they have never even been questioned
by police
-

You know that the government is doing something illegal

You live in a non-democratic country

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com 2012

BASIC VOCABULARY
(15)
MOREyou
PREPOSITIONS
VOCABULARY:
(almost) all
the:words
need!

/'Ts. UsingEnglish.com
^ In order to pass your exam, you need a good grasp of English

Crimevocabulary,
and Punishment Vocabulary and Speaking
both
Worksheet
- Tricky
vocabulary
basic6and
advanced.
To this end, your English teacher has compiled
lists

of

What are
theimportant
similarities between
most
words. these words and expressions connected to crime?

the

attorney (=inDA)
^- Allattorney/
words district
are presented
context, i.e. in example sentences, with the
relevant
by corporal
the symbol
~.
- word
capitalreplaced
punishment/
punishment
^ When studying, fold away the left-hand column, then read the
- sentences
civil case/ criminal case
until
you are able to come up with the missing word. The right-hand
- columns
crime/ misdemeanor
are
there
to give you hints or related words and expressions.

drug trafficking/ drug dealing

graffiti/ vandalism/ arson

judge/ magistrate

libel/ slander

BASIC VOCABULARY
(Grade 11)

FORMS

ADVANCED VOCABULARY
(Grade 12)

EXAMPLES

TRANSLATION

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com 2012

VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010

RELATED

BASIC VOCABULARY (16) : IDIOMS WITH PREPOSITIONS

among

She was ~ the few lucky people who managed to escape

from the kidnappers.

above
above average

~, he
all has always acted like a real professional.

He has never been particularly ~ what other people think

aboutof him.

^ a matter of concern
(n)

~, W. Shakespeare was the greatest writer of the sixteenth

doubtcentury.

= undoubtedly

concerned

beyond

any

^ be ~ friends /
strangers

as
above

mentioned

beyond recognition
We went to London ~ bike / bus / car / rail / train / plane /
sea / boat / air.

instead
instead of

FORMS

say

bye-bye

He didn't reply. ~, he turned on his heel and left the room.

With his driving license gone, he had to walk to work ~

EXAMPLES

TRANSLATION

VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010

RELATED

^ odd (adj)

to

sb

ADVANCED VOCABULARY (17) : SOCIETY

society (n)

~ has a right to punish law-breakers.

^a

population
an inhabitant (n)

(n) than half of the British ~ lives in the south.

More

^ densely populated

danger
to
Asocial sciences (n)

^ a minority (n)

survey
surveillance (n)

~ of population trends has shown a population

(n)decrease in rural areas. VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010

= a poll (n)

the

ADVANCED VOCABULARY (18) : EDUCATION

upper
class He(n)has always been proud of being a member of the ~.
the middle class (n)The ~ has often been called the backbone of society.
the working class (n)

peer

group

your
friends
colleagues

or

peer pressure (n)

ancestors

A ~ comprises people of the same background, class,

(n)social status, or occupation.

^the lower classes (n)

He always claims that his ~ came to America on the

(n)Mayflower, but I really doubt it.

^descend from (v)

Many
(n) people have ~s against foreigners.

^be prejudiced (adj)

Your ~ is your native language, as opposed to second

(n)languages studied at school or work.

You

~ refers to the use of any method, drug, or device to

(n)prevent pregnancy.

^conceive a baby

a descendant(n)

prejudice
a stereotype (n)

mother

tongue

contraception

a contraceptive (n)
an addict (n)

teach sb sth

VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010

need
your
tongue
for tasting and talking.

core

ADVANCED VOCABULARY (19) : MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY

study (v: studied / ~) He ~ied for his exams every afternoon.

^ learn sth (v)

^half-board

subjects
Maths
(n)
and English are ~s, whereas biology,
subsidiary subjects (n) computer studies, art, and physical education are ~.

history,

= minor subjects

Every student has to ~ four written exams.

During the nineteenth

(n)on a large scale.

immigration
a

migrant

an emigrant

century,

America

encouraged

(n)
The Industrial Revolution gave ~s a vital role in the
nation's economic development.

require sb (v)

VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010

<- emigration (n)

Emigrate
to
Country
<- immigrant

another

ADVANCED VOCABULARY (20) : MASS MEDIA

^abolish

segregation (n)

Although in public places was outlawed in the

Sixties, Afro-Americans remain a disadvantaged section

^segregated schools

the press (n)

The main job of the ~ is to inform people about the

latest news.

viewer
a listener (n)

~s(n)are all the people that watch television at a given

time, whereas ~s, as the word says, listen to the radio.

Swatch
TV
listen to the radio

viewing habits (n)

Studies have shown that ~, especially of young viewers,

have changed over the last decades, with children

^do sth out of habit

unbiased (adj)

In a dictatorship, journalists are not allowed to broadcast

~ news since any open criticism of the leadership will

TV
a

set
channel

In (n)order to watch television, you need a ~. Nowadays,

(n)television offers dozens of different ~s with a wide

VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010

newspapers
or
magazines
(daily,

objective
^report
the
^switch
channels
zap (v)

(adj)
facts
=

ADVANCED VOCABULARY (21) : MASS MEDIA (2ND PART)

public
television
license fees (n)

(the)

~ (n)
, like the first three channels in Germany, is mainly
financed by monthly ~ that all viewers have to pay.

