-Exercise N° Professor" s Name Mark1. Reading ........................ ... ./20

~ 2. Paraphrasing. ... ./18•• ........................'" 3.Cloze ... ./15~ ........................~

Total Part 1 (Min. 32) ...../53

4. Listening ........................ ... ./20~ 5. Essay ........................ ... ./27~•• 5.!....EssayRecórrec. ... ./27Íi$ ........................~ 5. Essay Average ........................ ... ./27

(do NOT fill in) Total Part II (Min. 31) .... ./47

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CARRERA DE TRADUCTOR PÚBLICOENTRANCE EXAMINATION - MAYO 2011

INOMBRE Y APELLIDO, , .

N° de ORDEN : PAPER 1

READING : Why blame me? It was all my brain's fault (British News Report).

Imagine this futuristic courtroom scene. The defence barrister stands up, and pointing to his client in thedock, makes this plea: "The case against Mr X must be dismissed. He cannot be held responsible forsmashing Mr Y's face into a pulp. He is not guilty, it was his brain that did it. Blame not Mr X, but hisoveractive amygdala."

The legal profession in America is taking an increasing interest in neuroscience. There is a flourishingacademic discipline of "neurolaw", and neurolawyers are penetrating the legal system. In the courts, as inthe trial of serial rapist and murderer Bobby Long, brain-scan evidence is being invoked in support ofpleas of diminished responsibility. Developments in neuroscience - in particular the observation ofactivity in the living brain, using techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging or f.M.RI.-have shown us that we are not as free, or as accountable for our actions, as we traditionally thought.

Defence lawyers are licking their lips at the possibility of placing "the brain on the stand" to take the rapon behalf of the client. Arguments that blame lies not with the defendant but with his overactive amygdala(supposedly responsible for aggressive emotions) or his underactive frontal lobes (supposedlyresponsible for inhibiting the expression of such emotions) are being deployed with increasing frequency.If our brains are in charge, and bad behaviour is due to them, our attitude to criminal responsibility and topunishment may all have to chanqe,

There is, however, a contradiction built into the plea of neuromitigation. The claim "my brain made me doit" suggests that I am not my brain, which contradicts the founding notion of neurolaw, namely that theperson is the brain. The brain is the final common pathway of all actions. You can't do much without abrain.

Furthermore, deciding on the boundaries of our responsibility for events in which we are implicatedcannot be handed over to neuroscientists examining the activity of the isolated brain in the laboratory. AsStephen Morse, a professor of law, has remind1d us, it is people, not brains, who commit crimes and"neuroscience ... can never identify the mysterious point at which people should be excusedresponsibility for their actions". That moral, legal question must be answered not in laboratories but incourtrooms and legislatures.

The neuromitigation of blame should therefore be treated with suspicion except in those instances wherethere is unambiguous evidence of grossly abnormal brain function due to clear-cut iIIness that mayoriginate in brain disease. Our knowledge of the relationship between brain and consciousness or brainand self is so weak and so conceptually confused that the appeal to neuroscience in the law courts, thepoi ice station or anywhere else is premature and inappropriate. Neurolaw is just another branch ofneuromythology.

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PART I (Minimum Passing mar!<: 32 points) PAPER 1

1. READING COMPREHENSIONIn your own words, answer the following questions about the passage above.

a. The author uses the terms "neurolaw", "neuroscience", "neuromitigation" and"neuromythology". What do they refer to and how are they related?

b. How do defence lawyers feel about the possibility of "placing the brain on the stand"?Explain the implications for the prosecutor and society in general

2. USE OF ENGlISH: PARAPHRASINGUse the words given and rewrite these sentences by adding 2 or more words.

DO NOT change the meaning

a. Why blame me? It was my brain's fault

I am Blame .

b. Our knowledge of the relationship between brain and self is so weak that the appeal toneuroscience in the courts is premature

Had we gained .

c. The neuromitigation of blame should therefore be treated with suspicion

It is recommended .

