IV. Grammar focus

Verbs: active/passive

Change the sentences below from active to passive. For example:

Active: The police officer asked for proof of identification.

Passive: Proof of identification was asked by the police officer.

1. The emperor appointed a special committee of jurists.

2. Theodosius II, ruler of the Byzantine Empire, published the first codification of imperial legislation.

3. Roman law influenced many modern civil law systems in Europe.

4. They chose ten Roman citizens to record the laws.

5. They inaugurated a more thorough study of Roman law at Bologna University

6. My uncle wrote his will in 2000.

7. The constable arrested and searched the driver of the stolen car.

8. They left the wounded man lying on the road.

9. The judge asked the witness to speak louder.

10. Between about 367 bc and ad137 they developed the new law from the edicts of the praetor.

V. SPEAKING

What do you think about the following statements?

When men are pure, laws are useless; when men are corrupt, laws are broken. Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) British politician and author.

It would be better to have no laws at all, than to have too many.

Law, without force, is impotent. Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) French mathematician, physicist and philosopher.

Where the law is uncertain there is no law. (proverb)