^regulated
state

market research (n) All private TV channels do extensive ~ in order to

make sure that they produce programmes that appeal to
ratings
(of If aa programme has high ~, it is popular with audiences,
programme) (n)
i.e. a lot of people are watching it or listening to it.

by

the

^a survey (n)

^high
/
(n)

low

ratings

cancel (v)

a manual (n)

If you buy a new product, e.g. a DVD player, the

producer includes a ~ to explain to customers how this

^Please
follow
the
instructions in the ~

regional newspapers

In the US, there are few national publications, with the

exception of USA Today and the Wall Street Journal.

^ local newspapers

tabloids (n)

~ like the Sun or the News of the World, on the other

hand, are directed towards a mass readership.

a network (n)

Nation-wide television ~s VOCABULARY

like ABC, NBC
and CBS 2010
- FIRSCHING
provide local stations with a wide range of programmes,

=
^

popular
the gutter

papers
press /

ADVANCED VOCABULARY (22) : LAW AND ORDER

audience
ratings
revenues (n)

Since
(n) commercial stations rely heavily on ~ to increase
their advertising ~, entertainment plays an important

= income (n)

news agencies (n)

TV and radio stations as well as newspapers rely to a

large extent on ~ which gather news worldwide and

e.g. AP or Reuters

But producers emphasise that the constitution bans any

(n)~ of the media.

^heavily censored

be addicted to sth

censorship
edit sth out (v)

report (v)

threaten (sb with The

sth) man ~ed to kill her if she didn't tell him where the
money was.
(v)

violent

A quarter of
(adj)crimes.

all

prison

inmates

have

committed

^threatening (adj)

violence (n)

protest

^ use ~

a thief (n ; pl: thieves)

Expensive cars have become a favourite target for ~s.
a burglary (n)

suspicious

non-~

The police officers asked if we had noticed anything ~

(adj)during the previous night.

a suspect (n)

VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010

theft
burglar

^(have)

^a

(n)
(n)

suspicion
(n)

ADVANCED VOCABULARY (23) : MORE LAW AND ORDER

^question sb (v)

^an ~ (n)

check
sth
a check (n)

- (v)
~ cars / drivers' licences / the identity of a person A French woman was stopped at an identity ~ and

"z

control
sth
^double (v)

(v)

extort

= a duty (n)

evidence (n : U)

court (of
sue sb. (v)

a trial (n)

Her statement to the police was used as ~ against him.

- clear / convincing / written ~.

law) His(n)case will be heard in ~ next month.

A ~ is a formal meeting at a court of law, at which a

judge or jury listens to the evidence and decides whether

VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010

= proof (n)

^the

Supreme
= take sb to court

^the right to a fair ~

Court

ADVANCED VOCABULARY (24) : THE ECONOMY (I)

In

defence

^defense
(AmE)
defend sb (v)

Mr Black, speaking for the ~, said that the crimes had

(n)been committed over a period of six months.

^prosecute
sb
(v)
^a
prosecutor
(n)
a
district
attorney

~ is
(n)the crime of killing another person deliberately.

self-defence (n)

prosecution
a defendant (n)

murder
manslaughter (n)

a court of law, an accused person's ~ presents

(n)evidence in his favour and usually pleads not guilty.

a
homicide
^slaughter a pig

(US)

^ deter sb

shareholder

The ~s of a company are all the people or organisations

(n)owning some of its shares.

outsourcing (n)

VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010

^a

share
index
(e.g.
Dow-Jones
Index)

ADVANCED VOCABULARY (25) : THE ECONOMY (II)

hire sb (v)

an

employer
an employee (n)

They ~d a dozen workers in order to renovate their

house.
(n)

~s have stressed their unwillingness to raise wages.

dismiss sb (v)

He was ~ed for stealing money from a co-worker.

unemployment (n)

National ~ figures have fallen for the sixth consecutive

month.

= employ sb (v)
boss
/
= the staff (n)

manager

= fire sb = sack sb (v)

^rate

of

^unemployed (adj)

job
centre
(n)The / government has created a network of regional ~s
where experts give advice on vacancies and career
employment agency

skilled (labour)

VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010

^a careers adviser (n)

(n)

ADVANCED VOCABULARY (26) : POLITICS

economic growth (n)

nationalisation (n)

Wall

Street and other global financial markets have

reacted nervously as ~ in the US has slowed down for

~, i.e. state ownership and control of major industries,

has proved to be a fatal mistake for many countries in

economic

^nationalise
(a company)

He failed in ~ because he was such a poor speaker.

parliament
government (n)

The
(n) prime minister is unlikely to get this law through ~.
When parliament voted against the prime minister, the

^a MP (n)

cabinet (n)

The Prime Minister and his ministers, e.g. the Foreign

Secretary and the Home Secretary, form the so-called

^Minister
Interior

a department (n)

A government consists of several ~s, e.g. the ~s of

education, the environment, trade, defence and the

^a ~ store (n)

an

expansion

of

the

^to head (v)

civil rights (n)

election
the electorate (n)

The
(n)next parliamentary ~ will be held in 2013.

polling

station

polling booth (n)

proportional
representation (n)
first-past-the-post

^a

general
Select sb (v)

(n)

A ~ is a building where people go to cast their vote in

(n)an election. In a secret election, voters are entitled to
make use of a ~ so that nobody will know about their
decision.