3. USE OF ENGlISH: CLOZE EXERCISEFiII in the blanks with ONL Y ONE WORD

A Iittle-noticed case from the early 1990s marked the beginning of neuroscience. The case (1)

...................... Herbert Weinstein, a 65- (2) executive who was charged with (3)

.................. his wife, Barbara, to death and then, in an effort to (4) the murder

look Iike a suicide, throwing her body out the window of their 12th-floor apartment in Manhattan.

Before the trial began, Weinstein's lawyer (5) that his client should not be heId

responsible for his actions because (6) a mental defect - namely, an abnormal

cyst in his arachnoid membrane, which (7) the brain like a spider web. Today,

American law holds people criminally responsible (8) they act under duress, (e.g.,

with a gun (9) at the head) or if they suffer from a serious defect in rationality - like

not being able to (10) right from wrong. But in the latter case, the law generally

doesn't care (11) - whether it's an unhappy childhood or an arachnoid cyst or

(12) Thatcriminals could be excused because their brains made them do it (13)

.................. anyone (14) brain isn't functioning properly could be excused. Is it

the courts' (15) to define the "normal" brain?

PART 11(Minimum Passing Mark 31)'-

4. LlSTENING COMPREHENSION

• Listen to the passage called "Can your genes make you kil/?" and then summarize it• Include as much information as possible (150-200 words)

SUMMARY: Can your genes make you kill?

5. ESSAY WRITING (300-350 words)

• Write an essay on the following topic:"Scientific advances may generate moral dilemmas"

• Use both the ideas and structures below• Be tidy and orderly throughout• Write the total word count at the end

Include the following ideas (in any arder):1. The moral dilemmas that accompany scientific advances2. Latest advances and their impact: cloning, gene manipulation, sex selection,

"designed" babies, neuroscience, cryopreservation, nuclear plants, atomic bombs.3. The moral values of the 21st century. Bioethics.

Use and underline:1. A sentence starting with "Only when "2. A sentence starting with "If only "3. A 2nd conditional

Plus a wide range of connectors and vocabulary

ESSAY: SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES MAY GENERATE MORAL DILEMMAS

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KEYENTRANCEEXAMINATIONMAY 2011Listening (Adapted from a news report, AMERICAN ENGLlSH)

Summary of the Listening 20points

When the police arrived at Brad Wald's trailer home in the mountains of Tennessee,they found a war zone. There was blood on the walls, on the carpet, on the truckoutside, even blood on the Bible that Wald had been reading before the tragedy. OnOct. 16, 2006, Wald was waiting for his wife to arrive with their four kids for theweekend. He had been drinking, and~when his wife said she was leaving with herfriend, Leslie, they began to fight. Soon, Wald had shot Leslie eight times and sliced herhead open with a sharp object. When he was finished with her, he chased after his wife,Penny, with a machete, chopping off her finger and cutting her over and over.

During the trial, the defense* team did not try to dismantle the graphic evidence butrather sought to give a broader picture. How did they do that?

The answer lay in Brad Wald's genes. A psychiatric evaluation found that Wald carriedthe high-risk version of the "warrior gene", a gene connected with violence and anger.His genetic makeup, combined with his history of child abuse, together created avulnerability that he would be a violent adult. It turned out to be a dangerous cocktail.

The jurors concluded that his actions were not premeditated, that he was incapable ofmaking the right choices and agreed with the defense argument that Wald justexploded.

After 11 hours of deliberation, the jury ruled out the death penalty.

This case signals the beginning of a revolution in the courtroom.

Neuroscience and neuroimaging is going to change the whole philosophy about how wepunish and how we decide how to deal with people.

An important question is where to draw the line in considering neuroscience evidenceas a legal mitigation or excuse.

Should someone be executed for a condition that he was born with? Is it his fault?

