Reading Practice Test 18- CRIMES

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Reading Practice Test 18

CRIMES

      Every community in the world recognizes certain activities as crimes due to their unique cultural, historical, and social contexts. These variations are believed to be caused by factors such as cultural norms, religious beliefs, and historical events that shape each society's values and priorities. Additionally, economic conditions and the level of development in a society can influence how crimes are perceived and addressed. Because of these, each has developed its own way of dealing with crimes and has chosen a number of different punishments to match them. 

      However, it is surprising how much various societies of the world differ in their understanding about crime, justice, and punishment. What may be a crime in one country is often perfectly acceptable in another. For example, as you may know, jaywalking, that is not crossing the road at the proper crossing place at the proper time, is illegal in some areas of the world such as North America, but in other areas, it is quite legal. Besides deciding what is legal and what is illegal, societies must decide whether a crime is petty or serious. For example, carrying a gun is a very serious offence in some countries, but a very petty one in others.

   Similarly, ways of providing justice differ from country to country. In some countries, a person is considered innocent until he is proved guilty, but in other countries, the opposite is true. In other words, in the former, it is the job of the authorities to prove that a person has committed a crime. However, in the latter, it is the individual's task to prove his innocence.

  Crimes vary and systems of justice vary, but the greatest variation between countries is in the methods of punishment that they use. For example, a person convicted of theft in some parts of the Middle East might face a serious penalty, whereas the same crime would receive a relatively lenient punishment in some Scandinavian countries. Denmark provides a good example of the more lenient approach to crime and punishment. About half the people sent to prison there to what is called an 'open prison'. In these prisons, the inmates are allowed to wear their own clothes, provide their own food, bring their own furniture, and have their own radios or television sets in the cell.

   After four weeks in a Danish open prison, a prisoner is normally entitled to a 'holiday' outside the prison. Usually, he is allowed out of prison for one weekend every three weeks. Of course, prisoners do not have to leave their prison every three weeks - they can save up their weekends away and take a break of up to eight days if they prefer. Prisoners in open prison in Denmark are also allowed out for a whole range of activities such as buying clothes, visiting the doctor, or simply going for a walk with their visitors. If a prisoner needs to leave the prison for educational purposes - such as attending a course or receiving technical training - then, in certain circumstances, he may be allowed to spend the night outside the prison.

 

QUESTIONS: 

CRIMES

       Every community in the world recognizes certain activities as crimes due to their unique cultural, historical, and social contexts. These variations are believed to be caused by factors such as cultural norms, religious beliefs, and historical events that shape each society's values and priorities. Additionally, economic conditions and the level of development in a society can influence how crimes are perceived and addressed. Because of these, each has developed its own way of dealing with crimes and has chosen a number of different punishments to match them. 

      However, it is surprising how much various societies of the world differ in their understanding about crime, justice, and punishment. What may be a crime in one country is often perfectly acceptable in another. For example, as you may know, jaywalking, that is not crossing the road at the proper crossing place at the proper time, is illegal in some areas of the world such as North America, but in other areas, it is quite legal. Besides deciding what is legal and what is illegal, societies must decide whether a crime is petty or serious. For example, carrying a gun is a very serious offence in some countries, but a very petty one in others.

1. Why does punishment for a certain crime vary from country to country?

  1. In societies, religious beliefs and cultural norms shape perceptions of crime and how it is addressed.
  2. Historical events that contribute to the way societies perceive and approach crimes.
  3. Culture, history, and social factors shape each society's values and priorities in different ways.
  4. Economic conditions play a key role in how crimes are perceived and dealt with.

2. The author gives the examples of jaywalking in the second paragraph .... 

  1. to support the idea that societies have diverse understandings of crime, justice, and punishment.
  2. to give the results of jaywalking in North America. 
  3. to show that crossing the road outside certain areas can be considered a serious criminal offense in North America.
  4. to show that crossing the road outside proper crossing places can be accepted or tolerated in many countries.

 

      Every community in the world recognizes certain activities as crimes due to their unique cultural, historical, and social contexts. These variations  are believed to be caused by factors such as cultural norms, religious beliefs, and historical events that shape each society's values and priorities. Additionally, economic conditions and the level of development in a society can influence how crimes are perceived and addressed. Because of these, each has developed its own way of dealing with crimes and has chosen a number of different punishments to match them. 

      However, it is surprising how much various societies of the world differ in their understanding about crime, justice, and punishment. What may be a crime in one country is often perfectly acceptable in another. For example, as you may know, jaywalking, that is not crossing the road at the proper crossing place at the proper time, is illegal in some areas of the world such as North America, but in other areas, it is quite legal. Besides deciding what is legal and what is illegal, societies must decide whether a crime is petty or serious. For example, carrying a gun is a very serious offence in some countries, but a very petty one in others.

     Similarly, ways of providing justice differ from country to country. In some countries, a person is considered innocent until he is proved guilty, but in other countries, the opposite is true. In other words, in the former, it is the job of the authorities to prove that a person has committed a crime. However, in the latter, it is the individual's task to prove his innocence.

3. What does "the former" refer to in this paragraph?

  1. Providing justice in some countries.
  2. Considering a person innocent until he is found guilty.
  3. The task of authorities to prove a crime.
  4. The individual's task to prove innocence.

4. What does "the latter" refer to in this paragraph?

  1. Committing a crime
  2. A person being innocent until found guilty
  3. A person being guilty until proven innocent.
  4. The individual's task to prove innocence.

 

        After four weeks in a Danish open prison, a prisoner is normally entitled to a 'holiday' outside the prison. Usually, he is allowed out of prison for one weekend every three weeks. Of course, prisoners do not have to leave their prison every three weeks - they can save up their weekends away and take a break of up to eight days if they prefer. Prisoners in open prison in Denmark are also allowed out for a whole range of activities such as buying clothes, visiting the doctor, or simply going for a walk with their visitors. If a prisoner needs to leave the prison for educational purposes - such as attending a course or receiving technical training - then, in certain circumstances, he may be allowed to spend the night outside the prison.

5. How long does a Danish prisoner have to spend in prison before he can go out for the first time?

6. What CAN NOT be concluded from this paragraph?  

  1. In Danish open prisons, prisoners are given the opportunity to temporarily leave the prison .
  2. Prisoners are allowed to leave the prison for a weekend every three weeks. 
  3. Prisoners in Danish open prisons have the freedom to participate in various activities outside the prison environment.
  4. Prisoners are allowed to stay outside the prison for educational purposes.

7. What is the purpose of this reading text?

  1. The passage explores how different societies perceive and respond to crime, justice, and punishment based on differnet factors.
  2. The passage discusses the variations in criminal laws, justice systems, and methods of punishment across different countries.
  3. The passage examines the differences in legal systems and people perception about crime and punishment.
  4. The passage provides examples of opposite approaches to crime and punishment.

 

VOCABULARY

8. The word "variation" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to 

  1. similarities
  2. changes
  3. continuation
  4. societies

9. The word "petty" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to 

  1. first-class
  2. important
  3. insignificant
  4. prominent

10. The word "inmates" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to 

  1. prison guards
  2. prisoners
  3. Scandinavian people
  4. criminals

 

Click here to Show / Hide Answers.

1- c

2- a

3- b

4- c

5- 4 weeks

6- c

7- a

8- b

9- c

10- b