周二(5/6)1.死刑犯2.八卦雜誌

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死刑犯

近日各界，對於死刑廢除與否，爭議不斷，Billy的師父  空空上人:
就“廢止死刑”發表看法稱：“佛教徒相信，天下沒有不能感化的壞人。如果能夠給犯錯的人一個改過自新的機會，這個人可能會是浪子回頭金不換，變成社會大善人。因此，站在一位佛教法師的立場，上人主張廢止死刑。
歡迎您來探討----死刑應不應該廢除? 死刑可具體遏止殺人犯罪嗎?
EU expresses regret over Taiwan's death penalty following executions  (By Jeffrey Wu)

Taipei, May 1 (CNA) The European Union expressed regret over Taiwan's execution of five death row inmates earlier this week and called on an immediate moratorium on executions.

 "I regret the latest set of five executions which took place in Taiwan on 29 April 2014," Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, said in a statement seen in Taipei early Thursday.

 "I recognise the sufferings of the victims of the crimes involved, and express my sincere sympathy to their families. However, capital punishment can never be justified. The European Union opposes capital punishment under all circumstances and calls for its universal abolition," she said.

 "I call on the authorities in Taiwan to introduce an immediate moratorium on executions as recommended by international experts in March 2013, following Taiwan's first human rights report," Ashton said.

 The five inmates killed two days earlier were found guilty of a total of 11 murders, Deputy Justice Minister Chen Ming-tang said in an announcement following the executions.

 Chen maintained Taiwan's stance on keeping the death penalty but reducing its frequency of use, citing the Ministry of Justice's efforts to review relevant laws.

 The number of death row inmates in Taiwan now stands at 47 after the executions, including two whose cases are being retried. The last executions took place April 19, 2013, when six violent criminals were killed.

 The Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty brought around 40 people to a small rally in front of the Ministry of Justice building shortly after the executions took place, where they criticized what they described as executions carried out to win support at a time of low government approval ratings.

Q:

1. What do you think about the latest set of five executions?

2. Do you support the death penalty?

3. Should the death penalty be abolished or should the death penalty be kept??

Reasons why some people think the world needs the death penalty?

4. Does the death penalty reduce crime rates?

Do you think crime rate is high in Taiwan?

5. What are the ways for crime prevention?

6. What other punishments could replace for capital punishment?

八卦雜誌

Why are gossip magazines so popular? Written by Grace Nolan

Have you ever wondered how gossip magazines become popular? Especially in todays climate where everyone is supposed to be cutting down on luxuries such as buying that new top you see in a shop window or the newest make-up or a magazine that you don’t really need to read.

Lots of people buy magazine’s (especially gossip magazine’s) every week to catch up on the latest celebrity gossip and true life stories. People think that they need to know these stories because, let’s face it, we’re all incredibly nosey and love to know what’s going on in other people’s lives.
 

These magazines fly off the shelves in supermarkets and shops because everyone feels that if they don’t know the latest gossip and news they’ll fall behind in conversations about what Kim Kardashian was wearing to a party or what celebrity couple has had an argument.
 

This information you’re gaining from gossip magazines really doesn’t matter, does it? Knowing these kinds of stories aren’t going to change your life or effect you in anyway; unless, of course, you work at a gossip magazine.
 

But, because there are lots of people talking about celebrity gossip they’ve read in a magazine, it’s passing the word around and then more and more people feel like they have to buy them. Some of the UK’s most popular gossip magazines are Hello, OK, Heat, Star, Now and Reveal. As well as this more and more people are starting to read magazines on the Internet so that they don’t have to buy them but they’re still obtaining the latest weekly gossip so the gossip platforms are essentially a hub for the gossip mongers.
 

Magazines are highly popular in the UK because of network science. When you hear a piece of gossip from someone which they read in a magazine, you’ll become interested in it, look it up online or buy the magazine then talk to someone else about it who will continue the chain. Network science is everywhere, even if you haven’t noticed it and gossip is one of the biggest drivers of network science.

Q:

1. Why gossip magazines are popular?

Why do people like to read celebrity gossip magazines?

2. Do you interest in the celebrity gossip?

3. What kind of magazine you like most?

What are the functions of magazines?

4. The pros and cons of gossip in the workplaces?

Why some people like talking about coworkers behind their back?

5. Men or women are more likely to gossip? Why?

6. Where you get the latest news, and current information?

7. What are the talking topics when you talk with friends?

晚間槍決5死刑犯 法務部：符合人道精神 (新頭殼)

法務部政務次長陳明堂晚上7點20分召開記者會表示，5名死刑犯執行前已先麻醉，使受刑人失去知覺，符合人道精神。

法務部長羅瑩雪上任後首度執行死刑，昨天她才批准杜明郎等5名死刑犯死刑執行令，今（29）日在台北、台中、台南、花蓮4地監獄刑場，於晚間6點42分時統一槍決鄧國樑、劉炎國、杜明雄、杜明郎、戴文慶5名死刑犯。

 法務部政務次長陳明堂晚上7點20分召開記者會表示，5名死囚分別犯強盜殺人、強制性交故意殺人、殺人等罪，手段冷酷凶殘、泯滅人性。法務部考量案發時間遠近、對被害人家屬造成重大傷痛、危害社會治安，才決定優先執行5人，且在執行前已先麻醉，使受刑人失去知覺，符合人道精神。

 陳明堂強調，法務部立場是「維持死刑，但減少使用」，懇請反對死刑團體出於同理心、考量部分死囚求死意志堅強，體諒被害人家屬等待司法正義所受的煎熬，法務部必須依法行政執行死刑。

說吧! 英文讀書會 每周一句 2014/5/4

make the grade稱職；及格；合乎水準、要求

-----to be satisfactory; to be what is expected.

-----be good enough

Examples:

1. If you don’t make the grade, you can’t be a member of soapbox English club.

2. I’m sorry Billy, but your height doesn't exactly make the grade in this job interview.

3. It’ saddened her that she couldn't make the grade in the job interview of being as a fly attendants.

說吧! 英文讀書會 每周一句 2014/4/19

副業   sideline   /  on the side.
sideline ---a job that is done in addition to your main job

1. Billy is an engineer, but he does some translation as a sideline.

2. Online businesses is a sideline for many young people.

 

on the side---- in addition to your regular job or activities