There are plenty of examples of an abnormality. Do we give alcoholics a pass if they killsomeone while driving drunk? Should depressed individuals be entitled to an excuseunder the law? Should adolescents be excused because they are less able to controltheir impulses as a result of underdevelopment in the prefrontal cortex of the brain?

Neuroscience, it seems, points two ways: it can absolve individuals of responsibility foracts they have committed, but it can also place individuals in jeopardy for acts theyhaven't committed yet - but might someday. This opens up a Pandora's box incivilized society.

*defense: American English VS. defence, British English (used in Reading text). Both OK.

KEYENTRANCE EXAMINATION MAY 2011

PART 1 (EX 1 + 2 + 3) - MINIMUM passing Mark: 32 POINTS

1. Reading comprehension (20 points, 2 x 10 each). ORIENTATIVE ANSWERS

PAPER 1A. Neurolaw: new approach that focuses on the brain and its activity, rather than on theactlcrime itself to adjudge responsibility and punish the offender. Neuroscience: scientificapproach to understand how the brain works and what areas are more or less active when anindividual acts. Uses imagery and special techniques. Neurolawyers and ne.uroscientists are onthe rise. Neuromitigation: The neurolaw approach mitigates punishment and diminishesresponsibility. Neuromythology: a wrong belief, a myth, an excuse to explain mental behaviour.B. Attorneys for the defence relish the idea of placing the brain, rather than the person, on thestand. They are looking forward to it as it is likely that the defendant is acquitted or given alesser penalty if brain abnormality is confirmed. Rest: FREE. (Orientative: Implications: a serialkiller may be set free on account of a troubled childhood or an abnormal brain. Society will notalways see justice be done. The law will ultimately understand and excuse violence and rage)

PAPER2 ,A. It means to examine the brain as if it were a witness. The brain is "separated" from theperson, as a distinct entity. Attorneys for the defence love the idea of placing the brain, ratherthan the person, on the stand as it is more likely that the defendant is acquitted or given alesser penalty if any abnormality is confirmed. Implications: a serial killer may be set free onaccount of a troubled chitdhood or an abnormal brain. Society will not always see justice bedone. The law will ultimately understand and excuse violence and rage.B. The writer explains the advent of neurolaw and neuroscience. He warns us of howcourtrooms and trials will change in the future with the admission of neuroscientific evidence(for ex fMRI) to prove abnormality of the mind. However, he believes neuroscience is not fullyreliable: 1) the mind should not be fully separated from the person, 2) scientists cannot decidemoral and legal issues in the laboratory 3) it is premature and dangerous to use it if we do nothave a complete insight of how the brain relates to consciousness or self.

2. Paraphrasing (18 points - 3 x 6 points each) (Orientative answers)

A. I am not to blame/not accountable. Blame it on my brain. Blame my brainB. Had we gained more knowledge about the relationship between .... and .... it would not bepremature to appeal to neuroscience in the courts. OR the appeal to neuroscience would betimely/appropriate (MIXED Conditional WITH INVERSION!!)C. It is recornrnended that the neuromitigation of blame (should) be treated with suspicion

A. Owing to our brains we behave badly/aggressively (baG ADVERBS must be used)B. Not until our knowledge of the relationship between .. , and ... Js stronger w;}} the appea} toneuroscíence be appropriateltime(y ((NVERSION OF ORDER in the 2nd clause)C. Blarne is wrongly attributed tol placed withl laid upon the defendant, instead of hisoveractive amygdala or his underactive frontal lobes

3. Cloze exercise (15 points - 1 each)

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PART II (EX 4 + 5) - MINIMUM passinq Mark: 31 POINTS