^The
country
is
going to the polls
this week.

~ is a system that gives each party in an election a

number of seats relative to the number of votes its
candidates have received.

^be in proportion to

In

abstain (v)

= civil liberties (n)

comprise basic freedoms such as the freedom of

speech, the freedom of the press and the freedom of

a ~ system, the candidate receiving the largest

number of votes in a constituency wins a seat in

VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010

the winner takes all

^a
majority
system
of voting

ADVANCED VOCABULARY (27) : MORE POLITICS

a riot (n)

tried

to

stop

the

violent
^a
rioter
^a clash (n)

protest
(n)

^an act of ~ (n)

revenge

~ (n)
means deliberate punishment or injury in return for
what one has suffered.

retaliate

impose

an

~ broke out when police

demonstrators from marching on.

(v:

sth

on

The United Nations have ~d sanctions against

sb)Korea because of severe human rights violations.

North

= place on sb as a
punishment

against

an
opponent
(n)
friendly
/
allied

sanctions (n)

enemy
hostile (adj)

The two countries

(n)their common ~.

decided

to

combine

forces

VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010

ADVANCED VOCABULARY (28) : SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

science

scientific (adj)
scientist
a researcher (n)

~ deals with observed facts and the relationships among

(n)those facts.

^a scientist (n)

~s(n)study a wide variety of subjects, such as clues to the

origin of the universe. Other ~s examine the structure of

^do research

an invention (n)

Computers, lasers, plastics, refrigerators, and television

are only a few of the ~s that have transformed human

productivity (n)

Technological developments have made it possible to

produce the same amount of goods and services with

life

expectancy
(n)
Above
all, technology has raised ~ in industrial
infant mortality (n)
countries to about 75 years, mainly by reducing ~
through sanitation and immunisation and better health

VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010

^an

inventor
inventive

^productive (adj)

^the average ~

(n)
(adj)

ADVANCED VOCABULARY (29) : ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

Most industrial countries
(n)soil, and noise ~.

pollution

face

problems

of

air,

^pollute sth (v)

water,

a pollutant (n)

climate (n)

Scientists are trying to provide data in order to predict

future ~ changes.

the environment (n)

Are we doing enough to protect the ~ or do we need

stricter laws?

environmentally
friendly
(adj) consumer can protect the environment,
Every
an environmentalist (n buying ~ products such as returnable containers.

protect sth (v)

Conservationists try to
further destruction.

tropical

e.g.

rainforests

^a

by

from

~ of hostility
distrust / suspicion

= a conservationist (n)

^protective

(adj)

Coffer / provide ~

interdependent (adj)

Nations have become increasingly ~ as such problems

as pollution and the reduction of natural resources have

(become) extinct (adj)

There are several theories about why dinosaurs became

~, including the inability of dinosaurs to compete

an

endangered
(pl. species)

greenhouse

effect

radiation (n)

waste

sth

genetic

species
~ are animals or plants that are likely to become extinct
in the near future, e.g. the giant panda bear.

die
out
^extinction (n)

greenhouse

However, nuclear ~ can

Exposure to radioactive

^radioactivity
^X-rays

We should stop
(v)resources.

~ing

be extremely dangerous.
materials can result in a

energy

and

other

(v)

= is in danger of dying
out /becoming extinct

~ is a warming of the atmosphere and surface of our

(n)planet caused by a complex process involving sunlight

tomatoes

(n)

valuable
= squander sth (v)

engineering
~ is the term applied to techniques
hereditary material in an organism.
genetically modified

malnutrition (n)

= they depend on each

other

that

alter

the

VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010

Roughly half a billion people on the earth suffer from ~,

either from having too little food or from eating the

^a gene (n)

^nutrition
nourish sb (v)

(n)

ADVANCED VOCABULARY (30) : INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

a donation (n)

transmit (v)

cursor
click sth (v)

The

world's least developed countries depend on

support from wealthy nations, e.g. disaster relief and

^donate
money
(for a good cause)

With SMS (Short Message Service), you are able to ~

up to 160 characters.

A (n)
computer mouse controls the movements of the ~ on
the computer screen, e.g. by ~ing the left mouse button

^highlight
sth
^ click the left mouse

DVD =

reboot

a spreadsheet (n)

~ is a computer programme used for financial

planning: you enter data in rows and columns and the

^a sheet of paper

= cordless (adj)

VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010

disease

VOCABULARY - FIRSCHING 2010