Intermediate reading activity  by Viv Quarry (www.vivquarry.com)

 

Name:_______________________________________

 

Put 'in' (x16), 'on' (x9) 'at' (x3) and 'to' (x36) in the spaces in this article.

 

Match the words in the article with their meanings:

 

1) bolstered     , 2) caucus       3) sued           4) tougher       5) inmates       6) graveyard   7) hurdle

 

__ = harder,  __ = cemetery, __ = barrier,  __ = prisoners, __ = made stronger,  __ = take to court,

 

__ = political group,

 

Friday 17 April 2015 12.00 BST Last modified _____Friday 17 April 2015 12.03 BST

 

Brazil's 'bullets, beef and bible' caucus wants ______ imprison 16-year-olds

by  Bruce Douglas _____Rio de Janeiro

Bolstered by rising resentment toward President Dilma Rousseff, Jair Bolsonaro and other right-wing politicians want ______ lower the age of criminal responsibility.

Among Brazil’s weak and demoralised left-wing members of Congress, they are known as the “Bancada BBB”: Bullets, Beef and Bible Caucus. These conservative hardliners – from Brazil’s security forces, agricultural sector and evangelical churches – triumphed _____last October’s legislative elections, while President Dilma Rousseff, of the left-wing Workers’ Party (PT), only narrowly won re-election.

Over the past few months, the president’s authority has been undermined by a massive corruption scandal, major street protests and the open revolt of many of her former political allies.

With a survey this week showing that 63% of Brazilians would support impeachment proceedings against her, an energised coalition of right-wing deputies are attempting ______ impose their agenda _____Congress. Their long-term aims include liberalising Brazil’s gun laws and opening up its indigenous territories ______ industry. But their first goal is ______ lower the age of criminal responsibility from 18 ______ 16.

Under Brazil’s Child and Adolescent Statute (ECA), the maximum legal punishment for someone aged 12-18 is three years’ internment _____a juvenile socio-educative detention centre. _____theory, such a sentence is only applicable _____cases involving violence, though judges often interpret the law ______ include drug-trafficking.

One of the prime movers behind the attempt ______ change the age of criminal responsibility is Jair Bolsonaro, 60, a six-time federal deputy, who won more votes than any other congressman _____Rio de Janeiro _____the 2014 elections.

Speaking ______ the Guardian_____ his house inside an immaculate gated community_____Rio’s upmarket suburb of Barra da Tijuca, Bolsonaro said: “An adolescent can rape and kill 200 people and he is still not treated like a criminal _____Brazil. Most minors know that if they are going ______ commit a robbery, it is better ______ kill the victim as there is less chance of being caught, and if they are, the punishment will be the same.”

According ______ Unicef, however, Brazilian adolescents are far more likely ______ be victims of crime than perpetrators: of the 21 million aged 12-17, just 0.013% committed murder, robbery with murder, rape or bodily harm, while homicide was the cause of 36.5% of all adolescents’ deaths by non-natural causes. Thirty-three thousand Brazilian adolescents were murdered _____Brazil from 2006 ______ 2012. Bolsonaro’s response ______ such statistics is ______ argue that PT’s social assistance programmes have encouraged “irresponsible paternity”. This has created a generation of Brazilians “who, sadly, have no future whatsoever” and who are prone ______ violence because of the lack of a rigorous criminal justice system.

The former army captain, who hopes ______ run for the presidency_____2018, is the indisputable poster child of the insurgent Brazilian right, and repeatedly courts controversy with gratuitously offensive speeches. _____Tuesday he was ordered by a federal judge ______ pay R$150,000 (£33,000)_____damages for homophobic comments he made _____Brazilian TV_____2011._____an interview with Playboy that same year he said he would “rather his child died _____an accident than be gay”.

He is also being sued by Maria do Rosário, a former human rights’ minister from the PT, after he described her, _____Congress, as “not worth raping”. Over 10 years earlier he had told her the same thing,_____ the end of a televised discussion _____the age of criminal responsibility.While claiming he exaggerated “a little” over his comments ______ Playboy, he was unrepentant over the comments ______ Do Rosário. “Who is tougher _____rape? I have presented two projects ______ Congress_____the issue: first, ______ strengthen the sentencing for rape; second, ______ offer chemical castration ______ offenders. But the PT has blocked them both.”

With over 550,000 inmates, Brazil has the world’s fourth-largest prison population. More than 40% of those incarcerated are still awaiting trial. But Bolsonaro believes prison is the best way ______ reduce the country’s extremely high level of violent crime. “I prefer a prison full of criminals than a graveyard full of innocent people,” he said.

_____31 March, the bill ______ lower the age of criminal responsibility passed its first legislative hurdle. A Datafolha opinion poll published _____Wednesday showed that 87% of Brazilians are _____favour of the bill. With such popular and congressional support, Bolsonaro is confident that finally, after almost two decades of trying, he will succeed. “As soon as the law is passed, I will put forward another constitutional amendment, ______ lower the age ______ 14,” he said.

However, even if Congress approves the bill, it would still require ratification by the senate. It may also face obstacles _____the supreme court. Earlier this week President Rousseff used her Facebook feed ______ condemn the proposal.

“Lowering the age of criminal responsibility will not solve the problem of juvenile delinquency,” she wrote, though she added that she had instructed her justice minister ______ begin a debate over the ECA. Even those opposed ______ a lowering of the age of criminal responsibility question whether the three-year maximum sentence is sufficient.

Julita Lemgruber, a former director of Rio de Janeiro’s prison system, said there was a debate ______ be had over extending the period of custody for adolescents convicted of serious crimes. But she added the real issue was the state’s failure ______ implement existing legislation.

“The law is very clear _____the services that should be provided ______ adolescents when they are deprived of their liberty. But they never get them. _____the contrary, instead they are put into these filthy and overcrowded places with nothing ______ do.” But Lemgruber is worried that Bolsonaro will get his way. “The reality is that the federal government is very vulnerable_____ the moment. Everything is negotiable,” she said.

What do you think the last two words in blue mean? (don't use a dictionary!):

bill = ____________,                                                 'filthy = ____________