4. Listening exercise (Summary - 20 points)S. EssayWriting (27 points)

NEW TIPS FOR EXAM CORRECTION• Exams should be corrected IN FULL ( exercises 1 to 5)• Printouts are now either Paper 1 or Paper 2. Check key accordingly• Write your name in the blank provided on the top right corner, first page• Use red, green or any colour pens to correct. DO NOT use black or blue; students do.• Bilingual dictionaries are NO LONGER allowed.• In the paraphrasing exercise, students may but need not change content words.• Upon re-correction of the essay do not let the mark given previously influence you.• DO NOT write an average for Exercise N°5. A revision team will.• DO NOT sum up the partial or final score. A revision team will.• DO NOT cross out anything written by students unless you have checked the mistake against a

reliable dictionary.• DO NOT simply underline or circle words. Use the margins and the Correction Code below to signal

the type of mistake.• Complete the grid at the end of the essay. Put a cross in the appropriate square(s). The completed

grid should help you make a decision about the mark• MINIMUM passing Mark for Part 1: 32• MINIMUM passing .Mark for Part 11: 31.• Do not give the student O if he has answered questions in part though wrongly. O should be

used when the student has written nothing at all.• The listening exercise consists in writing a sumrnarv, They do not need to change words to write the

summary of the listening exercise• ESSAY 27 POINTS

Evaluate coherence and cohesion, use of vocabulary, ideas given, and use of language.Check they write about the 3 ideas given to ensure they have not prepared and studied by heartthe topic of the compositionCheck they use and underline the structures requested. Lower marks if they don'tStudents ask for explanations on revision date so all corrections must be well accounted for.Mistakes of "Choice" are not as serious as "Meaning" or Poor Language mistakes.Use 0 to reward the student for good use of language/vocabulary/patterns, etc

GUIDELlNESThe following are signs of a poor command of the language:o People IS; news AREo Subject missing in any sentence. (1 wont go because is cold outside)o Mistakes in the use of anticipatory it (for ex. lt's nice the day)o Spelling mistakes of ordinary wordso Pluralisation of adjectiveso Wrong use of a pattern (He suggested to go; I wish he comes)o Wrong use of other/another/the othero THISITHAT instead of THESEITHOSEo Wrong use of the articleo Wrong use of connectors or linkerso Wrong use of referential/cohesive deviceso Wrong use of conditional sentenceso Wrong use of tenseso Wrong use of modal auxiliarieso Wrong use of the passive voice (for ex, ... will be hold)o Spanish transferso Wrong or no paragraph division

ESSAYS CONTAINING ANY 4 SERIOUS MISTAKES OF THIS KIND SHOULD BE AWARDED A FAIL

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Str or Structure I'm looking forward to ge on holiday.Strue. (..going. ..)VT Verb Tense He just graduated when he got his

firstjob. (..hadjust graduated. ..)Conc.ur Concord or Agreement tffis books (these)Agmt,W.O. Word Order It's an orange e}{quisiteblossom. (exquisite

orange)He's so big headed that he'll do whatever

M Meaning he wants in spite of your warning. (. .pig-headed. ..)What made me fall in love with him was the

M? What do you mean? fact that he was so 5ffiaFt? (intelligent orelegant?)1just can't stand the

Ch Choice continuous ringing of thephone! (..continua!...)

P,or Punctuation Having finished his lecture he left the room.PUNC. (.. his lecture, he...)Sp Spelling It's writen in French. (.. written. ..)Coll. Collocation glowing diamonds (sparkling. ..)L or Language God raises themand they get together.LaD~. (Birds of a feather jlock together.)

Upon inappropriately displaying his anger,R Register he raised to his feet and got the hell out of

theI:&.-(. .left the room at a brisk pace)Ref. Reference Both Tom and John decided to accept the

invitation, but he soon regretted it. (theformer or the latter?)

Cap. Capital Letters One of the things 1 do to improve my englishis ... (..English. ..)

lwe. Lower case He is but an ordinary Glefk:. (.. clerk)P7M Punctuation Leading His mother \vho sent him to the best schools

to Meaning Mistake had to turn to food stamps. (His mother, whosent him (o (he best schools, had..')

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