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Improve your vocabulary, listening or reading skills with the quizzes below.
Quiz 1: Vocabulary Focus
go for that • eye for an eye • deterrent
of doubt • in place
  1. People who believe in an can spend their whole lives trying to achieve justice.
  2. What kind of rules do you have in the classroom to keep the children in order?
  3. His reaction created an element that I was making the right decision.
  4. That is a really good solution to the problem and I think that he would .
  5. I want to come, but the long drive is kind of a .
Quiz 2: Comprehension Q's
Answer the following questions about the interview.
VideoVideo Response
Mixer Topic

Mixer #07 The Death Penalty

Six people discuss if they think some people should be killed for their crimes.

  • Transcript
  • Audio Slide Show
  • Vocabulary

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go for that

Even if someone killed somebody, I still don’t go for that.

To 'go for something' means to agree with or accept it. Here, even if someone killed somebody, Jeannie would not choose the death penalty for them.  Notice the following:

  1. I offered 40 euros for the painting, but the artist wouldn't go for that.
  2. Some of my friends drink and smoke.  I just don't go for that.            

eye-for-an-eye

I don’t go for that eye-for-an-eye type thing.

The phrase 'eye-for-an-eye' comes from the Bible: "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."  It means if we do a bad thing, the same bad thing should happen in return. If I hit you, you should hit me. If I cut you, you should cut me. It means that the punishment should be equal to the crime. Notice the following:

  1. For some, eye for an eye is outdated justice.
  2. In some countries, eye for an eye is still practiced.

deterrent

I think the death penalty is a good deterrent.

A 'deterrent' is a reason to not do something. For instance, if you steal, you will probably be arrested and go to jail so this is a good reason not to steal. The police are a good deterrent from stealing. Notice the following:

  1. Strangely, nuclear weapons are often viewed as a deterrent to war.
  2. CCTV is a modern deterrent to stealing.

an element of doubt

There’s always an element of doubt.

'An element of doubt,' is a small reason not to be sure that something is true. With the death penalty, it is hard to be 100% sure that a person really did a bad thing. Notice the following:

  1. For some, there is an element of doubt to global warming.
  2. Her story sounded true, but I had an element of doubt.

in place

Should the death penalty be in place?

Used like this, 'in place' means 'in use' or 'exist.' Should we have the death penalty as a form of punishment?  Notice the following:

  1. In California, the law currently in place states that you must be 21 to drink alcohol.
  2. The policy in place is outdated and needs to be changed.